VB air ride failure - what replacement?

[t0mb0]

We had VB Air fitted in summer 2018. After five years of great benefit from it, the front right airbag would not hold its air. We finally identified this as the cause of the poor ride (rather than rough roads) last month when in Ireland on Europe’s most westerly campsite, 500 miles from home.

In short, with advice from Rosmia who installed our suspension, we successfully drove home and onwards to Rosmia who efficiently refitted the front suspension. Whilst obviously disappointed at the failure our experience still leaves us very satisfied with our VB Air and with Rosmia as a supplier.

That’s reassuring, both because ours is from Rosmia and because it’s about six years old now…

 

[Perfectos]

Check this out !

The poor guy is being held to ransom by VB ! Who won’t supply parts to replace failed air bag ?

VB Air Suspension

Thanks for the tip, I’ll make a note to look at those. I’m also running a 4motion 204 and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how frugal it is on the motorway. I comfortably exceed 40 mpg sat at 68mph (also Waze!) despite the BFG's and Bilstein lift kit. The tyres are noisy though. Sent from my...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[CRS Performance]

We have seen this before , A forum member gave up on his VB air after a second massive failure and being told no warranty for the second time ( even though it was the same fault they fixed the first time ) We removed it eventually ! Please remember as with most air ride a certain amount of chassis cutting takes place particularly in the rear so its not easy to just remove and fit something more reliable , there is some welding to do. Apart from "we cant level up on a camp site " the ride is so much better with conventional kits .

 

[Perfectos]

This needs to be followed by anyone considering VB air it looks like an absolute disgrace!

 

[Perfectos]

The poor chap can’t use his van and is being held to ransom by VB !

 

[Deleted Member]

Loving my VB 4C system, let’s see how I feel in 12 months

 

[Shaun Witts]

I’m still happy with my VB. It must have been on for about 45k miles now. I love the self levelling, and the off-road mode for rough ground parking and flooded roads.
I have always been concerned about the possibility of a bag failure, but that happens on other vehicles too (Citroen & Range Rover come to mind). I’ve also had standard coil springs break. Sure it would be a pain if a bag failed, but so was the water pump.
I do agree that the dampers used are too harsh, which is particularly noticeable at the front, so it would be great if CRS developed their own version (so we can have our self-levelling cake and eat the comfort!).

 

[roadtripper]

Locking this thread to let everyone step away, have a cuppa/chilled tin and calm down.

I'm removing the flame war, this isn't Facebook. Discussion is fine, emotive responses and language isn't from either side and only feeds the fire.

 

[BuilderJay]

Didn’t see this as was at the Bluewater Van meet. Well done Trippy

 

[Lone Wolf]

Hi crew, I have had my Vb air for only 5 years, driven carefully and minimal use of Vb air.

I have had a couple of issues in the first few years and it is playing up again?

Going back to the workshop soon but cannot really use Van until fixed and don’t know how long this will be?

Really contemplating taking it off if got to throw a lot more money at it?

How does everyone feel spending all this on this system and just taking it off?

I wish I had never bothered now and its a hell of a lot of money for me to just go down the Pan?

 

[jason ferguson]

Thanks for that. I too have had vb fitted to my transporter and its rubbish. I have never been satisfied with it, it bounced me around from day one.. i had anti roll bars upgraded and it made it a little better to drive in comfort mode but sports mode is useless.. Now im getting a banging coming from under the divers side,, I am being told i may need new bags which are £1000 each.. this is not acceptable after just a few years.. Vb know about this problem and has not done nothing to help,, I've spoken to Steve who has had to remove these systems and patch up the rear end as they cut things out to fit ,which is something i was not told about at fitting.. I am now considering removing vb air and going with Steves advice.. I will be making a video of the removel and throwing my £6000 system in a skip..

 

[Shaun Witts]

Well my VB air eventually failed. I noticed that the drivers side front was looking low after standing for a while, although it seemed to be driving OK. So I spoke to my installer (Exploria) who suggested a quick test to ascertain if my problem was related to a known issue that might be supported a bit.
Basically, with it in off-road mode (engine running) turn the steering to full lock. In my case the front right immediately dropped like a stone (on right steering lock). The left was OK.
Apparently this indicates an issue with the strut top mounts that has since been modified. My steering had always creaked & squeaked when turning at slow speed, so maybe the noise was indicative?
Anyway, after 4 1/2 years and about 47k miles the front struts needed replacing due to a known problem with the top mount. Thankfully, my installer was able to get VB to half the cost of the struts, so it was not as painful as it could have been.
Interestingly, the damping at the front is now much improved, making me think that VB have made a change in this area also.

 

[Kind of Blue]

Well my VB air eventually failed. I noticed that the drivers side front was looking low after standing for a while, although it seemed to be driving OK. So I spoke to my installer (Exploria) who suggested a quick test to ascertain if my problem was related to a known issue that might be supported a bit.
Basically, with it in off-road mode (engine running) turn the steering to full lock. In my case the front right immediately dropped like a stone (on right steering lock). The left was OK.
Apparently this indicates an issue with the strut top mounts that has since been modified. My steering had always creaked & squeaked when turning at slow speed, so maybe the noise was indicative?
Anyway, after 4 1/2 years and about 47k miles the front struts needed replacing due to a known problem with the top mount. Thankfully, my installer was able to get VB to half the cost of the struts, so it was not as painful as it could have been.
Interestingly, the damping at the front is now much improved, making me think that VB have made a change in this area also.

I am happy to hear that you have had the problem sorted and minimal costs.

Is their any reason other than perhaps cost perhaps, that you could not just fit KONI dampers say the adjustable for example?

 

[Shaun Witts]

I am happy to hear that you have had the problem sorted and minimal costs.

