Air ride.....Mini tub poll

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Mini tub move springs in.........

Air bar....and air ride all around...

4 link and Mini tub....

Mini tub move springs in and air ride.....


Gotta do something.......

-
Thanks, Paul

[71Nova]

three link, mini tub, coilovers

[Sales@Dutchboys]

I dont think they make a 3 link for my car.....

-Paul

[chicane]

I dont think they make a 3 link for my car.....

-Paul

Well...... not yet, would be the correct answer. Maybe Mark (LateralDynamics) is up for doing another first ??

[DAWG]

air ride is so overrated
it makes for a stiff ride with not much in the way of shock absorbtion.
remember the old hijacker airshocks?

[907rs]

Given the fact that you're building a pro-touring car, with the limited choices given, I say mini-tub and relocated leaves.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I doubt you will get many air bag fans here. I would build a triangulated 4 link backhafl. Or even get one fron Morrison already built. But then you got to look at front options, then all of a sudden you have a full chassis under it.

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Well my car is all done......I just want more tire under the back......


-Paul

[Sales@Dutchboys]

I have never used air ride before and .....I guess I wont....lol

-Paul

[awr68]

I have never used air ride before and .....I guess I wont....lol

-Paul

Good answer!!

I say mini-tub & relocate the leafs...after all you just want more tire right? Not to redo the whole suspension.

If you really want to build a new rear suspenion (not a kit) for your car, we need to go have a few drinks and talk about it! It's not as fun as it sounds...trust me it's a ton of work!! :yes:

[mazspeed]

I have never used air ride before and .....I guess I wont....lol

-Paul
It's ok for the street, but not for the track. No matter how much Air Ride sells eveyone on how good it is for the track, it's not. I have driven one on the track, and its below par. Light street perfomance driving, and stuff like that, it's fine, but not for the track. It does have good street manners though.

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Thanks guys I feel better about this now......


-Paul

[Dodgenut64]

chevy2boy333 you never did show me a pic of your tire and rim from behind under your car. also if your cars done can you post some pics? i was curious as to what a 17x7 looks like from behind. i want all four wheels to be the same, but if i dont get traction well ill move up to 17x8s. i dont want the rear wheels to be alot wider then the front wheels. kinda going for a 60s Grand Touring car meets modern day engine and suspension look. :_paranoid

[61Bubbletop]

air ride is so overrated
it makes for a stiff ride with not much in the way of shock absorbtion.
remember the old hijacker airshocks?


Wrong....My car has air ride, with shockwaves in the front, and the ride quality is great....you just need to have the right components. The fact that you are comparing contemporary air ride systems to airshocks of the 70's tells me that you probably haven't had much experience with a good system.

[sick65]

Wrong....My car has air ride, with shockwaves in the front, and the ride quality is great....you just need to have the right components. The fact that you are comparing contemporary air ride systems to airshocks of the 70's tells me that you probably haven't had much experience with a good system.


Preach on brother.

[markss28]

I think Air ride is a fine system but for the money come on. You can by the best stuff thats out there for the same and have all the quality and ride that you want. PHR did the air ride on a 2nd gen camaro and man was that thing expensive. The rear alone in suspension was somewhere around $2000 without the air tank and controls.

[Sales@Dutchboys]

chevy2boy333 you never did show me a pic of your tire and rim from behind under your car. also if your cars done can you post some pics? i was curious as to what a 17x7 looks like from behind. i want all four wheels to be the same, but if i dont get traction well ill move up to 17x8s. i dont want the rear wheels to be alot wider then the front wheels. kinda going for a 60s Grand Touring car meets modern day engine and suspension look. :_paranoid

Its going to the inteior shop in mid Aug...... I HAVE to give you guys something to look forward to.......

-Paul

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Wrong....My car has air ride, with shockwaves in the front, and the ride quality is great....you just need to have the right components. The fact that you are comparing contemporary air ride systems to airshocks of the 70's tells me that you probably haven't had much experience with a good system.

Ive heard both sides of it....Some people say it dosent ride good and some people say it does.......

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Also for what im doing with this car .....its not going to be ran on the track...I didnt build this one for that .....Its mostly going to see the bigger shows......

