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DIY car air suspension materials. DIY air suspension (video). How effective is it when used?

To install air suspension on a car with your own hands, you need to know the instructions and use the necessary tools. How to do this correctly in a garage and what you will need to do this in today’s material.

Tuning all cars, including domestic VAZs, usually involves changing the exterior or upgrading the body, but some car owners go further and install a modern air suspension with their own hands.

Creating an air suspension on a passenger car is not the most common modification of the VAZ. This is partly due to a misconception about the complexity of the work and not the highest reliability of the design. At the same time, practice shows that thinking through and installing air suspension yourself does not cause any particular problems.

About the advantages of air suspension

Initially, the French automaker Citroen began actively using this type of automobile suspension. The French appreciated the advantages of the structures, which include the following:

  1. High level of comfort. Installing air suspension on a VAZ yourself helps to obtain an optimal balance between comfort and rigidity, which is impossible when installing traditional shock absorbers on a car.
  2. Possibility of changing the ground clearance. This feature of air suspensions not only makes it possible to relate the ground clearance to the vehicle’s load, but also to reduce it for high-speed driving (helps lower the center of gravity).
  3. Overload resistance. The ability to adjust the stiffness of the suspension makes it possible to additionally load the car without fear of damaging the chassis elements and changing the car’s behavior on the roads.

There are other additional advantages of air suspensions, but each car owner determines them for himself.

What is required for installation?

So, to install an air suspension on a car, in particular a VAZ, you will need a kit with the main elements, namely:

  1. Compressor. The durability and performance of the system depends on it. Practice proves that the best options are the Berkut R20 and R17 models, as well as the Falcon.
  2. Four air bags. They vary, so choose one for your specific car model. For example, some VAZ owners use cushions from the cab of a truck tractor.
  3. Compressed air cylinder. The receiver can be made in the form of a spare wheel or made into a cylindrical shape that will fit in VAZ sedans.
  4. Four solenoid valves. They act as locking and access elements. Select valves that are designed for high pressure up to 25 atmospheres.
  5. Connecting tubes. Some make them from PVC pipes from truck brake systems.
  6. Pressure gauges that will be placed inside the car. You will need two pieces in total.
  7. Control block. It can be assembled independently, taking into account the separate inclusion of two circuits - front and rear. A special toggle switch is also required to control the compressor.
  8. As you assemble the air suspension yourself, you may need items such as wires with terminals, a flexible hose with a metal braid, a high-pressure rubber hose and fasteners.

You can buy all this for about 30-40 thousand rubles, depending on the equipment used.

Installation of air suspension using the example of a VAZ

When creating an air suspension for a VAZ passenger car, the most difficult process is installing air bags instead of shock absorber struts. The best option is to use the original rack housing.

First, the front suspension is disassembled. To install the air cylinder, you may have to bore the body or adjust the cushions to the diameter of the glass using the same turning. There is an option to create an adapter, where one part will fit tightly into the body in place of the shock absorber, and the other will become the basis for the air spring. Determine all these operations locally, taking into account the specific car model and the type of cylinders used.

The air inlet connection must be properly protected when installed on the machine together with the rear cylinders. At the next stage, tubes are laid and connected to the receiver and pneumatic cylinders. In the trunk we install the receiver itself with pressure gauges in the cabin. Taking into account the high load on the front axle of the car at the front, the pressure must be set within 8 atmospheres, and at the rear it is usually enough to reach 6 atmospheres.

Secure the compressor well and lay out the electrical wiring, install toggle switches, unit switches, and fuses. Place all of the listed elements where it is convenient for you. The main thing is that you have the opportunity to constantly monitor the pressure in the system. If you plan to frequently change air suspension modes, consider the ability to control the compressor from a remote control.

Precautionary measures

After installing the air suspension and during its further operation, pay special attention to the technical condition of the structure. To do this, it is necessary to monitor the presence of air leaks in connecting places (adapters, valves and fittings). If the leak is severe, you will hear it, or you can use a regular soap solution. Monitor the pressure gauges and monitor the rate of pressure drop in the pillows. Periodically check how the compressor is working.

Before operating a vehicle with newly installed air springs, make sure there are no extraneous vibrations, friction or noise. Mostly problems occur with the steered wheels. From time to time, check the hoses supplying air to the cylinders for chafing. Also check the condition of the fastening of the air tubes under the bottom.

In passenger cars, the suspension provides greater comfort for the driver and passengers, hiding road unevenness and keeping the car from loosening. Trucks are tuned with a new suspension to reduce the cost of their maintenance and repairs.

