Air Ride Suspension

This adjust ability has also given them a solid home in the off-road enthusiast world.

• There are some important differences between a typical air ride suspension and the more common spring design, but both variants work in similar ways to accomplish the same goal. Each system uses a shock absorber to reduce the vibrations sent to the passenger compartment via the suspension springs.


• A coiled metal spring similar to what is found inside a click-type ball point pen provides the bounce for most modern non-airbag designs. Of course the automotive spring is much larger than what is found inside a pen, but the idea is the same. An air ride suspension replaces the coiled metal with what is essentially an inflatable bag.


• As this bag is inflated or deflated, the ride stiffness of the car changes accordingly. The change in vehicle ride height (as well as ground clearance) occurs as the bag expands and increases in height.


• The inflation of all four air springs is controlled by a compressor mounted in the car. The compressor functions much in the same way as the coin operated devices used for inflating tires at gas stations.


• When the pump turns on, air is routed through a series of lines to the four springs. As the springs inflate, stiffness and ride height are increased. Stiffer springs can have a positive impact on handling of an automobile, or can prevent damage (and a rough ride) when carrying heavy cargo. On the opposite end of the spectrum, releasing air from the bags will reduce stiffness and create a smooth ride over rough terrain.

Whether you're looking for a silky-smooth ride on the highway, or the perfect heavy duty truck suspension, air ride suspensions are performance parts