-Paul

[mazspeed]

Ive heard both sides of it....Some people say it dosent ride good and some people say it does.......

It does ride very good, (the new stuff) and if that is what you are after then it would be fine.

[race-rodz]

air ride can work great, the problem is that most set-ups run either too big of bag, too small of bag, wrong shocks, wrong pressure....or E: ALL OF THE ABOVE.

a proper designed air system can be taylored to YOUR specific needs, at the push of a button and some fine tuning of shock adjustments...you can have a ride just like YOU like it, i do agree with the STREET car comments, meaning it does handle "ok", great for the street...not the track.

shockwaves have enough choices that getting the right size "bag" is as simple as a tech line away(actual corner weights will help), and with single/double adjustments available, the shock tuning is right there waiting.

i think for a cruiser street car, air ride is the ONLY way to go, rides great, looks cool parked, and has a comfortable cruising altitude for the nations less that perfect roadways.

i say ditch the leafs, mini tubs, 4 bar and shockwaves...IF its a cruiser....if its a track whore...bring it to my house and i will "trade" ya an A-body :unibrow:

[DRJDVM's '69]

I've been considering the Air Ride stuff too for my Barracuda but have heard alot of concerns over safety with an air bag system on the street.... the big issue that concerns me is what happens if you loose pressure in even one bag while driving the car ??? One line melting or fitting coming loose etc and the car hits the ground at 65 MPH. What happens if you have a malfunction with the system and the car is on the ground already ?? How the hell do you get a jack etc under it to even get it up in the air ???

The look and flexability is wicked, but I'm having serious concerns about safety with my car on air bags

[novanutcase]

Most people on this site know my opinion on Airbags so I won't elaborate. I agree with race rodzs assesment but, honestly Paul, you know that there will be that time that you get a chance to really put your foot into it. Don't you want the suspension to be there for it? Especially after all the work that you've already done to the car? I think you should consider either a 3 link/Watts setup(Definitely talk to Mark Magers on this one since, in my humble opinion, I think he has the best one out there right now! Although.......Art Morrisons got a pretty good one to!) or go the extra mile and commit to an IRS! I have a feeling that if your going to be doing big shows your going to want something that stands apart from the rest and I feel that an IRS(That is correctly engineered!) will do that along with giving you many miles of well mannered driving pleasure! It will definitely require some fab work so seriously consider it especially since you already finished the car and now you have to go back in and tear it up again! :eek: :wow: :lol:

[Sales@Dutchboys]

I've been considering the Air Ride stuff too for my Barracuda but have heard alot of concerns over safety with an air bag system on the street.... the big issue that concerns me is what happens if you loose pressure in even one bag while driving the car ??? One line melting or fitting coming loose etc and the car hits the ground at 65 MPH. What happens if you have a malfunction with the system and the car is on the ground already ?? How the hell do you get a jack etc under it to even get it up in the air ???

The look and flexability is wicked, but I'm having serious concerns about safety with my car on air bags

Same thing that i am concered about.....


-PAul

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Most people on this site know my opinion on Airbags so I won't elaborate. I agree with race rodzs assesment but, honestly Paul, you know that there will be that time that you get a chance to really put your foot into it. Don't you want the suspension to be there for it? Especially after all the work that you've already done to the car? I think you should consider either a 3 link/Watts setup(Definitely talk to Mark Magers on this one since, in my humble opinion, I think he has the best one out there right now! Although.......Art Morrisons got a pretty good one to!) or go the extra mile and commit to an IRS! I have a feeling that if your going to be doing big shows your going to want something that stands apart from the rest and I feel that an IRS(That is correctly engineered!) will do that along with giving you many miles of well mannered driving pleasure! It will definitely require some fab work so seriously consider it especially since you already finished the car and now you have to go back in and tear it up again! :eek: :wow: :lol:

Do you have any links to where i could find this stuff....

[61Bubbletop]

I've been considering the Air Ride stuff too for my Barracuda but have heard alot of concerns over safety with an air bag system on the street.... the big issue that concerns me is what happens if you loose pressure in even one bag while driving the car ??? One line melting or fitting coming loose etc and the car hits the ground at 65 MPH. What happens if you have a malfunction with the system and the car is on the ground already ?? How the hell do you get a jack etc under it to even get it up in the air ???

