Air Ride suspension

[LancasterWannaBe]

What are the cons to air ride suspension systems in a racer?

[GTStang]

A lot of extra weight. Give you worse launch for 1/4 mile. Will make your car soft in turns. Its not good for any type of racing.

[LancasterWannaBe]

you know anything about this stuff?
http://www.praxissystems.com/

I found it in another post:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...ide+suspension

[flylwsi]

not true.

air suspension, when used properly on performance vehicles, can give far better handling and adjustability than your coilovers could dream of.

and you can do it from inside the car, on the fly.

mercedes uses airbags and other systems on their vehicles, audi uses them on the allroad.

keep in mind that if you're running your system right, you can make it handle better than any coilover setup...

praxis is good stuff...

www.overboost.com has an article about them that explains the whole system...

think about it...
for your rwd car, air ride (www.ridetech.com) has come out with a kit that handles better than springs...
bad launch?

pump up the pressure in the rear bags, and you've got an almost solid rear end that will resist the weight transfer, and get the power down... and you can pump up the fronts to get the transfer going to the rear, and when you hit second gear, you can drop the pressure in the front bags to drop the car, and get a better aero stance...

what's bad about that?

bags are given a bad rap b/c they're used for looks in custom trucks and cars.

but they can be used for a performance purpose, as well as riding better than anything on springs...

semi's use them on trailers and the cab...
most buses have them under the driver's seat for smoother driving...

[LancasterWannaBe]

Thanks man,
I was asking for cons, but you give the whole air-ride deal a good review, so thats a lot more helpful.
Frankly, I think it's about time for computer controlled suspension stuff.
I mean we've been driving comp controlled engines for years right. Check out what the 50th anniversary vette's got for suspensions, I think they call it magnetic selective ride control. It uses magnetic forces to chang the fluid rheology in the shocks.

But anyway, thanks for any more input from anyone...

[Cyprus106]

Where's CBass on this one?!? He gave me like a 20 minute breakdown on the air rides one day...

CBASS!!! WHERE ARE YOU?? OH CBASSSSSSS...

[Neutrino]

its true many mercedes and audis use an air ride.....but its leagues ahead of the most airbags you'll see on lowered trucks etc.....


also lets remember that no track cars and no sports cars use air suspension......

i mean look even the enzo uses coilovers....you cann see that in videos....tru they are aranged horizontally and have external reservoirs but they are still coilovers....so i doubt an air ride can beat that even from mercedes or audi

[GTStang]

Air-ride suspension type can be good on tracks but why were a bagged suspension designed for? Ride quality, drop a truck or car and not have it feel stiff. They are not the optimum set-up for a 1/4 mile car or a track racer. Thier are better routes to go in both areas.