Air Ride Suspension

RandomPerson247 · 10-25-2004

Hi everyone! I've been looking for quite awhile, just like i do with most opel parts, for an Air Ride Suspension system that will work on an Opel GT. I have been unable to find one. If anyone knows a system that will work on a 1973 Opel GT I would greatly appreciate it if you let me know. Thanks Everyone!!

-Tony

jeff denton · 10-25-2004

maybe what you are looking for is an air bag that fits inside the rear coil spring, but I wonder why, the GT is such a light car. Do you need to raise the car, stiffen the ride, what's up?

RandomPerson247 · 10-25-2004

No, Im not trying to raise it of stiffen the ride. I am trying to make this a show option. When I bring it to car shows I would like to be able to lower it to the ground, which an Air Ride suspension allows you to do, but I cant find a kit that will work with it. Thanks though

-Tony

jeff denton · 10-25-2004

So I guess you want to pump it up to ride height on all four corners to drive to a car show and then let the air out to slam it when parked. This can't be too hard to do... in the rear anyway. Up front might be a little tougher.
Actually maybe this isn't so simple. It seems you need to be able to drive the car with normal ride height and normal spring rate, and then slam it by simulating full bump in the springs. Something like a "reverse air shock", huh?

GTJIM · 10-26-2004

There will be nothing specifically for the Opel GT in Air Ride Suspensions so if you want to do this you will need to adapt the setup for a car that does have a kit made for it.
The biggest problem area for the GT is the front leaf spring that goes across the front suspension with one end acting as the springing for each side as it also acts as the locator, fore and aft, for the lower "A" arm. It may be possible to entirely replace the spring with and air suspension system but a zustrebe bar would be needed to do the fore & aft location of the lower "A" arm if the cross spring is removed.
Baically you are on your own with this sort of modification for the GT as I doubt that it has been done before.
Good Luck!

soybean · 10-26-2004

Here's a link that might help. Jarrell http://www.opelgt.com/forums/showthr...Air+suspension

RandomPerson247 · 10-27-2004

Thanks guys. Does anyone know a good place where I can buy the air bags and the compressor? Is one pair of air bags better than the other for Opels?

Thom71GT · 10-27-2004

My brother-in-law built the first pro-stock full air-suspension dragster.

See attached photo. ha ha notice in the background too??

I'll ask him where he got his stuff made.

opelgtmaster3 · 10-27-2004

i want to do the same thing to my 73 gt. and i have been looking around for it to, but every kit that i have seen wont work because the mounts on the air ride suspension aer to big

RandomPerson247 · 11-01-2004

Thanks for your help guys, if anyone else has any ideas i'd be happy to hear them

pvcar · 11-02-2004

lincoln town cars the ones the limo companys use, i work on these systems from time to time, pump is pretty small and if rubber mounted pretty quite, i no if u turn the air bags off (they are only in rear,) while the whole car is up in the air then wait about 5 mins or so then lower the car back down to the ground the back end literaly like bottoms out the wheels are basicly hit the tops of the wheel wells, this could be a way u could do it is if u put these on the rear then just switched them off waited a few minutes since the car doesnt really need to be in the air when u do that the back end will sink as far down as it possibly can basiclly. if u have any qustions i can try and answer them as best as possible.

RandomPerson247 · 11-07-2004

Thanks PVCAR but Im looking for more of an actual functional air ride. I don't want to have to take the time to jack up the entire car each time. I would like to be able to just adjust it while it is on the ground. Thanks though. If anyone else has any othe suggestions or if you know someone that has an Air Ride Opel I would greatly aprreciate it. Thanks!

RallyBob · 11-20-2004

These look to be about the smallest air bag I've seen. This might work if you made a custom upper a-arm (to clear the 4" diameter body) and a strengthened upper mount (since it serves as both spring and shock mount with the air-ride suspension). I found it at www.ridetech.com

HTH
Bob

10-25-2004	#1 (permalink)
RandomPerson247 Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 16	Unanswered: Air Ride Suspension Hi everyone! I've been looking for quite awhile, just like i do with most opel parts, for an Air Ride Suspension system that will work on an Opel GT. I have been unable to find one. If anyone knows a system that will work on a 1973 Opel GT I would greatly appreciate it if you let me know. Thanks Everyone!! -Tony

10-25-2004	#2 (permalink)
jeff denton former opel racer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: near some glaciers Posts: 2,863 Real Name: Jeff "Oh-Oh" Denton Provided Answers: 4	maybe what you are looking for is an air bag that fits inside the rear coil spring, but I wonder why, the GT is such a light car. Do you need to raise the car, stiffen the ride, what's up? __________________ No Opels were harmed in the filming of this movie. However two Mustangs, a Pinto, and a Capri were hospitalized. One Mustang was euthanized the next morning.

