Air ride.....Mini tub poll - Lateral-g Forums

**Sales@Dutchboys** · #1 07-18-2006, 11:12 AM

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** · #2 07-18-2006, 01:54 PM

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

sick65 · #3 07-18-2006, 03:37 PM

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 · #4 07-18-2006, 06:27 PM

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 · #5 07-18-2006, 09:12 PM

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 · #6 07-18-2006, 10:56 PM

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 · #7 07-19-2006, 12:50 AM

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....

race-rodz · #8 07-19-2006, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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)

**61Bubbletop** · #9 07-19-2006, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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.