I only replaced a rear bag but I filled it to the brim with fluid first. I had it on the ground and poured the liquid into the hose while my daughter pushed it into the ground repeatedly to pump the air out. When it seemed full I held my finger over the hole and sloshed it around a bit to release any air then continued till it was overflowing. Then you need to install it without losing much. You're going to get some air in there. I can't believe there isn't a bleeder valve in the system from the factory. It would be ideal if it was on the top of the arch in the front of the car. I bet there is a nice pocket for it to reside there.

When using the grease gun method i have found it easier to fill the system with the weight off the wheels and having the rear end higher may help with the bleeding of the system if you don't use a pump. If you elevate the car and put a jack under the front suspension and compress the front bag you should be able to bleed it easily with a helper operating the jack while you bleed it off.

Thanks for all the responses....here are a few questions....I have the Hose to the displcer still loose....what is the best way to fill the displacer...once full I can pump the hard line full to the front union and then connect the dispacer hose to the union and then pump up the system, drive and bleed a few times...What is the best way to bleed the system without making a complete mess spraying the fluid out the schrader valve...also, do i need any special sauce at the union or connect dry???

Thanks!!

excuse the eclectic variety on the pictures - I didnt take them all at the same time wasn't really planning to put it out there!

I use the strut coupler connection hooked up to a pair of valves - one going to my grease gun pump and the other to a high density plastic bottle (3 gallon) hooked up to a AC vacuum pump. By playing with the connector you can hook up the valves so the connector depresses the shrader valve (at the hydro connector) and the liquid is sucked out to the 3 gallon bottle under vacuum (I have not exceeded 10 inches) then I undo the pin lock on the coupler to close the shrader valve, loosen the coupling a little and pump through fluid until I see it at the shrader valve - tighten the coupling and pump the suspension up again. Its a bit cumbersome but it works well for me and I get pretty good results.

cheers

Barri

Rabbit:

You can probably rent an air conditioner vacuume pump from your local tool rental.

You will need one with hose fittings for the old R-12 refrigerant.

There used to be a evac/recharge hose manifold for A/C that had a vacuume gauge on it. If the rental shop has one of those, get that also.

It should not be difficult to see how to connect the pump to the hose on the manifold to use the vacuume gauge.

Collect the hydro fluid that come out of the vac pump outlet, although most of it should be vapor.

When the vacuume gauge gets to 15, you are done. The 15 is "inches of mercury", not pounds per square inch.

Disconnect the vacuume pump and quickly connect your hand pump.

Russ

 

 

Yep, pump it up and bleed it down. After about three or four goes you will find that no more air comes out.
On a front displacer you can fill the displacer before hooking up the hose to remove more air to make things easier.

If you fill it and leave it be for awhile then defill it a few times the air will eventually evacuate. This might be a bit tedious with a home made pump. The reason for vacuum side of the original pump was to save time for the dealers.

So I just replaced a front hydro bag and am ready to recharge the system and get back on the road....I have a home made hand pump but have no clue how to evac the system to remove any air from the system prior to recharging...Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in AZ with one of the fancy box pumps that can both evac and recharge....Any suggestions or "how to" details are very much appreciated...Thanks a bunch!!

Rabbit