Air ride suspension?

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BaileySims
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Air ride suspension?

Post by BaileySims »

I am currently thinking of going for a full air ride suspension set up. I have found what seems to be a set of front air ride shocks that are apparently bolt ons but I have never seen a picture of them. They are going for $799 on eBay. The rear bag setup is going to have to be custom I'm sure. I called a local shop last week for an estimate and the had told me somewhere in the ballpark of $2900 to $3500.I really don't want to shell out that much because all the parts I have currently looked up add up to nowhere near that amount. I'm assuming all I would need are the front and rear bags, pressure gauges, a tank, two compressors, lines and solenoids? Has anyone ever attempted this before? I just want to do it because it is something different. Especially on a Terc.
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Mattel
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by Mattel »

I have very similar to these on the back of my Corolla All Trac (same rear end as the Tercel 4wd and they are excellent. http://www.hemiperformance.com.au/store ... -Absorbers. They usually go for around $300 on ebay AUS but you might be lucky like I was and get some new old stock. I adjust them at the service station through the tyre type valve but you could easily build in a compressor.
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
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BrownBadger
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by BrownBadger »

Here is a semi recent thread with some ideas for this.

viewtopic.php?t=9519
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splatterdog
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by splatterdog »

A T4 isn't different enough on it's own?? To spend what it takes to buy a rust free car, to greatly decrease reliability? Don't have any advice, most of my air suspension experience is converting to springs. Or the ever popular 2k rear shock jobs on Suburban/Tahoe/Escalade.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I just don't get it!
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BaileySims
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by BaileySims »

Mattel. How was the ride height difference? Can you run those stand alone without the rear springs or is that too much weight for those to handle?

BrownBadger. I started to look through that thread as soon as you posted it. I couldn't see any of the pictures he posted after he did the work to the suspension so I don't know what kind of look he was going for. I am more along the lines trying to do something like this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjhrbArY5yI If that's what scrapz was actually doing then I should just email him for further information. I'm not trying to lay frame or anything but having the tires tuck automatically after dropping would be nice, just don't know what the hell i am going to do wheel and tire wise just yet. I just bought the tank, compressors and solenoids today. I'm trying to get everything I need so as soon as my car is done at the paint shop, I can just pick it up and get to work ASAP.

splatterdog. You're absolutely right about the t4's being such a unique car. I am starting to think that where i live, i might be the only one in my whole city to have a drivable one. That's a city of over 670k people too! I'm just trying to go a different route with this terc. Its definitely not going to be my daily driver after i am done with everything either. Just a weekend warrior. I'm not all about going off-roading and as for the weather here, well there virtually is none. Its either hot or cold year round. Little to no rain or anything else. I don't believe what i want to do is going to decrease the reliability as long as i do it right. Meh, to each his own I guess.
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Petros
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by Petros »

if you go to the wrecking yard and spend some time there you can find what you need to adapt the tercel to air adjustable. there are many cars, the Mazda MPV 4x4 for one, that has a 12 volt air compressor stock, fairly reliable. Rear air adjustable shocks are not too costly, you just need to find some way to make the front adjustable too. they make some whole struts for the subaru (and others I am sure) that are air ajdustable. It would take some cutting and welding to make it work, but if you have welding skills, you likely can get it done for less than $500.

beware that raising the front too much will dame both the strut seals and the cv joints because of the angle. so in the front, at best, it would be good for just crossing a creek and than lowering it back down. Raising the rear should not be a problem, as long as you do not run out of suspension travel/geometry issues.

