This is topic Air ride w/ tubular K? in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
Can I run an air ride system with a tubular k member and a-arms? If not they are for sale. This is on a fox
 

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Posted by 4.6 EATIN GM'S (Member # 1633) on :
 
i cant see a reason why it wouldnt work.
it would actually probally help u with the install
 

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Posted by blind (Member # 3052) on :
 
so long as they have stock style spring perches...as the air bags replace the stock springs.
 

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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
The kit is for a fox so should be no problem huh?
 

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Posted by Hungry Hippo (Member # 537) on :
 
if the airbag and strut are one assembly, then yes
 

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Posted by BlacksheepMod50 (Member # 2378) on :
 
The Air bag/Strut assembly by AirRide is awesome - Check it



Take that spindle... and attach it to:



Since tubular components retain your spindle, you simply connect the air-strut to the spindle and you're good to go. This is a setup I want to do on my car and I have all tubular components as well

[ April 05, 2006, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: BlacksheepMod50 ]
 

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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
Trading the tubular K
 

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Posted by CLEEN 50 (Member # 5867) on :
 
does anyone have picture of a fox w/ air ride suspension? I would love to see it dropped all the way. Does anyone know how it feels compared to the stock feel? I'm thinking of heading towards this way for my vert.

Thanks
 

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Posted by blind (Member # 3052) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by CLEEN 50:
does anyone have picture of a fox w/ air ride suspension? I would love to see it dropped all the way. Does anyone know how it feels compared to the stock feel? I'm thinking of heading towards this way for my vert.

Thanks

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quote:

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Originally posted by blind:

quote:

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Originally posted by CLEEN 50:
does anyone have picture of a fox w/ air ride suspension? I would love to see it dropped all the way. Does anyone know how it feels compared to the stock feel? I'm thinking of heading towards this way for my vert.

Thanks

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my buddy (dusty122 on here) has it on his 90 gt convertable.


it rides like a caddy.

he left the swaybars and stock shocks/struts on it and it drove fine. It would go up about as high as an explorer, and then would drop almost to the point of laying frame.

his car is all dissassembled right now or I'd get a pick of it (he lives 2 mins from me).

The front tucks and the wheels camber in, it basically touches the gt front bumper cover on the ground.

the rear sits up a bit higher, we're trying to figure out what stops it from laying completely down. Looking into doing an IRS swap. We've pulled the pinion snubber, the bump stops, the shocks, the fuel tank, etc. And it sits with the tops of his 17" rims flush with the wheel well lip.

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Oooooh man you gotta get a pic for me. If it rides like a caddy, that in it self is worth it!!!! . I'm getting excited, I think I might purchase the kit. How much did he spend for everything and who installed it?

Thanks
 

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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
I just added up the kit im getting and the front strut kit is $1000, The rear kit is $400, and the compressor kit is $1000.
 

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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
I only paid $800. One bad bag though its only $125. Has me excited about the car again. Im putting my motor together this weekend too so im getting ready for the nice weather. Just gotta do paint next.

[ April 06, 2006, 11:37 PM: Message edited by: 93Cobra50 ]
 

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Posted by CLEEN 50 (Member # 5867) on :
 
Why are you getting the $1K front kit as opposed to the front kit that cost $350.00?
 

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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
Because it works with the tubular k member and a arms. It is the strut style.
 

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Posted by CLEEN 50 (Member # 5867) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by 93Cobra50:
Because it works with the tubular k member and a arms. It is the strut style.

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oh I see. Do you think the more expensive kit is more comfortable or would I be fine with the cheaper kit? I dont think I will be ever going with a tubular front.

Thanks
 

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Posted by 93Cobra50 (Member # 4602) on :
 
I believe riding on air is all the same. Not sure though.
 

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Posted by blind (Member # 3052) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by CLEEN 50:

quote:

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Originally posted by blind:

quote:

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Originally posted by CLEEN 50:
does anyone have picture of a fox w/ air ride suspension? I would love to see it dropped all the way. Does anyone know how it feels compared to the stock feel? I'm thinking of heading towards this way for my vert.

Thanks

---

my buddy (dusty122 on here) has it on his 90 gt convertable.


it rides like a caddy.

he left the swaybars and stock shocks/struts on it and it drove fine. It would go up about as high as an explorer, and then would drop almost to the point of laying frame.

his car is all dissassembled right now or I'd get a pick of it (he lives 2 mins from me).

The front tucks and the wheels camber in, it basically touches the gt front bumper cover on the ground.

the rear sits up a bit higher, we're trying to figure out what stops it from laying completely down. Looking into doing an IRS swap. We've pulled the pinion snubber, the bump stops, the shocks, the fuel tank, etc. And it sits with the tops of his 17" rims flush with the wheel well lip.

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Oooooh man you gotta get a pic for me. If it rides like a caddy, that in it self is worth it!!!! . I'm getting excited, I think I might purchase the kit. How much did he spend for everything and who installed it?

Thanks

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quote:

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Originally posted by CLEEN 50:

quote:

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Originally posted by 93Cobra50:
Because it works with the tubular k member and a arms. It is the strut style.

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oh I see. Do you think the more expensive kit is more comfortable or would I be fine with the cheaper kit? I dont think I will be ever going with a tubular front.

