Need feedback on air bags suspension

[jgonx213]

Im debating if i should run air bag suspension

might able to get some hands on Universal Air Suspension,

So the question is......

If i daily my car like run (1500 miles) a month, is air suspension reliable?

If not the smart way to go, imma go ksport coilovers


so tell me whats the smarter way~ coilovers or bags?

[cdrazic93]

The sheer amount of miles you claim to drive every month, is that much more potential to rip/pop a bag. Idk if it would be worth the more investment than a decent set of coilovers.

[jgonx213]

so i guess coilovers it is? >.<?

any more feedbacks?

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

The sheer amount of miles you claim to drive every month, is that much more potential to rip/pop a bag. Idk if it would be worth the more investment than a decent set of coilovers.

Sure, more distance means higher probability but how likely are popped bags? I was under the impression that modern bags were fairly reliable/robust.
I would hardly call Ksport decent.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

Sure, more distance means higher probability but how likely are popped bags? I was under the impression that modern bags were fairly reliable/robust.
I would hardly call Ksport decent.

From apex-tuning: "The number of parts involved also means there are a lot of potential failure points in the system. You could blow a bag, pop an air line, or have a valve fail, any of which would leave the car stranded as the suspension will bottom out if no pressure can be held in the air bag."

And no Ksport is not decent lol certain coils above 1k like Bilstein RCE I've heard some FA are good...blah blah blah. ST are decent as well.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by jgonx213

so i guess coilovers it is? >.<?

any more feedbacks?

If your looking for that rediculous drop, you can get it on stance coilovers or some extreme drop versions of some BC and Tein coilovers.

[jgonx213]

how about between stance and BC? which one u guys recommend?

[dbrandt01]

There's a few posts about people picking one of the other between bc and stance
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1042805
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1337846

I recently got the BC Racing extreme drops and I like them. Not even close to as low as it can go, but low enough to barely get in my drive way. More pictures are here if you want.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61982

[Createddeleted]

You don't want to daily bags. It's just not practical. I had mine in my other car and the issues sent me right back to coilovers.

[xxscaxx]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

The sheer amount of miles you claim to drive every month, is that much more potential to rip/pop a bag. Idk if it would be worth the more investment than a decent set of coilovers.

You don't know what you are talking about, so you probably shouldn't make statements claiming you do.

Originally Posted by Createddeleted

You don't want to daily bags. It's just not practical. I had mine in my other car and the issues sent me right back to coilovers.

What issues did you have? Been DD my BRZ for a year now on bags, not one single issue.

I'd probably say install error, because bags are the most practical thing ever lol

[AdamBomb518]

Go bags. I daily drive my car and if you get a brand new quality setup, you have a lot less of a chance of issues.

I'd just suggest the following:

Run your airlines INSIDE the car (under the carpet like you would for audio wiring).
Get 1/4" airlines (plenty quick enough to raise/lower and a lot easier to run).
Get a digital management system. I went with Airlift Performance Digital V2 Kit.
Get at least 1 water trap.
Get an upgraded SMC check valve and upgraded compressor.

If you have specific questions, PM me directly and I'll walk you through it all. I did the installation with my friend taking our sweet time on a Saturday and all said and done took us 8 hours. Mainly because I'm a freak with zip tying everything 6" apart.

If air was unreliable, you wouldn't see every single tractor trailer, dump truck, metro bus, etc. running it on every one of their vehicles.

I have my ride height set about 2 1/2" or so lower than stock. My dropped/hard parked height I can't even turn the wheel, and my "speed bump" height is 1-2" higher than stock.

It's the best of both worlds. 30 way adjustable dampening. The good part about the digital system is you have 1 "all in one" manifold. So no having to run 8 independent valves. It's all in one nice and heavy duty/compact unit.

I know of another guy in Chicago who daily drives his car w/ the exact same setup and hasn't had a single issue in 2 years as well.

[xxscaxx]

Originally Posted by AdamBomb518

Go bags. I daily drive my car and if you get a brand new quality setup, you have a lot less of a chance of issues.

