DIY: Airlift 1000 for Lowered Car (or how to adjust rear height in seconds with coilovers)

[kilimats]

This is not the usual mod you found out here where being LOWER is the PRIMARY GOAL

This mod will allow your car to be lowered on spring/coilover while carrying heavy weight in the back (camping trip / towing a trailer / etc...)

Before this mod, I would always spin the rear perch up max manually when camping, that would take me a good 1/2 hour and sometimes would barely be enough to prevent the tire from rubbing.

After this mod, it would just be a matter of inflating the tubes to a higher PSI, I haven't tested the airlift 1000 with the trunk full but I can tell already that it will support more weight without rubbing tires.

So here are few reasons why you would be doing this with your lowered car:

1- You often carry heavy weight in the trunk
2- You tow a trailer
3- You raise your car every winter (with airlift you'll do the job in half the time)
4- Your suspension is saggy in the rear resulting in rubbing tires, Airlift should make it a little stiffer and prevent that

Let's get to work !

1: First thing is to contact the AIRLIFT manufacturer to find out what kit will work with your stance and coilover/springs. You'll have to tell them the inside diameter and height of the coil at ride height (installed as the car sits in the driveway; no additional cargo/passengers): http://www.airliftcompany.com/contact.php
I got Raceland coilovers, The inner diameter of the spring UNCOMPRESSED is 3.5in and the coil height with the car seating on a flat surface (not jacked) is 3.5in from the top of the perch (cut as shown in the picture below) to the rubber part at the top of the spring. I gave them those measurement and was told to get the Airlift 1000 kit 80754 which needs 5.5 inches in heigh in the compressed spring.

2: you purchased your kit, next we need to cut the perch to make enough room for the bag inside the compressed spring unless you don't use the perch at all of course (I had to try a few cuts to avoid affecting my stance, the less you cut the higher your car will be at the lowest PSI).




3: Now we need to insert the bag inside the spring, using your knee, compress the bag and slide in using a stick to force it inside, don't be shy here, you'll have push hard, here is the final result



4: Drill a hole above the spring to route the air line to the bags



5: Now connect the airlines to the bags and couplers, it's all explained in the manual and is very easy to do. You also have the option to run the lines separably using two air-valve (without coupler), doing so will isolate the bags resulting in more stable cornering, see comments posted down below for more info.




6: connect the air line to the inflation valve (choose your favorite spot, I liked this one for being hidden and easy to access). Airlift provide everything, you just need your tools




7: Test the setup by inflating it (lowest PSI while driving for my airlift kit is 5 and highest is 35, your kit might be different)



8: Protect the air line with plastic wire loom and zip ties



9: Enjoy (shown below is airlift @ 35psi)


and here is the car seating with 5 PSI



10: If the stance is is ****ed up at the lowest PSI, remove the lower red protector if the perch surface is flat (like the pic below, so it doesn't damage the bag), that way the bag will have more room inside the spring

[TheLaughingMan]

you crazy man. droppin your rear axle without unclipping your abs sensor cable. just plain dangerous.

love the ride and the point of functionality that you will not sacrifice.

[gxblade]

Cutting racelands and using el cheapo bags has be concerned more than the whole ABS wire issue

[TheLaughingMan]

he only cut the rear perches, not the coils themselves. the bags sure look cheap but the company seems legit, and because the springs are still in there the bags are never lifting the whole weight. also if one DID blow because they're linked both sides would go down. not saying it wouldn't be scary as all heck and you might damage your muffler on your way down . . .

[gxblade]

he only cut the rear perches, not the coils themselves. the bags sure look cheap but the company seems legit, and because the springs are still in there the bags are never lifting the whole weight. also if one DID blow because they're linked both sides would go down. not saying it wouldn't be scary as all heck and you might damage your muffler on your way down . . .

I know. I just think this whole concept of seeing how cheap you can accomplish low suspension is not a good idea. There is a point where you start doing stuff so dumb that you are asking for something to happen.

[kilimats]

Ya, I realized after that the abs cable was stretched, I was lucky this time, lesson learned

And yes, if one bag fail or if the air lines get ****ed, the car would drop, I don't see how it would damage anything though, just tire rubbing I guess (unless i got a massive trailer behind lol)

About the bag quality, it is VERY sturdy, no worry there, It will last

[White Jetta]

Dude, this is simply an incredibly brilliant idea. And the install of the lines and air valve is as close to an OEM setup as any i've seen

[Greg_J]

Dude, this is simply an incredibly brilliant idea. And the install of the lines and air valve is as close to an OEM setup as any i've seen

this is needed for wagon owners...

this is what i had to do with my cupkit if i wanted to carry stuff around without scraping my hitch:

[TheLaughingMan]

this is needed for wagon owners...

this is what i had to do with my cupkit if i wanted to carry stuff around without scraping my hitch:

this looks like the best way to break a spring i've ever seen. did you put a chunk of aluminum or something in the spring itself to prevent full compression? that must be making all sorts of very localized forces on the spring.

[nolangherity]

measurements aired up and down?

[Dr.Frag]

This idea seems great, the only thing that worries me is that since both bags are running in the same line, the air might tend to shift from one bag to the other when cornering. Similar to running one valve front just the fronts when doing air ride.

