What is an air suspension system?
An air suspension system is a suspension system that replaces the factory shocks and struts with air shocks that adjust the ride height. Some vehicles come from the factory with air suspension, but we can discuss this in a future article. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on aftermarket air suspension systems.
An air suspension system consists of an air compressor, air tank, manifold, air lines, and air struts. There are a few more small parts, but these will be the main components. These components work together to draw in air, pressurize it, and deliver it to each air strut. An air strut is a strut equipped with air bags that inflate to raise your vehicle and deflate to lower it. These air suspension systems can be controlled via a smartphone app or a wired/wireless controller, depending on your specific setup.
What is air suspension used for?
Air suspension can be used for a variety of purposes, depending on what the end user wants to achieve. Air suspension systems are versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes.
Adjustable ride height for display purposes - One of the most common uses for air suspension is to deflate a vehicle. This means that the owner simply wants their vehicle to be at a certain height, but does not want to ride at that height all the time. Air suspensions have an on-the-fly adjustment feature, making this very easy to accomplish.
Preventing the Truck from Squatting When Towing/Hauling - Another common use for air suspension is to prevent the back of the truck from squatting when towing or hauling. The rear of the truck can be equipped with air shocks that inflate when the truck is loaded. This helps keep the truck level, reduces stress on components like the drive shaft, and helps save fuel and wind resistance.
Raising/Lowering the Vehicle for Specific Purposes - Last but not least, use air suspension for specific purposes. If you need an electronically controlled, adjustable suspension to get over obstacles or load things into your vehicle, an air suspension system can be a great addition to make life easy.
Is Air Suspension Good for Daily Driving?
One question we often receive is, "Is air suspension good for daily driving?" The simple answer is yes. It turns out that air suspension is a great addition to your vehicle's daily driving if it is installed and maintained properly. If you do not maintain your air suspension system or do not install it correctly, you may run into some issues that make air suspension a hassle to operate. Professionally installed systems are great for everyday driving.
That being said, there are a few things to consider. During the winter months, you'll want to make sure there's no water or condensation in your air tank. A water catcher for the air tank takes care of this and ensures nothing freezes over. You'll also want to regularly check all of your components and air lines to make sure they don't have any defects. This is really important for externally mounted items like air lines and air shocks.
What are the advantages of an air suspension system?
There are many advantages to installing an air suspension system. This is why you'll see these kits being installed more and more frequently. Let's take a look at some of the advantages of an air suspension system.
Suspension Adjustability - The most obvious advantage of an air suspension system is the ability to quickly adjust the height of your vehicle with the push of a button. This is the main reason people add air suspension to their vehicles. This allows your vehicle to achieve a finished look that you can't achieve with a traditional suspension.
Ride Quality - Converting your shocks, struts, and coil springs to an air suspension setup can result in a much better ride quality due to the design of the air shocks. Air shocks offer a comfortable and softer ride quality that is much better than your factory suspension setup.
Reduced Wear on Other Components - Using an air suspension on your truck or trailer can help reduce wear on other components. When a truck is heavily loaded from hauling or towing, the universal joints and drive shafts can be stressed due to the movement of the pinion angle. With air shocks, you can fill the shocks with air and return the truck to a level position.
What Are the Disadvantages of an Air Suspension System?
While there are some great advantages to air suspension systems, they also have disadvantages. Let's take a look at some of the disadvantages of air suspension systems.
Cost - The biggest disadvantage of air suspension is the initial cost of the kit and the cost of installation. For many people who are hesitant about air suspension, this will be a big deciding factor, but the investment is definitely worth it!