Air suspension?

[Euclid]

So i've been noticing that air ride has been popular lately in the performance category.. Some saying its better than the coil over swap and some not so sure.. I already know what all I would need and the difficulty of the task.. I would be using it mainly for the performance but using it at some shows on the side.. Just wondering what others opinions are on this subject..

[mySStery_machine]

I know it's used on trucks quite widely as far as increasing load capacity and
ride height. I haven't heard too much about it being used on cars in a performance aspect though. That doesn't mean much, I guess I'll have to keep my ears pealed.

[PLATINUMMOTORSPORTS]

I saw a segment on HPtv that over the airbags saying that it made the ride quality and handling way better by double at least overall they tested in slolom(sp?) and strip etc etcbut the car was a 50s model something or other so your current suspension may be about the same. I'd say it's definately worth looking into

[JOHNNY P.]

I know that air ride control on large trucks and tricked out bikes makes the ride softer and smoother than conventional shocks and springs.

[Euclid]

So heres and article by CHP mag..


Bring Forth the Disbelievers
As it turns out, Air Ride honcho Bret Voelkel was on the hunt for Doubting Thomases such as us. He echoed some of our own statements (apparently he has heard them before) about the perception that air suspension is OK for parking lots and gives great ride quality, but doesn't provide much in the way of handling. According to Bret, Air Ride's experience and testing has shown that a properly tuned air suspension system will lower a vehicle and improve ride quality and improve its handling performance as well. With that, Bret declared, "Let's go to the track and see what happens!"

Testing consisted of braking, slalom, and open hot lap sessions. Cars were available for drives on the local lanes to demonstrate air suspension streetability, and Air Ride had two NASCAR drivers on hand, Steve Grissom and Mike McLaughlin, to provide really hot laps and professional instruction (which it turns out the author could have used, but more on that later). The big attraction for many was a '96 SS Camaro. The car was available for testing with stock suspension in the morning. During the lunch hour, the Air Ride Crew swapped the fourth-Gen over to a fully airbagged system and turned it loose again for the afternoon track sessions. We made sure to get a good taste of both.

We also got to drive and ride in several other 'bagged vehicles, and at the risk of sounding easily converted, we have to say that Air Ride proved its point. The ride quality part of the equation, as we suspected, was a given. The comfort level, on and off track, was high. It was in the handling department that we were pleasantly surprised. Unbeknownst to us, Air Ride considers issues such as ball joint travel, driveline angles, ground clearance, and turning radii in its system design. It also matches airsprings to the weight and suspension geometry of a given vehicle, and always performs live vehicle testing on new systems.

Vehicles are lowered as far as feasible, not as far as possible, and Air Ride wanted us to hold them to the same standard as traditionally suspended rides, while also considering the unique features provided by air suspension, namely variable load compensation, adjustable ride height, and ride quality. The cars we drove, several of which were way too big to be hauled around a road course, as you'll see, were very track-worthy and made the grade.

Cam-air-o
The before and after Camaro suspension swap was of intense interest. What better way to make--or break--the point in question? We'll give you two opinions here: that of Busch Series racer Steve Grissom, and ours. While dissecting his laps in the stock-suspended Camaro, Grissom told us the car kept "rolling over" and "bottoming out" in sharper turns, and that the back end would step out, forcing him to make corrections. On one long sweeper, he told us, the car had "laid over" so much (body roll) that the flat turn felt like it was off-camber. When the Camaro "laid over," as Grissom called it, he needed the entire track to get the car through the corner, and really had the wrestle with the thing to get it where he wanted it.

With the Air Ride system, the car was "much firmer," Grissom told us, allowing less body roll and preventing it from bottoming out, allowing him to carry much more speed into--and therefore out of--the corners. He could brake much harder in between without the car bottoming out. Though the Camaro still wore its stock swaybar, there was half as much body roll, which "balanced the car back out," especially in the aforementioned sweeper. Grissom told us he was able to accelerate sooner out of corners, and although he still used the whole track in certain places, he was carrying 15 more mph. Overall, he said that the car "was under better control, better balanced, and more responsive" with the Air Ride system in place. Watching Steve drive the car both before and after, we believe and value his expert opinion. Now for amateur hour ...

It turns out that the man Ro calls Rocket Johnny and others call That Damn Fool turned out to be the afternoon's entertainment. With stock suspension in place and the CHP rep behind the wheel, the SS felt loose. There seemed to be lots of slop in the car, a term Grissom also used. It felt like a wallowing hog in turns, and as if it would roll over and break the tires loose given the slightest provocation. For this amateur driver, the suspension was the speed limiter.

Cut to the Air Ride version, and things were very different. The car was tight, no slop anymore. It felt planted, much less body roll, and went where you pointed it. The tires became the speed limiter, so we, of course, promptly drove the car right off the tires ... and the track, for that matter. Luckily, it was a no-harm, no-foul affair. Never say CHP doesn't get its money's worth when turned loose on the track.

The pros saw a big improvement, and for us, a car that limited the driver was turned into a car that was limited by its driver. With that drive, and our other jaunts in 'bagged vehicles, Air Ride had proved its point, at least to this author, that air suspension can indeed be a high-performance setup. In fact, we're already cooking up a story to further explore the performance capabilities of air suspension. In the meantime, we'll go in for some professional instruction in the interests of staying on track in this endeavor.

[mrhawk]

sounds like a pretty good deal, I would just search on the other forums for someone who actually might have it... get their opinion...

[Euclid]

well i've already done that on Tgo but it gets out of hand within 20 replies.. As far as i know, they dont have a air ride kit for 3rd gen camaros.. Air Ride Technologies are suppost to come out with Strutbags but I'm going a different route.. Probaby use s-10 bags and mounts up front then the 93-02 camaro rear kit that A.R.T. has.. I've seen this set up on a 91-92 vert.. Looked good.. But its off to do more research

[mrhawk]

smart thinking, research it as much as possible...

[99huggerorangez]

Airride would be pretty sweet. I would keep researching it.

[obseSSed]

What is the weight penalty compared to a conventional set up?

[Euclid]

Well not knowing the actual weight i would say and additonal 10 lbs maybe.. Because you need the tank (2,3,5,10 gallon),Air lines,Valves,Switchbox and the wires..

[obseSSed]

cool, keep us informed :D

[vicous]

AirRide is really cool stuff if you have $2500 plus installation to spend on your shocks and springs. Ipersonally would go with Coilovers and Koni DA shocks.

[Marksman]

ya, id go with LG coilover setup first for my purposes. however, with the advancements in air ride systems, its peakin my interest.