Airbag strut suspension

[a.craw4d]

Excuse my ignorance but I couldn’t find the airbag topic.

Does anybody run airbag strut suspension or have any firsthand experience with it?  

https://stealthride.co.nz/products/nissan-silvia-240sx-89-94-s13-air-suspension?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&fbclid=IwVERDUAUj2gZleHRuA2FlbQEwAHBkb2YBZmRpZBZQ8XAFU6bqtyqrmPx2X0rCqTvG6Oo9YWRpZAAAL9awX9w1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHo4RVt3RFlicj9oL0lyWFx8efaooirCGDOiyZFd4B5zKdC0n2q6y00TIenS2_aem_AxBX6n5Tb2nUhYMaXwQBBA
 

Looking at the above setup for a weekend street car and wondering the pros and cons of such a setup.
Initially I was going to go a standard full body adjustable suspension, slammed, and custom air cups so it can be raised to get over speed bumps/ driveways etc.

But thinking the airbags will be less fucking around.

Thoughts?

[shizzl]

Those kits are all generic and just relabelled.

check out Maxload stance. Pretty sure they are the ones that make them then rebadge them for the likes of TSD etc.

quality seems to be good for the price.

Price up the online kit builder to see if you get it cheaper going direct. 
shipping is 2-3weeks

[a.craw4d]

3 hours ago, shizzl said:

Those kits are all generic and just relabelled.

check out Maxload stance. Pretty sure they are the ones that make them then rebadge them for the likes of TSD etc.

quality seems to be good for the price.

Price up the online kit builder to see if you get it cheaper going direct. 
shipping is 2-3weeks

Priced up the suspension kit and air management kit including dual compressors and 3 gallon tank. Came to $2500 USD, about $4400 NZ .

The site however has very little info on any specs or functions. I know I can email and get all that but it’s nice to be able to read it all straight up.

The struts look to be body adjustable but pictures are indicative only. My very limited understanding of airbags is if you want an effective higher spring rate then you run higher pressure, which in turn equals a higher ride height. Here’s where adjustable body would be great. I also want to have a bit of extra height up my sleeve just to negotiate driveways. But otherwise drive around slammed at a certified height.

Educate me.

[shizzl]

Those units have 5 height presets that you set, can opt for 1/4” or 3/8” fittings and hose. Can set it to lift up on start up or drop down when you turn it off. 

3/4/5gal air tank options and also compressor options from singles, twins and 2 different size compressors to choose from. 
P1, P1 pro, and the new rotating controller options. Bluetooth from your phone etc. 

there’s a few videos on YouTube about them with strut use and how adjustable they are. 
 

I have messaged them via WhatsApp, good response and decent English 

 

only thing I can fault is the P1 doesn’t have a driving lock out, so need to rig up a relay to shut it off.

Being the same as the TSD stuff I know what way I’d go

[RXFORD]

9 hours ago, a.craw4d said:

 My very limited understanding of airbags is if you want an effective higher spring rate then you run higher pressure, which in turn equals a higher ride height.

Springrate is progressive with bags. As the bag compresses the springrate increases at the same time as the bags volume decreases and compresses the air inside

Like you mentioned, more pressure, higher springrate but the trade-off is a higher rideheight. 

To soften the springrate but avoid having a higher ride height, you can run a larger volume bag. 80psi in different volume bags will feel wildly different.

Most minitruck guys for example run a smaller bag in front because its easier to mount, then run a bigger bag in rear because theres heaps of room. But thats the wrong way to go about it as you might need 110psi up front to lift the weight of engine etc enough to get turning clearance. So you get high pressure in a smaller volume bag thats going to get compressed/stiffer even more under bump travel.

Then out back, it might only take 40psi to get full lift, but such little pressure in big volume bag makes it super soft and you end up with a heap of body roll. So switching them around and having more volume/less pressure up front, and less volume/more pressure in the rear is the better way to go.

 

The other way to adjust springrate is with a bellcrank/cantilever setup where you can adjust the ratio easily or have multiple mounting points on a-arm. Don't have that luxury with McPherson struts though. 

 

 

[RXFORD]

As for kits, I just piece togethor my own for whatever application.

I have an s13 here I have been doing for a while. BC struts with the common m53x2 threaded body, and Universal Air bags and billet thread on mounts. Its reasonably cut up and modified though to get it down more. Same deal with my Lexus.

BC stuff is decent and has been around a while now. Same with Universal Air. Theres tricks that can be done to the BC upper and lower mounts on some struts to get the cars sitting lower. Universal Air has a bunch of bags available, just gotta measure what sort of travel you need and match something up. Their bags can be used on stock struts too as they are fully sealed, just need to weld a lower mount to the strut body.

Kits generally don't go low enough for my liking so I don't use them. But I can see the benefits for people with lesser ability. Bolt in, connect some wires and away ya go. I would imagine Airlift would have strut kit for the Silvias. 

For the air management side I'd only bother with the Airlift 3H (arm sensor) system which I have in my Lexus, Accuair (arm sensor) system or just a simple momentary switch setup with gauges to manually set your height. Pressure based levelling systems are pretty rubbish. I don't want to subject my customers having China levelling systems that will only be around for a couple years in their rides so I don't use any off-brand stuff.

 

 

 

 

[cletus]

19 hours ago, a.craw4d said:

Priced up the suspension kit and air management kit including dual compressors and 3 gallon tank. Came to $2500 USD, about $4400 NZ .

The site however has very little info on any specs or functions. I know I can email and get all that but it’s nice to be able to read it all straight up.