The look and flexability is wicked, but I'm having serious concerns about safety with my car on air bags


I always question a statement that starts with "I have heard..."

What happens if you break a ball joint at 65mph?, or bust a leaf spring? or hit a pothole with big rims?, or blow a tire out? or an oil line feeding a turbo melts and blows oil all over the exhaust and tires? or if your new wheel studs let go in a turn at 100+? or a brake line bursts? or you throw a rod out of the side of your block? etc etc....You get the point. There are countless theoretical situations you can site for any modification to your car....You should be concerned about using an aftermarket wiring set-up because it may short out and catch fire...see what I mean. By this logic, you should not be driving anything modified, just a straight up OEM factory engineered piece...I might suggest a nice Saturn Sedan. Like ANY modification, if done properly, airbags are extremely durable, and just as safe as any other suspension system out there....

:captain:

[Sales@Dutchboys]

I see what you are saying......One thing I allways think about is 2 years ago at columbus after the show my dad and i were riding back to the hotel in his nova and the car sat so low and didnt have air ride......we hit a low spot in it the road and put a hole in the oil pan.....Wouldnt it have be nice to have air ride then.....

-Paul

[Sales@Dutchboys]

I love the stance on this car...Its mini tubed and air ride.....

[sick65]

Paul,
For the look and function you are going for, I think Air ride is the way to go. The car will most likely never see a track, and it will look killer all laid at a show. Like BAD6SPD said, if installed correctly you shouldn't worry about blowing a bag.

[DRJDVM's '69]

Bad6spd.... I understand your point but your other "scenarios" are alittle different... most of them would occur if you were pushing/punishing the car hard and then it wouldnt be unexpected. If you beat on stuff, it may break. I'm not talking about "popping" a bag, I'm talking about something as simple as an air fitting coming loose or one of the many hoses you have to run leaking. Those things could easily happen without the driver beating on the car. The hoses are the "weak link" that I'm concerned about most.. How easy would it be to accidently have one chaff a hole or melt or catch on some debris you hit on the road ?? A small air leak and your car could be on the ground while driving at any speed

You could compare it to having an oil line come loose, but if that occurs the most likely thing is you make a huge mess and the motor goes bye bye.... an air line coming loose and the car hits the ground....

Yes, anything can happen and no matter how well something is engineered, there is always the risk of a failure that can result in serious life threatening issues. My point was just to mention some of the concerns that I had been thinking about....

I like the Air Ride stuff and I've been SERIOUSLY considering it, so dont think I'm in the "air bag bashing" camp. Its not that at all.

[race-rodz]

if your worried about melting a line, or rubbing through a line, then i say hardlines are the way to go for your set-up.

normally when i set up a customer air ride system, i explain that the car must always be able to roll, steer, and stop. that way IF something does go wrong, you atleast have "some" control in getting the vehicle safely to the side of the road. as for blowing a bag, it wont happen, unless they are installed very wrong, or you run waaaaaaaaaay too much pressure, like double...almost triple what a standard air ride compressor will put out.

now i have a dually that lays the rockers flat on the ground,(do as i say not as i act kinda deal) IF it ever has a problem, yes, i am putting myself and everybody else on the road in danger(just like if a balljoint breaks, or a wheel falls off), but i have 80,000+ miles on it, and have never had ANY problems with it. routine maintance is key, making sure all the parts are in good working condition, replacing air lines just "cuz"...an of coarse this system was designed and set-up for years of trouble free use.

you can "what-if" anything to death, some of the concerns are legit, and there are solutions and options to address the concerns.

[DRJDVM's '69]

Is there a way to set it up so that the car isnt completely on the ground when all the pressure is out of the bags ? How do you set it up so that the car can roll, steer and brake IF something happens ?

I'm not that familiar with some of the details. I want to be able to have the car sit real low when I want, but I dont need the frame on the ground etc.

[GeorgeO924]

Yea i think some people are overthinking the air-ride thing. If u always think about the worst stuff that can happen ur overthinking. I have had 3 cars with 3 different setups never once had any problem. On the other hand i do know a dude that had a wheel fall off his truck going 55 an he was fine. I also had a 30 series tire blow out on me on the xway at 120 and again im still here so imo if ur gunna get hurt it will happen reguardless. Just the way it goes sometimes....