If desired, every car owner is able to tune domestic cars independently. Even a do-it-yourself air suspension can be mounted on a Gazelle if you have the appropriate equipment and necessary materials.

In addition to the original suspension, many owners of GAZelle minibuses or its various modifications prefer to install an additional pneumatic system. After installation, vehicles receive significant benefits:

  • the driver, while driving, is able to change the ground clearance and degree of suspension stiffness;
  • reducing the level of risk when the vehicle's carrying capacity is exceeded;
  • increased comfort when driving on uneven roads;
  • production on “original” suspension parts is reduced due to load redistribution;
  • releasing the load from springs and parts mating with hardware;
  • providing greater stability, especially with an air control system.

Before you make your own air suspension, you need to know that all modernization pays off thanks to the benefits received. The approximate period for which investments will be effective is 30-40 thousand kilometers.

One of the negative aspects is the need for high initial financial investments. It also requires fairly high qualifications of the performers involved in installing the system. It is advisable to have a specialist with experience working with pneumatics on the team.

The approximate amount for self-installation of air suspension on domestic cars will be about 30 thousand rubles.

Factors that contribute to the installation of such a system on a car include:

  • a modernized truck or van is regularly used to transport valuable equipment that needs to be protected from shaking, vibrations and possible damage due to road unevenness;
  • Frequent transportation of cargo occurs, the mass of which is close to or higher than the permissible loads on the standard suspension;
  • a higher level of comfort or safety during transportation is required.

The car owner makes the decision to re-equip the car in this part independently.

What happens when installing pneumatics

The car owner who has decided to install air suspension must understand that by this action he is making technological changes to the design of the car. Such actions can quite reasonably cause official dealers to refuse further warranty service.

In most cases, the basic elements of such a suspension (air springs) are fixed using special brackets, and all adjustments are made from a remote control installed inside the car.

In a simplified version, pneumatics are installed without the possibility of mobile control. For such situations, adjustments to the air level in the cylinders are carried out using nipples, just as when monitoring the pressure in car tires. The installation principle will be the same as in the adjustable version, and the overall reliability of the installed system depends on the quality of the air spring.

When choosing manufacturers of pneumatic equipment for cars, you need to focus on the leaders in this field: Firestone, Factory, Dunlop.

Correct selection of equipment

By interfering with welding work in the design of a standard suspension, there is a risk of partial weakening of the structure. Such work must be carried out taking this fact into account. The installation should not impair access to the “original” shock absorbers or air springs, so that it is possible to replace them if necessary.

Pneumatic springs must be selected based on the structural features of the car. Often, bellows or sleeve-type models are chosen for the rear axle. Geometric parameters are selected according to the characteristics of pneumatics, which can be single-circuit or double-circuit.

For long cars, it would be preferable to use a pair of circuits: on the front and rear axle. In this case, the following kit is used:

  • a pair of containers for pneumatics with identical volume;
  • adapters, fittings and plastic pipelines for air distribution;
  • mounting brackets, mounting auxiliary elements;
  • Pressure gauges for each axis, start buttons, compressors, etc. are mounted in the chain.

The optimal kit allows you to withstand a load capacity of 1.2…1.4 tons, which is one of the most popular parameters for medium-sized cars.

The rear axle is usually mounted without the use of a receiver, providing greater smoothness. The installation of pneumatics should be carried out further from the springs to eliminate friction on its surface. On the front axle, mounting is carried out on the spring itself.

Installation of pneumatics on a VAZ

It will be possible to improve the standard suspension on domestic “classics” using pneumatics. To do this, install the air suspension on the VAZ yourself.

Classic tuning of a car, including VAZ cars, to a greater extent implies a change in appearance, or a minor upgrade of the engine. Not everyone takes some original or serious steps to make their own car more comfortable.

Designing an air suspension for a passenger car cannot be called a common type of modification of a VAZ car. This is due to the misconception about the complexity of installation and the low reliability of such a design. At the same time, in practice, designing and installing air suspension with your own hands does not cause any particular difficulties.

Advantages of air suspension

As you know, the French company Citroen actively used this type of suspension over the years. It was the French who appreciated the benefits of compressed air when driving a car.

In this case, the following design features can be distinguished:

  • Comfort. If it is impossible to install shock absorbers on VAZ cars with different settings for different driving modes, you can get a truly optimal ratio between stiffness and comfort for the car’s suspension.
  • Possibility of adjusting vehicle clearance. This feature not only allows you to link the ground clearance with the load of the car, but also lower it for high-speed races (in order to lower the center of gravity).
  • Overload resistance. Individually adjusting the suspension stiffness allows you to load an additional volume of cargo without fear of damaging suspension parts or changing the behavior of the car in motion.

