Airride on a 1st gen Camaro YES or NO

[Moabdude]

Pro's and con's

anyone experience?

[Steve Chryssos]

Check out their Street Challenge Kit. Air Ride has gone to great lengths to show the performance capabilities of their system. They did this not on message boards, but on actual tracks using actual drivers in front of large numbers of witnesses. Most of those witnesses--myself included did a little double take as the misconceptions and preconceived notions melted away. I'm being emphatic because there are so many naysayers--all of whom can be individually picked off as NEVER having seen an AirRide Street Challenge kit in action.

If you think about it, AirRide has been performing on public display more than any other available pro-touring suspension system--Possibly more than all of the thers combined. That's because Air Ride has stuck their necks out by hosting and participating in events. In the near future, other manufacturers will no doubt prove the worthiness of their products in events as well. Once that happens, the message board benchracing bull **** can finally be laid to rest.

REALITY CHECK: I have not seen any use of AirRide systems at the Daytona 500 or the 24 hours of Daytona or at any Formula One races. But Pro-Touring is a form of hot rodding not racing. And for your HOT ROD application, Air Ride's Street Challenge Kit should be more than effective. I'm about to install one on a 68 Camaro so that I can personally relate how they actually drive--not just what I've seen.

Most of the available suspension designs are effective for pro-touring applications. Don't sweat it--buy what you like.

[John McIntire]

i am interested in this topic too, although for a chevelle. I have heard good things about ART, and their open track days.
The only air bag experience I have is with my friends and their slammed body dropped trucks, laying frame on 24's. Those things ride like a cadillac, very soft and plush and they just seem to float down the raod, but they are just an air bag only.
The ART setups are specifically tuned and set up for your car with double adjustable shocks for rebound and dampening, sway bars and all. Check out their site. There is also someone on this board that works for them, I forget his name, but I am sure he will chime in here soon.

[Steve Chryssos]

From what I saw, the A body stuff worked better than the F body stuff. Maybe there is just more room under an A body for a bolt on design. But I'll find out for myself after I install this kit. Two years ago, I would have never considered Air Ride.

This is what I bought:
http://www.ridetech.com/streetchallenge/streetchallenge2006.asp

http://www.ridetech.com/productinfo/streetchallengesystems.asp

[LowBuckX]

I was a hater till I watched that Forza challenge show. The Air ride Mustang is no joke. It was laying down some of the fastest lap times on the road coarse. If She started the race at the same time as the rest I think she woulda been right there with the vette

[darren@ridetech]

You'll have to keep watching....they do the Drag racing and Road Course twice!!!

[Rick Giles]

What channel, day and time does the Forza show come on?

[Leadfoot1]

:secret: I FINALLY made my decision and ordered an AIRBAR kit for my Camaro today! (Well last night!)

Should be here some time next week.

CAN'T wait to get it!

Lead.

[darren@ridetech]

Rick,
Wednesday nights at 10pm central on Speed.

Lead,
Let me know if you have any questions with the install.

[MonzaRacer]

Air Ride Rock THe House.
I love it on my 78 C10 and for a pig truck with tall tires and it rocks the curves.
And I dont even have the adjustable shocks yet.
I used the plain blue shocks from ART on front and I used Gabriel truck shocks for a 68 to 72 C10 on back.
Get it set up make sure its not got anything rubbing and donr forget toi use some air preasure. most people forget that air is holing you up. also it wont be a Caddillac ride but it will give the best ride AND performance you can buy in my opinion.
The big bags most of the "other" companies are selling are way over sized to make them smooth and let them deflate to lay frame.
ou really dont want to lay frame as you may have a problem and have to drive home deflated.
Enjoy the ride.
Lee

[El Diablo]

Congratz on the purchase im sure youll be pleased!! the stance you get for show/cruiseing is unparralled and they are also becoming more performance oriented in the higher end market:drive1:

[ProdigyCustoms]

Well, I will admit I was a " Air bags are for mini trucks" guy until Run Through the Hills II, were Steve and myself, and many others were converted. And for more reasons then just the great performance they proved. Yeah they kick ass on the autocross. These guys put there money where their mouth is, and do it with class, respect and pride. I was impressed with the Air Ride team at RTHs2, 4 sharp cars, all the crew looking sharp, mingling, not to much ego, but visible confidence without being to cocky. Being someone with a bit of pride in how we present and carry ourselves, I really liked their show, and it was a show.

I was impressed enough to become a distributor for Air Ride Technologies products, and it has proven to be a great trouble free product.

Admittedly ignorant because of my previous opinions, I had / have a lot to learn about these products. This past weekend I had the chance to sit in the front row at 2 Air Ride Technologies seminars at the Hotrods & Restorations show hosted by the owner Brett and his Air Ride crew. Again these guys just blow me away. Brett is a true motorhead with a obvious passion for this hobby. The entire crews knowledge of their product is impressive. And again, they carry themselves so well. I was impressed to see a live full installation on jack stands, like you would do it in your garage, at the show. The entire installation from scratch included upper, lower front arms, rear Strong Arm kit, C notch, plumbing, hardware, plumbing. The entire installation was done in 1 1/2 days, the guys doing it made it look even easier then it is.

