air shox/air bags

[josiah92]

anyone have any input on this? good or bad? what you think about it..

 

[Robot Romeo]

anyone have any input on this? good or bad? what you think about it..

if you want a show car, then good. if you want a sporty car, then bad.

 

[bonesmp5]

it'd probly be fun --(drinks)

 

[josiah92]

will it slow your car down? probly make it more bumpy too right?

 

[Robot Romeo]

i'd imagine the compressors and other stuff would be heavy, so i guess that would kinda slow you down, but not much. the worst thing would probably be the "feel" of the car. it would probably be a very soft and unsporty ride. but if your car is just a daily driver or show car, then it would't be an issue.

 

[Yaggie1]

We have a guy here in MI that has em. He is on the boards, his username is ENTENSE. You could PM him.

 

[low_psi]

If you can fit the electrical and hydraulic systems into a Miata, I'll be surprised.

 

[tsunami]

correct me if i am wrong but won't your handling go to crap? and if it is a miata which are great handling machines, then all you have is a little tiny car that doesn't go very fast nor handle very well... i don't see the point in a miata show car in this way... a sedan or wagon sure... but a miata??? its your car man... do what you want..

 

[bonesmp5]

just so people know --
They do make kits with adjustable struts (like the HPs) to help you retain some handling -- (note i said *some*)

Happy Holidays
Billy

 

[KzA]

I want to know for sure if they really destroy your handling...I am talking about the strut replacements...

I want these so badly for a few reasons....I love the look of my protege slammed, but living in SC for school thats impossible. The roads are just disgusting and its very difficult to get around day to day in anything but a truck. Having an air suspension would enable to keep my car a bit higher during ride height in areas with bad roads, yet have a nice slammed look when parked or driving on nice roads...

I want to get some people in here that actually have air suspensions on sport compacts to dish out the real FACTS..

Could they also make for better launches by shifting the majority of the weight of the car to the front?`

 

[bonesmp5]

PM this guy and see what he thinks of his bags ---
http://www.msprotege.com/vbb300/member.php?u=19671

there are a couple others on here that had air -- but they had air cylinders which are stiff like coilovers but dont function like a shock ---

only airbags keep a shock to control the travel --

 

[Yaggie1]

These are basically what is offered for the protege. Air lift's air struts. 9 way adjustable dampening. Not really sure how it handles with them though. Best bet is like I stated before in this thread and right above, PM Entense. He has the air lift kit with the electronic controlled dampening I believe and as far as I know he loves them.

 

[ENTENSE]

O.K. heres the deal. The air set up is a pain to install first off. But the rewards far out way that anyway. It would be a crapy ride if not for the 9 way adjustable dapeners that they come with through easystreet air, that is where i got mine. You can make it ride like a Caddy or handle like a porshe. I have had them for just about one year now, and have not had one problem with them, it is now winter, I drive my car all year round. The whole system is about 30 pounds, so it is light. I am currently in the process of installing a new system so I will post some pics later. I will be happy to awnser any more question you guys have.

 

[KzA]

what was your suspension setup before you had the air ride? Do you feel that you can make your car handle better with the air ride than it did with your old setup?

Are the airstruts as straight of a drop in as it seems or is there heavy modification to be done? What makes the install so hard, other than the tedius running of all the airlines..

 

[ENTENSE]

what was your suspension setup before you had the air ride? Do you feel that you can make your car handle better with the air ride than it did with your old setup?

Are the airstruts as straight of a drop in as it seems or is there heavy modification to be done? What makes the install so hard, other than the tedius running of all the airlines..

Before I had a two inch drop with progress springs. The ride was too hard with my 18's and 35series tires. So yes it rides much better than that or stock, I have not riden in any other mazdas with mods, so I can't really compare it to much.

As for the install, the only really hard mod was cutting the rear clearance holes for the air lines. The fron I drill a 3/4 hole on each side for the line. The only downfall is you have to remove the rear sway bar, that was kinda hard because I didn't have an 1/2impact driver yet (a must when doing this) I wanted to run my air lines inside the car, just incase I ran over something or because of some ass cutting the lines. I am pretty switch happy so I would recomend getting two compressors to fill the tank faster. With the one, it takes about 15min. to fill from 0psi. It goes all the way to 175psi. when the car is down all the way and the tank is full, hit the all up switch and I swear it feels like the car comes off the ground a 1/2inch.

 

[KzA]

thats excellent...you have any pics of the struts installed? Id love to see it..

 

[bonesmp5]

why the removal of the rear sway bar?

 

[ENTENSE]

why the removal of the rear sway bar?

because when the car drops the control arms would hit the sway bar preventing the car from droping all the way to the ground, basic usual proceedure. Can be an easy fix with the rear strut tower bar.

 

[ENTENSE]

thats excellent...you have any pics of the struts installed? Id love to see it..

As for pics, you guys are going to have to wait till MON (deadhorse
I just got a moment to stop home and visit with you all, (im on a x-mas visiting run today and all day tom.) By the way, just in case you were wondering, I am 30 yrs. old, so I dont skimp on anything when it comes to cutting corners. I wouldnt trade my P5 for anything, (well maybe to have my Busa back....... that will be in March.)

Gotta run see ya later.

 

[bonesmp5]

that makes sence -- didnt think about it dropping all the way.
sorry about the bike,
you must like silver

because when the car drops the control arms would hit the sway bar preventing the car from droping all the way to the ground, basic usual proceedure. Can be an easy fix with the rear strut tower bar.