Air Ride Suspension for a Chevelle

[AZSaleen04]

Thanks for our response. I'm redoing my Chvelle and I need to do the entire suspension over. I do have a lot of other projects to complete on the car including wheels. My main purpose for the air ride is the lowered look with the wheels tucked in.

The Ride Tech does look like a good option but the entry level kit is about $2K. Just wanted to see what other options are there that might be a better investment.

[JRouche]

Thanks for our response. I'm redoing my Chvelle and I need to do the entire suspension over. I do have a lot of other projects to complete on the car including wheels. My main purpose for the air ride is the lowered look with the wheels tucked in.

The Ride Tech does look like a good option but the entry level kit is about $2K. Just wanted to see what other options are there that might be a better investment.

Kinda sounds like my ordeal. I was looking for a better coilover setup on the rear. The front coil springs were fine by me. But the rear needed some work. And I was re-doing the entire back half. Coilover springs still seem like the way to go IMO.

The air rides setup is nice. But its not all that.

Positive points....

Its an easy swap. Mine was all custom, but it was still pretty simple. The rear bags (shockwaves) are plenty strong for the rear. I have yet to check out the valving of the shocks for driving conditions.

The front was a dream. Again mostly custom but still within the recommended parameters for ART.

They have some of the best customer support I have seen and used. Thumbs up guys!! Keep it up.

If yer into playing with several alignments on the front end it doesnt get any easier than an air spring. Wanna check yer bump steer. No need to remove the spring, just deflate it. Need to adjust yer adjustable control arms. Release the spring pressure, adjust and set it back on the springs. Its really nice to be able to remove the springs with a tap of a button. Never had it so easy.

Now the down side...


With air springs its never a set value. It all depends on the pressure that the sensors see. Thats how the system works, with the ART system. There is a pressure sensor for each wheel (air spring) and it trys to get the bag filled with the pressure you tap in.

Unfortunately you cant type in a number and have it pressurize the bag with that number. Its a hunting game. It has you tap the up or down button and try to get to yer number. Say you want 60psi in the two front springs. More than likely you will over shoot the number by quite a bit. Then you have to release the pressure with a tap and it will go down by who knows, 10 or 20 psi. Then try to get lucky and tap the up button and hope it comes close to 60psi. Flaw.

There should be a better program in the control to give a more detailed pulse with the setting. And yes, I have it set for the most detailed control. It comes set that way from the manufacture. For obvious reasons.

So, I ended up making some control valves for the supply and exhaust. To limit the flow of air on both lowering and rising. It gives a better control for the filling or dumping of air from the air springs.

What I would do if I worked for ART? Not change the air valves, they are great. They seal and are fast, good valves. Change out the pressure sensor? Nope, they are some nice sensors. Although. I did see some hunting. But Im pretty sure that was the control unit.

I would limit the air flow so the sensors could keep up. The controller only sees the bag pressure. It takes time for the bag to normalize. But the controller stops when it sees a certain pressure. It doesnt look back. It stops looking when it sees the number it is looking for.

Thats another thing. Presets. They are set too wide. If for example you measure out the ride height to a certain number with say 60psi of air pressure. You are like yeah, got it set. You set the number two button on the controller to be yer ride height. If you deflate the springs then hit the #2 button you are lucky if it comes within 5psi to 60psi. All within a minute, no major air temp changes.

So you think, what the hell dude, whats 5psi. Well it is 1/2" of ride height. And Im not kidding. 5psi , when the springs are at there optimum, just at ride height 5 pounds changes it a whole lot more then when say its just raising the car off no pressure. At ride height 5psi is a good 1/2" change.

Im at a good ride height at 58psi. At a decent 78* temp. But the problem is stabbing the up or down arrow, if I dont hit somewhere around 58psi. And one quick stab of the button can raise it to 70 plus psi. Then its a stab down. Then a stab up. Back and forth.

Im not sure but I think they could increase the checking of the pressure with more steps for the presets. When you have a preset in and hit it the steps are still pretty large. I think its because the air valve can only open and close at a certain rate. I get that. Means the air flow is too much. They prolly have some guys saying the fill rate is too slow too. LOL Cant please everyone, or can you. Depends on how committed you are.


Do I like the system? Hell yes, so far, and I havent even driven on it yet. JR