Is their any reason other than perhaps cost perhaps, that you could not just fit KONI dampers say the adjustable for example?

The rear dampers never felt too bad. The front were rather crashy and harsh. The difference was very noticeable over sharp speed bumps (the sort you usually take very slowly). Unfortunately, as the front suspension is MacPherson strut, with the air bag as part of the strut, it was not possible to change just the dampers.
And I am generally happy with my VB Air suspension. Much more so now the front is improved.

 

[Kind of Blue]

The rear dampers never felt too bad. The front were rather crashy and harsh. The difference was very noticeable over sharp speed bumps (the sort you usually take very slowly). Unfortunately, as the front suspension is MacPherson strut, with the air bag as part of the strut, it was not possible to change just the dampers.
And I am generally happy with my VB Air suspension. Much more so now the front is improved.

So the MacPherson struts that are supplied with the VB Air, are fabricated or modified to accept Air Bags, in a way that other MacPherson struts, after-market or original-fit, that might normally fit VW T6 are not? Sorry I have never seen the set up myself and would not be happy with dampers provided and I am just looking to see what is possible. I would not buy a set up for instance, if I could not use my own choice of dampers or swap them over after fitment. When I bought my 2019 Caravelle 4Motion from new, I intended to have fitted Air suspension but COVID Brexit and so on I just lost my direction a bit and I had heard that VB did not like to use other manufacturers dampers in the past. It seams other air suspension suppliers also appear to want to use only there own choice of suppler also. I did not know why that is or if there was some other reason or other. Hence the question.

 

[Shaun Witts]

So the MacPherson struts that are supplied with the VB Air, are fabricated or modified to accept Air Bags, in a way that other MacPherson struts, after-market or original-fit, that might normally fit VW T6 are not? Sorry I have never seen the set up myself and would not be happy with dampers provided and I am just looking to see what is possible. I would not buy a set up for instance, if I could not use my own choice of dampers or swap them over after fitment. When I bought my 2019 Caravelle 4Motion from new, I intended to have fitted Air suspension but COVID Brexit and so on I just lost my direction a bit and I had heard that VB did not like to use other manufacturers dampers in the past. It seams other air suspension suppliers also appear to want to use only there own choice of suppler also. I did not know why that is or if there was some other reason or other. Hence the question.

I think that is the nature of MacPherson struts - the damper is part of the leg. Sure, you can change the strut and keep a spring from the previous setup, but I think an airbag needs a dedicated strut, so limiting any choice of damper.

 

[Kind of Blue]

Ah Thank you very much Shaun Witts. Without ever seeing the actual units myself I had no real understanding of the difficulty. I think that years ago I may have asked someone at VB Air but did not understand the answer but perhaps they did not understand me. I had the same thing with a German company about there Air system which I rather liked as it was very tidy at least on the imagery. The paraphernalia was stored tidily in a box stored in the spare wheel well. It also offered control and levelling. He did speak English but I aught to have asked my wife to do the conversation because his English was only so so and my German, ich habe kein Deutsch. My wife has just told me that! I aught to be very careful, years ago someone trained and coached me to say something that I understood to be romantic in French, my then new relationship was very fluent in that language. Anyway to cut it short it was anything but!!!! Still we went on to get married and almost 45 years later, still together. The culprit was a late friend who had rather wicked sense of humour and I too trusting!


I hope that you continue enjoying VB Air, I see some of the complainants only posted a few times. I do not see it being unreliable generally but of course like all things, the odd thing happens occasionally.

Any way thank you for the explanation. I think I may have to buy a more conventual lift with dampers of choice and forgo the opportunity of low barrier parking.

 

[Shaun Witts]

Ah Thank you very much Shaun Witts. Without ever seeing the actual units myself I had no real understanding of the difficulty. I think that years ago I may have asked someone at VB Air but did not understand the answer but perhaps they did not understand me. I had the same thing with a German company about there Air system which I rather liked as it was very tidy at least on the imagery. The paraphernalia was stored tidily in a box stored in the spare wheel well. It also offered control and levelling. He did speak English but I aught to have asked my wife to do the conversation because his English was only so so and my German, ich habe kein Deutsch. My wife has just told me that! I aught to be very careful, years ago someone trained and coached me to say something that I understood to be romantic in French, my then new relationship was very fluent in that language. Anyway to cut it short it was anything but!!!! Still we went on to get married and almost 45 years later, still together. The culprit was a late friend who had rather wicked sense of humour and I too trusting!


I hope that you continue enjoying VB Air, I see some of the complainants only posted a few times. I do not see it being unreliable generally but of course like all things, the odd thing happens occasionally.

Any way thank you for the explanation. I think I may have to buy a more conventual lift with dampers of choice and forgo the opportunity of low barrier parking.

Speak to CRS performance about suspension. Everyone swears by them on this forum. I have not used them, or paid them anything, but they have still been helpful and given good advice when I spoke to them at Busfest.

 

[Kind of Blue]

Thank you Shaun Witts,

I have a good idea of what I would go for if using after market lift springs and dampers, I was just holding back, procrastinating as usual to see if something in the up and down air department took my fancy but things have not changed quite enough perhaps for me as yet. I will make another enquiry with one other outlet or at least the fitters who where not a million miles from me, that is if they are still operating. Cheers!

 

[CRS Performance]

I am happy to hear that you have had the problem sorted and minimal costs.

Is their any reason other than perhaps cost perhaps, that you could not just fit KONI dampers say the adjustable for example?

It is a great pity , VB air are clients of KONI , BUT they dont buy the KONI dampers for the transporter kits ??? , It probably wouldnt help the issue that so many people are having with the fronts deflating with out warning but the kit would ride miles better . The VB Air front strut has a very unusual upper mount so replacing the dampers with something better is probably not doable .