The struts look to be body adjustable but pictures are indicative only. My very limited understanding of airbags is if you want an effective higher spring rate then you run higher pressure, which in turn equals a higher ride height. Here’s where adjustable body would be great. I also want to have a bit of extra height up my sleeve just to negotiate driveways. But otherwise drive around slammed at a certified height.

Educate me.

The body adjustable part is handy for setting up the bump stop height so the tyres dont hit the guards etc 

One thing to keep in mind is strut kits like you are looking at are fairly limited how much travel they have, most of those adjustable setups have around 80mm of travel at the shock. So by the time you set it up to have 40mm bump and 40mm droop, you dont end up with any adjustability as far as your certed height is concerned

[Bling]

You'll know this like the back of your hand Clint, but there is the 1/3 option too that I assume could apply here too? I had to use that on my car due to being low and light and probably slightly too stiff. Any softer though and I think i'd be grading the rural roads.  I also went from five seater to four seater as cert man was more comfortable with less bums on seats with my setup suspension wise. At least that's what I recall from years ago now. I think I was at ~90mm total suspension travel. 

[cletus]

Correct, can set it up with one third of total travel as droop

 

[a.craw4d]

Thanks @RXFORD a lot of food for thought. I like your idea of low but I’m limited to factory bodywork.

From people I’ve spoken to and seen pictures of their setups, I was originally going to go with BC coilovers, and am happy with the amount of low I’ll get. I’m running 15 inch wheels which helps my case in regards to tire rub and clearance issues.  
As a mock up I’ve got R32 skyline front struts minus springs fitted in the rear, and an old set of adjustables wound down in the front until the tires are touching the strut tower bodywork (there’s a seam sticking down into the tire that’ll be getting folded and sealed).

Guard lips are getting rolled to suit but otherwise no rubbing issues.  I’m using this front height as my max bump so ride height will have to be 40mm higher (is that correct?).

Is arm sensors absolutely necessary to maintain the correct height?      I think those maxload kits can be set individually by corner.

 

 

On 27/09/2026 at 12:49, cletus said:

The body adjustable part is handy for setting up the bump stop height so the tyres dont hit the guards etc 

One thing to keep in mind is strut kits like you are looking at are fairly limited how much travel they have, most of those adjustable setups have around 80mm of travel at the shock. So by the time you set it up to have 40mm bump and 40mm droop, you dont end up with any adjustability as far as your certed height is concerned

Would what I said above work or is there more to consider?  
Set them up completely aired out and lower the body adjustable part until tire/car body make contact, wind up say a 10mm safety margin, then add air pressure until reach 40mm bump and droop?

Will do associated suspension mods to support this ride height.  Camber arms on rear (not a fan of stupid camber), extended ball joints all round to drop the lower arms, probably reposition the steering rack as well, spacers, offset or high misalignment rack ends.

[a.craw4d]

Current static height.

Rear. Note it’s sitting on 50mm wooden blocks so mud flaps will need a trim.

 

Front. Tire is sitting hard up against a body seam atm.

 Genuine barn dust for added value.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

also

Edited September 28 by a.craw4d

[shizzl]

Correct The maxload can be adjusted on each corner to set each preset.

I’ll be making a cover that locks out the corner adjuster buttons so that the only buttons accessible are the Menu and up/down/preset buttons. 
 

 

[a.craw4d]

Just found the air bag chat

can all this thread be moved into there?

 

@RXFORD and Clint @cletus  Am I on the right track in the above post?

In regards to cert, I’m taking by what Paul said it needs some kind of speed controlled lock out so you can’t F with it while driving above X kph?

[cletus]

Have a read of the car construction manual, the suspension chapter has all the air suspension requirements in it

 

https://lvvta.org.nz/documents/nz-car-construction-manual/NZ-Car-Construction-Manual-CH6-Suspension-Systems.pdf

 

 

[cletus]

On 28/09/2026 at 20:16, a.craw4d said:

Thanks @RXFORD a lot of food for thought. I like your idea of low but I’m limited to factory bodywork.

From people I’ve spoken to and seen pictures of their setups, I was originally going to go with BC coilovers, and am happy with the amount of low I’ll get. I’m running 15 inch wheels which helps my case in regards to tire rub and clearance issues.  
As a mock up I’ve got R32 skyline front struts minus springs fitted in the rear, and an old set of adjustables wound down in the front until the tires are touching the strut tower bodywork (there’s a seam sticking down into the tire that’ll be getting folded and sealed).

Guard lips are getting rolled to suit but otherwise no rubbing issues.  I’m using this front height as my max bump so ride height will have to be 40mm higher (is that correct?). 40mm of bump travel is one of many considerations for cert, some of which will be up to the certifier ie how much ground clearance it has, the angles on the arms, how it drives, etc 

Is arm sensors absolutely necessary to maintain the correct height?      I think those maxload kits can be set individually by corner. not a requirement to have height sensors, needs something to enable the correct ride height to be set

 

 

Would what I said above work or is there more to consider?  
Set them up completely aired out and lower the body adjustable part until tire/car body make contact, wind up say a 10mm safety margin, then add air pressure until reach 40mm bump and droop? yes that sounds about right

Will do associated suspension mods to support this ride height.  Camber arms on rear (not a fan of stupid camber), extended ball joints all round to drop the lower arms, probably reposition the steering rack as well, spacers, offset or high misalignment rack ends. id avoid anything that changes the geometry or at least have a read up of the effects of moving the rack or pivot points as it makes the cert a lot harder , you may need to do something with rack ends though As they often bind on a lowered s chassis

 

[a.craw4d]

Thanks Clint. Appreciate your help.

 Will have a good read of the car construction manual.