[bret]

A few people have mentioned that you would likely find few air suspension fans here. I would like to add only one word to that: YET.
As we continue to demonstrate the performance benefits through track days, autocross events, and magazine testing data comparisons we continue to make believers out of any who pay attention. Obviously no product is for everyone and air suspension is no exception, but in time it will become as accepted in a true performance application as electronic ignition, electronic fuel injection, and electronically controlled overdrive tranmissions. Look for us at the Year One Experience, the Goodguys autocross events, the Musclerides.com autocross event in Pigeon Forge in September, our own Street Challenge track day in September, and the Hot Rod Magazine Open Track Smackdown in October. I am not going to claim that an air suspension car will win any of these events [yet], but at this point, all we have to do is not suck. After we don't suck anymore we can move on to finishing well, and then maybe on to winning! At the VERY worst we will have one hell of a good time trying to prove our merit!
At any rate...you guys don't need me to shove air suspension down your throat...only to suggest where to look for relevant information in order to make an educated decision that is right for YOUR car. Stay tuned...

[61Bubbletop]

Bad6spd.... I understand your point but your other "scenarios" are alittle different... most of them would occur if you were pushing/punishing the car hard and then it wouldnt be unexpected. If you beat on stuff, it may break. I'm not talking about "popping" a bag, I'm talking about something as simple as an air fitting coming loose or one of the many hoses you have to run leaking. Those things could easily happen without the driver beating on the car. The hoses are the "weak link" that I'm concerned about most.. How easy would it be to accidently have one chaff a hole or melt or catch on some debris you hit on the road ?? A small air leak and your car could be on the ground while driving at any speed

You could compare it to having an oil line come loose, but if that occurs the most likely thing is you make a huge mess and the motor goes bye bye.... an air line coming loose and the car hits the ground....

Yes, anything can happen and no matter how well something is engineered, there is always the risk of a failure that can result in serious life threatening issues. My point was just to mention some of the concerns that I had been thinking about....

I like the Air Ride stuff and I've been SERIOUSLY considering it, so dont think I'm in the "air bag bashing" camp. Its not that at all.

Don't sweat it Ned, I didn't mean for that to come off combative...I guess I would just say, that with my real world experience with bags, I have found them to be safe and reliable....If you have concerns, that is completely understandable.....just do the research and make a decision that is right for you, and makes you feel comfortable. :thumbsup: :captain:

[race-rodz]

Is there a way to set it up so that the car isnt completely on the ground when all the pressure is out of the bags ? How do you set it up so that the car can roll, steer and brake IF something happens ?

I'm not that familiar with some of the details. I want to be able to have the car sit real low when I want, but I dont need the frame on the ground etc.

most vehicles wont lay flat on the ground by simply installing bags or shockwaves, usually takes serious modification to get a car/truck to lay out....my dually has a monster notch, drop spindles, stepped arms, and a front frame Z just to get the frame on the ground...then its bodydropped(channeled) so the rockers are as low as the frame.

but you can install bumpstops as a limiting factor to keep the car say 1" off the ground.... the alignment goes to crap when the air is gone....but atleast you still have control, as opposed to just hanging on and waiting for the ride to be over(again....this is just a "what if"...worst case kinda deal)

[mazspeed]

but in time it will become as accepted in a true performance application as electronic ignition, electronic fuel injection, and electronically controlled overdrive tranmissions.

You have a long way to go to prove this. I have driven 1 properly built air ride car on a track and it was acceptable as a performance upgrade to anything out nowadays. If this was the case, then why don't professional race teams use it. Is the product good for the street, yes. Is it good for light duty autocrossing, a little, but in no way in it's present form, remotely close to anything out there for after market performance suspensions.

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Bret is the owner of air ride......


-Paul

[mazspeed]

Bret is the owner of air ride......


-Paul

That explains it.

[bret]

You have a long way to go to prove this. I have driven 1 properly built air ride car on a track and it was acceptable as a performance upgrade to anything out nowadays. If this was the case, then why don't professional race teams use it. Is the product good for the street, yes. Is it good for light duty autocrossing, a little, but in no way in it's present form, remotely close to anything out there for after market performance suspensions.

