Air-Ride suspension: anyone done this?

[318isbmw]

Cool, I'm learning about all about air-ride and its awesome. So with this setup you posted from that site, you're saying that will give me a well-handling ride as well?

Yes, it should give you a good handling ride. One thing I didn't mention is the placement of the valves. Basically you want the valves ontop, or as close to the airbag as possible, otherwise, under hard cornering you will have the pressure go back up into the lines, rather than keeping the car firm on the road. Simple things like that make a big difference, but as a whole, yes the setup I posted will give a good handling car.

You mentioned previously that only certain brands have the tech to give you a firm ride. You can adjust the pressure to have a stiffer ride here too?

Actually, one of the brands is airride technology, and yes they have single adjustable shocks, or double adjustable shocks built into their air over bag setup so that you can get it to handle best. The ones I posted, those are single adjustable, which is just great, would be similar setup as a Koni SA w/ a spring, but the spring is controlled by air.

Lastly looking at LRD's setup I think they went with a 7" bag in the front for their BagOver setup?

If you search around Suicidedoors's site, they have those on there also, same price as the ones I posted, but just have more lift. Also, any of these parts can be changed out for different ones. Those makes and such are the ones I would personally go with, but SMC makes a great valve, and there are many options to get the same result, those were simply examples. But that's the setup I would go with personally.

And the plates to mount these would have to be custom, and the front struts would have to be modified.
I think that covers most of what I was questioning...

Yes, they would have to be custom, and yes the struts would have to be modified. Not a huge deal, its all simple plates and things like that, there isn't anything like reengineering suspension or things like that.

Also, just to help you guys out, here's a gif of what the setup looks like, with all the things and how they interact.
8valve Airlines!!
Here's one that's a combination of FB and FBSS where the front is controlled individually, but the rear is in controlled by only one switch, so both bags are together.
6valve Airlines

Feel free to ask as you find questions as they pop up. My buddy got me into this stuff when I was 15, only reason I got into e30's was because the truck was no longer logical for a daily driver w/ the built 350 and such. Its the C10 in my sig in case you are wondering.

[M42Technik]

Cool, I'm learning about all about air-ride and its awesome. So with this setup you posted from that site, you're saying that will give me a well-handling ride as well?

You mentioned previously that only certain brands have the tech to give you a firm ride. You can adjust the pressure to have a stiffer ride here too?

Lastly looking at LRD's setup I think they went with a 7" bag in the front for their BagOver setup?

And the plates to mount these would have to be custom, and the front struts would have to be modified.

I think that covers most of what I was questioning...

[318isbmw]

Any chance for custom switches and placement? I wanted to put them in the HVAC panel or maybe in the front ashtray, OEM clean style. Not really interested in FBSS, I think just FB would work.

Three-wheel motion would be awesome :)

EDIT: I would love a custom air pressure gauge of some sort...GEORGE.

Those are the valves. Basically they are what control the air flow. You flip the switch and those open to either allow the air into the airbags, or open to allow the air out of them. That is why you need 2 valves for each corner, or 2 valves for the front and 2 for the back if you have front back only. One for in, and one for out.
Sorry, yes FBSS does mean front back side side. For control reasons, it is the most chosen way to go because of being able to control each corner individually, which on a daily driver does come in handy. Also, if you choose Front back, and not all 4, you only need 4 switches, rather than 8 switches. Yes you can run custom switches. In actuality, all they are just switches found at the local hardware store, nothing fancy at all. Here's just switches:Switches!!

[M42Technik]

Any chance for custom switches and placement? I wanted to put them in the HVAC panel or maybe in the front ashtray, OEM clean style. Not really interested in FBSS, I think just FB would work.

Three-wheel motion would be awesome :)

EDIT: I would love a custom air pressure gauge of some sort...GEORGE.

[george graves]

LOL - I think your right. Do you know how much tail I would get if I had a button in my car labeled "front back side to side"

[Miasma]

Front, Back, Side, Side?

Shooting in the dark.

[george graves]

GC 3/8" 250psi
Need 8 of these for a FBSS setup, which is so each corner is fully adjustable independent of the others.

You lost me on that one. What is it? And what is FBSS?

[318isbmw]

So, to make a whole kit like the e30 needs, granted, this is w/o the plates to make it bolt up to the e30, but the raw parts, here they are. The company is all subjective, I deal pretty much exclusively w/ bag shack because Devon the owner is one of my best friends and gets me great deals, plus him and I are in No Vacancy together. Otherwise, Suicide Doors is another, and ofcourse the Lowrider depot. Personally, I would either deal w/ devon or Lowrider Depot, I've never had bad w/ suicidedoors but long story short, I won't be dealing business w/ them. So here's a nice list of what all is needed:
-Rear Airbags:
RE 5 Slam Bags
-Front Bags:
Front Bellow Style Airover shock
These you can get in different lengths. I think by the looks of it LRD used the 3 inch tall one, which will only give you 3 inches from full drop to full lift, but I know that the wheel to bag clearance is at a minimum so that is the reason.
-Compressor:
Viair 325
Tiny compressor, but if all you want is for it to fill up when needed and aren't playing w/ switches then it will do the job. Long time to fill(5 minutes for a 5 gallon tank) but will do work.
-Air Tank:
5 Gallon 8 port tank
-Valves:
GC 3/8" 250psi
Need 8 of these for a FBSS setup, which is so each corner is fully adjustable independent of the others.
-Gauges:
Dual Needle KP Components Gauges
Need 2 of these for a FBSS setup, plus can add one more single needle gauge for the tank if you want.
-Pressure Switch:
Non adjustable Pressure Switch 90/120 psi setup
-Switch Box:
10 Switch Box Clear
-Air Line:
50' 3/8" Line
-Water trap/filter:
ASCO trap/ filter
Sucks to have water in the line and tank, can corrode stuff from the inside.

[E30SPDFRK]

Looking forward to it!

[M42Technik]

Would it be possible to use GC camber plates? I'm assuming no, but if they were I could cut down even more costs. Technically I could sell off parts of my suspension once the airbag suspension went in to get back some of the money I spent too...

Thank you all! This thread has become an inspiration for me to get off my ass, DO WORK and get 'bagged.

[318isbmw]

So my rear Koni's are still usable. That saves money. That makes this project more plausible.

YES.

Yes, the rear bags are simple bellow style that they used. You could use a sleeve style, but wouldn't ride right IMO. Since we don't have a coilover rear suspension, all you need is the bag and then plates for the top and bottom and you should be good to go, besides the fittings and that junk. I'll make a list in the next day or so and price out how much all of the pieces and get you guys exact part numbers of the parts. Of course LRD is the only people w/ the plates for the front, but those are the only custom parts that they listed, and that I can think of.

[M42Technik]

So my rear Koni's are still usable. That saves money. That makes this project more plausible.

YES.

[318isbmw]

Do you have to run special shocks? Or can you run billys?

These ones that they used on the front, those are built in, they are inside of the airbag. The bag is actually built around the shock. Here's a pic of just them...
Bellow Style Air Over Shock
Sorry LRD, was the easiest bag pic I could find.
So with a regular bag, such as on the back, you could run anything.

On a range rover, those are bags set at a fixed pressure.

[george graves]

Do you have to run special shocks? Or can you run billys?

[E30_Pare]

^my dads 97' Range Rover(airbags) are pretty stiff.