air ride handling?

[megaladon6]

i know that Air Ride tech. Shockwave systems outhandle stock systems but how do they stack up against performance systems? is it even worth looking at? i will be doing relatively major mods to my 87 monte ss and like the idea of dropping it for the track but being able to raise it for rough roads and speed bumps.

[67SSDan]

Welcome to this week's version of the 'Can AirRide hold their own' thread. :)

All kidding aside, YES, they can. I've personally seen AirRide up against all the major players in this market, and they always hang or do better. No questions. Watch the videos from RTTH2 and 3, if you're still a skeptic come to RTTH4 or any other track event. It's a sweet setup. Had I not gone the DSE route... and had the extra $$$ to do it, I'd have gone that route myself.

[megaladon6]

what are the negatives to air ride? what's rtth#?

[XTRMEASURES]

airride hands down

i will have airride on my car when i go to RTTH4

[MrQuick]

I rode in a car with air ride and I can say they do feel pretty good. I thought it would be rough and bouncy but nope...well tha would depend on ride height of course.

[Jaymz]

I just wish air ride had a touch screen controller instead of the 90's dated one thay have now

[TonyL]

what are the negatives to air ride? what's rtth#?

1. not many. Some would say cost. Some will say the prospect of a failure scares them. (almost never happens in reality.)
2. rtth stands for Run through the hills. A driving event/show/race/bbq/really really good time put on by musclerides and pro-touring.com.

[Stu Seitz]

Can you corner weight an air ride car? How do you increase or decrease spring rate?

[TonyL]

You have to step away from thinking of traditional ways of dialing in a "sprung" car, and start thinking of a whole new way of doing things.

spring rate does not seem to directly apply to to air ride springs. They are infinitely adjustable and a few pounds plus or minus changes the effect on suspension performance dramatically. People tend to think of either it being jacked up like a stomper truck, or laying frame. But forget about the in between part.

perhaps someone else can chime in.

[67SSDan]

Hmmmm... I did some quick searching and can't come up with the thread I'm thinking of. I know this has been hashed out several times, and the guys from Air Ride have even chimed in on multiple instances on the subject (I think half the company, including the owner, are members here). Seems like DamnTrue was doing the questioning... maybe someone with better search skills then me can come up with it.

Also, I noticed in another thread you were asking about the best suspension for the money... I'd highly recommend reading this one...
https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18789 It's full of good info.


Here's the Run Through the Hills section of the site:

https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=70

Dan

[Stu Seitz]

spring rate does not seem to directly apply to to air ride springs. They are infinitely adjustable and a few pounds plus or minus changes the effect on suspension performance dramatically.

That's exactly what I was getting at. I'm ASSuming that when you and a few lbs to a corner it also increases the size of the bag, therefore changing the corner weight?

[TonyL]

-of the other three corners. the bag size (mass) doesn't change. It merely inflates which would transfer the load to the other three sides.
(I'm just guessing here. Not an expert. lol.)

This discussion usually comes down to this. You need to see for yourself what these cars are capable of. Not one driver that I can think of at any event we've had came away a non believer after driving an air ride car. They just flat out perform. Much to the shock of those who spent loads of money on coil overs and the systems they use.

Nothing compares to the ability to adjust how the car is acting from the seat on the fly.

[megaladon6]

it's just that i was reading the literature and air ride repetitively states that their product "outhandles the stock suspension". ok that's great. but i'm changing mine, so i wanted to know if the air ride system is better than performance shocks and springs when everything else has been changed. from what people have said, if i can afford it, i'll go with air ride.

[MonzaRacer]

Megaladon,
first of all let me tell you that after you install Air ride, drive it for about a week you CANT wipe the grin off your face as you TRY to hit the next run or off ramp with a little more speed or turn in a little harder.
With each corner isolated(performance reasons)as the load increases the spring prgessivly gets stiffer till the ar is "set" and if you have the alignment/tire package setup right,,,YOUR GLUED TO THE ROAD AND EATING UP THAT CURVE!
I put rear CoolRide on my 71 Monte Carlo in fall of 98 and went to 98 East Coat Power tour.
Me and buddy Paul, well we drove straight through to Mooresville NC and I had before had 2 of the old cna type spring booster sets under each rear spring. The springs in car were about 4 inches tall ,total junk.
I I nstalled the CoolRide in backand simply used single air lines to each side to the bumper such as we used to do with air shocks.
Well to say the least the set up is SAAAAAWWWWEEEETTTTTT. I hauled 3 blocks, 8 heads, 3 cranks and several sets of rods pistons etc just before the roadtrip and all I did wasadd about 15 more pounds to each spring, it roade like a Caddy and still handled great. My buddy at work couldnt believe how much load I had on thecar.
Well after me and my buddy packed for Power Tour we had both out luggage, my tool box crammed full, spare tire, cooler,and all kinds of crap that we thought we really needed.
Still only had to add about 8 or 10 pounds over my regualr air level.
And I think I checked the springs about once a month if that.
both sides never held same amount(normal) but were within like 5 lbs.
I now daily drive my 78 C10 with Cool Ride all the way around and it has been on since laborday 04.
Oh and I drive like 40-45 miles oneway to work 5-6 days a week.
And if you dont think its good in the handling go check out the comments from Boris Said, Mike McLaughlin and the other guy whos name I forget that were asked to drive at the Air Ride Street Challenges (oh yeah went back and checked Steve Grissom) thay all loved the setups and if I am remembering correctly the Blue chevelle has posted something better than 1.0 G while driving results, really need to dig out the book for info, but one of the cars they really bragged about getting over 1g . And ifi remeber its the blue one as Iwas thinking that pretty good for a BRICK!.
Try looking around www.ridetech.com, sign up for the forums and ask britt and darren questions and check out the linked articles.
Trust me best money ever spent.
since they dont make Hbody parts I am working over my 77 Monza to use ShockWaves/Coolride and since it is incorporating Gbody/S10 brakes I am gonna use the newer 98-up ZQ spindles from Blazer and opt in some C5or C6 brakes and 17s on it.
Figureing on building my all forged rotating assembly 283 and may even turbo it even.
BUT ART will suspend it with pieces from SC&C and Either later GM or ATS,etc.
Lee Abel
AFTERMARKET PERFORMANCE

[Vinz68]

I have a 68 Camaro with Air Ride. I think it works very well. I'v done an autocross,drag racing,track day @Pocono (in the rain)and alot of street driving. It is a very well rounded suspension for a pro-tour car. I believe there is 16 rebound and compression settings along with air spring rate. Its almost too much adjustments.

[Steve1968LS2]

what are the negatives to air ride? what's rtth#?

Sometimes packaging it into a car.. I guess one could say cost.

Bret and the team at ART have proven time and time again that their suspension can throw down against anything else on the market. I used to scoff but now I'm a believer.

[megaladon6]

i'm pretty much sold on the air ride. when it comes to single or double adjustable, do i really need 256 positions?