10-25-2004	#4 (permalink)
jeff denton former opel racer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: near some glaciers Posts: 2,863 Real Name: Jeff "Oh-Oh" Denton Provided Answers: 4	So I guess you want to pump it up to ride height on all four corners to drive to a car show and then let the air out to slam it when parked. This can't be too hard to do... in the rear anyway. Up front might be a little tougher. Actually maybe this isn't so simple. It seems you need to be able to drive the car with normal ride height and normal spring rate, and then slam it by simulating full bump in the springs. Something like a "reverse air shock", huh? __________________ No Opels were harmed in the filming of this movie. However two Mustangs, a Pinto, and a Capri were hospitalized. One Mustang was euthanized the next morning.

10-26-2004	#5 (permalink)
GTJIM Old Opeler Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,686 Provided Answers: 12	Cart Spring! There will be nothing specifically for the Opel GT in Air Ride Suspensions so if you want to do this you will need to adapt the setup for a car that does have a kit made for it. The biggest problem area for the GT is the front leaf spring that goes across the front suspension with one end acting as the springing for each side as it also acts as the locator, fore and aft, for the lower "A" arm. It may be possible to entirely replace the spring with and air suspension system but a zustrebe bar would be needed to do the fore & aft location of the lower "A" arm if the cross spring is removed. Baically you are on your own with this sort of modification for the GT as I doubt that it has been done before. Good Luck! __________________ GTJim Opel Owner since last Century! Copyright © 2000-2009 J D Henry All Rights Reserved

11-02-2004	#11 (permalink)
pvcar 4ZUA787 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Rancho Palos Verdes CA,USA Posts: 668	lincoln town cars the ones the limo companys use, i work on these systems from time to time, pump is pretty small and if rubber mounted pretty quite, i no if u turn the air bags off (they are only in rear,) while the whole car is up in the air then wait about 5 mins or so then lower the car back down to the ground the back end literaly like bottoms out the wheels are basicly hit the tops of the wheel wells, this could be a way u could do it is if u put these on the rear then just switched them off waited a few minutes since the car doesnt really need to be in the air when u do that the back end will sink as far down as it possibly can basiclly. if u have any qustions i can try and answer them as best as possible. __________________ SPC Juneau

10-25-2004	#3 (permalink)
RandomPerson247 Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 16	No, Im not trying to raise it of stiffen the ride. I am trying to make this a show option. When I bring it to car shows I would like to be able to lower it to the ground, which an Air Ride suspension allows you to do, but I cant find a kit that will work with it. Thanks though -Tony

10-26-2004	#6 (permalink)
soybean Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Reidsville N.C. Posts: 2,160	Here's a link that might help. Jarrell http://www.opelgt.com/forums/showthr...Air+suspension

10-27-2004	#7 (permalink)
RandomPerson247 Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 16	Thanks guys. Does anyone know a good place where I can buy the air bags and the compressor? Is one pair of air bags better than the other for Opels?

10-27-2004	#9 (permalink)
opelgtmaster3 Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: pueblo colorado Posts: 186	i want to do the same thing to my 73 gt. and i have been looking around for it to, but every kit that i have seen wont work because the mounts on the air ride suspension aer to big

11-01-2004	#10 (permalink)
RandomPerson247 Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 16	Thanks for your help guys, if anyone else has any ideas i'd be happy to hear them

11-07-2004	#12 (permalink)
RandomPerson247 Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 16	Thanks PVCAR but Im looking for more of an actual functional air ride. I don't want to have to take the time to jack up the entire car each time. I would like to be able to just adjust it while it is on the ground. Thanks though. If anyone else has any othe suggestions or if you know someone that has an Air Ride Opel I would greatly aprreciate it. Thanks!

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