[TheLaughingMan]

This idea seems great, the only thing that worries me is that since both bags are running in the same line, the air might tend to shift from one bag to the other when cornering. Similar to running one valve front just the fronts when doing air ride.

but he's doing this on a solid rear axle. there'd be much less shifting than would occur in the independent front suspension on these cars.

[Dr.Frag]

If there is body roll, there is a tendency for it to happen.

[kilimats]

^ I'll take the measurement today

About the cornering thing, good point there. the Airlift kit comes with a second valve, so you can keep the air lines separated like shown in the picture below. Here is the other guy setup using OEM springs: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=110896

I used one airvalve for mine to reduce the inflation/deflation time and ensure both suspension have the exact same psi, maybe not a good idea. I'll contact the manufacture to ask them if what you say is true

EDIT: got a response from them, here is it

This can and will certainly happen to some extent; however it is minimal and is not a typical complaint we get or a cause of any issues. It is a matter of personal preference, but unless your load is fairly uneven on a regular basis from right to left I don’t think this change is necessary.

[nolangherity]

**** a measurement. does this lift the car at all? the pictures arent very clear

[kilimats]

^ haha, yes it does. But keep in mind that the idea is to keep the stance the same with a heavy load, not create gaps

@ 5 psi, i can put one finger in the gap

@ 35psi, the whole hand as pictured

I'll take measurements anyway and update first post with better pictures

[nolangherity]

word can i use the same **** without perches? it would be cool to use my backseat sometimes.

[kilimats]

If you meant taking the screwing perch support off, then yes. That way you could go lower too by grinding the perch even more

[nolangherity]

i dont have any of that. i just put the raceland spring in where the oem spring was and lowered my jack.

[kilimats]

^ That should work too i guess, I always thought that running without perch was CRAZY ! but the OEM spring don't use perch so im stupid

Just make sure to do step #1, contact the manufacture to find out the kit that fit your setup

[nolangherity]

^ That should work too i guess, I always thought that running without perch was CRAZY ! but the OEM spring don't use perch so im stupid

yeah common sense > vortex knowledge every time.

Just make sure to do step #1, contact the manufacture to find out the kit that fit your setup

however, this time im going to trust the internet and buy the same ones you got. if they dont work im blaming you.

[kilimats]

^ blame urself for not following the DIY

[LouieTHEkid]

[kilimats]

got a response from the manufacture regarding the cornering air pressure issue mentioned above, here is their reply:

This can and will certainly happen to some extent; however it is minimal and is not a typical complaint we get or a cause of any issues. It is a matter of personal preference, but unless your load is fairly uneven on a regular basis from right to left I don’t think this change is necessary.

[Dr.Frag]

got a response from the manufacture regarding the cornering air pressure issue mentioned above, here is their reply:

Just keep a eye on it, if it happens too often or too drastically, you know what to do.

[kilimats]

^ true enough, I've updated the first post. But I doubt I'll have problems. Our cars don't carry crazy loads even trunk/rack maxed out, should be OK

[kilimats]

First post updated with more info.

I swapped my wheel the other day and checked the airlift bag condition, barely any scratches, this thing will last a LONG time

I also compared the ride comfort at 35psi and 5psi. It definitely makes the rear stiffer, good for achieving perfect stance without rubbing tires

[DuB fresh]

Im assuming these wont work if i wanted to put them in my ultimos and sit at 23 ftg?

[kilimats]

Im assuming these wont work if i wanted to put them in my ultimos and sit at 23 ftg?

you' ll find out by doing step 1 on the DIY

[jun_1.8T]

i really want to do this to my car as i sometimes use it for family trips. i got racelands right now too without the rear perch so i guess i could get the same kit as you. just have a few questions though....do i need to put in the protector peice if i dont have any perches? did it ever leak air on you? and will i have my original stance when it is at its lowest setting of 5psi?

thanks in advance for the help.

[kilimats]

i really want to do this to my car as i sometimes use it for family trips. i got racelands right now too without the rear perch so i guess i could get the same kit as you. just have a few questions though....do i need to put in the protector peice if i dont have any perches? did it ever leak air on you? and will i have my original stance when it is at its lowest setting of 5psi?

thanks in advance for the help.

If you remove the protector piece within the spring, the bag won't support your car as much when fully inflated, I recall trying without and the car would barely lift when inflating it. Best route for you is to keep the proctector without the perch, that should work pretty good

[jun_1.8T]

If you remove the protector piece within the spring, the bag won't support your car as much when fully inflated, I recall trying without and the car would barely lift when inflating it. Best route for you is to keep the proctector without the perch, that should work pretty good

thanks...but at 5psi do i keep my original stance?

[kilimats]

thanks...but at 5psi do i keep my original stance?

You will if the bag is not too compressed vertically in the spring, with my raceland spring, the airlift bag was not putting pressure on the upper and lower mount while at 5psi. so your stance will just be as low if that's what you worried about

[jun_1.8T]

You will if the bag is not too compressed vertically in the spring, with my raceland spring, the airlift bag was not putting pressure on the upper and lower mount while at 5psi. so your stance will just be as low if that's what you worried about

Thanks a lot.

[Matt_Dubbing_Lopez]

Ordered my set, gonna try this. 80754 is the smallest bag they make (5inx3.5in).
Thanks!