First...yes, I own Air Ride Technologies. As I have said on other forums, not trying to hide my motives, just trying to avoid the shameless self promotion.
Second...I agree completely that we have a long way to go to prove the merits of a properly designed and tuned air suspension, especially since the path is littered with many components and installers whose definition of performance is a bit different that most of us on this forum.
The only limitations of an air suspension that I have found so far are the limits of our ability to develop new components and applications fast enough. Only so many hours in the day. As with any product or technology, new or not, continuing refinement and development is the key to making progress. Winning racers rarely find 50 horsepower at one time...they find it in 3 hp increments. I think that is kind of where we are at right now. The easy fiields have been plowed...reliability, durability, model applications, basic design parameters, etc, have all been well documented. Now we are refining electronic ride height systems, multistage shock adjustability, airspring piston profiles, etc.
Why don't racers use air suspension? Well, some do. There will be several at Bonneville next month...including the editor of Hotrod Magazine in a 2nd gen Camaro, Trepaniers newest creation, a 68 Barracuda with a 1300hp 4 cyl, and a flatehead powered streamliner. We have worked with a couple of NASCAR teams [no, I can't say who] and are headfirst into a major development program for a miliary application. We ahve also worked with a number of drag racers who are using the ShockWaves as a very useful traction tuning tool...as well as being handy for loading the car in the trailer:). The real reason most racers don't use ANY adjustable suspension is simply because it is against the rules in many sanctioning bodies. At that point most teams won't waste any resources to persue a technology that they won't be allowed to use anyhow.
I am seriously encouraged by the debate on these forums...it inspires new product development and increased education and training for our customers. In other words...it gets me off my dead ass. Personally, I hope threads like this last forever!
BTW...I don't get the chance to lurk on these forums as much as I would like, so don't take a non-response as anything negative...I'm just off doing other stuff.

[JUSTANOVA]

as far as all of the reliability concerns....look at how many millions of miles are put on by semi trucks each year that all have airride suspensions and the same pushlock lines and fittings that most aftermarket airride systems use. If the lines are routed correctly there should be no problems

[ScotI]

I've been considering the Air Ride stuff too for my Barracuda but have heard alot of concerns over safety with an air bag system on the street.... the big issue that concerns me is what happens if you loose pressure in even one bag while driving the car ??? One line melting or fitting coming loose etc and the car hits the ground at 65 MPH. What happens if you have a malfunction with the system and the car is on the ground already ?? How the hell do you get a jack etc under it to even get it up in the air ???

The look and flexability is wicked, but I'm having serious concerns about safety with my car on air bags
An improperly installed suspension is just that.... regardless of type. Ensure the installation is done w/safety in mind.

Loss of air @ speed? When you set the car up, make sure it has bumpstops that limit suspension compression so the vehicle can steer & roll safely to a stop.

Most fittings are secured w/thread sealer so losing (breaking) a fitting is rare. Fittings are also common among components in an air-ride system & are small enough to fit next to that spare tire you carry (they're cheap enough to grab 1-extra of each for the extreme doubters).

Lines melting? See the bump-stop guidline above & route lines away from heat. It is popular these days to run hard-line w/short sections of flex where required.

Getting under it w/a jack? Oddly enough, this requires some consideration. They make 'jacks' that are simple air bags. You can compress them to almost nothing & air them up to raise the car (using your on-board comp/tank). The better idea is to set the car up so it has a jacking point @ every corner that would allow enough lift to put the jack in a 'typical' jacking position.

If you have no intention of trying to win a track event, air suspensions can offer great handling, ride, & adjustability when planned that way.

[DCreations]

My buddy has a wrx with some type or air suspension. I don't think its airridetech, but not sure. anyways I got to ride in his car when it was new and after. He didnt tell me he did an air ride. All I have to say is I'm a believer of air suspensions.

[BThibodeaux]

Paul,
An option to consider is using the Air Bar tiangulated four link bracketry with coil overs. This what I have put in my car with mini-tubs. I like this set-up for several reasons:

Plenty of room for exhaust without heat worries
No need to narrow gas tank to clear relocated leaf springs
No additonal alterations to the trunk/floor pan required
Any concerns associated with air bags are eliminated
Clean and asthetically appealing look
Lots of adjustability


Now the car is still under construction, so I cannot definitively speak to how it will ride or handle, however with all the adjustability that I will have at hand, I cannot imagine not coming up with a setup that will make me happy.

