Air Ride Suspension

[Bent6]

Anyone ever thought of trying an air suspension?

Air Ride Technologies - Ridetech.com

Think about it - ability to set ride height for cruising and excellent adjustability for the track without swapping springs and such. Heck, most folks already use air bags inside the stock coil springs - what's the difference? Need it stiffer in the rear for more bite off the line - dial up a little more pressure in the rear. Stiffen up the fronts for better weight transfer. The only drawback I see is the price - looks like it would be about $5600 for a full tilt system with double adjustable shocks on both ends. Just a thought........Opinions?

 

[GregInAtl]

I had a kit, I just couldn't get the confidence in it being worth the $. I had a $1200 kit, and still needed $500-600 more....and you still have the poor gm geometry.
I sold my kit a few weeks ago.

 

[Bent6]

Just out of curiosity - was it Air Ride Tech or what? What issues did you have with it? I agree about the geometry issue but was thinking more of cruising and strip adjustability. I've never seen it used on a drag strip but I can't see why it wouldn't work with one of the upper-end setups with double-adjustable shocks and such.

 

[xcessiv6]

Its an awsome system I don't have the spare $6000 FOR THE COMPLETE SYSTEM

 

[scot w.]

Its an awsome system I don't have the spare $6000 FOR THE COMPLETE SYSTEM

I second that!

 

[2toneNV]

I talked to the guy's at Air Ride about the g-body system on the '07 Hot Rod Power Tour and at that time the guy told me to get the whole shockwave set-up for my car including the pump and cylinder it would come out around $4,800-$5,000. I guess they inflated there price just like the gas pri ces.

 

[GregInAtl]

I didnt get ART system. The truth is their stuff isn't that different than others. You need 8 valves, but not necessarily an 8 valve manifold like they use at 4x the cost. You can buy a better ViAir compressor cheaper than their compressor, a steel tank is a steel tank, and 2500 lb bags are just that, rated, and as long as you have the same plies, and measurements, there isnt much diffrence. In the end, a wise shopper can get air ride on a GN for $1200-$1600 w/ all the "good stuff" but maybe not the air ride tech name. Many companies use the level system for 1/2 to 1/3 the cost. Air Ride tech is making bank on the fact that many rodders want the best, and in most peoples mind when you pay more its better.
They make great stuff, but in the end its going on a car that starts w/ poor geometry (think shared w/ an s-10). I wanted it just for cruising and the look honestly, but for that much money, and still needing Bilsteins or another high end shock to make it really handle above OEM, I decided it was just too much money for too little benefit. In a tight economy, I would rather have money going in several directions, not just adj ride height on the fly.