For anyone wondering, the manufacturer of these poor quality air struts is Wrenchmonkee. I originally masked out their logo to not tarnish their reputation, but I've learned they are not worth giving a second chance. I've tried and tried to work with them on some sort of return, but they've been essentially unreachable by me now. Their owner publicly commented on a Facebook post of mine, saying he'd make this right for me, but that has turned out to be just him putting on a show to make his company look better. How he is comfortable selling products this low-tier and treating customers this way is beyond me. If they would have handled the situation better from the get-go, things would be a lot different. But here we are. Their channel is here: www.youtube.com/@Wrenchmonkee
@@nft200yearsago8 Cheap and Rare can not be used in the same sentence. They do show up once in a while on market place but you have to look and expand your search area.
it takes a level of maturity and self awareness to put something back to stock especially after all the struggles but you made the right decision. i was going to bag my ls400 but i couldnt bring myself to ruin that engineering marvel that was the ride quality
I have a 2011 Audi a4 have had it for a 3 years always drove it stock but it is now for all case and purposes “dead” needs a new timing chain rms pvc valve etc etc a good amount of work I was thinking of bringing it back to life as I’ve put to much money into the car to sell as is and I’d rather spend the money to get this car running hood and we’ll for years than buy a new one your videos have been walking me down the path I may even record my progress
Super unfortunate outcome.. we have a 14’ q7, lower on h&r’s . Looks way better then stock, handles way better then stock. I’d go that route and upgrade the struts if your trying to get the most comfort out of the car with it looking good also. ( sadly aftermarket stuff for the 4L is almost non existent. Aside from Roc-Euro intake and Apr stg1 tune or racechip box ) Q7’s look awesome, especially lowered at nighttime the taillights look killer. You did a great job with the install 🤜🏻🤛🏻
As someone else suggested before, use strut and air bag from a donor car. The struts have the active function thing but it has only 2or3 stages of adjustments. I don't think it would affect the ride as much. Next time I connect vcds I'll see if there's a voltage or some reference to when each mode is active. If all it takes is voltage to regulated them, then you could just get a make/buy a circuit with the equivalent voltage and wire it.
thanks for that info.. Apparently the company that manufactured them did not take into account any true dampening or rebound, as well as the weight of the Q7. I appreciate you saving me the money going this route, as I have been looking pretty hard for an air alternative to my current steel sprung 4L Q7. Keep us posted on if you go coils or lowered springs!
Looks amazing but I got a lot of info from your video I was so on the fence on doing it for my Audi q7 09 but now you changed my mind a bit but I still wanna be able to lower and back up whenever I want but I also want that smooth comfort ride when I’m driving!!!!!
Was wounding why you masked out the brand on struts and at the end you explain why. Sucks it did not work out man. Learning experience it was. One hell of a clean install tho killer job.
I’ve always been interested in air suspension and never done it with my Audi … I enjoyed watching the install but it is a bummer that you’re disappointed. Quality episode regardless of outcome.
I’m unsure about a bigger bag, but a heavier duty shock most likely would have helped. I’m thinking the people that assembled them didn’t account for the nearly 3-ton mass of this thing. While they were on the car, I was instructed to raise driving pressures more and more, and to mess with damping with those pressures. Full stiff and really high pressures made it ride the best, but it was still pretty miserable. I’ve since put lowering springs on stock shocks and it’s so much better
@@FlinkFilms would you consider retrying this experiment on someone else's q7, with heavier duty shocks and bigger bags? i'd hire you if you're looking to conquer this :)
Lowering springs! I don't think 034 makes a kit for the Q7. But 034 springs paired with blister b8 shocks on my b8 Q5 2.0t(was totally fine on stock shocks, just helped performance) is MINT. Did not sacrifice ride quality one bit, looks WAY better, and the best part is that they are progressive springs so once they are loaded a certain amount (in a corner) they go stiff as hell. But the rest of the time are perfect.
