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The presence of air suspension in the car provides smoother and easier control compared to shock absorbers, however, in order to install your own air suspension you need to know how the depreciation system in a car works and how it works. You also need to have basic auto repair skills.
What is air suspension?
Air suspension is a damping system with the ability to automatically adjust ride height without using physical force. It has a number of properties, due to which it is installed not only on trucks and trailers, but also recently on cars.
Air suspension - what does it look like? Photo of air suspension.
These properties include:
- Possibility to control ride height. This feature allows you to improve the ride quality in any road conditions for its class, without changing the springs to stiffer and shorter or longer and softer. The air suspension can be adjusted for any of these options.
- Smoothing body vibrations on rough roads. Spring dampers are more sensitive to road irregularities, which in turn requires more careful driving on damaged roads. The air suspension compensates for these vibrations, thereby reducing vehicle shaking.
- Excellent handling. Again, it is worth noting the fact that with different springs, different handling. Stiffer springs give good handling on paved roads, but poor on rough roads. On soft springs, the opposite is true. The air suspension compensates for these differences by simply adjusting the pressure.
- Prevention of drawdown under heavy load. The air suspension makes it possible to adjust the stiffness and height, in which the ride quality is constant, regardless of the amount of cargo or passengers in the car.
Also, the above properties can be considered the main advantages of the suspension, for which most motorists acquire them.
Disadvantages of air suspension
Despite the large number of advantages, it has several significant disadvantages that may affect the installation decision.Firstly, they are much more expensive than conventional shock absorbers, since the initial costs include the purchase of air bags, a compressor that will inflate them, an air receiver that regulates low ground clearance without a compressor, as well as air lines, sensors and a control unit. As a result, the sum of the components turns out to be too expensive and not expedient.
Air bag photo.
The second factor is the almost complete lack of maintainability. This means that if any part of the system fails, it will only need to be changed, which entails additional costs.
Scheme of the air suspension
Another important factor is poor resistance to frost and road chemicals, because of which the service life of the air suspension is significantly reduced. If in case of frost, it will be enough to pour a little alcohol or the composition used in pneumotomosis into the pillow, then only branded and high-quality air bags have protection against reagents.
Do-it-yourself air suspension installation instructions
If you still decide to install the air suspension, and on your own, then you will need to purchase the following components:- A compressor that will force air into the air bag;
- receiver, adjusts the height of the clearance without the participation of the compressor;
- airbags, which, in fact, act as shock absorbers;
- lines that combine all components into a single pneumatic system;
- sensors that allow you to control the tilt of the body and its position, the pressure in the system;
- suspension control unit, performs automatic control of the entire installation and processing of the signal from the sensors;
- attachment details.
It is advisable to pre-order the fastening turner. In order to avoid unreliability of the design, it is advisable not to touch the factory mounting grooves that are already in the car, but to customize the installation for them. In the future, this will allow you to easily make, if necessary, a replacement back to the springs.
Do-it-yourself air suspension installation photo
To install the suspension, you need to put the car on jacks, then remove the wheels and springs.
Further actions depend on the type of installation: you can install a combined suspension, where the pillows are installed directly into the spring or separately airbag, which is structurally more difficult. In general, the installation consists of the following steps:
- removal of racks;
- preparation of a place for the installation of fasteners;
- installation of pillows with valves in the mounts;
- racks with installed air bags are fixed in place;
- at the next stage, the main air supply system, sensors, control unit, compressor and receiver are installed.
It is worth mentioning separately the trunk system. If you plan to install air shock absorbers on both axles, then it is advisable to use a four-loop suspension instead of a dual-loop one. It includes four valves, while controlling each of them separately. This will allow more flexible control of the rolls of the car, since each pillow will maintain a predetermined pressure. The compressor and receiver are usually installed in the luggage compartment.
Air cushions air suspension photo
After installing and connecting the system to the compressor and receiver, it is necessary to display the control panel for sensor readings and suspension adjustment buttons.
The last step is to calibrate the pneumatic system by pumping a small amount of air into the system and checking the clearance and pressure with the car fully loaded. We also immediately diagnose possible leaks by ear or with soapy water. It is important to make sure that all the pillows are inflated evenly and the clearance is the same both in the front and in the back of the car. It will also need to be re-adjusted.
Air suspension price
The average cost of a complete set of air suspension parts is approximately 30,000 - 40,000 rubles. The most expensive part is air struts with a pillow and cost around 20,000 rubles. for all. The price of the compressor ranges from 4000 - 5000 rubles. Solenoid valves - 500 rubles. for one. The rest of the cost is a pressure gauge, hoses, wires and relays.Based on the foregoing, it is advisable to install air suspension only on foreign cars or in warmer climates. Installation, for example, on a VAZ is not cost effective. If you buy cheaper components, they will quickly fail. It can justify itself only if the air bags are made of frost-resistant rubber and are not exposed to chemicals, and these are quite expensive.
