2023 Kia Telluride Unlevel After Installing the AirLift 1000 Air Helper Springs

Updated 11/14/2024 | Published 02/25/2024

Question:

I asked this question seconds ago but believe it was posted to a general airlift and not the specific ones for the telluride. Installed recommended Kia telluride airlift red bags. Installed with no issues. Ride is a bit firmer but the vehicle is NOT level, close to level or even noticing ANY change to ride height when loaded. Website states “ Keeps your vehicle level when you are hauling a heavy load.” Yes it’s not level or even close to it. I’m loading about 500lbs tongue weight, gave the bags to 30psi and they are holding air. The bags, when NOT under load are just “floating” inside the spring which makes me wonder if I was sent wrong size? How can it lift anything if there is like a 3 inch gap above them all the time.

asked by: Freddy B

Expert Reply:

Hey Freddy, that's definitely an interesting situation you've got with the Air Lift 1000 Air Helper Springs for Coil Springs # AL29PD so I did some poking around the internet, and it sounds like it could be a couple of things, but it should be easy enough to check for.

Also, there aren't specific install instructions for the Telluride, all of the AirLift 1000 air bags have the same install process.

So, the first thing that AirLift mentions you check is the air in the bags. If there is too much air in the bags your ride will be firmer than usual, and the vehicle won't be leveled. To attempt to fix this, let some air out of the bags and see what changes - just remember to not inflate above 35 PSI, or below 5 PSI.

If that's all good, make sure that the driver and passenger side coils are on the appropriate sides. They should be labeled, but sometimes things can get mixed up in the installation process and the wrong sides get put on.

If you're certain the correct sides were put on the right sides, and the air bags are inflated properly, then feel free to come back and we can dive into this a bit deeper with AirLift and see what next move they have.

expert reply by: Bryce D

2/26/2024

I don’t think I did a good job of explaining. The recommended airbags on the website were ordered for the telluride. 1.installed correctly. Correct sides. Inflated to 30psi to check for leaks. After 30 mins still at 35 psi all good. Deflate to 5psi. 2. While at 5PSI, look under car. The bags have about two inches of space between top of bag and top of spring stop. Is this normal? 3. Load 500lbs tongue weight and measure top of tire to bottom of wheel well and record this number. Off load 500lbs. 4. Now, inflate bags to 30lbs, load same exact 500lbs and measure top of wheel to wheel well and note. Distance is exactly the same…fail. The air bags failed to lift or level the rear of the vehicle at all. 5. Deflate bags and redo test, this time, load 500lbs first…notice sag on rear end then inflate bags to 30PSI and note, even though bags retain air, the rear is still sagging same as when bags were at 5PSI.

Bryce D.

3/6/2024

@Reply I spoke with AirLift and they said that you must add air pressure to the bags prior to applying the load so that the spring is effectively supported. If this is done afterwards then the force of the bag is exerted elsewhere, and the system does not provide the needed force to support the load properly. It is common to have some room at the top since we do not want the line to become pinched in anyway, but 2" is a bit excessive and I wonder if you'd benefit from a larger bag.

Same A.

11/14/2024

@BryceD Same issue. Kia telluride, inflate bags to 35 psi, load hitched carrier and the back sags same as it did without bags. The bags are both holding air for days, they are installed on correct sides and I’m using the bags recommended to me from airlift. It seems like maybe they are too short? When there is no load, the bags are just “floating inside the spring not touching the top or the bottom. I would think they would always be resting on both top and bottom, then when filled, would hold that sag. The rear end sags so low I get high been flashed as incoming cars think I have my high beams on.

Bryce D.

11/14/2024

@SameA I did go ahead and double check to make sure the "floating" you're describing is normal, and it is. The air bags should not be resting on both the top and the bottom. The only thing I can think of why your Telluride is still sagging even after using these bags is that maybe the load you're hauling is too heavy. These air springs are not going to increase your load carrying capacity, but rather just help support loads within your capacity.