There’s a big chance that the geometry set at its highest setting of those air struts is already too low for the original control arms and other joints and steering parts that make the overall suspension. Lowering an Audi is maxed out under 2” from stock. Your highest setting of the Audi in the video looks like it’s roughly 3” or more lower than stock. So if that is true then that’s has to be the reason why it feels or it felt like. What was your original ride height. Then measure what your highest ride height is on the air settings. If it’s over 2” difference then that has to be the reason of your bad ride quality. All your steering components at that point are too short to allow the overlapping geometry to travel within the proper ranges. That is the reason why companies like h&r springs make their drop kits to be within their decimal ranges. And not the traditional 1”. 2”. 3”. 4”. Drops that you see on trucks and full size cars. Because there is not much of suspension travel. Which comes to a conclusion that of those air struts were built to factory ride height to be the max. And allowing you to deflate all the way then you would have. The look deflated all the way while parked. And to have a 0-2” of drop while driving and I’m sure it would ride way better than how you have it now. As you said in your video. Max air rides ok. But is too bumpy as you now have NO suspension travel because of the amount of pressure at that point. If it is built taller overall. Then at that height it would take less air and I’m sure it would ride better then.
The stock air suspension is phenomenal. I have it on mine, ive dropped it 20mm through vagcom, dynamic sits low and handles like coilovers yet comfort feels like im floating on air. I could help with coding it needed
Im considering this model to do some double duty...low for street work which will be 90% of usage, but id like to leave it in the Lift Mode to put some offroad tires under it for the couple times a year I take it to the sand dunes. Do you think thats just an easy VagCom session before I hit the sand, and back again when I have it back on road tires?
@@patricksmith7011 that could work. You could probably lift the air through vagcom a good 30mm, but use off-road rather than "lift" as it'll drop back down to off-road when you go over 25mph. When setting the height parameters, you must be on flat ground - something to bear in mind.
@@samp6162 excellent! Thanks for the insight. It’s just until I decide to put a lift kit on or something as well. How to you like the look of yours nice and low? On the peelers too, I suspect?
@@patricksmith7011 You're welcome. I'm interested in the lift kits but it seems like a lot of extra work on top of the kit itself. Aftermarket arms, bushing ect. As for how it looks, that's a tough one. I like it low one minute and then high the next. It's on stock 20" wheels (not peelers), nothing special. Being the 4.2tdi V8 it's extremely fun, with a stage 1 tune it's near 400bhp
@@samp6162 oh I’m jealous of that motor and the fact that I can’t get it here in the US! And I guess it’s nice to be able to change what you like and deliver it with the air struts when you feel like it. I’m definitely leaning towards the Q7.
Hello, Great video same as always with you ! Maybe you should try to install stock oem air strut from a q7/touareg/cayenne ?! And connect your existing management
I think the problem there is that they have electronically managed damping adjustment that changes on the fly, based on what the Audi ecm tells them. So even if it could physically air up and down with the airlift management, it probably wouldn’t ride as well as should. If I found some really cheap struts, I wouldn’t be opposed to trying it, but I’m not ready to dump that kind of cash on another “experiment”
@@FlinkFilms hum.. to me your bag and damper are to small for the weight of the q7. Thé oem one are way bigger , il work for a cayenne specialist in France and with thé oem system no problem. The oem system are set and base on the hight of each corner and not by pressure. I think if you install oem strut and the high sensor on your management that should work. But i understand its again time and money... ;)
Awesome video as usual. I just bagged my van on 3P and I have the sensors and didn't install them as of yet. I love the ride and it's awesome to Air out. I bought my kit used so it has been some quirks to work out but I love the way it looks. Mine rides really good on UAS suspension so I'm thankful for that. Stinks that it doesn't ride well. I'm wondering if it's the struts?
Yeah maybe so. Could be valved incorrectly or something. The bags themselves seem pretty small for this platform too, so not a lot of room for suspension travel
With all the old school heavy cars and trucks on bags it seems there is something missing. I'm still learning about all this stuff so I know how frustrating it can be. I'm actually chasing down a small leak at the moment so parts are starting to stack up with me as well. Awesome video once again. @@FlinkFilms
If I was you I would get OEM remanufactured struts and get the air management system. To control them and would be perfect. Unless your only goal was to lower the car then it’s not worth it.
