it appears there are kits to make a car/truck air adjustable, with all the lines, valves and switches, compressor and air tank, including the air springs for about $1700 for our size vehicle. likely would take some experimenting to make it all work together.
seems you can piece it together for less using wrecking yard parts.
attached below is a picture of complete subaru front air adjustable struts. might be possible to find something close in size to adapt to the front struts on the T4wd, these pictured are about $600 each. alot to pay for and than start cutting and welding on them. I ran across a used set for a subaru at a garage sale for $80. I should have bought them, but I did not want to mess with welding up new mounts to make them fit. could possible find some in a wrecking yard or on craigs list.
also pictured below are just the air spring by "cool ride" that can be used to just replace the spring on our existing strut. if you can find the correct size it should be an easy swap over. they cost about $300-500 new, per pair.
I seem to remember there were some simple air bags that go inside the spring, most commonly for the rear spring, but there are some that had a hole down the middle for use on struts. those were only about $80. but are not likely very durable. though it would work easy enough, and cheap. you only have air in them when only when you want the extra height, so it might hold up longer than if you had air in them all the time. may be a simple and cheap solution.
Oh Boy! What a deal!
- Petros
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
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'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
- Abletobecain
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
Forum member Baileysims air bagged his Tercel. I'm not sure where the thread is on it but here's a Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGdkxSq3cBE
He even put it on a remote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rAjU-rKTs8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGdkxSq3cBE
He even put it on a remote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rAjU-rKTs8
1977 BMW R100S 1WD ("Brunhilda"/Summer Fun)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
- BaileySims
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
I think my setup is backwards from what everyone else might want. It's my belief that they want to maintain stock ride height and be able to gain lift with the air bags.
Unlike me who enjoys being lowered but can also achieve a level of stock ride height and above if need be, (I live in a flat desert city where there's not much off roading to be had) so I never really have it lifted up much anyway.
The system has held up fairly well though. In the last few years, all I've needed to change was a fitting on the front bag that went bad. I would enjoy having a legitimate air ride controller, but there's no point in investing in something that'll be gone soon.
Unlike me who enjoys being lowered but can also achieve a level of stock ride height and above if need be, (I live in a flat desert city where there's not much off roading to be had) so I never really have it lifted up much anyway.
The system has held up fairly well though. In the last few years, all I've needed to change was a fitting on the front bag that went bad. I would enjoy having a legitimate air ride controller, but there's no point in investing in something that'll be gone soon.
WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
Blood, sweat and beers.
- Petros
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
Bailey,
what are you using in the front to raise it like that? and what is your compressor set up? that same system should work from stock height and than raise it higher for more ground clearance.
That is a much faster response than I would expect. on our Mazada with the "load leveler", for when towing a trailer, when the sensor notices the rear is lower than it should be it engages a small 12v compressor that raises rear airshocks, but it takes about 30 seconds to level up..
what are you using in the front to raise it like that? and what is your compressor set up? that same system should work from stock height and than raise it higher for more ground clearance.
That is a much faster response than I would expect. on our Mazada with the "load leveler", for when towing a trailer, when the sensor notices the rear is lower than it should be it engages a small 12v compressor that raises rear airshocks, but it takes about 30 seconds to level up..
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
- BaileySims
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
I have these up front.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2482766684
I have a 5 gallon air tank with a single viair 444c compressor. I had dual compressors from the start but it was too much for the alternator to handle.
I have a 5 gallon air tank with a single viair 444c compressor. I had dual compressors from the start but it was too much for the alternator to handle.
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WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
Blood, sweat and beers.
- splatterdog
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
Cool that there's a kit. After watching the vid it would easily add a Snobear feature to the IceHawk (see my post in projects). I'm generally anti air suspension, but humm..
- dlb
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
Do it!splatterdog wrote: ↑Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:04 pm Cool that there's a kit. After watching the vid it would easily add a Snobear feature to the IceHawk (see my post in projects). I'm generally anti air suspension, but humm..
- Petros
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Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
Bailey,
those look expensive. they look like some kind of generic strut (multiple mounting holes). OTOH, the air spring and mount set up looks like it could be installed on any strut.
it would be best if it was possible to install an air bag assist into the existing strut so if you get a leaky air spring you will just be on the normal suspension. with this air spring that completely replaces the wound metal spring it means a ruptured air assist it will sink down to the bumpers.
5 gallon air tank, that is massive. I guess if you want instant response you need that volume, you can go bounce your Tercel with all of the cholo low riders down there in San Antonio. I would not need that feature, if it takes 30 secnds to raise up the car that would be fine with me.
those look expensive. they look like some kind of generic strut (multiple mounting holes). OTOH, the air spring and mount set up looks like it could be installed on any strut.
it would be best if it was possible to install an air bag assist into the existing strut so if you get a leaky air spring you will just be on the normal suspension. with this air spring that completely replaces the wound metal spring it means a ruptured air assist it will sink down to the bumpers.
5 gallon air tank, that is massive. I guess if you want instant response you need that volume, you can go bounce your Tercel with all of the cholo low riders down there in San Antonio. I would not need that feature, if it takes 30 secnds to raise up the car that would be fine with me.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
- splatterdog
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- Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:26 am
- Location: Minnesota, USA
Re: Oh Boy! What a deal!
While it is tempting I did already order the longer and more expensive hole sleeves in order to reach the ice and stay sealed. Still a small fraction of an air suspension setup. I also don't want to have any sort of failure while it's -25 and now my car is belly deep in the middle of a lake and going nowhere. I would also worry about freeze in if I was in one spot for a while, would the air be able to get me back up vs hydraulics? The bottom of the SnoBear probably has less stuff to get froze in too. Ice fishing is a serious test of gear..dlb wrote: ↑Tue Dec 10, 2019 8:13 pmDo it!splatterdog wrote: ↑Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:04 pm Cool that there's a kit. After watching the vid it would easily add a Snobear feature to the IceHawk (see my post in projects). I'm generally anti air suspension, but humm..
There's already enough wow factor for me and I still have other fish to fry on this project. It will linger in the back of my mind though!