Thanks

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quote:

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Originally posted by Dusty122:
Yea ive got the bags where it replaces the coil springs and i think the kit was about 700 bux. Ive replaced most of the stuff that came with my kit though. The problem with airride stuff is its really meant for trucks and there is so much more room around the suspension on trucks. This makes running the plastic dot brakes lines kind of hard without kinking them or getting them to go straight into the push pull fittings. Ive replaced all my line with 1/2" steel braded line which you have to order custom and aint to cheap. I also upgraded my valves. The valves in the kit are normal crappy as p.o.s. that leak the day u buy them. Im running smc 1/2" and 1/4" valves Ive replaced the tank with a 5 gallon and gone to electronic gauges. The only thing left on my kit are the bags, brackets and the compressors. Go with the firestone compressors unless you want to see them or want to run an oiled system which is quiter. but the firestone ones are the most reliable and are way under rated on power. Ive over heated mine several times and they always come back to life. As for the ride it is preety sweet. It rides like a caddy minus the bouncing around like a boat. It rides preety sweet on the freeway but rides like a normal lowered car around town. It will bottom out on the freeway on large bumps though so u have to ride it about the stock hieghth on the fw to keep that from hapening. I was preety impressed with the setup other than i always wish it would go lower. It also did preety good cruisin to vegas a buck 40 with the top down. Other than the loud ass noise at that speed it was damn stable

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Damn this got me worried about odering the kit from them. Do you think you can put a list together of the parts I should order from air ride suspension along with the parts that should be upgraded (i.e. fittings, lines, etc.) Will all these parts be available from them? I want a complete no-leak system.

thanks for all the great info. Did you do the install yourself?
 

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Posted by Dusty122 (Member # 4480) on :
 
you will need atleast 1 air compressor. i think they reccomend 1 air compressor per 3 gallons of tank. The more compressors means the faster your reserve will get replenished but also will take a lot more power to run. I reccormend the firestone ones and you can find those on ebay for a reasonable price. For valves go with the olidnoid type valves instead of the all in one valves. SMC makes good ones. the big mouth ones are preety good. You will also need brass fittings to connect the valves together. because it will take 2 valves per side. so if u were to do a full fbss system you will need 8 valves. the bigger the opening on the valve and the bigger line you run will determine how fast it will go up and down. 1/2" in probably the most popular on the street. you can go all the way up to an inch and half now which is preety crazy. the more hotrod guys use 1/4" line because they like the slow quiet drop instead of the instant shotgun sounding drop. as for fittings most ppl use brass quick connect fittings. The plastic stuff is basically worthless. Also for the fittings get the paste style teflon tape works much better than the tape and easier to use but its just messy. if you go with convnetial air line make sure you run dot brake line. you can normally find tons of it on ebay or orther shops on line for very cheap. Ive gone with bradded steel line which is much much more expensive something like 8 bucks a foot plus 15 bucks per fitting and you have to know your exact lengths. as for bags i just have the standard style bags and i dont know the differences between styles except maybe some of the other styles will lift ur car higher. for switches go with a pre made box. that will help a lot. if you want to go with something more integrated check out boat supply places. they will have a lot more of a choice for rocker switches and they are all 12 volt. For gauges. the standard 2 needle gauges are probably the best. the digital ones are cool because you dont have to run air line up through your dash but the digital ones are alot more expensive and are not as accurate. especially while driving because the pressure in the bags jumps all around and its easier to tell your actual pressure with te anolog gauges.

I did the whole thing in my driveway in about a weekend. There is no welding involved. you basically have to drill and bolt in a bracket into your lower control arm and mount the bag.

sites you check out
baggerbirds.com
cool site with pictures on installing bags on tbirds. the front it basically identical to the stang.

aimind.com
a decent place to get parts for airride stuff. they have tons of stuff but they are slow in shipping sometimes and some of the ppl can be jackasses.

teampnuematik.com I think thats how you spell it.
these guys are preety cool. they are located in canada and use to have the best prices on smc valves.

of course check out ebay and also pick up some copies of mini truckin, truckin and sport truck magazine. Theres awesome info in there on air ride in there. its mainly for trucks but the info is still very useful. There are also numerous ads from other airride parts shops and 90 percent of the stuff is transferable to airride systems on ur stang.

hope that helps. if you have more qs post here or pm me
 

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Posted by CLEEN 50 (Member # 5867) on :
 
Did you purchase your kit from air ride? Would you consider installing my kit once I purchase it?
 

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Posted by CLEEN 50 (Member # 5867) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by CLEEN 50:
Did you purchase your kit from air ride? Would you consider installing my kit once I purchase it?

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Would this be a good compressor kit?



http://www.airride.com/productinfo/rideproe.asp
 

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Posted by Dusty122 (Member # 4480) on :
 
i bought my kit from someplace online that i dont think exists anymore. i think it was kvminterprises.com I cant exactly all whats in the kit but the complreesor is that firestone one and it looks like brass fittings. airride is probably the most expensive place to buy your kit from. check out the companies in some of those truck magazines or check out aimind.com
 

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Posted by NORCALSTANGS (Member # 3706) on :
 
I did a Ride-Tech air ride system including the air bar setup and shockwaves,$2600.
after adding valves,tank,lines,switch box,compressor, and misc b.s. i'm at about $3500.
i'm running 1/2" line, but for exhaust i have limited it to 1/4".

www.rbisj.com Royal Brass in san jose on tenth st
for all your fittings and line best prices and local.
also www.fbirides.com Dan in rancho cordova
also www.sicmotorsports.com nick in san jose

look at www.truckn-store.com they sell at half the price as air ride for shockwave's and struts.
 

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