# Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg?



## JeffsTrg (Feb 24, 2004)

I took my 04 to Mr. Tire for new tires the other day. Shortly after, they called me and asked if there was a way to lock the air suspension becuase they were concerned about damaging the air bags. (This is the first time I have taken my 04 anyplace but the VW dealer for service.) I completely fogot about the Lock button (never used it) so they said they would call around to check. They called VW but they wouldn't give them an answer. Apparently they eventually got an answer from someone. Is there truth to the fact that the suspension should be locked prior to being placed on a lift?
255/55/18 Bridgestone Alenza's BTW.
Thanks.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (JeffsTrg)*

Yes.


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## sjthiele (Aug 22, 2006)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (JeffsTrg)*

and I'm amazed that they even bothered to ask, props to them.
SJT


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## stephan_059 (Jan 18, 2008)

he he he, can't believe a VW dealer doesn't know that you should lock the air susp, a nother point for VW


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## Calinada (Nov 29, 2005)

*Re: (stephan_059)*


_Quote, originally posted by *stephan_059* »_he he he, can't believe a VW dealer doesn't know that you should lock the air susp, a nother point for VW

He didn't say VW didn't know the answer, they just wouldn't give it up since they didn't get the work. 
Goooooooooooooooooo VW dealers


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## ehd (Sep 9, 2006)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (spockcat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *spockcat* »_Yes.

Oops; I didn't get the memo -- but all seems to be working fine. What should I have checked to ensure nothing ill occurred?


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## sciencegeek (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (ehd)*

I don't think it's a problem.
I switch out my wheels fairly often (not as often as I would like, but anyway ...) because one set has mud tires, the other my everyday tires.
I had forgotten about the locking "requirement" until this post ... so, I haven't been doing things by the book but instead I put it into xtra level so I don't have to lift the rig so high, and then lift without locking. I do remember that once I forgot to put it into xtra level, and it started to hiss because it was compensating pressures. In xtra level you don't hear that hiss, presumably because it's as full as it gets.
Anyway, I do recommend xtra level for changing wheels because you don't have to lift the car as high.


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## jinxegg (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (sciencegeek)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sciencegeek* »_...Anyway, I do recommend xtra level for changing wheels because you don't have to lift the car as high.









How's that, geek??? With the suspension locked you lift just as much as it takes to clear the wheel from the ground and the lower the chassis is,when you start, the less turns you have to put on the jack to engage and do just that.


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## sup44 (Nov 26, 2003)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (jinxegg)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jinxegg* »_
How's that, geek??? With the suspension locked you lift just as much as it takes to clear the wheel from the ground and the lower the chassis is,when you start, the less turns you have to put on the jack to engage and do just that.

Yea.. I'm confused about this one too. Just because geek is typically a smart cookie..... 
I usually lock the air at the loading level then jack till the wheels are off the ground (I slightly loosen the bolts prior to jacking). 
now due to this post.... I'm wondering if I locked the air at the X-level height and jack till the wheel are off the ground, if it would be easier....


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## VegasMatt (Aug 30, 2006)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (sup44)*

My take on it, from what I've read on here and CT:
Lock mode only keeps the suspension from compressing/dropping to compensate for the jacked up corner, which makes it unlevel. It does not keep the wheels from fully extending when the weight is off of them. (AKA it doesn't "hold up" the wheel that's being jacked up, it still fully extends.) If the suspension is not locked, and a corner is jacked up, the Touareg may lower the air pressure in one of the other springs, causing the vehicle to move or tilt, and it may potentially fall off the jack. Not a good thing.
In Xtra offroad, the suspension is already about maxed out/fully extended. So, by having the Touareg do a lot of the lifting work, by putting it in Xtra, you have less upward suspension travel to actually "jack" to get the wheel off the ground. It's just as high off the ground, but it's less jack effort, since you didn't have to manually jack it up as far.
Matt


_Modified by VegasMatt at 12:35 PM 4-29-2008_


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## sup44 (Nov 26, 2003)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (VegasMatt)*

Ok, but will putting her in jack mode lock the suspension enough to not have to jack her up as much in loading level as well....?
I'm getting my new rims next week (hopefully), I'll try it in xtra level then and report back. I've got a ton of expierience change the tires in loading level, thus should be able to give it a good compairison.