The list of additional benefits that air suspension provides can be continued with other narrow features. However, each car owner can determine such advantages for himself.

DIY air suspension

So, what will it take to develop and install an air suspension model on a VAZ car? To begin with, it’s worth naming the component elements that will make up the finished system:


If you do not need to purchase additional tools, you can invest 30-35 thousand rubles in a complete set of equipment.

Air suspension on a VAZ

When designing a VAZ passenger car model, the most labor-intensive process is replacing the shock-absorbing struts with air springs. The best option is to use the original support frame housing.

The front suspension will need to be completely disassembled, and the spring will no longer be needed. To install a pneumatic cylinder, it may be necessary to bore the body, or adjust the cushions themselves to the diameter of the glass using the same turning. It is possible to manufacture an adapter, where one part will securely fit into the body in place of the shock absorber, and the second part will become the basis for installing the air cushion. These operations must be determined independently, taking into account the specific VAZ model and the type of pneumatic cylinders used.

Please ensure that the air supply fitting is protected when installed on the vehicle. The same applies to the rear cylinders.

At the second stage, pipes are laid and connected to the pneumatic cylinders and the receiver on the reverse side. We also place a receiver in the trunk and install pressure gauges. Taking into account the greater load on the front part of the car, we set the pressure in the front within 8 atmospheres, and in the rear for normal mode – up to 6 atmospheres.

Despite the additional weight on board, the compressor will have to be installed and securely fastened. As practice shows, the front pneumatic chambers have to be inflated regularly.

At the third stage, it is necessary to lay out the entire electrical part - wiring, toggle switches of the control unit, fuses. Pressure gauges are also installed. All these details are placed in each specific case individually. However, the ability to visually monitor the pressure level in the system should be constant. If you plan to frequently change air suspension modes, you should provide the ability to control the operation of the compressor from the remote control.

Security measures

After assembling the structure and further, during operation, the necessary attention should be paid to the technical condition of the entire structure. For this purpose, it is necessary to monitor the presence of air leaks at the joints of parts (valves, adapters, fittings). This can be done by ear if there is a strong leak, or with a soap solution. You need to pay attention to the readings of the pressure gauges, as well as the rate of pressure drop in the pillows. Periodically check the performance of the compressor.

Before starting to operate the machine, during a test drive, make sure there are no extraneous frictions, vibrations, or noises. Most often, problems arise with the steered wheels.

We periodically check the air supply hoses to the air suspension cylinders for chafing. Periodically pay attention to the condition of the fastening of the air supply pipes located under the bottom of the car. We also monitor the condition of the hoses themselves for swelling and damage to the tubes.

An important note will be the limitation on the level of pressure in the cylinders. Changing the previously specified values ​​up or down in order to increase ground clearance or lower the center of gravity is undesirable. This is due to changes in the alignment angles of the front and rear wheels, which not only affects tread wear, but also a noticeable deterioration in vehicle stability.

The emergence of more and more innovative technologies means that systems are no longer so inaccurate, slow and clunky. Instead, more precise technologies are used, based on modern electronics that control everything from ride height to precise air suspension pressure, in turn offering a smooth, controlled drive. But the most important thing is that the car suspension system is often underestimated. And the most important thing is that this car unit is often underestimated. If we consider a car from the point of view of safe and comfortable movement, then the car suspension is as integral a part as the wheels of the vehicle. Shock absorbers and springs absorb the shock from potholes and bumps that the wheel hits. But know that every time you load or unload the car, speed it up or slow it down, turn it in different directions, you throw a “challenge” at the abilities of the shock absorbers and springs.

Nevertheless, for all its relevance and necessity, spring suspensions are already a very conservative option for softening road irregularities. The set of their functions is constant and does not include various types of adjustments and add-ons.

How does air suspension work?

Air suspension is a conventional spring car suspension in which the springs are replaced by air springs. Air springs are hard rubber or plastic cylinders that are inflated to a certain height and pressure. This is all done to imitate the same spring mechanisms in suspensions. But that’s where all the common signs end. When you add an on-board air compressor, sensors and electronic control systems to air springs, today's air suspension systems provide a huge number of benefits over the all-metal suspension of conventional springs. The air suspension adjusts instantly, can adapt to handle different types of irregularities in different situations and change load capabilities.

But the main feature of the air suspension is not its ability to expand its settings and functionality. Whether a manual or electronic air suspension adjustment system is installed, whether it was done by a garage “Kulibin” or by professionals from a large concern of experienced technologies of a world-famous popular brand, the air suspension both lowers and raises the car, increasing or decreasing its ground clearance. Air suspension is especially relevant among young car owners who use it in domestically produced cars.

