Ride Height?

husker · 07-17-2003

I live on dirt roads that get pretty beaten up when it rains and snows. I want my Opel to sit nice and low but I would tear it up on the bumps. Would air bags be a possible answer? I believe that I could raise the car while driving on the dirt and then lower it when I got on the paved raods.

What are the performance issues with air bags?

pvcar · 07-17-2003

airbags are a good idea u may have to fabricate specailty brackets to mount them and things like this. also they require an airsource i.e. air compressor which needs a power source and a resavoir tank to hold air to raise and lower them. it would work but very expensive and very big. i dont no that mnuch i just no the basics on how they work.

husker · 07-17-2003

Are there any other reasonable alternatives to changing the ride height "on the fly"?

N61WP · 07-17-2003

Hey, could you imagine a jumping low rider GT?

opelenvy · 07-17-2003

Bill Lindburgh has air bags inside the rear coils on his race GT. He uses it to adjust the ride stiffness for cornering.
You could go with hydraulics.? Ha.

husker · 07-17-2003

I did some research on pricing and the front would be @$400 for airbag/strut combo. The rear I gould get a very nice 4link setup with air shocks for @$1200. Then the compressor, valves and hoses is another$400. So for $2000 I could have a really nice suspension. Nice... but... Ouch...

jordan · 07-17-2003

hmmm what about nitrogen shocks with a bottle and instead of a regulator valve (determines the shock recovery) a damper and use an air accumulator which is like a balloon that will expand and contract and thats how you would get your suspension because with just the damper you would only have as much suspension as the tube can expand when you hit a bump that = a damn hard ride my friends street/drag car has them he closes the damper when dragging and has the regulator when hes just driving around. ill draw up a sketch later.

jordan · 07-17-2003

heres my sketch its not great but ya get the idea now that i think of it you could use an electronic solenoid valve instead of a damper they work great (I know alot about them because i use them alot on my cannons just look up "jordan" in the photo gallery)

jordan · 07-17-2003

forgot the sketch

jordan · 07-17-2003

dont look into that too hard, it wont work it will only be single stage (will go up but only down with weight)

husker · 07-18-2003

I just need something to raise the car for the one mile dirt road drive from my house to the paved road... Then I want the car to sit aggressively for normal road/highway driving.

I wonder if I could get away with airshocks and a compressor... The airshocks would be cheaper than the airbags...

jordan · 07-18-2003

lowrider compressors are only about $200 for a 12 volt

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2423766569

air bags ^

07-17-2003	#1 (permalink)
husker Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Black Forest, CO Posts: 187 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Unanswered: Ride Height? I live on dirt roads that get pretty beaten up when it rains and snows. I want my Opel to sit nice and low but I would tear it up on the bumps. Would air bags be a possible answer? I believe that I could raise the car while driving on the dirt and then lower it when I got on the paved raods. What are the performance issues with air bags?

07-17-2003	#2 (permalink)
pvcar 4ZUA787 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Rancho Palos Verdes CA,USA Posts: 668 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	air bags airbags are a good idea u may have to fabricate specailty brackets to mount them and things like this. also they require an airsource i.e. air compressor which needs a power source and a resavoir tank to hold air to raise and lower them. it would work but very expensive and very big. i dont no that mnuch i just no the basics on how they work.

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07-17-2003	#3 (permalink)
husker Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Black Forest, CO Posts: 187 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Are there any other reasonable alternatives to changing the ride height "on the fly"?

07-17-2003	#4 (permalink)
N61WP Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 533 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Hey, could you imagine a jumping low rider GT?

07-17-2003	#5 (permalink)
opelenvy Driver Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cedar Park, TX ('Burb of Austin) Posts: 1,085 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Bill Lindburgh has air bags inside the rear coils on his race GT. He uses it to adjust the ride stiffness for cornering. You could go with hydraulics.? Ha.

07-17-2003	#6 (permalink)
husker Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Black Forest, CO Posts: 187 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	I did some research on pricing and the front would be @$400 for airbag/strut combo. The rear I gould get a very nice 4link setup with air shocks for @$1200. Then the compressor, valves and hoses is another$400. So for $2000 I could have a really nice suspension. Nice... but... Ouch...

07-17-2003	#7 (permalink)
jordan Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: corning ny 14830 Posts: 2,123 Classified Rating: 100% (1)	hmmm what about nitrogen shocks with a bottle and instead of a regulator valve (determines the shock recovery) a damper and use an air accumulator which is like a balloon that will expand and contract and thats how you would get your suspension because with just the damper you would only have as much suspension as the tube can expand when you hit a bump that = a damn hard ride my friends street/drag car has them he closes the damper when dragging and has the regulator when hes just driving around. ill draw up a sketch later.

07-17-2003	#8 (permalink)
jordan Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: corning ny 14830 Posts: 2,123 Classified Rating: 100% (1)	heres my sketch its not great but ya get the idea now that i think of it you could use an electronic solenoid valve instead of a damper they work great (I know alot about them because i use them alot on my cannons just look up "jordan" in the photo gallery)

07-17-2003	#10 (permalink)
jordan Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: corning ny 14830 Posts: 2,123 Classified Rating: 100% (1)	dont look into that too hard, it wont work it will only be single stage (will go up but only down with weight)

07-18-2003	#11 (permalink)
husker Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Black Forest, CO Posts: 187 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	I just need something to raise the car for the one mile dirt road drive from my house to the paved road... Then I want the car to sit aggressively for normal road/highway driving. I wonder if I could get away with airshocks and a compressor... The airshocks would be cheaper than the airbags...

07-18-2003	#12 (permalink)
jordan Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: corning ny 14830 Posts: 2,123 Classified Rating: 100% (1)	lowrider compressors are only about $200 for a 12 volt http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2423766569 air bags ^

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