Need your help please:

1. What is the best way to deflate air suspension to change out an air spring? Other than slicing it open with a knife, like I see on YouTube videos. I do not have access to a Tech II tool to program in a deflate sequence (which is the proper way to deflate the air ride), and they seem expensive to purchase.

2. Can you replace just one air spring, if staying with OEM replacement? Will it sit level? Or is the norm to replace both at the same time? Just like you would do with normal springs or shocks.
ie. Do they get weaker? My left one is fine, the right leaks. Prefer to replace just the faulty one.

 

Interesting question as I'm at that same point myself. I have a TECH2 and you are quite right there is a "Depressurize System" function, something I would never of thought of had you not said. The advantage of doing this would be to preserve the air-spring but as I have replacements its not so important.

From what I've read the lifetime of the air suspension is limited, not sure of the exact figure, something like 30K miles I think. I will most certainly replace both at the same time, I think is the logical thing to do ignoring cost, both will have degraded and once both have been replaced its job done.

In my case I get "Service air suspension" every now and which the Tech2 indicates is the Rear Left airspring or it's height sensor, other than that the H2 has no other symptoms i.e. ride height is OK, compressor runs once in a while, raise and lower works OK, truck doesnt drop over time.

Apparently the rubber develops micro-leaks over time which tend to close-up when the bags concertina but I have no personal evidence on this. I also note the numerous warnings on the compressor life.

Def not going to fit coils, I actually use the raise-lift on the farm!

 

There is no need to replace both at the same time, if the other one is still good.

Chances are it has just as many miles as the leaking bag and you will probably be changing it out soon anyway, but there is no performance advantage to replacing them both at the same time.

 

I have had to replace the driver's side OEM 2007 airbag just now in 2021.
The passenger side in 2017. Now with 140K km on the H2.
So they can last 14 years and at least this many miles.

Both developed micro leaks, which were detected by raising vehicle and spraying shocks with soapy water.

 

It's been a while

Good update on the micro leaks, makes sense.