{"id":38842,"date":"2021-10-13T23:07:52","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T04:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emanualonline.com\/blog\/?p=38842"},"modified":"2024-11-14T13:18:26","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T18:18:26","slug":"what-are-the-differences-between-air-and-hydraulic-suspensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emanualonline.com\/blog\/what-are-the-differences-between-air-and-hydraulic-suspensions","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Differences Between Air and Hydraulic Suspensions"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the old days, you could often see cars dragging their rear end, almost bottoming on the tarmac by overloading the suspension<\/a>. It was a common sight as vehicles were much bigger back then, and the living was easy. As a result of the massive trunks, many families used their vehicles for moving furniture<\/a> or other heavy cargo.<\/p>\n

These days, the same visual effect is achieved using a different technique and for a totally different (and sometimes unexplainable) purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, we don\u2019t exactly say that slamming your car or making it jump in the air is good for the mechanics, but to each his own, right? Consequently, we are not here to judge but to explain how vital suspensions are and what can be done to enhance or completely alter a suspension system into something completely bonkers while staying (relatively) safe.<\/p>\n

For a start, we\u2019ll discuss the most exciting (and over-the-top) suspension customizations here \u2014 air and hydraulic.<\/p>\n

Back to the Basics<\/h2>\n

The primary purpose of a stock suspension is to provide comfort and a safe ride. A car without any kind of suspension would be incredibly hard to control and almost impossible to steer\u2014not to mention that several components would just break after hitting the first pothole. Indeed, the suspension system has a lot more to do than just comfort.<\/p>\n

On a conventional car, the main components are the shock absorbers and coil or leaf springs (the latter is mostly found on older pickup trucks nowadays). However, several high-end cars also come with air and hydraulic suspensions. These act a little differently to achieve the same job and add height adjustment to the mix. Hence, they are often preferred by tuning fans, especially in the hot-rod and lowrider community (not so much on true racers, though, which are better suited with coilovers<\/a> instead).<\/p>\n

\"Slammed<\/a><\/p>\n

How Does an Air Suspension Work?<\/h2>\n

Air suspensions enable big machines to carry much heavier loads and as such, were pioneered on heavy trucks.<\/p>\n

In the case of air suspension, all the metal shock-absorbing bits are replaced with flexible cushions made from textile-reinforced rubber filled with air. The air pressure that the compressor pumps into the air cushions, usually called airbags, is electronically controlled and depends on the load applied on every wheel. In other words, depending on the weight, the compressor will adjust the air pressure in the airbag to keep the vehicle level at all times. This characteristic also means that you can manipulate the height of your vehicle\u2019s suspension on purpose by increasing or lowering the air pressure contained in the airbag. While stock air suspensions often take some time to do their thing, aftermarket ones frequently come with one or two air tanks to store compressed air so it’s available whenever you need it.<\/p>\n

Of course, even though air suspensions are more frequently found on luxury cars and lowriders, it can also be used on a wide range of vehicles for different reasons. Dragging your \u201929 Ford Model Sedan rat rod or your \u201962 Chevy Impala around the hood can be pretty rad as long as you drive on a smooth surface, but once you get to a speed bump, you\u2019ll thank the man who invented this voodoo magic air suspension system. Besides, keeping your 600HP \u201968 Camaro straight through sharp corners is also way easier with air suspensions. You can even slap an air suspension on your 2007 Rubicon for insane approach angles and driving through ditches or on top of rocks.<\/p>\n

Pros and Cons of Air Suspensions<\/h2>\n

Pros<\/h3>\n