Classic car tuning, including VAZ cars, to a greater extent implies a change in appearance, or a slight engine upgrade. Some original or serious steps, in order to give more comfort to your own car, are not taken by everyone.
The design of an air suspension for a passenger car cannot be called a common type of refinement of a VAZ car. This is due to an erroneous idea of the complexity of the installation, the low reliability of such a design. At the same time, in practice, the design and installation of an air suspension with your own hands does not cause certain difficulties.
Benefits of air suspension
As you know, the French company Citroen actively used this type of suspension in different years. It was the French who appreciated the benefits of compressed air when driving a car.
In this case, the following design features can be distinguished:
- Comfort. If it is impossible to install shock absorbers with different settings for different driving modes on VAZ cars, you can get a really optimal ratio between stiffness and comfort for a car suspension.
- The ability to adjust the clearance of the car. This feature not only allows you to link the ground clearance with the load on the car, but also lower it for high-speed races (in order to lower the center of gravity).
- Overload resistance. Individual adjustment of the stiffness of the suspension allows the loading of an additional amount of cargo, without fear of damaging the suspension parts, changing the behavior of the car in motion.
The list of additional benefits that air suspension provides can be continued with other narrow features. However, each car owner can determine such benefits for himself.
Do-it-yourself air suspension
So, what will it take to develop and install an air suspension model on a VAZ car? To begin with, it is worth naming those constituent elements that will make up the finished system:
If you do not need an additional purchase of a tool, then you can invest in the amount of 30-35 thousand rubles in a complete set of equipment.
Air suspension for VAZ
When designing for a VAZ passenger car model, the most time-consuming process is the replacement of shock absorber struts with air bags. The best option is to use the original body of the support legs.
The front suspension will need to be completely disassembled, and the spring will no longer be needed. To install a pneumatic cylinder, it may be necessary to bore the body, or adjust the pillows themselves to the diameter of the glass by the same turning. It is possible to manufacture an adapter, where one part will reliably enter the body in place of the shock absorber, and the second part will become the basis for installing an air bag. These operations must be determined independently, taking into account the specific model of the VAZ and the type of pneumatic cylinders used. 
Make sure that the air inlet fitting is protected when installed on the vehicle. Do the same with the rear cylinders.
At the second stage, pipes are laid with their connection to the pneumatic cylinders and the receiver on the reverse side. We also place the receiver in the trunk and install pressure gauges. Taking into account the greater workload of the front of the car, we set the pressure in front within 8 atmospheres, and in the back for normal mode - up to 6 atm.
Despite the added weight on board, the compressor will have to be installed and securely fastened. As practice shows, the front pneumatic chambers have to be pumped up regularly.
At the third stage, it is necessary to lay the entire electrical part - wiring, control unit toggle switches, fuses. Also install pressure gauges. All these details are placed in each case individually. However, the ability to control the level of pressure in the system visually must be constant. If you plan to frequently change the air suspension modes, then you should provide for the possibility of controlling the operation of the compressor from the remote control.
Security measures
After the assembly of the structure and further, during operation, the necessary attention should be paid to the technical condition of the entire structure. To this end, it is necessary to control the presence of air leaks at the junctions of parts (valves, adapters, fittings). This can be done either by ear with a strong leak, or with a soapy solution. It is necessary to pay attention to the indication of pressure gauges, as well as to the rate of pressure drop in the pillows. Periodically check the operation of the compressor.
Before starting the operation of the machine, during a test drive, make sure that there are no extraneous frictions, vibrations, noises. Most often, problems arise for steered wheels.
We periodically check the air supply hoses to the air suspension cylinders for chafing. Periodically pay attention to the condition of fastening of the air supply pipes located under the bottom of the car. We also control the condition of the hoses themselves for the appearance of swelling, damage to the tubes.
An important note will be the limitation on the level of pressure in the cylinders. Changing the previously indicated values up or down in order to increase the clearance or lower the center of gravity is undesirable. This is due to a change in the angles of the front and rear wheels, which not only affects the wear of the tread, but also a noticeable deterioration in the stability of the car.
Paying tribute to fashion, the air suspension becomes one of the paraphernalia of the car. The direction of stance is becoming more and more developed, in which, without owning an air suspension, but let's say a screw suspension, the use of a car in everyday mode becomes more difficult and uncomfortable.
Air suspension is installed not only by connoisseurs of new tuning trends, but it can also be very useful in the everyday life of an ordinary average driver.