Thanks,
BT

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Well....It has been done....We mini-tubed it and four linked it up. Im going to pull it outside tomorrow and get some pictures if its nice out. Its been pretty craping up in Michigan....But I will post them tomorrow so you guys can take a look.

Paul

[TravisB]

You have a long way to go to prove this. I have driven 1 properly built air ride car on a track and it was acceptable as a performance upgrade to anything out nowadays. If this was the case, then why don't professional race teams use it. Is the product good for the street, yes. Is it good for light duty autocrossing, a little, but in no way in it's present form, remotely close to anything out there for after market performance suspensions.


Holy **** is the a site for hot rods or professional race teams......dam I must have logged into the wrong place....

[Steve Chryssos]

Wow. I never saw this thread before today. Too damn busy I guess. Check the post dates: 08-17-06, then yesterday and then today. Somewhere in between these dates, we ran the Autocross from Hell in Pigeon Forge (Sept 17th 2006) AxH is run not on your typical flat, dusty parking lot. We ran a 3/4 mile course set up on an actual track surface with hard transitions from apron to banked turns.

The Air Ride issue can be argued back and forth indefinitely. But in the end, many people watched my 68 Camaro--with traditional springs--run a 63. Then we watched Bret's big A-body Buick run a 63 with Air Ride. Both cars were run by the same driver, on the same track, and on the same day.

And yes a 63 or 64 was fast for a street tired P-T car. Not only did we watch the Air Ride cars run a number, we watched the Air Ride guys whip it out and lay it on the table. They put their reputation on the line. We hung out with them and learned that they are real car guys and real drivers. If it somehow turned out that their cars were not competitive (they were), Bret and his crew would have gone home and figured out how to make them fast--just like any other handling car enthusiast.

[Steve1968LS2]

Wow. I never saw this thread before today. Too damn busy I guess. Check the post dates: 08-17-06, then yesterday and then today. Somewhere in between these dates, we ran the Autocross from Hell in Pigeon Forge (Sept 17th 2006) AxH is run not on your typical flat, dusty parking lot. We ran a 3/4 mile course set up on an actual track surface with hard transitions from apron to banked turns.

The Air Ride issue can be argued back and forth indefinitely. But in the end, many people watched my 68 Camaro--with traditional springs--run a 63. Then we watched Bret's big A-body Buick run a 63 with Air Ride. Both cars were run by the same driver, on the same track, and on the same day.

And yes a 63 or 64 was fast for a street tired P-T car. Not only did we watch the Air Ride cars run a number, we watched the Air Ride guys whip it out and lay it on the table. They put their reputation on the line. We hung out with them and learned that they are real car guys and real drivers. If it somehow turned out that their cars were not competitive (they were), Bret and his crew would have gone home and figured out how to make them fast--just like any other handling car enthusiast.

Didn't Bret have the fastest (by a fraction) time of any car on non-r-compound tires at the event?

I swear.. an Air Ride car could win every race for a solid year and still some would go.. "yea, but on paper it doesn't work" ... lol

I liked how the DSE car looked going around the bank.. so squished down and flat.. it was sweet.

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Well I think Im going to be happy in the long run not doing air ride
the car has killer stance with the bigger tire back with the dished wheel
and looking at it from the back looks really sweet too.

[race-rodz]

the car has killer stance with the bigger tire back with the dished wheel
and looking at it from the back looks really sweet too.


:ttiwop:

[bret]

I swear.. an Air Ride car could win every race for a solid year and still some would go.. "yea, but on paper it doesn't work" ... lol

You know...if it was easy, success would not be as tasty. I look back at how long it took electronic ignition to catch on....and electronic fuel injection...and radial tires... and so on.

I am not offended by all of this...I am encouraged. It motivates us to continue hardcore product development and gives us a reason to go to the track. That HAS to be a good thing...right?

I car truly sympathize with the guys who, at this point, are not sure if air suspension is the next electronic ignition...or the next "Spintech" wheel.
For me...its all good!

