KIMMER'S Airlift Install and Review

KIMMER

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Irishman and I had the pleasure of taking a ride with Jeremy and Brian of Airlift Performance last year before Woodward Dream Cruise and needless to say, I was sold on this suspension! It's not your standard airbag suspension just to go low or to carry extra weight, this stuff truly performs! I won't give details on my ride but i'm pretty sure the wife threw those boxers out...LOL I ended up getting my hands on their new Ford Mustang Performance Air Suspension kit #95723 with Digital Controller (which I highly recommend). Now I haven't got much time in the car since the install this past weekend because I still need to determine where I want my ride height while driving around and get a front-end alignment on it. I also noticed that I need to adjust the rear end a bit more toward the passenger side of the car. I took a few pics along the way of things that could help someone else install theirs or feel free to ask any questions. I didn't really take any pics of the front strut install due to the fact it's as straight forward as it can get, take em out, put the new ones in. The hardest part for me was determining where I wanted my stuff in the trunk and hiding wires/hoses and making it look like a clean install. I'm picky when it comes to the visual part of installs. I'll update this thread with more pro's and con's that I run into with the system for how I use the car. From what I can see so far, the only con is the noise of the compressor and the screams from the passengers! The compressor isn't horrible and doesn't come on very often, but when it does you know it's there. If you drop your car every time you park to show it off (me), it will probably kick on for a couple minutes every few times you raise the car back up. I have my tank pressures for the compressor to come on when ever the tank drops to 110 and turns off at 175. Like someone else stated, if you plan on changing levels a lot, look at upgrading the compressor to a 400 series or larger so it builds up the tank pressure quicker. There were no modifications that I had to do to the front for the struts and 2 holes on each side in the rear I had to drill where the upper coil spring perch is. Other than that, you drill 4 for the compressor, 4 for the tank ( I only used 2) and then 2 for the manifold/relay. Here are a review and few photos of what i've done.

Review:In Process-Overall ride quality compared to lowering springs- Huge difference! I swear I was going to have to get a kidney belt soon if I kept my old suspension, with the Airlift, it rides EXCELLENT! The more you play with the settings and shock adjustments, the more it feels like stock suspension ride, if not a little better.

Performance- HELL YEAH! It performs! My car feels like it really "sticks" to the ground now instead of feeling loose. Lets just say I took my curve a bit faster than I did before, but then worried about my tires letting loose, so I slowed my butt down..LOL

I haven't had a chance to hit the drag strip yet, but typically the best I could get with the stock and/or lowering was about a 2.08 60' and that was pretty consistent. This of course is with my Foose 20's and Toyo T1R's on back. Not exactly your drag tire of choice. Once I do hit the strip, i'll report right away!

Versatility- Amazing how much you can do with this system. Normal suspension only allows you to pretty much go for one thing. Airlift suspension gives the user the ability to cover a wide variety of situations. Drop it to the ground, raise it to stock level to go over speed bumps, cruise at a lowered height, program settings for multiple tracks, make adjustments quickly to adjust to the tracks, 30 levels of dampening on the shocks at a turn of a knob on each shock, and not to mention use the air tank to air your tires back up to head home from the strip!

The only negative that i've noticed is the fact you have to manually adjust the height depending on the amount of people inside, but as some of you know, they are working on a sensor setup to fix the only problem I see. Overall I think it is the best mod i've made on my car other than my whipple.

Photo's:

Picture of what you get in kit #95723

app_95723.jpg


We started with the front and pulled off both wheels/tires and removed the 4 nuts on the top of the strut, 1 bolt holding the brake line on the strut, 1 plastic pin holding the abs wire on the strut and then the 2 bolts holding the spindle assembly to the strut. It was quick and easy. Didn't feel like any pics were needed of this due to the fact it was so straight forward and instructions were very good from Airlift. Here is a pic of where I ran the braided line into my car. There is a rubber plug on each side of the vehicle on the firewall behind the wheel liner. I pushed it inside the car on each side creating a nice tight seal around the hose. From there I plugged in the plastic 1/4" air line and ran it under the carpet on each side of the car into the back trunk area.

20130726_221923_zps6537157b.jpg


Next we moved to the back of the car. Supporting the rear axle with a jack and the having the car on the lift, we removed the rear shocks and disconnected the rear swaybar upper mounts to allow the rear end to drop down and remove the rear coil springs and coil pads. We installed the hardware included in the instructions and drilled the 2 holes required on each side.

20130726_205647_zpsd71c9634.jpg


Airbags mounted

20130726_212650_zps720c9d04.jpg


Rear shock and bumper cut down.

20130726_212638_zps0a1e693f.jpg


After that we bolted everything back together and put the wheels/tires back on.

I had installed the tank, compressor, manifold, wiring, etc earlier that week while I didn't have access to a lift.

Gutted the trunk and laid the seats down to get access to everything.

20130721_181346_zpsf84da4c4.jpg


Next I decided where I wanted the tank and drilled the holes. After that, I mounted my manifold above on the sub frame and mounted the compressor behind the tank.

20130722_191913_zpsb007ea3d.jpg


Here is the tank and compressor mounted.

20130722_203138_zps3daab2a2.jpg


Next I wired up the manifold and relay and hid everything mostly in the subframe. Any wires coming down (like the compressor wires), I put nylon harness on and shrink tubed the ends to give it a finished look.

20130728_173709_zpsef2aeb55.jpg


Once the wiring was done and plastic air lines were ran thru the sub frame also, I laid the carpet back down (which was a PITA around the stuff) and bolted in the stock subs.

