How To Fit The Wabco Compressor Repair Kit From Bagpipingandy

Repair kits for the WABCO Air Suspension Compressor are available for the various models affected. To purchase the kit for your model click the link next to your model in the list below to be taken to the appropriate UK or USA eBay listing. For background info on the kits and fitting instructions scroll further down. 

Bagpiping Andy's repair kit
Background information


If you are experiencing excessive noise from your vehicle's air suspension compressor, a reduced rate of rise or even failure to rise then the trouble is probably due to wear of the compressor's piston ring. If this is the case Bagpiping Andy's repair kit can help you. Tens of thousands of these kits for the Arnott-Wabco air compressors have been sold worldwide, correcting the problem and saving the vehicle owner hundreds of dollars.  

In the past replacement parts were not available leaving car owners with the expensive solution of replacing the whole compressor.


Fortunately, Bagpiping Andy's repair kit is a cheap solution costing £25 in the UK or $41 in the USA. You no longer need to buy a brand new compressor and the video guides further down the page will show you how simple it is to repair your air suspension compressor.


The repair kit is available on eBay through the links below, choose the UK or USA listings for your vehicle. If you require guidance on replacing the worn piston ring or would like to see how simple the repair/refurbishment is please watch the video repair kit fitting guides below.


What you get in the kit

1x Precision machined PTFE piston ring.
2x O-Rings.
2x Cap screws with thread-lock pre-applied. 
1x Set of plastic cable ties.
1x Printed instruction manual.
1x M6 tap for cleaning bolt threads.



Tools required
T30 Torx bit
Cable snips
5mm Allen key
Clean cloth
Compressed air (optional)


Repair Kit Video Fitting Guides
We have two video guides showing how to fit Bagpiping Andy’s Wabco Air Suspension Compressor repair kit, choose the video for your car model.

Video 1 - Replacement of the piston ring seal in the air suspension compressor fitted in following models:

  • Audi Allroad
  • Audi A8, Audi Q7
  • Landrover Discovery 2
  • Jaguar XJ series
  • Mercedes S & C-Class
  • VW Touareg
  • Porsche Cayenne.


 http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=ToshLubek



Video 2 - Replacement of the piston ring seal in the air suspension compressor fitted in following models:

  • BMW X5 & 5 Series
  • Range Rover L322 MK 3


http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=ToshLubek


Fitting procedure summary

  1. First, remove the compressor from the car. Click here for removal details for your model.
  2. Clean the area to be stripped, to prevent debris from falling into the unit. Then remove the plastic air intake hose by pulling gently on the pipe while pushing the collar inwards, leaving the T-piece attached to the compressor.
  3. If a temperature sensor is fitted note the position on one of the Torx bolts then remove the two Torx bolts.
  4. Lift the compressor assembly off the motor, using gentle leverage if required. Note the position of the O-ring seal.
  5. Note the orientation of the old piston ring in relation to the tube-like timing pin.
  6. Remove the old piston ring by stretching it over the top of the piston.
  7. Using the new bolts, clean the 2x threaded bolt holes which hold the cylinder on. Use the M6 x 1.0 pitch tap or use the old bolts to remove any corrosion in the threaded hole. The pre-applied thread lock on the new bolts requires a good quality M6 thread.
  8. Fit new piston ring by stretching it over the piston, making sure it is in its correct orientation fitting around the small timing pin, the pin should be visible and the ring should be free to move slightly.
  9. Thoroughly clean any dirt from mating surfaces and cylinder bore then refit the cylinder over the piston and motor, ensuring the rubber O-ring seal is fitted correctly. Use only 1 O-ring, whichever one is compatible. 
  10. Refit using the 2 new bolts provided. If required refit the temperature sensor back on the same bolt position it was removed from. DO NOT over tighten these bolts. The recommended tightening torque is 9Nm.
  11. Refit back on to the vehicle. Follow the compressor removal steps in reverse. Use the cable ties to tidy cables in place.
NOTE: You should notice a difference straight away in the performance of the compressor.


The repair kit story

To hear a little about how Bagpiping Andy's repair kit came about and about how Tosh Lubek Productions helped Andy Fulton watch the video below.



In this video Andy Fulton, aka Bagpiping Andy, explains how he had a problem with his Audi Allroad's Wabco air suspension and how that got him thinking about a solution to fix the faulty compressor. The usual car dealership solution was to replace the whole compressor, which could cost several hundred pounds or dollars, but Andy realized that the problem was likely to be a worn part in the compressor.

Being an engineering professional in the aerospace industry Andy had all the necessary experience and tools to help him investigate what was at the heart of the problem. He naturally assumed that a moving part would be to blame and his first suspect was the piston ring seal. Upon dis-assembly of his car's air suspension compressor his suspicions proved correct, the piston ring seal showed signs of significant wear.


Like many people who are passionate about their work Andy's engineering career is a reflection of his hobby, so in his garage, you will find a Colchester lathe with 4-jaw chuck, an Alexander universal milling machine, raw material store, tools of every description and testing facilities. It is here that Andy developed his prototype replacement piston rings that successfully fixed his air suspension compressor.


What started as an attempt to save on a repair bill lead to Andy offering his replacement piston rings to members of the Audi Allroad FAQ Forums, who were impressed. Word spread and requests began to flood in for a piston repair kit. Although Andy was able to supply a small number of kits it soon became apparent that if he was to satisfy demand he would need to outsource some of the basic work and only do the final manufacturing himself. He bought in other parts like replacement bolts, O-rings and cable ties and so the air suspension compressor repair kit was born.

Andy started selling the kit on eBay in the UK but soon found there was worldwide interest in his repair kit. He now sells it on 10 national eBay platforms and has a distributor in North America. What started as a garage project for his own Audi Allroad developed into a part-time hobby business and now is virtually a full-time job.


The only problem Andy had was dealing with the number of customer service calls. Despite having printed instructions less experienced customers were fitting the kit incorrectly and Andy saw that he needed a video guide to demonstrate how to fit the piston ring. Andy turned to Tosh Lubek Productions for the video and after a successful shoot in Andy's kitchen and garage he had two video guides for use on his website and eBay listings. The videos not only helped buyers fit the piston ring correctly (Andy saw a dramatic fall in customer service calls) but they also helped boost sales by 150-200%. By showing how easy it was to fit the replacement piston ring viewers gained the confidence to buy and do the job themselves. Furthermore, the main car dealerships saw that the kit was a serious product and began to buy in order to refurbish their customer's Wabco air compressors.   

Andy Fulton (aka Bagpiping Andy), the seller of the repair kit can be contacted by email or phone. Mobile: +44 (0)7767838330


Please note the above eBay links are affiliate links and I may earn a small amount if you purchase Bagpiping Andy's repair kit.



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