Let's take a look at the main pros air suspension:
- The ability to adjust the ride height (you can improve the patency of your car despite its lower class)
- Handling and roll (It is worth noting that despite the smoothness of the ride, unlike the springs, you can change the behavior of your car in a matter of seconds by adjusting the pressure)
- Drawdown when loaded (you can adjust the height of the car regardless of its load)
The pluses include many more factors that satisfy the needs of the car owner.
To the main cons can be attributed:
- Initial installation costs (since your car was not previously equipped with this function, it will be necessary to spend money on the purchase of all units)
- The service life of the air suspension due to external factors (frost, reagents, etc.) is much less than that of springs.
Main types air suspension:
- Double-circuit - the ability to separately adjust the height of the front and rear of the car.
- Four-circuit - control each airbag separately, while they are connected to each other by means of an electronic controller for dynamic and static control (it is a more expensive option).
As for airbags, they also exist several types:
Air suspension components
Production of air struts
Before manufacturing air struts, it is necessary to decide on the choice of pillows, based on the weight of the vehicle and the diameter of the springs.
It is also necessary take into account the location of the spring(separately from the shock absorber, or the shock absorber in the springs).
For passenger car The most common and versatile are Rubena 114x2, 114x3, 130x2 and 130x3 air bags. 
For heavier vehicles, the Dunlop 152x2, 152x3 and Rubena 170x2, 170x3 models are suitable.
For the manufacture of air struts, we need machined flanges and braces for attaching air bags. 
Flange for welding (for rack, shock absorber).
On sale on the sites there are ready-made flanges for the diameter of the air bag, as well as ready-made semi-sets. Flanges for the diameter of your pillow and rack can be ordered from the turner. 
The bracket can be of a blind type (photo No. 1) (if the shock absorber is located separately from the air bag), or with a hole in the center (photo No. 2) for the shock absorber shank (if the shock absorber is located inside the pillow).
photo #1
photo #2
A platform for a spring is cut off from the rack and a flange is welded under the pillow. 
A brace is put on the pillow. 
And it is tightened to the welded flange on the rack, with the help of bolts. A bracket is also put on the pillow from the top and is attracted by bolts to the flange, a rubber seal is put on the rod from the top.
Ready air strut.
If the rear shock absorbers are installed in the springs, then the manufacturing process is similar.
If the rear shock absorber is separate from the spring, then the manufacturing process becomes easier. You don't have to boil anything anymore. 
Ready rear airbag (provided that the shock absorber is separately).
Once air struts have been manufactured, they must be checked for air leakage before installation. After checking, it remains to remove the old suspension and install a new one, stretch the hoses, wires, and connect the control unit. 
Installing an air suspension in specialized centers will cost a lot of money, ready-made pneumatic kits or components, and installing it yourself will save you at least half of the budget. 
Reading time:
Thanks to the air suspension, driving becomes easier and smoother when compared with shock absorbers. How is this element of the car arranged and does it have disadvantages? Do-it-yourself air suspension: how to do it, what is the difference between installing the front and rear suspension.
The air suspension allows you to adjust the ground clearance semi-automatically or completely without the use of physical effort. We are talking about replacing springs, springs and torsion bars with air springs, in which compressed air injected from the system acts as an elastic element. Despite all the advantages of this element, do-it-yourself air suspension can only be created if you have basic auto repair skills. The process is fraught with certain difficulties and a beginner obviously cannot cope with this.
The design of each air suspension is represented by a receiver, a control unit, an air distribution system and a compressor. To improve driver comfort, suspensions can be either automatic or manual.
- Automatic air suspension involves an independent selection of the ride height by electronics, taking into account factors such as acceleration, speed, slope. The benchmark in this case is aimed at high aerodynamic performance. The center of gravity is lowered, so the controllability of the machine is significantly increased.
- Manual control requires the driver's initiative when choosing the clearance height relative to the road. Manual adjustment is also possible in relation to the stiffness of the suspension, if its design requires the presence of pneumatic shock absorbers.
Modifications
There are three modifications of air suspensions:
- Single-circuit options are designed to be installed on one axle and provide the same pressure in both pillows on it, since the compressor and cylinders are located on the same circuit.
- Double-circuit modifications are also installed on one axle, but in fact these are two single-circuit suspensions, thanks to which it is possible to adjust the height of the front and rear of the car relative to each other. The main disadvantage is the roll of the car, since there is a pressure difference between the two wheels that go along the outer radius.
- Four-circuit options are considered the best, since four separate valves for each wheel, pressure sensors and a microcomputer are used for control. Therefore, the problem with the roll in this case is excluded, since the pillow steadily holds the necessary pressure.