One of the most interesting things I saw, a couple dozen times, was the intentional blowing of Air Springs. It is a common misconception, pure BS quite honestly, that these things can break under load. A Air Spring is designed to operate at around a 100PSI. Fully compressed that pressure will climb (spike) to 200PSI. They used their test machine they use to test every bag they produce for leaks. Using the same machine, they simply added enough pressure, monitored by a gauge, and exploded a couple dozen bags. Everyone of them popped between 575PSI to 650PSI which is 3 times the potential spike pressure. Also in the seminar was a Firestone rep. He explained the test machine they use to test the duty cycle of the bags will wear out a few sets of bearings before the bag shows ANY sign of fatigue.

So now I am officially converted, so I guess I can announce we made a decision for suspension on our new Project EmptyNest, and it is a Air Ride Technologies system.

I am a believer.

[sweet67]

How does the street challenge kit do in a street race? say your buddy pulls up to at a light kind of deal.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Well, we talked about drag racing in general. You should be able to reduce the air pressure in the rear makeing it a bit soffter in the rear when your buddy pulls up, which should help it hook! Sounds like a unfair advantage doesn't it? I like it.

[darren@ridetech]

Thanks for the compliments Frank.

[bret]

Remember...the key to ANY successful racing system, be it suspension, fuel, ignition, or whatever, is tuning. That is an air suspension's greatest advantage in a racing application.
Also remember that a great guitar does not neccessarily make you a great guitar player...a little patience and experience works wonders!

[MonzaRacer]

Guys, Bret sold me my first Air Ride for the rear of my 71 Monte Carlo right before the 98 East Coast Power Tour. Well this car was packed FULL, we drove all night. and I never had an air compressor. I used single lines to both springs like air shocks.
After a few years of driving me and a girlfriend swapped the diff for one with better gears and my Southside Machine Lift Bars and I went to local drag strip.
Now while my car was well over 4000 lbs and I didnt have a supoer high hp engine(stock 350 ,LT4 HOT roller, holley intake/carb and headers) and it ran consistent 2.080 avg 60 ft times(never variing more than a few thousands) and the car ran low 10's in the 1/8th (like I said it was big car with mild engine) but it was super consistent.
And as for a stop light drag, Id just punch it and run.
One thing Bret will tell you dont be afrain to add air to make it perform.
Air springs are like tires, underinflation is moreharmfull than a over inflated one riding rough.
And in my 78 C10 I have found that the truck rides,drives and handles perfectly and I just set it and forget it.Oh and I have paddle switches instead of switches and solenoids.
Heck I have used a A6 and now I am using a York/Tecumseh type A/C compressor for air.
Lee

[sweet67]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but we are on the topic of air ride here soo....will a 3" tail pipe fit over top of the rear axle with the air ride 4- link?
Kevin

[67SSDan]

Awesome stuff. If you haven't seen it for yourself, I'd highly recommend showing up at one of these track events (even if you're just a spectator) where Bret and the gang are going to be. Super nice people, very cool and well designed product.

[rb70383]

So is there a Street Challenge planned for Mopars? I'm still iffy about keeping the torsion bars? How will the airrides kit be affected by installing bigger T-bars? Any worries about the shock tower holding up to the extra loads placed on it? I'm almost converted just wondering a few things.

[darren@ridetech]

sweet67,
We normally route the exhaust under the axle.

rb70383,
With our kit for the OEM front suspension we are turning the torsion bar down about 1/2 way and using the smaller 7000 series Shockwave to raise it back up. The factory shock mounts are strong enough to handle this extra weight. Use the factory spring rate bars too. The higher spring rate bars might not let you drop it all the way. I ran into that problem when building that 73 Challenger for Overhaulin at SEMA. It still dropped all the way but I had to back the adjusters off all the way.

You may even want to consider the AlterKtion front K member from Reilly Motorsports. Lighter, improved geometry, rack and pinion and eliminates the torsion bars. Ohhh....and it works great with Shockwaves. :razz:

[sonic69]

I have shockwaves all the way around my 69 Camaro. Double adjustable and so far they are the stuff. I have the airbar on the back. I got the pro kit. It handles killer and looks great laid out. We're modifying the front inner fenders so it will lay a little lower. Any muscle car I buy will have airide on it. There is no susp. I would go with.

[Leadfoot1]

I have shockwaves all the way around my 69 Camaro. Double adjustable and so far they are the stuff. I have the airbar on the back. I got the pro kit. It handles killer and looks great laid out. We're modifying the front inner fenders so it will lay a little lower. Any muscle car I buy will have airide on it. There is no susp. I would go with.


:postpics:

Come on...Let's see it!

Lead.

[sonic69]

First I would have to figure out the whole posting pics thing.

[Leadfoot1]

Need help?

Lead.

[sonic69]

Oh yeah, my wife has the kodak easy share program in the computer and I can email them easy, just posting is another thing.

[Leadfoot1]

Its actually pretty simple, you need a hosting webpage to put your pics at (try photobucket, here is mine for example; http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/Leadfoot1969/

take a look at the "img.code." under any of the pics, you copy this link and paste it in the thread (so it will show up opened), if you use the URL addy (above the img code) it will show up as a link to click to open the pic (not reccomended when you want to show us stuff... as it makes us work some more.....:hah: )


Now no more excuses...I want to see this car!(On the ground please!)

If anything, let me know.

Lead.:candle:

[sonic69]

My friend that does computers for a living said he would come over and help me, so I will get some pictures up, but it probably won't be until tommorrow.