I would like to point out one thing about the Pigeon Forge event. The track used for AutoX H was unlike anything we had encountered to that point. The severe transition from the flat to the banked portion of the track caused many cars that had been normally well set up to bottom out or become otherwise "upset". The tunability of the air suspension allowed us to adapt to that situation fairly quickly with a minumum of effort [and no changed components].
On paper, this situation could have been accommodated with a traditional suspension. In the real world...score one for air ride.

[comp-spec]

Ive been running this car for 2 years handles good and i drive it pretty hard has 10 thousand miles and not 1 bag problem.We broke a shock in Fla. on power tour not a bag and Air Ride give me a new shock in gainsville at the next stop no charge .Thanks for steppin up Air Ride .Were using Air Ride in 4 other projects right now. Its nice to set the cars at any hieght you wanthttp://www.competition-specialties.com/images/camaro/burnout.jpg

[Jr]

:ttiwop:

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Its going down to interior next week then it will be all done....Then Maybe Ill show some pics!!!!LOL

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Thank you to all that have helped me with what to
do. I ended up mini-tubing it. So their is no going back.

[AllSpeedAndy]

Actually finishing up an Air Ride/Mini tub, 69 camaro now...I'll post pics soon and let you know how the test drive works out.....

[TravisB]

Actually finishing up an Air Ride/Mini tub, 69 camaro now...I'll post pics soon and let you know how the test drive works out.....


this thread is OLD........the car is already done.

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Thanks Travis, I think I posted a couple times that the car was done...

Do we need a picture?lol




Paul

[BallnRods]

I dont think they make a 3 link for my car.....

-Paul
Build it.

[Roadrage David]

Ok my imput for what its worth!. when contacking one of the big 3 major a arm manufacters and haveing a one on one conversation(of the record) i askt them about air ride and coil over and four link system for my ride. AWNSER was:QUOTE just get the ""traditional"" lowering coils and good shocks like koni ore bieltstein lowerd leaf springs in the rear with eather call tracks ore slide alink bars set very mild. and you will not go slower then, set ups with a 3 ore4 link ecetera ecetera. he said in the end its a money makeing bisenis thing. and there are more roads to Rome!!!!. and the beter driver with same performance will usaly always win!!!!.....so i stuck and stik with lowering coils shocks and leaf springs forget about air rides ecetera..........ps dont bash my spelling im dislectic

[marolf101x]

"Ok my imput for what its worth!. when contacking one of the big 3 major a arm manufacters. . . he said in the end its a money makeing bisenis thing"

Did any of these manufacturers happen to sell air suspension parts? If I were them I'd persuade my customer that air is no good, and that you should buy my parts instead.

Was budget the first thing on the list, or was performance?

I don't want to knock a good coil-over/leaf spring suspension, (hell, we ran them in our stock cars for years with great success, but have since moved on to 4-links as technology has surpassed the leaf in our racing application). The coil/leaf set-up is a good, economical option. However, I'm still an air fan as I know first hand I can cruise to the track in plush comfort, make a couple quick changes and out-run most anything on the track. Then quickly change back to "cruise" mode.

Overall, the adaptability of a pneumatic suspension system is hard to beat!

[ProdigyCustoms]

A few people have mentioned that you would likely find few air suspension fans here. I would like to add only one word to that: YET.


WOW! I just re read this entire 1 1/2 year old thread, and I feel like I just looked at my 25 Y/O homecoming pictures and wonder what the hell was I thinking with that hair cut and baby blue leasure suit! And now I am so much smarter!

Bret, you were 100% correct your quote from over a year ago when you said YET!

You converted a few bigtime nay sayers at RTHs. Converted some of us enough for some (like ourselves) to go from nay sayers to becoming advocates, Air Ride dealers and product users on our highest end builds. It is actually pretty damn impressive how you have changed attitudes in just that short 1 1/2 year period.

[Roadrage David]

"Ok my imput for what its worth!. when contacking one of the big 3 major a arm manufacters. . . he said in the end its a money makeing bisenis thing"

Did any of these manufacturers happen to sell air suspension parts? If I were them I'd persuade my customer that air is no good, and that you should buy my parts instead.

Was budget the first thing on the list, or was performance?