End was a total let down… I come from an air suspension back ground, b8 avant, 66 continental sedan, 98 ext cab Silverado.. I have a 2008 q7 s-line lowered on bc racing coilovers.. I been wanting to bag my q7 for a while. Was thinking of using oem air struts from a q7 that came with air suspension from the factory and running accuair for the management.. this video makes me sad tho… your q7 looks sick air’d out..
I just payd for a set of BC Racing coilovers for my Q7 with a faulty air suspension:)))) I will have them delivered in 2 weeks...how is the car with the BC Racing coiLovers?
Sad sad for German cars, just to stock, they already thought about modification to the best customer needs, safety, comfort, durability, longevity, and performance for some trims. Good near job though.
For anyone wondering, the manufacturer of these poor quality air struts is Wrenchmonkee. I originally masked out their logo to not tarnish their reputation, but I've learned they are not worth giving a second chance. I've tried and tried to work with them on some sort of return, but they've been essentially unreachable by me now. Their owner publicly commented on a Facebook post of mine, saying he'd make this right for me, but that has turned out to be just him putting on a show to make his company look better. How he is comfortable selling products this low-tier and treating customers this way is beyond me. If they would have handled the situation better from the get-go, things would be a lot different. But here we are. Their channel is here: www.youtube.com/@Wrenchmonkee
Bro can you please for the life of me tell me where I can find these wheels in a set of 4 for cheap ? These peelers are rare
@@nft200yearsago8 Cheap and Rare can not be used in the same sentence. They do show up once in a while on market place but you have to look and expand your search area.
I respect you my brother for sharing your experience with us!
it takes a level of maturity and self awareness to put something back to stock especially after all the struggles but you made the right decision. i was going to bag my ls400 but i couldnt bring myself to ruin that engineering marvel that was the ride quality
I have a 2011 Audi a4 have had it for a 3 years always drove it stock but it is now for all case and purposes “dead” needs a new timing chain rms pvc valve etc etc a good amount of work I was thinking of bringing it back to life as I’ve put to much money into the car to sell as is and I’d rather spend the money to get this car running hood and we’ll for years than buy a new one your videos have been walking me down the path I may even record my progress
Super unfortunate outcome.. we have a 14’ q7, lower on h&r’s . Looks way better then stock, handles way better then stock. I’d go that route and upgrade the struts if your trying to get the most comfort out of the car with it looking good also. ( sadly aftermarket stuff for the 4L is almost non existent. Aside from Roc-Euro intake and Apr stg1 tune or racechip box ) Q7’s look awesome, especially lowered at nighttime the taillights look killer. You did a great job with the install 🤜🏻🤛🏻
I’m always want to see on streets lowerend Q7, looking good, side steps looks good on q7
As someone else suggested before, use strut and air bag from a donor car.
The struts have the active function thing but it has only 2or3 stages of adjustments.
I don't think it would affect the ride as much.
Next time I connect vcds I'll see if there's a voltage or some reference to when each mode is active.
If all it takes is voltage to regulated them, then you could just get a make/buy a circuit with the equivalent voltage and wire it.
thanks for that info.. Apparently the company that manufactured them did not take into account any true dampening or rebound, as well as the weight of the Q7.
I appreciate you saving me the money going this route, as I have been looking pretty hard for an air alternative to my current steel sprung 4L Q7.
Keep us posted on if you go coils or lowered springs!
Looks amazing but I got a lot of info from your video I was so on the fence on doing it for my Audi q7 09 but now you changed my mind a bit but I still wanna be able to lower and back up whenever I want but I also want that smooth comfort ride when I’m driving!!!!!
I have a 2009 q7 , I just watch your video. So would you suggest lowering springs?