The main advantages of air suspension

This mechanism installed on your car will perfectly cope with the task of absorbing unevenness and potholes while the car is moving along the road, and it will become much more dynamic and stable. By installing your own pneumatic system on your car, you will get a lot of advantages:

- the lateral roll of the car will become much less if the car is unevenly loaded;

The load on the suspension will be reduced as much as possible, and its service life will increase proportionally;

Your car will become much more comfortable than it was before with stock springs;

The stability of the car will increase when it is introduced into sharp turns;

The negative consequences of vehicle overload will be reduced to a minimum;

The longitudinal roll will disappear.

At the same time, the driver gets the opportunity to independently adjust the vehicle’s ground clearance, depending on the quality of the road surface and the degree of vehicle load.

Materials for creating your own air suspension

To make and install an air suspension on your car yourself, you should study some of the intricacies of this procedure and, of course, purchase the necessary parts for assembly. The first element you will need is air cushion. This is the most expensive part in the entire structure, which will be installed on your car instead of metal shock absorber springs. By pumping or deflating air into or from this air spring, you can adjust the ground clearance of your car. By inflating it, you will accordingly increase the ground clearance; by lowering it, you will decrease it. The air suspension works exactly according to this principle.

You will also need a compressor, which is the main element of the entire pneumatic system. It is necessary in order to pump air into the installed air bags. Braces and fastening elements. They are necessary for attaching the air spring to the body of your car. It’s not at all difficult to build these elements yourself, having first drawn up a drawing of the mounting location and ordered components from a turner or welder.

Pneumatic valves. One of them is designed to pump air masses, and the second is to release them. Pressure gauge. It can be applied to any that is used in various pneumatic systems.

Start button. Any button that works on the on-of-on principle will be an ideal option in this case. With its help, it will be very convenient for you to adjust the level of the air suspension directly from the inside of the car.

Air line. This is a device consisting of tubes connecting the pillows to each other, which are the basis of the air line of the entire system.

Pressure meter. It is provided in the form of a sensor located anywhere in the air line and used to monitor the overall pressure in the system directly from the vehicle interior.

Relay. It is necessary in order to start the injection compressor and open the exhaust valve.

Installing a homemade air suspension

In order to install air suspension on a car, the car should be placed and secured on a flat surface. Then, using jacks or a lift, you should hang one of the parts of the car - this will all depend on the place where the air spring is installed. Next, remove the factory springs and then prepare the installation site for the air spring mounting brackets. Afterwards, the prepared braces must be secured on pads with already installed valves. Then attach the cushions in place of the old shock absorbers.

The next stage of work will be the creation of an air line, thanks to which the functions of the air suspension will be carried out. To do this, it will be necessary to connect them together using tubes previously connected to the compressor. Then install the pressure gauge along with the sensors. Then place the start button inside the car and remove the sensor sensor.

After installing the air suspension, you can begin adjusting the entire system. To do this, pump some air into it and check what ground clearance corresponds to a certain pressure on a fully loaded car. When making adjustments, make sure that both sides of your vehicle have identical ground clearance. When the car is leveled on the site, feel free to get behind the wheel and conquer the road.

The air suspension allows you to adjust the ride height semi-automatically or completely without the use of physical effort. We are talking about replacing springs, springs and torsion bars with pneumatic cylinders, in which compressed air pumped from the system acts as an elastic element. Despite all the advantages of this element, a do-it-yourself air suspension can only be created if you have basic car repair skills. The process is fraught with certain difficulties and a beginner clearly cannot cope with it.

Air suspension device

The design of each air suspension consists of a receiver, a control unit, an air distribution system and a compressor. To improve driver comfort, the suspensions can be automatically or manually controlled.

  1. Automatic air suspension involves independently selecting the ride height electronically, taking into account factors such as acceleration, speed, and inclination. The focus in this case is on high aerodynamic performance. The center of gravity is reduced, so the car's controllability is significantly increased.
  2. Manual control requires the driver's initiative when choosing the height of the ground clearance relative to the road. Manual adjustment is also possible in relation to the stiffness of the suspension if its design involves the presence of shock absorber pneumatic struts.


Modifications

There are three modifications of air suspension:

  1. Single-circuit options are designed for installation on one axle and provide the same pressure in both cushions on it, since the compressor and cylinders are located on the same circuit.
  2. Double-circuit modifications are also installed on one axle, but in essence these are two single-circuit suspensions, thanks to which it is possible to adjust the height of the front and rear of the car relative to each other. The main disadvantage is the roll of the car, since there is a pressure difference between the two wheels that run along the outer radius.
  3. Four-circuit options are considered the best because they use four separate valves for each wheel, pressure sensors and a microcomputer for control. Consequently, the problem with roll is eliminated in this case, since the pillow steadily holds the required pressure.