I ran across some subaru air adjust able front struts at a garage sale of all places for $100. I almost bought them to try them out, but I realized I do not have the time to experiment like that and my welding skills are not very good, so I would have to pay someone to weld up new mounts for me. I just want it for the occasional deep snow and high water crossings. That way I can drive around "stock" and than raise it up just when I need it.
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atoyta
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by atoyta »

I have a set of the monroe air shocks that I ran for a while. They are a fairly harsh ride when you increase the pressure. I have a set of air bags that fit in the rear coils on my 1990 4runner which is an exact copy of the wagon rear suspension (only larger). Those work very nicely. Wonder if you could find a set to fit the tercel coils. Mine are made by air lift & came with a small air compressor. They lift the runner about 4 inches at 40lb.
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by BaileySims »

Petros - I wish I would have thought of something like that before I got shop-happy a few days ago and already bought a VIAIR tank and compressor set up. -_- The air ride kind of route I want to go is to completely get rid of all the springs and replace them with bags. In scrapz thread, he had found a pair of bags that replace the front strut springs, but I have no idea if he ever bought them and hooked them up. As for the rear, I wanted to just pull out the springs, get a universal axle mount kit, weld it on and pop some bags in there. I have found a good looking set but with my car being at the paint shop, I can't get any measurements or general idea of what i want to do. SO for now I am at a stand still. As for welding, hell, I went out a bought a welder a few months ago and have still yet to even turn it on. Haha! I should probably go practice! All I need to know is the axle tube size? Not sure how that's measured but it sure would be sweet to know that it is in the 2.75 to 3.25 inch range.

I want to get the exact look that littlered4wd had when i think he had taken the springs completely out and was just riding on the bump stops, but fully adjustable from that low, up.


EDIT: I also had sent an e-mail to scrapz, not knowing that he hasn't been back on the site now for almost 2 years. Might take a little time to get back to me.
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Tercel__jon
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by Tercel__jon »

I think your best option, would be head to the yard, and find a vehicle with the same size or shorter strut thats more common, and see if they make bagged struts for it. Of course, you could make your own, but that might be a little more intensive then you want.
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Mattel
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by Mattel »

The ride with my Monroes is really good and firm damping like I like it with no rebound, I leave it on minimum air pressure about 30psi and it rests at the height of the saggy stock springs that i have in it (about 1" lower than normal) while with 100psi it rides about 4" higher and is to firm for normal driving but is good if I have two people in the back or towing something etc. I recommend them.
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BaileySims
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by BaileySims »

One last question before I return with the build pics on my suspension setup.

Which year rear axle is identical to the 84 sr5? Is it the 80s corolla or the 80s celica supra?

Thanks.
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mtc1984
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by mtc1984 »

i know im new here but i will chime in.. they make a special strut bag thats a bag inside bag. You have to mod the strut perches a bit to use them. these replace the coil spring in a mcpherson style suspension. to use them you also need the special cups if you cant make them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Air-S ... 0953809396

http://www.universalairsuspension.com/s ... -p-43.html

the problem with air shocks is the shock mounts really are not designed to carry the weight of the car once the coil spring is not under load
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by Gottolovem »

That's great info have you done this to your Tercel?
If so how about photos :oldgeek:
mtc1984
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by mtc1984 »

not on a tercel but i have used them on other strut equipped cars.
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BaileySims
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Re: Air ride suspension?

Post by BaileySims »

mtc1984 wrote:i know im new here but i will chime in.. they make a special strut bag thats a bag inside bag. You have to mod the strut perches a bit to use them. these replace the coil spring in a mcpherson style suspension. to use them you also need the special cups if you cant make them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Air-S ... 0953809396

http://www.universalairsuspension.com/s ... -p-43.html

the problem with air shocks is the shock mounts really are not designed to carry the weight of the car once the coil spring is not under load



Ayyyy. I was looking at those in the beginning but I was looking for a route that took the least cutting and welding. I have all the equipment but I am definitely not up to par with that as of yet. I have been currently dealing with airbagit.com. I bought the front set of the bolt on struts with bags for 799. I called back today about the rear set and he told me to go to this link... http://www.airbagit.com/mobile/Category.aspx?id=1154

In there are the categories of the 80s celica, celica supra and the corolla. He didn't specify which one I needed though.
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