20130728_180836_zpsa4a80219.jpg


BEFORE:
My mustang lowered on Ford KR springs. 3/4" drop front and 1" rear drop.

2011-05-03_12-57-15_141-1.jpg


AFTER:
My mustang lowered on Airlift Performance Suspension with the ability to adjust to almost any condition including stock height at a touch of a button!

20130727_163301_zps5bb4d5f0.jpg


20130727_163349_zps0bc0343f.jpg



Feel free to ask any questions! I will continue to update this thread as I get more road time!
 
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Wes06

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mmmmmmmmmmmm, damn sexy looking ride there kimmer.

glad to be the first in the thread to welcome you to the life of air :D
 

marcspaz

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That is pretty hot bro. Very nice. Super clean install too.
 

KIMMER

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It's getting there, need to remove my GT badges and get a GT500 rear spoiler and I REALLY wanted some Alcoa Super Snake wheels, but people are smoking crack if they think i'd pay 5k for a set. Have to keep looking for something else some day.

On another note, PROPS to Jeremy and Airlift for taking care of their customers. The gentleman that gave me a hand last week finishing it up on a lift, had his air bag go out on his truck that he bought in 1998! and Airlift replaced it no questions ask. Just shows the quality of service and products they sell! Thanks!
 

javdog07c/s

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Very nice setup Kimmer, I'll be adding a second compressor to my setup
 

jodadejss06gt

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I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but how much weight would you say this kit adds to the weight of the car over what you had before? Also, When you go between ride heights in the rear does the axle shift from one side to the other?
 

KIMMER

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I know the suspension saves about 15lbs but once you add the weight of the compressor and tank, its probably an even swap. Yes, every time your car hits a bump, even stock, the rear axle moves a little one way or the other as it goes up or down. I believe it moves to the drivers side as the car goes down. Basically I need to adjust my bar to center the axle at the middle of the travel and double check it won't touch at full compression or drop. If it has plenty or is really close, I'll adjust it a little more.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 

Wes06

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agreed with kimmer, the kit keeps the weight about even, except its less in the actual suspension and adds alitle weight to the trunk where you mount the kit.
 

marcspaz

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I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but how much weight would you say this kit adds to the weight of the car over what you had before? Also, When you go between ride heights in the rear does the axle shift from one side to the other?

Get a watts link and it will only go up and down Stock panhard bar will make it shift.
 

jodadejss06gt

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Thanks guys! Thats what I figured. So how are you guys with PHB setting it up? Are you setting it up so that your tires are centered while cruising height and then off center when slammed in parking lot?
 

Wes06

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thats how i have mine setup, still doing pretty good
 

KIMMER

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LOL, still no alignment on my car. Goes in tomorrow for the alignment. BUT, I did happen to drive it a bit without it...haha! Couldn't help myself! DON'T drive it at 100psi on all corners! I went to max height and couldn't stop laughing as I bounced down the road! I might soften up the shocks a little more, but it rides really nice at the factory setting of -16 clicks which is 50%. Of course the lower the psi, the better the ride also. Ended up about 70, 31, 31, 70 psi on the controller. Weird how there is such a difference, but that's how it came out. Remember to set the height with someone of your weight in it. Once I get it back, i'm going to do a setting for 1 passenger and another setting button for a full car. I love the fact I can adjust on the fly, it helps to do it at the stop light for the pressures to be correct, plus it freaks people out next to you. I kept messing with a guy at the light the other day, as soon as he would look forward I would go up or down and he would look real quick and I would stop. He couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. So,


Overall ride quality compared to lowering springs- Huge difference! I swear I was going to have to get a kidney belt soon if I kept my old suspension, with the Airlift, it rides EXCELLENT! The more you play with the settings and shock adjustments, the more it feels like stock suspension ride, if not a little better.

Performance- HELL YEAH! It performs! My car feels like it really "sticks" to the ground now instead of feeling loose. Lets just say I took my curve a bit faster than I did before, but then worried about my tires letting loose, so I slowed my butt down..LOL

I haven't had a chance to hit the drag strip yet, but typically the best I could get with the stock and/or lowering was about a 2.08 60' and that was pretty consistent. This of course is with my Foose 20's and Toyo T1R's on back. Not exactly your drag tire of choice. Once I do hit the strip, i'll report right away!

Versatility- Amazing how much you can do with this system. Normal suspension only allows you to pretty much go for one thing. Airlift suspension gives the user the ability to cover a wide variety of situations. Drop it to the ground, raise it to stock level to go over speed bumps, cruise at a lowered height, program settings for multiple tracks, make adjustments quickly to adjust to the tracks, 30 levels of dampening on the shocks at a turn of a knob on each shock, and not to mention use the air tank to air your tires back up to head home from the strip!

The only negative that i've noticed is the fact you have to manually adjust the height depending on the amount of people inside, but as some of you know, they are working on a sensor setup to fix the only problem I see. Overall I think it is the best mod i've made on my car other than my whipple.
 

Wes06

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haha yea, i only do 100 when im aired all up and going over a bump, but holy fuck does it transmit the bump into the car hard, usually at 60psi front mid 40's rear.
agreed on ride quality, set of rail road tracks near work id barely take at 15 on my frpp rear only springs, i can take near 40 if im feeling ballsy on air.
and it is damn neat rolling into work and slamming it down :)
 

jodadejss06gt

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Fawk all of you and your air rides damnit! I want a built block and you all aren't making it any easier cuz I want this too!
 

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