o2WS6_TA

iTrader: (1)

Ok i know i would like the look of my car if it had airride but what would it do to my 1/4 mile time and handeling? i have an 02 ws6

rudyzturbota

iTrader: (13)

can no one answer this, i also would like to no

EDS01SS

iTrader: (30)

I dont have any hardcore weight facts of the air ride systems (I would figure around 200LBS)but I know its quite a bit of extra weight so your 1/4 time will drop but your handling would be great once you got it setup right.Seems like a great setup...just depends on how much you want to sacrifice as far as your 1/4 times.

darren@ridetech

The suspension parts would actually wiegh less. The compressor kits usually weigh around 20 lbs. Over all I would say that weight would be a wash. I know a lot of guys using air springs on drag cars. A little extra pressure in the right rear will help launch.

NVR_SPDS

iTrader: (39)

+1.
I dont have experience with air specifically in F-bodys, but have used a few setups in my old truck (Air Ride Tech being 1 of them) and i can tell you, you might just break even. Replacing your standard metal springs with airbags will drop the weight a little, an air tank doesnt weigh much, and neither do the valves, or compressor. Just think of it as a coilover setup you can adjust from the drivers seat. Alot more can be done with air than people think.

Oneslowz28

iTrader: (6)

Try emailing Air Ride Tech. They can answer any questions you may have they have helped me out a lot in the past. when talking to them and telling them my plans with my car we decided air ride may not be the best to go with. In my book anyone that will tell you their product is not what you want are honest people to deal with.

Z-ROC28

I was also curious about this. I had the theory that it would improve handling and obtain a good pressure on the rear wheels plus give a mean look when sitting low and when there's a bump, up over and back down. Does anyone know if improves ride quality too?

Alt

iTrader: (6)

I'm actually finishing up putting my manifold together for my airride I'm putting in the vert as I'm typing this. The rear bags with brackets are lighter than the stock rear springs. If I had a scale in the house I would give you numbers. But the tank and compressor make up for that weight difference and then some. I have a 5 gallon tank with fittings and a viair 450 compressor, they weigh a good bit. I'm going to look for a scale, maybe borrow one from the neighbor and I'll give you weights.

This is the thread with what I have received so far, just need the front air struts and I'm going to put her on the ground! https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspension-brakes/698139-what-can-brown-do-you.html

Alt

iTrader: (6)

Stock rear spring - 6lbs
F9000 sleeve bag with rear bracket and associated bolts - 4lbs
5 gal tank with fittings installed - 20lbs
Viair 450 compressor w/ filter - 10lbs
Valves and fittings for manifold - 12lbs
Switchbox - 4lbs

All items weighed on a bathroom scale. Seem to be accurate to me.

darren@ridetech

This guy seems to be pretty happy with the performace of his air suspension.
http://www.ridetech.com/forum/tm.asp...mode=1&smode=1

Alt

iTrader: (6)

See Strano, guys do use it in autox!

I feel better now.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

No, they don't. And I'm sure I spoke to you and your wife about this and pointed out a number of issues about the system. Namely the spring rates that are unknown and change based on bag pressure, and the fact the dampers are questionable.

Please don't tell people autoxers use this stuff. Someone who autocrosses might, but since anyone can autox that means absolutely nothing.

nebur8

iTrader: (6)

http://home.comcast.net/~firehawk2k0648/

here is a little blog that airride guy created. that fourth picture of him taking the corner looks

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

You can use an air ride to autox, but I haven't seen any info that supports that it helps you win. Until I see people on frrax or anyone winning a nationals event with an air ride, I'll be sticking with the cheaper coils and shocks solution.

darren@ridetech

Actually air suspensin is used quite a bit; not only in in Auto X, but also at Road Courses. We are actually headed down to Road Altanta in a couple weeks for the Year One Experience. Anyone else gonna be there?

An air spring is no different that any other spring, diffenent spring rates and characteristics are available. From there small adjustments in air pressure can be made to fine tune the suspension. As far a dampening goes; most of our units use billet aluminum, 16 position adjustables. We also have double adjustables available, to adjust the compression and rebound individually.

Below is a link to some of results from our annual Street Challenge at the 2 1/2 mile road course at Putnam Park. We have some back to back comparisons with similar cars using air suspension vs. stock. I hope this doesn't sound too much like a advertisement.....just trying to straighen out the facts.

http://www.ridetech.com/streetchalle...llenge2006.asp

nebur8

iTrader: (6)

though the comparison between stock and air suspension is nice to see. i really think a comparison between airride and a car with a good set of shocks and springs would net you a better response in this forum.

Alt

iTrader: (6)

Well if autoxers didn't use that stuff then it would indeed be an unquestionably false statement. But some of them indeed do, including the person who posted on the ridetech board about his F-Body he's autoxing with, so the statement is true. Your statement sounds like you're trying to hide the fact that you can use an airride setup to autox with. And yes Sam, you did talk to me about how I shouldn't use an air ride system because of how negatively it will affect my cars handling. But I do not have a wife so I'm not sure who you were talking to about that one.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Ditto.. Air ride suspension might be a lot better for these older muscle cars compared to their stock suspension. We're talking about a 4th gen ls1 here.

Also... not sure if this was a factor... usually when I autox, my first times during the morning are a lot slower than my later times during the day. Did these guys run stock first and then air ride second?

turbotko

Well, all autocrossing aside, it still seems to be a very good option for our cars. I personally hate the way my 4X4 Trans am looks stock, but I refuse to spend $1500 lowering it the right way only to have my longtubes and Y-pipe scrape on every pebble on the road.

I've really been interested in using air but haven't done much research on it yet. My biggest questions are how stable the ride height is and if there is a way to get the exact same desired ride height everytime the pressure is adjusted since ride height affects alignment so much. If I align my car with it at my desired driving ride height, is the pressure in the bags at that time an accurate way to return to that ride height if the system is raised to get over a speedbump etc?

It seems the THE solution for our cars that mostly live on the street and have very poor ground clearance just by design.

I might be interested in guinea pigging a setup on my car if it could be done with a top of the line high quality system for less than $1500.

darren@ridetech

We did some slalom testing with a 96 SS Camaro at the first Street Challenge event a couple years ago. Initial testing was done with performance aftermarket springs. At lunch we changed them out for Shockwave up front and CoolRide in the rear. I'll have to do some digging to find the exact specs. but from what I can remember it was about 3-4 mph faster with the Air Suspension. All driving was done by a professional, I think that we had Mike McGaughlin that year.