Questions/concerens regarding driving low on air suspension

This thread is for those that have air suspension but drive low and park on the ground vs parking on the ground and then drive 4x4. I received my setup in the mail. I'll be running S13 coilovers with bags that replace the spring, 5 gallon air tank and 2 380c compressors. This is going into my Y33 Q45. What I'd like to do is park as low as possible or when there is zero gap between the wheel and fender, raise the car a bit and drive low as if I were to on static coilovers and still have plenty of room to raise in case of irregularities on the road. Essentially, this is what I'm looking to do except I'm expecting a much higher 'full up'.

[IMG]http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3201/onetonair.jpg[/IMG]

My concern, however, is that if I'm driving low, meaning the bag will be a tad underdeflated, its almost as if I'm driving on a cut spring with a low spring rate. This can't be good for the shock and the car if its bouncing on the ground. Will I have problems with my shocks blowing quickly if I drive like this?

For those with Y33s on bags, what psi is a comfortable range to drive on and still be low?

well i dont have a y33, but i know if your coils are adjustable with rebound/compression settings youll be much better as you can stiffen or loosen it depending on you and how bad your roads are.

you have to be careful with bags.   Even though it feels like its riding well at highway speeds you can easily bottom out.    I can't remember exactly but on my F50 I think I ran 90front and 70rear.   plus or minus 5psi.   I would imagine the F50 is abit heavier too.   so I'm thinking on a Y33 it would be 80ish and 60-65ish for crusing speeds.

The bag will only compress so much. You shouldnt have any shock / struts bottoming out, just maybee the car bottoming out if your not carefull as Blitz said..Kinda varys from car to car because of the vehicles weight.
 
You will get used to how the car handles once everything is installed and determine a good ride psi.
 
lower psi for softer suspension more wheel travel & high psi for firmer less wheel travel

Don't bother, don't be like Van, be like me

[IMG]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab21/ayuaddict2/ronq.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=urmyhero4now;366624]Don't bother, don't be like Van, be like me
 
[IMG]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab21/ayuaddict2/ronq.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
 
 
:biggthumpup::biggthumpup:

Maybe Cups instead of Bags? Just an idea ....

[QUOTE=Y34-619;366619]The bag will only compress so much. You shouldnt  have any shock / struts bottoming out, just maybee the car bottoming out  if your not carefull as Blitz said..Kinda varys from car to car because  of the vehicles weight.
 
You will get used to how the car handles once everything is installed and determine a good ride psi.
 
lower psi for softer suspension more wheel travel & high psi for firmer less wheel travel[/QUOTE]

But wouldn't you want a firmer/stiffer ride when riding low?

I should also mention that I have zero experience with air suspension.

[QUOTE=CrazyHawaiian;366642]Maybe Cups instead of Bags? Just an idea ....[/QUOTE]

Out of my budget. :(

you have stumbled on the unresolvable short coming of air bags. as you go lower you  have lower psi (spring rate) and less suspension travel. if you dial it in low at higher psi/more travel you lose lift. it's a trade off.

[QUOTE=Shaminii;366645]
Out of my budget. :([/QUOTE]

They won't accomplish what you want anyway. 

Here's the secret to driving low on air suspension (with correct psi): 

Raise the point where the strut mounts to the spindle. This will allow you to be lower at any given psi. It is also how Van accomplished that full up height in the pics above.

BTW-Are you doing the install yourself?

[QUOTE=jzz30tt;366653]

Here's the secret to driving low on air suspension (with correct psi): 

Raise the point where the strut mounts to the spindle. This will allow you to be lower at any given psi. It is also how Van accomplished that full up height in the pics above.

[/QUOTE]

:truestory:

yep.. having same problem with air.. could not ride low enough as expectation. gonna explore hydro as another opt as you could "adjust" the "spring rate" in both slammed or riding height..

I have custom sleeve short UAS bags on my car so at my ride height the bags are almost fully inflated. Also I have an SS kit installed to drop my car another inch so it needs even more air in the bags at ride height. This way it rides somewhat stiff and controlled at ride height but my lift is pretty bad. At max height I'm still tucking tire.

If I had an Infiniti I would put bags on fully adjustable coilovers to get the same results.

