Being all around us and even inside us, air can be used to support the weight of a car not just life on Earth. This and the use of rubber bags help keep a large amount of air in a small space. Airbag suspension isn't anything new but it has started to appear on less premium vehicles. That wasn't the case back in the 80s or even the 90s as this then-complex system was not as affordable as it is today. Nowadays you can retrofit such a system on your own. But why should you do so in the first place?
Advantages of Airbag Suspension
Comfort
The biggest reason why you'd want to have an air suspension system on your vehicle is for a more comfortable ride. There is nothing more enjoyable than literally riding on air. An airbag suspension system in Australia can make a big difference especially when riding over a beaten path. But even if that's not the case you can still enjoy a wafty ride like one in a Mercedes-Benz without spending a small fortune.
Functionality
But even if somehow ride comfort is not as important to you as is the functionality your vehicle offers you should still consider adding an airbag suspension system. That's because you can use it to raise or lower your vehicle to make loading and unloading it a lot easier. You can also use this added functionality to make your car more stable during a more spirited drive on a twisty road.
Handling
Talking about stability you can improve your vehicle's handling if you install the right type of air suspension. This way you can stiffen your ride so that you can go through corners at higher speeds without it feeling dangerous. You will definitely make your car more confidence-inspiring even if its rear is as twitchy as it gets.
Economy
Something that you wouldn't expect from a suspension system of any kind let alone an air suspension system is fuel economy. If properly set up and if the correct system for your vehicle is used you can increase the number of miles to the gallon you get except if you have a GT cruiser.
Types of Airbag Suspension Systems
Convoluted
Crimped or convoluted air suspension systems as they're also known are essentially large rubber bellows that are fitted to heavy vehicles. That's because of their large diameter which can easily increase the load capacity of your vehicle. The airbags in this case are attached to a bead plate and a permanent crimp in the plate, hence the name.
Coil Spring Bellows
This type of air suspension system uses a combination of car suspension air bags and coil springs. This makes not only for an even more comfortable solution but also one that offers better stability, especially through high-speed corners. Keep in mind though that a coil spring bellows system costs quite a bit more and is more difficult to install just because of its complexity.
Rolling Lobe
If you have a sedan that you want to make more enjoyable for long-distance travel and increase its ride height a bit you should consider going with a rolling lobe system. This type of airbag suspension setup comes with smaller diameter cylindrical bellows which look much like those found on a convoluted air suspension system Australia wide.
Parts of an Airbag Suspension System
Compressor
What supplies the bag with air and draws in air from outside is the air compressor. It's made of a piston that moves rather quickly in order to suck in air and then send it to a different component before it fills the airbags.
Tank
The tank of an air suspension system is there for the exact same reason the fuel tank is in your car. It stores the supplied air by the compressor and then when the airbags need it, it gets sent to them in order to make your ride more comfortable. Instead of drawing in outside air, this way you get a quicker supply of air when needed. This is why modern-day air suspension systems are so convenient.
Bags
One of the most fundamental components of any air suspension system is its airbags or bellows. They are the part that determines ride quality and stiffness as well as the stability of your car. Made of rubber, car suspension air bags are what your car “sits” on. They are what makes the night and day difference between airbag suspension and any other type of suspension system.
Lines
What helps connect the compressor to the tank and the tank to the airbags are supply lines. These are also made of rubber but you can also go for polyurethane ones as they are a bit tougher. Without them though you won't have any of the components working together which makes air lines as important as airbags or any other air suspension component.
Solenoid
What helps regulate how much air and when it needs to pass from one component to another through the lines is a solenoid. These electronically operated valves are controlled by a button in the cabin which is how you get to lower or raise your vehicle's ride height.
