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t3hw4h
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011
Posts: 136
Location: vancouver, BC
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 Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:09 am Post subject: tell me about air suspension |
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I am thinking of heading the air suspension route.
I have a read a few threads on the topic and have one or two questions I'm still a little unclear about.
On the rear, it seems fairly simple - you just replace your current springs with an "air spring" and leave your current shocks in place (I have Konis from VC). Pretty simple and cheap it seems, and an air compressor isn't strictly necessary? i.e. you can just add a manual valve somewhere and get pumping?
The front is obviously different though, will you be relying purely on an airbag for taking car of the spring and suspension? Could you do a similar deal with a manual inflation valve? |
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j_dirge
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007
Posts: 4641
Location: Twain Harte, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:06 pm Post subject: Re: tell me about air suspension |
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| t3hw4h wrote: |
I am thinking of heading the air suspension route.
I have a read a few threads on the topic and have one or two questions I'm still a little unclear about.
On the rear, it seems fairly simple - you just replace your current springs with an "air spring" and leave your current shocks in place (I have Konis from VC). Pretty simple and cheap it seems, and an air compressor isn't strictly necessary? i.e. you can just add a manual valve somewhere and get pumping?
The front is obviously different though, will you be relying purely on an airbag for taking car of the spring and suspension? Could you do a similar deal with a manual inflation valve? |
Why did you start a new thread on this topic when there is one already in progress on this same page (as of 6/23/12)?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=513953
_________________
-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
| danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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t3hw4h
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011
Posts: 136
Location: vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| because that thread is mainly about rear suspension and i have a question about front suspension? |
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j_dirge
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007
Posts: 4641
Location: Twain Harte, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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| t3hw4h wrote: |
| because that thread is mainly about rear suspension and i have a question about front suspension? |
You asked about a compressor.. that was answered in the other thread.
No you do not need a compressor. Valving is also discussed.
Your second question.. doesn't ask for the peritinent info. The front is challenging because the shock is inside the coil spring in the OEM structure. You'd need to relocate the shock (custom fabrication).. or find someone who makes an airbag with a donut hole in it, (am not seeing how a donut hole is gonna work..)
_________________
-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
| danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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Type17
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012
Posts: 300
Location: Chicagoland
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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airbags are made for cars with mc pherson style front suspension which has the shock running through the airbag. i dont know much more about them other than they do exist. alot of guys use them on rabbit/golf/jetta but you will need something meant to handle a bit more weight than they would use. google is your friend on this one.
hope this helps.
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I don't check these forums daily and often loose track of threads and comments. Please PM me a reminder if you're waiting on a reply. Thanks! |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9808
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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I suppose my question would be - why do you want the air bags on the front?
Usually when you're carrying a lot of weight it is over the rear axle. When using the system to level the van that can often be done by just adjusting the rear corners.
I'm not saying it is of no use, but seems to me you get most of the benefit from just having the air lift in the rear. |
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t3hw4h
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011
Posts: 136
Location: vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| I would like to lower the whole van for things like my parking garage and highway cruising but would like to also be able to raise it for campgrounds and other scenarios where higher clearance is necessary. |
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Crankey
Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2004
Posts: 2659
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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check out air ride, they have a bag-over-shock design that you can use on the vanagon. not cheap, but probably the best way to go .
http://www.ridetech.com/store/shockwaves/ |
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