MG Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" and Costello V8s

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Doc Hopalongfoot
Marc Weitzman
Huntingto Woods, MI
(58 posts)

Registered:
01/22/2008 11:45PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB roadster ford 302

air ride rear suspension
Posted by: Doc Hopalongfoot
Date: December 09, 2008 04:06PM

Has anyone used the air ride suspension and done away with leaf springs? Bobby V is looking at putting in a
new 7000 series air bag with integral shock and a 4 link. Is it worth the money( about $2500)?
I need to decide in the next several weeks so any input would be appreciated. This would cost about 15% of the total parts budget for the project.
Thanks,
Marc


MGB SS
Joe Schafer
Central Michigan
(150 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 06:46AM

Main British Car:
1971 Mgb 1991 5.0 Ford

authors avatar
Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: MGB SS
Date: December 09, 2008 07:12PM

Marc

What is the advantage to this set up?

My son uses the air ride (bags) for raising and lowering trucks (4x4 and Slammed).

Installing a 4 link can have advantages for racing, traction and maybe cornering but I think most that install it for either adjusting ride height or the "Cool" factor.

Just my opinion (sometimes worth about two cents) but I would get your car done and on the road, unless you have a specific reason for needing a 4 link.

By the way good to hear from you Hope all is well.


Joe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2008 07:15PM by MGB SS.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6470 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: December 10, 2008 08:41AM

I had looked into air bags for the front at one point but wasn't able to find anything with the right diameter. Joe, if we could come up with those, not only does it have the potential to improve the ride, but by using an external chamber with a large tube connecting to the air bag and a valve, it might be possible to raise the ride, open the valve, and soften up the suspension for cruising. This could overcome the stiffer ride that would normally result from increasing the air pressure to raise the ride height. I'd think the same could be done at the rear. But the bag-over-shock units that I've seen were horribly expensive.

Jim
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mgbreis
Ryan Reis
Beatrice, NE
(203 posts)

Registered:
07/16/2008 11:07AM

Main British Car:
Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: mgbreis
Date: December 10, 2008 10:27AM

If it were me, and I wanted a 4-link, I'd buy Bill Guzman's kit for about half of the $2,500 you're looking at. It doesn't have air bags, but I'm not sure I'd want those anyway, especially if I wouldn't also have them on the front. I think the fast cars 3-link is the coolest, but I don't know what that costs and I know there is more fabrication involved in the installation.


jblanchard@hcpg.net
Jeb Blanchard
Collierville, TN
(53 posts)

Registered:
12/07/2007 01:01PM

Main British Car:
1961 MGA Chevy 4.3 Vortec V-6

authors avatar
Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: jblanchard@hcpg.net
Date: December 10, 2008 11:37PM

Doc,

Have you ever considered AIRoverLeaf? [www.ridetech.com] From what I understand you can accomplish modifying ride height and improve handling with your current leaf springs. We are RE-building my A and I've already purchased the AIRoverLeaf system. Hopefully the car will be on the road in a couple months.

Jeb


Doc Hopalongfoot
Marc Weitzman
Huntingto Woods, MI
(58 posts)

Registered:
01/22/2008 11:45PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB roadster ford 302

Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: Doc Hopalongfoot
Date: December 11, 2008 12:13AM

Jeb, funny you should mention the over leaf "helper" air bag system. I was considering them for my 68 Plymouth
Sport Satellite conv. They're not too expensive and may fix a couple of issues with that project. Do you have to remove some leaves from the stock springs? Went to an MG club meeting tonight and nooooo one thought it was a good idea. I'd like to wait and see how they work on your A before I commit to trying it on the B, but I may just go for it on the Satellite.
Marc


Bill Young
Bill Young
Kansas City, MO
(1337 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:23AM

Main British Car:
'73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep

authors avatar
Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: Bill Young
Date: December 11, 2008 08:01AM

One thing to consider when using an air suspension system is to keep the indivdual air bags as seperate circuits. If you join them then you will significantly reduce the suspensions resistance to roll or pitch as compressing one bag will just inflate the opposite one and the car will pitch even more. Air suspensions seem to work ok on drag cars where the loading is about equal from side to side, but on a sports car it really doesn't seem to work all that well unless you have 4 distinct isolated circuits in the air system.



jblanchard@hcpg.net
Jeb Blanchard
Collierville, TN
(53 posts)

Registered:
12/07/2007 01:01PM

Main British Car:
1961 MGA Chevy 4.3 Vortec V-6

authors avatar
Re: air ride rear suspension
Posted by: jblanchard@hcpg.net
Date: December 11, 2008 01:35PM

Marc,

I'll let you know how they perform on the A. You do not have to remove springs on all applications. The wrong sized shocks were installed on the rear and the 1/4" steel shocks plates were breaking. Needless to say it was a hard ride. We are installing the correct size shocks. I've got 18X9 5 lug x 120mm 40HGR rear wheels with 275/35R 18 tires and the rear axlie is a chevy 10 bolt from S10. I'm also going to be pulling a trailer. I felt that having some adjustment capibilities in the rear was a good thing. The set up is not for everyone; hopefully it will be right for my application.

Jeb


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