Am I correct in understanding this is a universal air suspension type setup? In which case maybe you have to re-think your coilover choice. You'll want coiolvers that go crazy low so the bags can make up the difference.
I have my struts almost all the way down and I run 70/40 psi front/rear. This way I can drive low and when I park it sits on the tires. And when I need added clearance I add 20 psi and can clear anything. With an added 10 psi on top of that I can Donk it.

[QUOTE=chrispy;366715]I have custom sleeve short UAS bags on my car so at my ride height the bags are almost fully inflated. Also I have an SS kit installed to drop my car another inch so it needs even more air in the bags at ride height. This way it rides somewhat stiff and controlled at ride height but my lift is pretty bad. At max height I'm still tucking tire.[/QUOTE]
 
no offense, but i'm missing the logic here. all this trouble to drive low then park an inch lower? once you've eliminated lift what's the point?

from my understanding:
if you want to drive low without bottoming out, you need to park way lower.
I would do it like this: UAS bag´s travel is about 5 inches. That means you need to go down 2,5 inches from your driveng height. Does you car/coils allow you to do it?? Mine allowed, so what I did is just adjusted the stiffness of the coils later.
May be I do it wrong but it worked for me: drive low, lay frame and no bottoming out of the shocks.

My coilovers are completely adjustable, height and shock dampening. So far, what I'm thinking, I'm going to set the coilovers height to its lowest point, where I will be at 0 psi, to where my bumpers (I have a kit) touch the ground to have the most possible room to lift the car at a driveable and safe psi and hope it still has enough lift for those bumps on the road.

How much would the car raise if I went from 0psi to about 80 or 60 psi? Whats the max psi that bags take?

[QUOTE=jzz30tt;366653]Here's the secret to driving low on air suspension (with correct psi): 

Raise the point where the strut mounts to the spindle. This will allow you to be lower at any given psi. It is also how Van accomplished that full up height in the pics above.

BTW-Are you doing the install yourself?[/QUOTE]

Do you mean lower the point where it mounts to the spindle. Because wouldn't raising the point raise the whole strut higher, therefore making the car sit higher also?

Yes, I do plan on doing the suspension install myself.

[QUOTE=OG;366726]no offense, but i'm missing the logic here. all this trouble to drive low then park an inch lower? once you've eliminated lift what's the point?[/QUOTE]

My car is at it's ride height like 95% of the time so I built my setup to ride comfortably at that height. I can still dump it when I want and the lift is just enough to get around if I really need it. It also avoids a lot of the bag rubbing I had before. Since it's still a daily with aero on it I need that inch of lift to get around. 

The goal was to drive low and park lower, and I got what I wanted. That is the point.

[QUOTE=chrispy;366756]The goal was to drive low and park lower...[/QUOTE]
 
this explains it all. i know you drive low and set up the car to do so, but when you're max height is 2" off the ground air seems pointless. however, i don't care at all about parking lower. to each their own.

[QUOTE=Shaminii;366732]
Do you mean lower the point where it mounts to the spindle. Because wouldn't raising the point raise the whole strut higher, therefore making the car sit higher also?

Yes, I do plan on doing the suspension install myself.[/QUOTE]


No I mean raise it. By moving the mounting point up higher you are effectively lowering the car. Think about it like this; on s-chassis front suspension, if you cut the tabs off the stock strut that attach it to the spindle and move the up an inch you will be raising the spindle, thus lowering the car. 

If you are running coilovers it's kinda moot. All you would have to do is set the ride height on the coilovers as low as they will go. The bags will allow you to raise the car to an acceptable driving height.

[QUOTE=OG;366777]this explains it all. i know you drive low and set up the car to do so, but when you're max height is 2" off the ground air seems pointless. however, i don't care at all about parking lower. to each their own.[/QUOTE]

It's just barely enough. I would do straight coilovers if it wasn't for the aero and being my only car. Nowadays seeing my car dumped on the floor is overrated. I would love to put it on a cup kit instead. It looks best at ride height anyway. Don't wanna derail this thread lol.

Shaminii, if you have the coilovers and the bags, put them on the car and just play around with it until you find the settings you like.