Removing Rear Air Bags.

[co4wheel]

I had to stop. Getting tired and it's dark. I don't know how to get the rear air bags out? I pulled the fuse, removed the shock. Lowered the axle. It seemed to be binding on the air hose. But it was dark and hard to see. Raised it back up and put the wheels back on. I am hoping they deflate overnight .

What is the process for getting them out?

Do I need to worry about the brake lines being stretched when I drop the axle enough to put the new springs in?

Do I need to remove or loosen anything else? Sway Bar?

Glad I quit, But with out a book I am worried. I thought it was simple. The fronts only took a couple hours. Now I am stuck on the simple.

 

[surfingGX]

Check this out. They dont seem too complicated, just got to get some better light on them maybe? Good luck. Im goin to be doing this soon as I noticed drivers side rear shock starting to leak oil.

 

[madtoy]

There's a small C clip on top holding it on. You need to pop that off first. I used a small screw driver to push it off. It's not easy, since you really can't see it, and it's difficult to reach your hand up and feel it. But it pops off toward the rear of the truck. Then you squeeze the plastic clip holding the air line, and slide them off the connector. Then yank the air line out. That also will feel like it's not coming off, but it will. I grabbed it with a pair of pliers and had to pull really hard. It'll startle you when it pops off, since the air immediately evacuates.

 

[BlackUSK56]

You can get a better view of everything if you drop and remove the spare tire.

Disconnected the swaybar links to help the axle drop and flex more.

***Read on bleeding rear brakes FIRST***
I ended up disconnecting the brake lines at the axle. The rear brakes are electronically pressurized and are really easy to bleed. My springs wouldn't fit no matter how much I tried to angle(flex) the axle, and it was starting to pull on the brake lines.

I think I was able to get to the clips on the top of the air bags from the side if the truck looking through the wheel wells. Like madtoy, I also used a tiny screw driver and pulled one them off. The other I bent a piece of coat hanger into a hook to remove it.

As far as the airlines, I just cut mine with wire snips. Then removed as much wiring, hoses, and components of the air suspension as possible.

 

[madtoy]

I just unbolted all of the brake line brackets on the axle, and pushed them upward. It was tough, but I shoved the 2" lift spring, along with a 1/2" spacer on top in. And the second time around, I did it without even removing the bottom isolator.

 

[moab cj5]

I used a light to look between the body and frame to locate the clip, then grabbed it with some long needle nose pliers and popped it off. Then I cut the airlines with some snips, and out came the airbags. I fought my shocks though. I ended up having to cut the top off one to get the stupid thing out.

Good luck!

 

[langsen]

Unclip the air tube; unclip the metal clip at the top; rotate the pneumatic cylinder 90 degrees and remove it from the axle.
Remove the metal clip with pliers or with a piece of wire with a hook bent at the end. Access is through the wheel well. Stick the hook of the wire through the hole in the clip and pull, it should pop right out.
To unclip the air tube, you can use a short piece of 1/4" irrigation tubing instead of the Toyota SST.

 

[SouthernSS]

just snip the line near the clip at the bag. Instant deflate. You wont regret it.