Upgrading an Airbag Suspension?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 1997 Hyundai Tiburon FX
Upgrading an Airbag Suspension?
Just wandering if it would even make a difference/is it even worth putting on suspension upgrades like strut bars or sway bars on an airbag suspension. Would you see a difference in handling, or would that fact that having airbags render these kind of upgrades useless?
#2
Administrator
It depends on what you use the airbags for. If its a simple set up where the entire car only goes up and down (single or double switch), then you can still use sway and strut bars just fine. However, if you end up with a kit where you can control each corner individually, do any type of side to side motion, or any other trick control style...then strut and sway bars are not a good idea to have on the car as they could potentially get ripped apart or destroy the airbag system.
Handling isnt horrible on air. You'll still be able to drive the car fine, but I wouldnt enter any auto cross events or try and take some super twisty roads at high speeds. Air suspension is mostly used for show cars who want to be slammed to the ground when parked or driven extremely low and still have the functionality of getting over speed bumps or pot holes.
Handling isnt horrible on air. You'll still be able to drive the car fine, but I wouldnt enter any auto cross events or try and take some super twisty roads at high speeds. Air suspension is mostly used for show cars who want to be slammed to the ground when parked or driven extremely low and still have the functionality of getting over speed bumps or pot holes.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 1997 Hyundai Tiburon FX
It depends on what you use the airbags for. If its a simple set up where the entire car only goes up and down (single or double switch), then you can still use sway and strut bars just fine. However, if you end up with a kit where you can control each corner individually, do any type of side to side motion, or any other trick control style...then strut and sway bars are not a good idea to have on the car as they could potentially get ripped apart or destroy the airbag system.
Handling isnt horrible on air. You'll still be able to drive the car fine, but I wouldnt enter any auto cross events or try and take some super twisty roads at high speeds. Air suspension is mostly used for show cars who want to be slammed to the ground when parked or driven extremely low and still have the functionality of getting over speed bumps or pot holes.
Handling isnt horrible on air. You'll still be able to drive the car fine, but I wouldnt enter any auto cross events or try and take some super twisty roads at high speeds. Air suspension is mostly used for show cars who want to be slammed to the ground when parked or driven extremely low and still have the functionality of getting over speed bumps or pot holes.
Thats exactly what i was going to say next, I wasn't plan on going to any autocross events or anything, I was shooting for that low look, but still have the ability to get it back up, I really need to where i live. But overall would you say that bags are an upgrade or a downgrade from stock suspension in terms of handling? Or are the two somewhat the same? Yea i didnt even think of the way you lower the vehicle with struts could harm the bags.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Floating around the AUDM
Posts: 3,837
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: X3 Sprint, S-Coupe Turbo
Technically, airbags will make your car handle much better. Air inside of rubber sacks has some great properties. There's absolutely no reason that you can't adjust the rest of your suspension as per normal.
There are a few reasons that it isn't used by sports car manufacturers though:
-Cost
-Weight
-Complexity
-Service life
But it's certainly not going to degrade your handling if you specify it correctly.
There are a few reasons that it isn't used by sports car manufacturers though:
-Cost
-Weight
-Complexity
-Service life
But it's certainly not going to degrade your handling if you specify it correctly.