Air vs Coil overs...The Video

[Jeremy@AirLift]

When it comes to our Mustangs, one thing we can all agree on is that they look and handle better when they are closer to the pavement. However, we cannot seem to agree on HOW to achieve that lowered stance. Coil-over’s offer a low look and handling performance, but will leave you with a stiff back and scraping everywhere you go. Air suspension will give you a slammed stance and a nice ride, but will not handle on the track, right?

That is what we set out to discover at Carolina Motorsports Park when we loaded up 3 very different cars with 2 different suspensions and one very qualified third party driver. Our mission was to do back to back tests: one run on statically lowered suspension, another on Air Lift Performance suspension.

To test all aspects of the 2 different suspensions we performed three separate tests: a 200 ft skid pad, 100 ft slalom, and a 2.3 mile road course. We gathered all the data and figured up the averages of each run with each vehicle on the different suspensions. All that remains are the cold hard facts.

With all this testing, we did not set out to make a suspension revolution, but rather prove an evolution of how technology has changed air suspension. Open your mind, watch the video below, read the results and see for yourself what is possible on air!

http://vimeo.com/airliftperformance/airvscoilover

 

[BMR Tech]

Interesting! Good stuff.

 

[Jeremy@AirLift]

Just in case you guys are wondering, we did not use a cheap set of coil-overs. We used a very well known high end set of coil overs on each one of our tests. We tried to make the playing field as level as possible.

 

[jodadejss06gt]

Sweet video and thanks for sharing. Jeremy, I would have loved to see some drag in that video too.

 

[Jeremy@AirLift]

Sweet video and thanks for sharing. Jeremy, I would have loved to see some drag in that video too.

Yea I agree, that is something we will be working on once we get through winter.

 

[Sharad]

Interesting video. I'm glad the Mustang was faster than the compact cars. (yeah, I know... R-compound)

 

[Wes06]

Can't wait to see the drag numbers for air.
That's some great testing there Jeremy and I'm glad I picked airlift for my car

 

[luillo]

Can't wait to see the drag numbers for air.
That's some great testing there Jeremy and I'm glad I picked airlift for my car

me too. I think air lift claims to improve drag racing too but no info about it.

That would be the one last thing to get me on board with air lift susp.

 

[Jeremy@AirLift]

me too. I think air lift claims to improve drag racing too but no info about it.

That would be the one last thing to get me on board with air lift susp.

I will be the first to admit we have been slacking on that test! We do plan to do some testing when the tracks open back up, between a stock suspension and our air suspension. I have had customers tell me it has improved traction cut down their 60ft times, but without us confirming it I really do not want to throw numbers out there.

The nice thing about our suspension is if you are getting some wheel hop or spinning you can add pressure to that side air bag and increase your spring rate helping to plant the tire. The struts are also damping adjustable so you can sit the front to soft so the front end will come up nicely helping to transfer the weight.

Like I said I hope to have actual video testing this spring.

 

[XJCasper]

I am with you guys...

Can not wait to see the 1/4 mile results.

Have a compressor and tanks I have been debating throwing back in the jeep, selling off, or running on the mustang [vs. utilizing a handling package].

 

[Scott]

I will be the first to admit we have been slacking on that test! We do plan to do some testing when the tracks open back up, between a stock suspension and our air suspension. I have had customers tell me it has improved traction cut down their 60ft times, but without us confirming it I really do not want to throw numbers out there.

The nice thing about our suspension is if you are getting some wheel hop or spinning you can add pressure to that side air bag and increase your spring rate helping to plant the tire. The struts are also damping adjustable so you can sit the front to soft so the front end will come up nicely helping to transfer the weight.

Like I said I hope to have actual video testing this spring.

Looking forward to the video of 1/4 testing in the spring.

 

[344Saleen]

Great video. Do you mind posting what brand of coilovers you used for the comparison? If not posting up can you pm me?

 

[Dubstep Shep]

I would certainly like to see more information on the brand of coilovers, the spring rate, compression, rebound, how much the car was lowered, etc. It's hard to make a meaningful comparison without all that.

There are so many different aspects to a suspension that more information is needed to see the real comparison IMO.

 

[Deez-67]

I want!! I need!!

 

[csamsh]

I would certainly like to see more information on the brand of coilovers, the spring rate, compression, rebound, how much the car was lowered, etc. It's hard to make a meaningful comparison without all that.

There are so many different aspects to a suspension that more information is needed to see the real comparison IMO.

I want all of this too. Tire Pressures? Temps? Brakes?

 

[VTXFrank]

This is, without a doubt, the "ultimate" suspension I'll go with once I decide on what to replace my 2011 GT with. I may end up keeping the car I have and just building it. Whichever way I go, I'll end up with this airlift suspension. Eventually.

 

[Jeremy@AirLift]

Great video. Do you mind posting what brand of coilovers you used for the comparison? If not posting up can you pm me?

I would certainly like to see more information on the brand of coilovers, the spring rate, compression, rebound, how much the car was lowered, etc. It's hard to make a meaningful comparison without all that.

There are so many different aspects to a suspension that more information is needed to see the real comparison IMO.

I want all of this too. Tire Pressures? Temps? Brakes?

As we have mentioned in other forums etc, the brand of coil overs is a VERY well known German brand. Spring rates for their stuff are not listed anywhere I can find. They just say “progressive”. That said, this was their double adjustable version and the damping settings were set at factory recommendations, just like ours were. Our air springs are “highly progressive” in a way that coils can never be. This allows an element of softness for ride, yet when leaned on, gets very stiff reducing roll and pitch.

Ride heights were identical and corner weights were as close to identical as possible ( Within 0.2%). Drop was about 1.5” from OEM. Front camber was -2.3. Tire pressures on the Toyo RR’s were 41psi hot. Track temp was 76F for air and 81 for coils with nothing but clouds in the sky.

We tried to keep every variable possible that could provide an outside effect in check. While this was in no way “perfect”, it was the most comprehensive, data driven, scientific method test ever performed that compared these two suspension types.

 

[Dubstep Shep]

I would still like to know more specifics on the test setup.

No offense to you guys, but it takes more than a "trust our results" to convince me.

 

[csamsh]

I would still like to know more specifics on the test setup.

No offense to you guys, but it takes more than a "trust our results" to convince me.

And I'm guessing KW...so...yeah.

 

[Dubstep Shep]

And I'm guessing KW...so...yeah.

I'd love to see a comparison to a setup like Griggs; one that's actually built around the S197 chassis, not just bolt on pieces.