penogg

Ok,

Here's a question I'm sure must have been answered somewhere on the forums but from what I’ve read I can't seem to find the exact answer.

Also before I start; I love my Allroad and the reason I bought the Allroad was for the adjustable height suspension, so I will not be going coilovers.

I just got through changing my rear air springs to the Arnott Gen II’s when finally one of the OE’s decided to start leaking.
After running the Arnott Gen II’s on the front for a few years with the OE’s shocks with no issues or complaint what so ever I decided to do the same on the rears.
Now I have an issue on the rear running the OE shocks. It seems in level 1 they are bouncy and bottoming out on bumps so I am guessing that the dampeners or worn out.

So the question is; what have you all have done out there to remedy this and what shocks did you end up going with on the rears with the Arnott stage 2 air bags?

Also, It seems a lot of people on the forums don't seem to like Bilsteins, so what is the next choice and no I don't want to pay $500 a piece for new OE’s…

PaperToast

i got a set of rear billys for mine
they ride fine, and im running on hand-me-down bags with 145 on them

until arnott comes out with another shock for the rear your stuck with OEM, billys if you can find them, and a few sources out of europe that offer an OE shock

penogg

OK, so I assume that you are talking about the Bilstein SK-2256 or Bilstein SK-2717, I don't recall which is the Chinese version to "stay away" from?

AudiQC

I ran into the exact same problem with Gen I Arnott's bags and OEM shocks, even in level 2. It is OK on level 3. Over 3 years that I have Arnott rear bags and the second set is very slowly leaking now. Not enough to be a problem yet but !!! My shocks (OEM) were brand new when I put the rear bags on 3 years ago.... I am actively looking to either buy used OEM rear bags. I am quiet sure they will last longer then Arnott's. Even if I still have the lifetime warranty, i have calculated that if I don't DIY change over each time they worned out they cost as much as OEM brand new airbags from Audiparts suppliers. Front air bag seem to have better match with OEM shock.....Don't forget that the OEM rear shock are directly connected with the rear airbags so if the pressure is not parameted exactly as the OEM airbags can be the dampening is not going to be the same. And that is my explanation of the problem. On that particular aspect i have noticed that when i am loaded with an heavy trailer (tongue) or more than 200 to 300 pds in the "trunk" the shocks seem to work better. So i figure out that Arnott rear air bags are not properly design to match the OEM rear shocks....

snagitseven

I have a set of rear Arnotts with the OEM shocks and have not noticed this problem. We keep the level at 1 all the time.

glennda5id

Do you run Gen I or Gen II in the rear?

snagitseven

Gen I, same as AudiQC to whom I was responding.