Advantages and disadvantages of air suspension
Due to the positive properties of the air suspension, there is a tendency to install it both on trailers and trucks, as well as on cars. The advantages of tuning a car with air suspension are represented by the following features:
- Ride height control. This improves handling in all road conditions. In this case, the springs do not need to be changed to softer and longer or shorter and stiffer ones.
- When heavily loaded, sag can be avoided, as a constant ride quality can be achieved by adjusting the height and stiffness.
- Handling is greatly improved, and the air suspension compensates for the difference between hard and soft springs by adjusting the pressure.
- When driving on rough roads, body vibrations are smoothed out.
- It is possible to install air suspension on any car.
The advantages are significant and there are many of them, however, it is worth knowing about the disadvantages:
- Poor resistance to road chemicals and frost, which significantly reduce the life of the suspension.
- The level of maintainability tends to zero, so the failure of one of the elements requires a complete replacement of the suspension.
- The cost compared to traditional shock absorbers is much higher.
Air suspension assembly
Since a do-it-yourself pneumatic device is only a subspecies, installation is already possible on an existing car suspension. The essence of the installation is to replace the elastic elements with pneumatic cylinders, therefore, such a modernization scheme can be performed on any machine. It remains to learn how to make an air suspension with your own hands and how to install it.
Necessary tools, materials and equipment
The equipment in this case is standard and each driver has it if he periodically encounters the need for repairs:
- sealant;
- hammer;
- metal brush;
- Bulgarian.
Do-it-yourself air suspension consists of the following components:
- a set of racks, even if the currently installed ones are reliable;
- receiver (you can make it for the air suspension with your own hands and not buy it);
- air suspension cushions;
- compressor;
- several different fittings and PVC pipes with a diameter of 6 and 8 mm;
- electromagnetic valves in the amount of two pairs;
- any oil and moisture separator will do;
- manometer;
- Control block.
Front suspension assembly
It is worth considering separately the technology for installing the rear and front suspension, since in the case of the latter, the scheme is more complex.
- Knock the cap off the rack and clean the paint layer with an angle grinder.
- Press the adapter onto the post and add spacer rings under it to increase the softness.
- Select small diameter fittings or tubing and bring them to the air inlets in the adapter.
- Install the air bag on the rack. The height of the bump stop should be calculated in advance, otherwise the spring may fail after the first strong blow on the road.
- Use sealant and a copper press washer to seal the connection.
- Fix the thrust bearing to the strut so that the rod does not rotate inside the shock absorber when the steering wheel is turned.
- Connect the air tube to the pillow socket.
- Now you can install the finished structure.
Rear suspension assembly
The step-by-step procedure for assembling the rear suspension is as follows:
- Trim the spring cup a bit and remove the paint coating.
- To the end of the rack rod, it is necessary to cut the thread for the pneumatics.
- For the purpose of sealing, install the press washer and then put the air bag on the rod.
- To achieve a special smoothness of movement, you can not install a bump stop, which will give a strong lowering of the rear of the car.
- Press in the air spring to the end of the shock absorber.
- Perform air supply.
Installation of air suspension on a car
Before installing the air suspension with your own hands, remove the racks from the car. Beginner skills in this case will be enough - just raise the car with a jack and follow the step-by-step process:
- Use the existing rack mounting holes or make new ones as needed.
- Remove the rubber bands and stretch the tubes to ensure air supply, then they must be fixed in relation to the body with clamps.
- Fix the receiver on a special bracket near the gas tank.
- Remove the tubes from the pillows along the steering rods and bring them into the engine compartment. Make the wiring in two directions - to the receiver valve and the discharge valve.
- Connect the pneumatics to the toggle switches of the control unit.
Health check
Be sure to check the functionality of the system. After pressurizing up to 8 atmospheres, check for leaks in the system by ear, hissing should be absent. Next, set the pressure in the system to 6 atmospheres for the rear suspensions and up to 8 for the front. Do not rush when you pump air, otherwise there is a possibility of pumping the system by the compressor. At the final stage, adjust the wheel alignment.
Suspension control
The control unit with 8 buttons is responsible for controlling the air suspension. Each button is responsible for a specific rack or shock absorbers in the complex. To receive data from each airbag, be sure to install the controller in the passenger compartment of the car. Focusing on the road situation, you can reduce or increase the air pressure in the pillow to reduce or, respectively, increase the clearance.
The corresponding button on the controller will allow you to turn off the air suspension if necessary. The height of the clearance will immediately become average and the pillows will activate the work of the standard spring shock absorbers.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself air suspension is quite practical and stands in conditions of daily use under different road conditions. The ride of the machine will be soft and smooth, regardless of the quality and type of road surface. In terms of installation, a beginner is unlikely to be able to cope with all the stages of pre-fabrication of an air suspension. Even if you have the relevant knowledge and experience, it is better to enlist the support of a partner and give preference only to reliable components.