Question: How does air ride suspension go in terms of handling?

[Vr6_Dog]

I posted some pics of this R32 on air ride in the MkIV section recently. Looks great but can u still drive these things hard even when they are set to an average height.
So Air ride or airbags whatever you call it, exactly how good is it? Is it only intended for show cars and as gareth_oau said in my post, just for for pimps?



My post in MkIV section:
http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...?t=9234&page=6

[DaveMack]

Think I've seen a post on here where some US tuners put Air Rides in a Chrysler 300C and took movies of before & after to show handling characteristics ... looked like a positive move on that car.

These are always good for a giggle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxf-0...eature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4xDx3An8apQ

Don't know what the thread was ... but "Search" is your friend.

Cheers,

Dave

[Spyda]

I have talked to the guy from cali customs in melbourne, he insists that the handling remains the same as standard due to the dampers or something being the same, the only difference is that u can sit the car on its tits.
Thats coming from him.
I would personaly thing that a sports car would loose its sports suspention when gaining the ability to touch the grownd with the sump.

[blutopless2]

I have talked to the guy from cali customs in melbourne

have you got any contact details for them??
Their website does not show anything.... would love to go out and have a look at some of their work and talk to them about their systems.

[rayray086]

Interesting topic but one I think that won't go anywhere as they're not very popular yet on performance cars (in Australia anyway) so there will be a lot of misinformation thrown around. I think you would put money on air suspension if you wanted the luxury of being able to adjust your height without getting out of the car. I've never been in a car with air before so I can't contribute anything worth taken seriously, but I have read a few threads and articles that some air-ride systems are starting to rival those of conventional cupkits and coilovers in terms of handling performance. If anyone has the latest PVW (December issue), there's a red Mk2 Rallye fitted with air suspension, and the owner claims "it handles better than his previous set-up" (something along those lines). IIRC, he had the air system sitting on Koni struts.

IMO, it's the best way to achieve the perfect stance (pics posted by Alex definitely proves this ), and still be able to drive around your local car park.

One question while on this topic - is "air-suspension" the same as "hydraulics" that we see in pimpmobiles?

[Spyda]

One question while on this topic - is "air-suspension" the same as "hydraulics" that we see in pimpmobiles?

Nope. Hydraulics are more powerfull, reqire alot more power and more pumps. Its a totaly different set up and is much quicker and powerfull, designed to make the car bounce.
Air is just bags the fill with air to raise the car and then lower it, maby a bit of bounce if you can do it right but its alot more simple and inexpensive.

[No457 Snowy]

A couple of other things just to keep in mind as well, are that it's well documented a MK4 can only be lowered about 20 - 30mm from stock before handling is actually worse, due to the geometry in the VW suspension design.

The other thing is that more than 30mm is actually illegal according to the RTA and the follow-on from that is that your insurance is at risk, especially with something radical like an air system, which may cause an assessor to look a lot harder than he normally would if you are involved in an accident where "loss of control" is an issue.

Just food for thought.


Snowy.

[The_Hawk]

I have wondered about the insurance issues...

Since air bags can (and will) lower your car further, would the insurance company believe that you always drive at an appropriate height and were doing so in an accident?

I think that would be the big question I would ask before considering air ride. Afterall, when you park it, it will be on it's guts right??