Has air ride technology really progressed?
 

I came across this article and though it's on the manufacturers website, it looks like it's really put on a track car and tested, granted it's not an 86.

https://www.airliftperformance.com/b...8-7d0e7b33d0b9

https://www.airliftperformance.com/w.../unnamed-1.jpg

Have they really come a long way to where they can perform as well as the mid level coilovers like KW3 or maybe ohlins?

This would be good for the daily drivers who want to put splitter on their car but want to make it up steep driveways or even better solution to get track cars on trailers easier.

I couldn't get over the added weight, if you are truly running a lower ride height for performance the added weight would not be ideal.

Add to that most coilover systems are height adjustable, it is not difficult to develop a tried and true process of raising and lowering the car yourself with just a jack, the wrench that came with the coilovers, and some diligence, you would have to watch the toe and get a consistent baseline, maybe mark the rods for whatever position is your track setting and your autocross setting and your DD setting.

Versus flipping a switch inside the cabin because it would be some what tedious adjusting the ride height 2 or 4 times a day to get in and out your driveway.

a coilover strut vs air ride strut is only a couple pound difference. Then add some wiring, hallow plastic air line, air tank, compressor and a management system and you combined a whopping 20 pounds over coilovers. Which still ways less than stock suspension. I wouldn't rule out air ride just due to weight

:iono:

If that's what floats your boat then do it, just saying why I wouldn't. I suppose you envision this as you would lower the car when driving around town and then raise it up to park it in your garage? Whatever makes your car useful and brings you happiness is no skin off my back.

People spend thousands of dollars to shed 5 lbs off a car, if we're talking about a serious performance machine adding 20 lbs for convenience doesn't make sense to me. I mean, I do understand your angle. But if I'm going to drop the money on serious aero modifications and take full advantage of it with a non-streetable ride height, there are likely several other compromises to driving on the street such as tire choice, alignment, a very stiff suspension, chucking out all the amenities for weight savings etc.

Manually adjusting the ride height would be a minor inconvenience well worth the 20 lb savings given all the other things that would go along with what is included in taking full advantage of a low ride height imo. As for a pure race machine that the most difficult part of the day is getting on and off a trailer, ramps and lifts exist.

:cheers:

Edit: Indy cars carry a pneumatic jacking system on board to aid in pit stops, and I believe many enduro cars do as well (LeMans, Rolex etc.) so it's not unprecedented but I guarantee you they would ditch it in an instant for the few lbs weight savings and send a dedicated jackman or two over the wall like F1 or NASCAR.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZebWF40DKI"]Engage Mobile Presents "The Art of the Verizon IndyCar Pit Stop" with RLL Racing using Google Glass - YouTube[/ame]

how did we go from daily drivers that like to track their car and going up drive ways more conveniently to professional racecars...

From the OP, emphasis me:


I have no opinion as to the effectiveness of air ride on a daily driver that has been lowered for style and will not add any further comments to that application. I am of the opinion that if the ride height is low enough to prohibit daily driving for performance reasons the inconvenience of manually adjusting the ride height is worth saving ~20lbs, not to mention the complication of an air adjustable suspension. (and worth noting that explaining how simple the tech is will not sway me, just an opinion like how I don't like white cars)

I'd bet the vast majority could cut the crap food/booze and hop on the treadmill and drop the 20 pounds (myself included). It's really not that big of a deal.

If you're trying to tell me that you are skilled enough that you can detect a 20lb weight in the car, by god sir, you should be in at least a semi-pro series.

Not to mention, you have completely ignored the OPs question.

OP, I don't know, I've been reading the tech has been quickly catching up but I have no direct experience. I suspect that for the mortals among us it would be perfectly adequate for someone who wants to maintain comfort on their DD and have FUN at a track day, ie someone not trying to chase ever 1/10th of a second in a Time Trial or full blown race car.

This.

I wouldn't be one to make such claims, I'm also not one to make sacrifices I deem not worth it.

I felt I did answer OP's question, for me the weight would not be worth the minor convenience.

No, someone else brought up weight.

He specifically asked if the air ride systems/damping was up to par with coilovers priced in the same range.

Most guys don't buy air ride due to cost, not because of the extra 20lbs. Thats less weight than simply removing the spare tire which is normally recommended to hide all the equipment anyways

The airbag is essentially a spring. Match the damper with the "spring" it's the same basic principle.

How can air suspension exceed the performance of springs? If you used an integrated yaw/pitch/roll detection system combined with a rapid compressor then you could theoretically keep the car perfectly level (and lower) in all aspects of the braking/corning/accelerating phase. It would be on par with "active" suspension and better yet if you combined the computer controlled air system with a pre-programmed GPS map of the track then the air suspension could be dialed into the track and modify itself (ride height/firmness) based on real time location.

Yeah, that was me, in the very first response to the OP.

:cheers:

The system linked in the OP costs ~$4.3k and by another user's estimate is 20lbs of weight over conventional aftermarket coilovers, I stand by what I've said.

https://www.airliftperformance.com/product/27673/
https://www.airliftperformance.com/v...sti-2005-2007/

For it's intended purpose, driving around town #stancenation and the occasional track day, sure probably does just fine based solely on the claims for the website. If I'm racing against this guy I'll take the car that saved 20lbs on utilizing a conventional coilover setup that's been dialed in. Just my opinion.

Edit: To be more clear,
If I have a car that I want significantly lowered for performance reasons, I have accepted that speed bumps will be more than a minor inconvenience in it's life, I do not believe air suspension and adding 20lbs to the car is a solution I would find attractive. OP asked for opinions and there's mine.