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## VegasMatt (Aug 30, 2006)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (sup44)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sup44* »_Ok, but will putting her in jack mode lock the suspension enough to not have to jack her up as much in loading level as well....?

It's my understanding that Lock mode doesn't hold the wheel "up" in any way, it just doesn't adjust the pressure to the airbags while locked. So, I wouldn't think it would reduce how high the Touareg will be to lift the wheel off the ground. I may be totally wrong, but that's how I recall this being discussed.
I look forward to hearing about your experience with this, to see if this is truly how she works!








Matt


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## ehd (Sep 9, 2006)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (VegasMatt)*


_Quote, originally posted by *VegasMatt* »_
It's my understanding that Lock mode doesn't hold the wheel "up" in any way, it just doesn't adjust the pressure to the airbags while locked. So, I wouldn't think it would reduce how high the Touareg will be to lift the wheel off the ground. I may be totally wrong, but that's how I recall this being discussed.
I look forward to hearing about your experience with this, to see if this is truly how she works!








Matt

That is what a gear-head friend of mine just told me; thus easing my stress (for letting my tire dealer power lift one without locking)


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## jinxegg (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (VegasMatt)*


_Quote, originally posted by *VegasMatt* »_
It's my understanding that Lock mode doesn't hold the wheel "up" in any way, it just doesn't adjust the pressure to the airbags while locked.....
Matt

Well, it would help changing a tire or two to verify your understanding because none of the times I had to change one on my Treg did I notice the suspension to extend on the jacked up corner with the suspension locked.
I had forgotten to lock it once and it did extend at the jacked up corner, while doing absolutely nothing at the other 3 wheels.
My 0.02 euro (geez, it goes a long way these days)


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## jinxegg (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (sup44)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sup44* »_
I usually lock the air at the loading level then jack till the wheels are off the ground (I slightly loosen the bolts prior to jacking).... 


Obviously the smartest way to do it, providing you have enough room to place the jack under at loading level with a flat.
If not, next best option is to select "sport" and lock it.


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## sup44 (Nov 26, 2003)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (jinxegg)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jinxegg* »_
Obviously the smartest way to do it, providing you have enough room to place the jack under at loading level with a flat.
If not, next best option is to select "sport" and lock it.










IMO.... Not so.. Just confirmed today... geek and all those that put the TReg in Xtra level, lock the air, loosen bolts, then jack and remove bolts and tires are doing it the easiest way...
After changing my wheels at least 2 X a year for 4 years and putting the car in the loading position while locking it prior to removing the wheels, I am now of the opinion that the above mentioned procedure is the best way... 
I thought that locking the air meant the suspensionl would expand less... not so.. My jack needed to be as much extended when in loading level and locked than it did when in Xtra level, thus xtra level requires less labored jacking.... which equals easier.... not to mention the jack points are easier access when in the higher level... I'll be posting new pics of my latest summer shoes soon.... 


_Modified by sup44 at 8:45 PM 5-15-2008_


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## jinxegg (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (sup44)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sup44* »_
....I thought that locking the air meant the suspensionl would expand less... not so.. 
_Modified by sup44 at 8:45 PM 5-15-2008_

You know, come to think of it, could be so...
When these ...stupid VW engineers were writing the manual on how to change tires on the Treg, they couldn't figure this simple procedure out.
So, they thought, let's spend some money here, put an extra "lock" button on the dash (doesn't matter if it's non functional,looks nice too..), make the electronics more complicated, give the people something to play with, let's try to be more awkward, just for the fun of it.
And they didn't even bother to revise it for the facelift....
I don't know why, for some strange reason the "lock" button works on my Treg, so I guess, I will go on using it.


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## sup44 (Nov 26, 2003)

*Re: Is it necessary to Lock the air suspension before lifting the Treg? (jinxegg)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jinxegg* »_
I don't know why, for some strange reason the "lock" button works on my Treg, so I guess, I will go on using it.









Yours locks so the wheel doesn't lower when you jack it up? I tested by measuring how far my jack needed to expand. It needs to fully extend (about 95%) if in Xtra or loading level.... R u saying your jack has to extend less when in sport vs xtra level when you lock the air?








If so, then I guess mine may have some issues...


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