Thanks for the warning. Saved my Q7 from a similar fate.
you are a god for this video. one of my favorite car youtubers :)
Thank you for the video, this was something I wanted to do. I’ll keep it stock for now
Was wounding why you masked out the brand on struts and at the end you explain why. Sucks it did not work out man. Learning experience it was. One hell of a clean install tho killer job.
Thanks buddy. Yeah I’m not about to drag any names through the mud for such a first world problem lol
I’ve always been interested in air suspension and never done it with my Audi … I enjoyed watching the install but it is a bummer that you’re disappointed. Quality episode regardless of outcome.
You’re more than welcome to take my a4 for a test drive to see what you think 🤷♂️
@@FlinkFilms you’d have to try mine and tell me all the ways I’ve gone wrong on my build 🤣 but ok on my way!!! 😜
great work. Do you think that a strut with bigger airbags would help, and what was functionwerks' advice to improve the ride?
I’m unsure about a bigger bag, but a heavier duty shock most likely would have helped. I’m thinking the people that assembled them didn’t account for the nearly 3-ton mass of this thing. While they were on the car, I was instructed to raise driving pressures more and more, and to mess with damping with those pressures. Full stiff and really high pressures made it ride the best, but it was still pretty miserable. I’ve since put lowering springs on stock shocks and it’s so much better
@@FlinkFilms would you consider retrying this experiment on someone else's q7, with heavier duty shocks and bigger bags? i'd hire you if you're looking to conquer this :)
@@gnar-ninja sure I wouldn’t be opposed to it
@@FlinkFilms swee. I found you on insta and DM'ed you there
Lowering springs! I don't think 034 makes a kit for the Q7. But 034 springs paired with blister b8 shocks on my b8 Q5 2.0t(was totally fine on stock shocks, just helped performance) is MINT. Did not sacrifice ride quality one bit, looks WAY better, and the best part is that they are progressive springs so once they are loaded a certain amount (in a corner) they go stiff as hell. But the rest of the time are perfect.
There’s a big chance that the geometry set at its highest setting of those air struts is already too low for the original control arms and other joints and steering parts that make the overall suspension. Lowering an Audi is maxed out under 2” from stock. Your highest setting of the Audi in the video looks like it’s roughly 3” or more lower than stock. So if that is true then that’s has to be the reason why it feels or it felt like. What was your original ride height. Then measure what your highest ride height is on the air settings. If it’s over 2” difference then that has to be the reason of your bad ride quality. All your steering components at that point are too short to allow the overlapping geometry to travel within the proper ranges. That is the reason why companies like h&r springs make their drop kits to be within their decimal ranges. And not the traditional 1”. 2”. 3”. 4”. Drops that you see on trucks and full size cars. Because there is not much of suspension travel. Which comes to a conclusion that of those air struts were built to factory ride height to be the max. And allowing you to deflate all the way then you would have. The look deflated all the way while parked. And to have a 0-2” of drop while driving and I’m sure it would ride way better than how you have it now. As you said in your video. Max air rides ok. But is too bumpy as you now have NO suspension travel because of the amount of pressure at that point. If it is built taller overall. Then at that height it would take less air and I’m sure it would ride better then.
The stock air suspension is phenomenal. I have it on mine, ive dropped it 20mm through vagcom, dynamic sits low and handles like coilovers yet comfort feels like im floating on air. I could help with coding it needed
Im considering this model to do some double duty...low for street work which will be 90% of usage, but id like to leave it in the Lift Mode to put some offroad tires under it for the couple times a year I take it to the sand dunes. Do you think thats just an easy VagCom session before I hit the sand, and back again when I have it back on road tires?
@@patricksmith7011 that could work. You could probably lift the air through vagcom a good 30mm, but use off-road rather than "lift" as it'll drop back down to off-road when you go over 25mph. When setting the height parameters, you must be on flat ground - something to bear in mind.
@@samp6162 excellent! Thanks for the insight. It’s just until I decide to put a lift kit on or something as well. How to you like the look of yours nice and low? On the peelers too, I suspect?
