What is an airbag or airspring?

A: An airbag and an airspring are the same thing spelled differently. It is a spring constructed of rubber and a high strength fabric. Numerous styles, sizes, and capacity ratings are available. The load capacity and ride height are varied by the air pressure in the airspring.

Are these airsprings durable and safe?

A: Our airsprings are made to our specs by Firestone, the world’s largest airspring manufacturer. They are used on large semi-trucks, off road equipment, luxury cars, and also in industrial machinery, conveyer systems, and load stabilizers. We recently sold an airspring to replace a unit that had been in service for 17 years! [The endplate had rusted out!] Failure can happen, but it is extremely rare. We require that the vehicle have at least 2” of ground clearance when the airspring is fully deflated. This helps prevent a major problem in case of a system failure.

How much ride height adjustment will I have?

A: Depending on the weight of the vehicle, suspension type, and airspring selection, usually 3” to 4” in the front and 5” to 6” in the rear. We typically set an airbag suspension to ride within 2” of the stock ride height.

How long does it take to raise to ride height?

A: Again, it depends on several factors, with a RidePro system as quick as 2 sec. from lowest level to highest level.

What about varying loads such as people, luggage, trailer, etc.?

A: No problem. Simply increase the air pressure until the ride height and ride quality are satisfactory. When the load is removed, release the air pressure to restore your ride height.

How is the ride quality?

A: Wonderful! If you closed your eyes, you would swear that you were in a new luxury car. The ride quality is also adjustable to your taste from inside the vehicle. [Try that with a coilover or leaf spring!]

How difficult is the installation?

A: This varies greatly from vehicle to vehicle. Most installations can be accomplished with a bare minimum of fabrication. [Some are even bolt-on.] Two guys with a little equipment should be able to install the system in a weekend.

Do you make a system for my car?

A: We are in continual development of new systems. If we don’t make a system for your specific vehicle, we can probably assist you in adapting one of our present systems. There are very few vehicles that are not compatible with an air ride suspension.

What happens to the front wheel alignment?

A: The vehicle is aligned at ride height. That is the height that you want the car to go down the highway. Take note of the air pressure at this point. Whenever the system is returned to this pressure, your ride height and alignment return also.

Can I drive the car “slammed” with no air in the airsprings?

A: Yes, but the ride quality is zero. You’ll probably want to reserve this for parking and fairgrounds cruising. It won’t hurt the airsprings, but it may hurt your back! Caution: If you are going to drive the car “slammed”, pay very close attention to ground clearance and tire clearance. There is a lot of difference between laying the oil pan on the ground and dragging it on the ground!