Xreas leak after spacer install

Just for my cornfed spacers installed (Chris from cornfed was amazing too btw) but woke up to a pretty sizeable leak from the front drivers shock this morning. Can see it slowly dripping. Going back to the shop Monday but wanted to get your thoughts. Xreas - as I understand aren’t serviceable. Is this install error? 2016 limited 55k miles

Edit: looks like it’s the shock that’s leaking not the xreas. Either way time to rip and replace it all. Shame after only 55k miles! Surprised there’s not more uproar of these shocks failing so prematurely tbh

 

A few things to consider

- There are bump stops between the lower control arm and the frame. When you “bottom out” the bump stop is absorbing by the hit. When you add spacers you reduce the suspension travel, now the shock can internally bottom out on itself before the bump stop makes contact. A big dip, a pothole, running up and over something large can immediately kill a shock when the bump stop is no longer effective.

- Any shop with actual knowledge would decline to install spacers without also installing extended bump stops.

-7 year old shocks OEM shocks are going to be very worn regardless, you were more or less on borrowed time either way. It may just be coincidence.

- Spacers themselves won’t damage a shock and there’s nothing about the installation that should, but you never know. Drop a tool and knock the shock rod which can cut up the seal and cause a leak. Rust, debris, metal shavings falling down on the shock seal and not cleaning it up can cause debris in the seal. There’s a ton of things that **could** have happened, but with the info posted there’s nothing pointing to any of them.

 

Seeing that big leak I think it could have been an install error. May be that bolt on the side where the hose is connected might have damaged when you take the top part out to drop the spacer.

I don't think you are going to get a puddle like that or see it dripping if you top out the shock and damage without having extended bump stops. Also I highly doubt you can fully compress a shock on pavement nor if you do offroad carefully. Your sway bar will not allow it at slower speeds especially the front. This is why most lift installers would ask if you like rear bump stops not front.


Edit-
At this point I think its too late. There is no rebuilding. If the shop accepts its a mistake it would cost a hefty price to get XREAS. Or shop might offer aftermarket shocks.

 

Yeah I just drove it home really slowly too right after install.

 

It's also possible that the shock in question was on the edge of failing anyway, and the installation pushed it over the edge with all the handling involved. Did the shop add a bump stop spacer as @Agent_Outside mentioned?

 

time to upgrade shocks anyways...

 

They did not as I didn’t ask for one. Will do some research and figure out what bull stop I need . Thanks for the pointer

 

And so it begins.

 

If it wasn't leaking before(which I doubt it was or the shop installing the spacers would of noticed). And if you JUST drove it home from the shop. Then I would assume its installation error. But spacers are a super simple install.... what shop installed the spacers?

What size spacers where installed?

 

Literally just drove it home. 2” front spacers. 1.5 rear. Took them 7 hours to install. Rust belt I guess.

 

Then yes, I would have to say its was installation error.

7 hour install, was alignment included? Also what shop was it? Offroad shop? Dealer? Jiffy lube?

 

7 hours labor for spacers does seem excessive. And expensive. For that much labor, I'd hope for a full suspension install.

 

I don't know much about xreas system.... maybe others will chime in.

But can you use the standard 5100 or eibach shocks?

 

If you remove the Xreas sysrem, yes.

 

You can use regular shocks or your choice of anything aftermarket for the 5th gens, however you must replace all 4 at the same time. You can’t do the front axle this month and the rear axle next month, the XREAS system is all of nothing.

 

I wonder if the 6th gen will continue with the XREAS? I removed mine (4th gen) around 120k when I replaced the shocks and springs. It definitely rides a little different without XREAS but no big deal really.

 

I had 2 issues with XREAS, the 1st was under warranty, after the 2nd I ditched it. Depending on what needs fixing, the cost of repairing XREAS you might get you into some nice OE replacement.

Also, an XREAS delete will not mess with any sensors, nothing on the dash will light up

 

I guess you could replace just the leaking shock, probably could find one for a decent price on here, facebook, or ebay(used or takeoff). Might be the most cost effective, since you already installed the spacers.

When you take the vehicle back in to where ever you had the work done at, remember to keep your cool, mistakes happen. If they admit it was an install issue, then see how they plan to repair the issue. Not knowing your actual shock part number, but it appears a new xreas front shock from the dealer is only a little over $200.

 

You can’t, the system is not serviceable, if the left front leaks you need to replace the left front and the lines all the way back and the right rear. The corners are cross linked, once fluid is lost the that entire circuit of half the vehicle is trash.

 

I was literally just told, at a shop, that sensors would be throwing warnings if an XREAS delete was done. Same shop was going to do a front strut lift on my '16 AWD Limited until they saw the XREAS system. They're now recommending a 2" spacer lift.

Keith

 

The system is 100% mechanical. There’s no control modules or sensors, there isn’t a single electrical connector anywhere in the entire system. The vehicle and its “sensors” have no idea if it is or is not an XREAS suspension.

You can’t do just a just front struts for a lift though. The fronts are cross linked to the rears. If you replace the just the fronts with non-XREAS the rears can’t function correctly.

 

I have done it on my Limited. That shop is wrong or you got it wrong since the shop was talking about KDSS. KDSS will throw dash lights.
XREAS is 100% mechanical. I wish I did a video or atleast take a picture of XREAS components when removed.

 

That sounds like something reasonable to say if the shop employee didn’t actually know something about xreas.

(Yes, that’s a nice way of saying they made it up lol).

 

AO, kmeeg & McSpaz, it has been my understanding that XREAS is self-contained or isolated, for lack of better terms. I was trying to highlight what the shop guy told me this morning. I appreciate y'all checking in.

Thanks,
Keith

 

The shop guy is wrong. I would find another shop.

 

I too bought cornfed spacers for a 2021 Limited. Upon install, the driver side front coil was “too compressed to install spacer”. Passenger side was fine. Question of the day is.. was it like that when I took to shop or did they damage spring?? I dunno. Anyway since I needed new spring, I just ditched xreas and installed new 3” suspension lift