I don't want to knock a good coil-over/leaf spring suspension, (hell, we ran them in our stock cars for years with great success, but have since moved on to 4-links as technology has surpassed the leaf in our racing application). The coil/leaf set-up is a good, economical option. However, I'm still an air fan as I know first hand I can cruise to the track in plush comfort, make a couple quick changes and out-run most anything on the track. Then quickly change back to "cruise" mode.

Overall, the adaptability of a pneumatic suspension system is hard to beat! actualy one of these companys is selling the new aftermarket subframes . . and budged is not a isuew..............

[marolf101x]

so does this new aftermarket subframe manufacturer offer air suspension as an option? Or do they only offer coil overs?

". . . and the beter driver with same performance will usaly always win!!!!.....so i stuck and stik with lowering coils shocks and leaf springs forget about air rides ecetera"
I agree with this statement, the better drive should always win when competing against equal opposition. At last years RTH autocross the local "hot shoe" drove a bunch of cars, both air ride and "traditional". Maybe he'll see this post his thoughts.

I can appreciate your desire to build a car as inexpensively as you can (I do the same with all my projects). Not all projects require a race-car-like suspension complete with cage, and not all require a "Cadillac" demeanor and ride quality. Though putting a vehicle on air is more complicated in regards to parts (plumbing, etc.) I enjoy the adaptability of the system. It may never out maneuver a C6R, or be as sedate as a Lexus, but It'll get closer to both extremes than any other option out there.

A question to those on this forum: Are there any competitive "race cars" utilizing rear leaf springs in current motorsports racing? (this can be any form of "flat ground" racing vehicle; dirt, road course, oval, etc. excluding vintage racing or classes that require the use of leafs) My feeling is that when given design freedom, the chassis manufacturer has moved away from leafs and into 3 or 4 link cars.

[Tony@AirRideTech]

hell yeah there is Brit.... when was the last time you were at the mud bog races :wow:

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Well since this thread is really old, I guess I should post some pics.

I ended up doing a mini-tub and 4-link with no air-ride.

These pictures are taken last summer, and since then the car has settled even more.

Also now those wheels are on another Chevy II in Florida! lol

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/Paul67II/DSCF0339.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/Paul67II/DSCF0411.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/Paul67II/DSCF0414.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/Paul67II/DSCF0431.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/Paul67II/DSCF0433.jpg

[fesler]

air ride is so overrated
it makes for a stiff ride with not much in the way of shock absorbtion.
remember the old hijacker airshocks?

Airride is nothing like this and if you have been in a proper airride car you would now this. Airride is nice smooth and handles great. You could not ask for a better ride and it performs. If you saw the green blazer on the autocross you know you can actually drive it. Airride all the way much nicer than coil-overs.

[makoshark]

Airride is nothing like this and if you have been in a proper airride car you would now this. Airride is nice smooth and handles great. You could not ask for a better ride and it performs. If you saw the green blazer on the autocross you know you can actually drive it. Airride all the way much nicer than coil-overs.

WOW! the post you just replied to is 6 years old

[okyankee]

WOW! the post you just replied to is 6 years old

fesler has the right to do that. ;) i learned some good stuff. i may do air ride on the 1000 pieces of a 65 chevelle in my garage. i got only a ton of questions though of course. haha

keep up the good work fesler. and try to make some 65 chevelle stuff. its like a custom part red headed step child. haha

[skatinjay27]

WOW! the post you just replied to is 6 years oldWOW! the post you just replied to is 4 years old

[okyankee]

WOW! the post you just replied to is 4 years old

now that is comedy. i did not notice that either.

[makoshark]

When I made that reply, the post showed up as a recent post of the year 2012. Its a conspiracy I tell you:willy:

[skatinjay27]

When I made that reply, the post showed up as a recent post of the year 2012. Its a conspiracy I tell you:willy:

its because some goof voted on the poll and it brings it back to the top, dont worry i only know because i did exactly what you did before!:lol:

[Depthrecordings]

I vote Airbar with coilovers. I didn't see that option so I just voted airbar. My vote may change but thats is the plan for now:)
And then noticed that its an old post...LOL

[pragmatist]

Mini tub and custom composite truck arm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=San17XlQCGM