I'd just suggest the following:

Run your airlines INSIDE the car (under the carpet like you would for audio wiring).
Get 1/4" airlines (plenty quick enough to raise/lower and a lot easier to run).
Get a digital management system. I went with Airlift Performance Digital V2 Kit.
Get at least 1 water trap.
Get an upgraded SMC check valve and upgraded compressor.

If you have specific questions, PM me directly and I'll walk you through it all. I did the installation with my friend taking our sweet time on a Saturday and all said and done took us 8 hours. Mainly because I'm a freak with zip tying everything 6" apart.

If air was unreliable, you wouldn't see every single tractor trailer, dump truck, metro bus, etc. running it on every one of their vehicles.

I have my ride height set about 2 1/2" or so lower than stock. My dropped/hard parked height I can't even turn the wheel, and my "speed bump" height is 1-2" higher than stock.

It's the best of both worlds. 30 way adjustable dampening. The good part about the digital system is you have 1 "all in one" manifold. So no having to run 8 independent valves. It's all in one nice and heavy duty/compact unit.

I know of another guy in Chicago who daily drives his car w/ the exact same setup and hasn't had a single issue in 2 years as well.

Just to note I ran my lines outside. If you do it correctly you won't have any issues. I actually prefer running them outside (i've done both).

Water Trap isn't always needed but its a nice addition - it depends on climate but can't hurt having one. Everything else mentioned though is all good info.

I know you said you are meticulous but make sure you keep checking fittings/lines/etc for a week or so and keep an eye out on your tank pressure to make sure you have no leaks. Sometimes you can just miss one. EDIT: n/m I thought you wrote you installed it THIS saturday lol

Also, depending on how you lay out the trunk setup, it can be way more than an 8 hour install. But as far as the strut installation thats super easy. The most tedius thing is the trunk setup for the compressor/tank/manifold/etc and how intricate you want to make it.

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

From apex-tuning: "The number of parts involved also means there are a lot of potential failure points in the system. You could blow a bag, pop an air line, or have a valve fail, any of which would leave the car stranded as the suspension will bottom out if no pressure can be held in the air bag."

I do not know who Apex-Tuning are but that quote reads like a marketing blurb. The quote lists possibilities. If the quote had said something along the lines of "We have fitted x number of bag systems and had to repair 10% of them due to popped bags or leaks or a common failure point was the junction between..." then I would have paid more attention. It would seem ApexTuning is just bagging bags.

[AdamBomb518]

Originally Posted by xxscaxx

Just to note I ran my lines outside. If you do it correctly you won't have any issues. I actually prefer running them outside (i've done both).

Water Trap isn't always needed but its a nice addition - it depends on climate but can't hurt having one. Everything else mentioned though is all good info.

I know you said you are meticulous but make sure you keep checking fittings/lines/etc for a week or so and keep an eye out on your tank pressure to make sure you have no leaks. Sometimes you can just miss one. EDIT: n/m I thought you wrote you installed it THIS saturday lol

Also, depending on how you lay out the trunk setup, it can be way more than an 8 hour install. But as far as the strut installation thats super easy. The most tedius thing is the trunk setup for the compressor/tank/manifold/etc and how intricate you want to make it.

I had a bagged truck and ran 1/2" lines outside and had a split because of the idiot who installed them prior ran them directly over the c-notch in the rear, ha. Needless to say, it was NOT fun getting at being so low. At least if a line tears on the inside it's easier to access if the car isn't able to be lifted up at all. Both work fine though if you run them right.

I still haven't finished my trunk setup, I wanted to get everything up and running right before building out the false floor. Plan another entire day to "clean up" the setup.

You don't NEED a water trap with their manifold, they even say it, but it can't hurt. I like to cover my ass when I can though, ha.

The weather has been so up and down here it's been impossible to get an accurate reading as it drops 40 degrees at night and for every 10 degrees drop is like 3-4 PSI, so I wake up and it's at 135 or so and get out of work and it's at 155, haha.

Luckily leaks are super easy to spot too.

Okay enough rambling.