Rear Air Bag Conversions

[sootygu]

Looking at replacing the rear coils on a GU ute with air bag replacements. After some thoughts from those who have done this before or know of someone, can be from any vehicle. Currently running 3" Dobinson's.

Does the ride improve or much the same.
Wheel tavel better, worse or same.
Are they easily damaged (punctures through the case)

Any info appreciated.

Cheers

[GUJohnno]

Hobsy recons the ride is far better and the wheels follow the ground better.
From what I have heard, you can set it up so that as one side compresses the air is moved to the other side to help the drop.

[MY45]

Hobsy recons the ride is far better and the wheels follow the ground better.
From what I have heard, you can set it up so that as one side compresses the air is moved to the other side to help the drop.

Having this setup would be quite unnearving on side slopes!

[Thor]

^ agreed.
this is a very bad idea and not recommended by any airbag place.

[Shadow]

Hobsy recons the ride is far better and the wheels follow the ground better.
From what I have heard, you can set it up so that as one side compresses the air is moved to the other side to help the drop.

Having this setup would be quite unnearving on side slopes!

yep cause the low side wheel would have more pressure and force the high side wheel up more


rollover suspension

[GUJohnno]

Hobsy recons the ride is far better and the wheels follow the ground better.
From what I have heard, you can set it up so that as one side compresses the air is moved to the other side to help the drop.

Having this setup would be quite unnearving on side slopes!

Wouldn't it make the vehicle more even....

[turps]

Hobsy recons the ride is far better and the wheels follow the ground better.
From what I have heard, you can set it up so that as one side compresses the air is moved to the other side to help the drop.

Having this setup would be quite unnearving on side slopes!

Wouldn't it make the vehicle more even....

If you are crossed up this would work. As it will compress one wheel and force the other down.
But on a side slop, lets say the car is leaning to the left. More weight is transfered to that side. Air bag with transfer hose will allow the to travel to the uphill bag and expand it pushing car over further.

You would also be able to test this on the flat by just giving it a push. and it would lean over. They need to be indendant. From the way I understand it.

[plowy]

Have heard that the car has to have its gvm changed due to the air bags can hold more wieght than original suspension

true or false?

[Ingenious-Eng]

You have to set them up with soliniods that can only allow air from bag to bag when low range is engaged (you dont want air tranfer at highway speeds) and have a switch on dash to isolate air tranfer between the bags when negotiating side slopes, one step on from this is to further control side tilt by decreasing air pressure in one side & increasing it on the other from inside the cab, this really helps when negotiating trees next to washouts. (less panel damage down the roof)

O2 is the way to go!!!

Cheers.

[Shadow]

You have to set them up with soliniods that can only allow air from bag to bag when low range is engaged (you dont want air tranfer at highway speeds) and have a switch on dash to isolate air tranfer between the bags when negotiating side slopes, one step on from this is to further control side tilt by decreasing air pressure in one side & increasing it on the other from inside the cab, this really helps when negotiating trees next to washouts. (less panel damage down the roof)

O2 is the way to go!!!

Cheers.

You could even have manual inflation/deflation on each bag so that you could on side slopes bring the COG down, or when clearence is needed and not flex pump em right up.

[Ingenious-Eng]

Had to read over your post a couple of times shadow but I did manage to figure out what you meant in the end.
Cheers

[Shadow]

Had to read over your post a couple of times shadow but I did manage to figure out what you meant in the end.
Cheers

lol

just read it myself, perhaps i should re-write it in english


You could even have manual inflation/deflation on each bag so that if you were on a side slope, you could deflate all 4 bags, or perhaps the high side bags bringing the COG down, or when clearence is needed and not flex pump em right up so you dont drag your body along ruts etc.

[Ingenious-Eng]

I thought was u chinese speak some. LOL.
Cheers

[sootygu]

Thanks for the info.

I would still like to know if they are worth getting. Does anyone have an idea of how they perform.

[Wooders]

I run air bags alround and have NO regretts going air even though several people told me it was a bad idea .....
The air springs SHOULD be seperately valved - you do NOT want pressure transfering between the springs automatically as in many situations it will be less stable and not delivering optimum weight to the ground.

Benefits I've found running airbags:
Ride heigh is always the same regardless of how heavily or lightly my rig is packed.
Ride is maintained regardless of how heavily or lightly my rig is packed.
Side hills - with individually valved setups you should be able to lean into side hills (we get about 12° and whilst that doesn't sound a lot trust me it makes a world of sphinkta difference).
Approach & departure angles can be optimised manually.
weight transfer can be used to you advantage when climbing or decending (ie drop the nose or lower the bum to get the weight more effectively placed over the wheels).
Wheel travel is not restricted too much - hey we still managed about 12th on the TTC ramp so I don't think that's too bad
Infact you can set it up so you can easily get the same wheel travel in each corner giving a very balanced offroad handling/wheeltravel.
Ideally run the same bags front & rear - in the unlikely event you damage a bag a replacement is cheap, light and can easily be fitted to any corner.
With some systems (like ours) you can have an active suspension mode so it actually works to help level the vehicle onroad.
Did I mention carparks aren't such a big deal either
and yes even easier to get in & out of the vehicle
OBA - you'll need a GOOD onboard air setup - be thebenfit is obviously then you've got it to run airtools or pheumatic cocktail blenders.....

Cons
Cost - a good setup isn't cheap. and I mean ideally where you have height sensors etc to help control how the system works.

There's more I could add to the good and not much more to the bad....anything specific?????

[sootygu]

Thanks Wooders

Great info.

[Wooders]

Two things I meant to add - You probably won't get the real benefit of airbags just doing one end - ideally do both ends.

and a Con - Airbags can be a bit tricky getting certified.....so check with your engineer with a detailed plan before you start chopping

[Ben]

and a Con - Airbags can be a bit tricky getting certified.....so check with your engineer with a detailed plan before you start chopping

So is the Wooder's AirRock heep certified?

[RaginRover]

His truck is probably a p38 range rover that has had a body swap

at least the that is what is on the RTA form

Tom

[Wooders]

and a Con - Airbags can be a bit tricky getting certified.....so check with your engineer with a detailed plan before you start chopping

So is the Wooder's AirRock heep certified?

Was in the final stages of being fully engineered prior to TTC - then we changed things for the comp like secondary internal cage for TTC, which meant there was no point completing it at the time, but it's going back in the next week or so (just need to reassemble the thing after cleaning out that bloody mud )......