Advantages and disadvantages of air suspension

Due to the positive properties of air suspension, there is a tendency to install it on both trailers and trucks, as well as passenger cars. The advantages of tuning a car with air suspension are represented by the following possibilities:

  1. Ride height control. This improves handling under all road conditions. In this case, the springs do not need to be changed to softer and longer ones or shorter and harder ones (read also about).
  2. Under heavy loads, sagging can be avoided, as the height and stiffness adjustments ensure consistent ride quality.
  3. Handling is significantly improved, and the air suspension compensates for the difference between hard and soft springs by adjusting the pressure.
  4. When driving on uneven roads, body vibrations are smoothed out.
  5. It is possible to install air suspension on any car.

The advantages are significant and there are many of them, however, it is worth knowing about the disadvantages:

  1. Poor resistance to road agents and frost, which significantly reduce the service life of the suspension.
  2. The level of maintainability tends to zero, so failure of one of the elements requires a complete replacement of the suspension.
  3. The cost is much higher compared to traditional shock absorbers.

Air suspension assembly

Since a do-it-yourself pneumatic device is only a subtype, installation is possible on an existing car suspension. The essence of the installation is to replace elastic elements with pneumatic cylinders, therefore, such a modernization scheme can be carried out on any machine. All that remains is to find out how to make an air suspension with your own hands and how to install it.


Necessary tools, materials and equipment

The equipment in this case is standard and every driver has it if he periodically encounters the need for repairs:

  • sealant;
  • hammer;
  • metal brush;
  • Bulgarian.

Do-it-yourself air suspension consists of the following components:

  • a set of racks, even if the ones currently installed are reliable;
  • receiver (you can make it for air suspension with your own hands and not buy it);
  • air suspension cushions;
  • compressor;
  • several different fittings and PVC pipes with a diameter of 6 and 8 mm;
  • two pairs of solenoid valves;
  • Any oil and moisture separator will do;
  • pressure gauge;
  • Control block.


Front suspension assembly

It is worth considering separately the technology for installing the rear and front suspension, since in the case of the latter the scheme is more complex.

  1. Knock the cap off the stand and clean off the paint layer using an angle grinder.
  2. Press the adapter onto the post and add spacers underneath to increase the softness.
  3. Select small diameter fittings or tubing and place them near the air holes in the adapter.
  4. Install the air spring onto the strut. The height of the bump stop should be calculated in advance, otherwise the spring may fail after the first strong impact on the road.
  5. Use caulk and a copper press washer to seal the connection.
  6. Secure the support bearing to the strut so that the rod does not rotate inside the shock absorber when the steering wheel is turned.
  7. Connect the air tube to the pillow socket.
  8. Now you can install the finished structure.


The step-by-step procedure for assembling the rear suspension is as follows:

  1. Trim the spring cup a little and remove the paint coating.
  2. To the end of the rack rod it is necessary to cut a thread for pneumatics.
  3. To seal, install a press washer and then put the air spring on the rod.
  4. To achieve particularly smooth movement, you can not install a bump stop, which will result in a strong lowering of the rear of the car.
  5. Press the air spring to the end of the shock absorber.
  6. Apply air supply.


Installing air suspension on a car

Before installing the air suspension yourself, remove the struts from the car. A beginner's skills will be enough in this case - just lift the car with a jack and follow the step-by-step process.

  1. Use existing holes to install the stand or make new ones if necessary.
  2. Remove the rubber bands and stretch the tubes to ensure air supply; then they must be secured in relation to the body using clamps.
  3. Attach the receiver to a special bracket near the gas tank.
  4. Lead the tubes from the airbags along the steering rods and lead them into the engine compartment. Make the wiring in two directions - to the receiver valve and the relief valve.
  5. Connect the pneumatics to the control unit toggle switches.

Functionality check

Be sure to check the system's functionality. After increasing the pressure to 8 atmospheres, check for leaks in the system by ear; there should be no hissing. Next, set the pressure in the system to 6 atmospheres for the rear suspensions and to 8 for the front ones. Do not rush when pumping air, otherwise there is a chance that the compressor will overfill the system. At the final stage, adjust the wheel alignment.

Suspension control

A control unit with 8 buttons is responsible for controlling the air suspension. Each button is responsible for a specific strut or shock absorbers in the complex. To receive data from each airbag, be sure to install the controller in the car interior. Based on the road situation, you can reduce or increase the air pressure in the airbag to reduce or, accordingly, increase ground clearance.