@@patricksmith7011 You're welcome. I'm interested in the lift kits but it seems like a lot of extra work on top of the kit itself. Aftermarket arms, bushing ect. As for how it looks, that's a tough one. I like it low one minute and then high the next. It's on stock 20" wheels (not peelers), nothing special. Being the 4.2tdi V8 it's extremely fun, with a stage 1 tune it's near 400bhp
@@samp6162 oh I’m jealous of that motor and the fact that I can’t get it here in the US! And I guess it’s nice to be able to change what you like and deliver it with the air struts when you feel like it. I’m definitely leaning towards the Q7.
Better to know it’s bouncy before I actually did anything. Thank you!
Hello, Great video same as always with you !
Maybe you should try to install stock oem air strut from a q7/touareg/cayenne ?! And connect your existing management
I think the problem there is that they have electronically managed damping adjustment that changes on the fly, based on what the Audi ecm tells them. So even if it could physically air up and down with the airlift management, it probably wouldn’t ride as well as should.
If I found some really cheap struts, I wouldn’t be opposed to trying it, but I’m not ready to dump that kind of cash on another “experiment”
@@FlinkFilms hum.. to me your bag and damper are to small for the weight of the q7. Thé oem one are way bigger , il work for a cayenne specialist in France and with thé oem system no problem. The oem system are set and base on the hight of each corner and not by pressure.
I think if you install oem strut and the high sensor on your management that should work.
But i understand its again time and money... ;)
Awesome video as usual. I just bagged my van on 3P and I have the sensors and didn't install them as of yet. I love the ride and it's awesome to Air out. I bought my kit used so it has been some quirks to work out but I love the way it looks. Mine rides really good on UAS suspension so I'm thankful for that. Stinks that it doesn't ride well. I'm wondering if it's the struts?
Yeah maybe so. Could be valved incorrectly or something. The bags themselves seem pretty small for this platform too, so not a lot of room for suspension travel
With all the old school heavy cars and trucks on bags it seems there is something missing. I'm still learning about all this stuff so I know how frustrating it can be. I'm actually chasing down a small leak at the moment so parts are starting to stack up with me as well. Awesome video once again. @@FlinkFilms
@@FlinkFilmsdid you consider using the stock air struts over the aftermarket? Those struts you put on look hella smaller than by Q7 OEM air struts.
Solid video, man. The results sucked. But the journey was awesome
I think you need a B8 S5 next👀
I’ve certainly thought about it! The sound of that 4.2 in those things is just beautiful
Sorry to see it didn't work out, but don't think of it as you getting older, consider instead that your taste is simply becoming more refined.
I’m just more sophisticated now 🧐
Unlucky, but at least you gave it the old college try!
u need to make some changes with shocks
If I was you I would get OEM remanufactured struts and get the air management system. To control them and would be perfect. Unless your only goal was to lower the car then it’s not worth it.
End was a total let down… I come from an air suspension back ground, b8 avant, 66 continental sedan, 98 ext cab Silverado.. I have a 2008 q7 s-line lowered on bc racing coilovers.. I been wanting to bag my q7 for a while. Was thinking of using oem air struts from a q7 that came with air suspension from the factory and running accuair for the management.. this video makes me sad tho… your q7 looks sick air’d out..
I just payd for a set of BC Racing coilovers for my Q7 with a faulty air suspension:))))
I will have them delivered in 2 weeks...how is the car with the BC Racing coiLovers?
Add another tank on the other side
Those air shocks looks to small for the q7... bigger one required
Just admit you went full stage 2 already
Lol not yet 😅. I did add an intake and it sounds terrific haha
Sad sad for German cars, just to stock, they already thought about modification to the best customer needs, safety, comfort, durability, longevity, and performance for some trims. Good near job though.
Look at the old man who wants to be comfortable in his car 😂
My back hurts
increased pressure and then soft dampening sounds like it would work but i guess you tried that... sorry about your endeavor not being fruitful :(