Is air-bag suspension actually legal?

[OzJavelin]

In the mornings I drive past a Statey and SS ute parked on the side of the road which *must* have air-bag suspension .. they both just basically sit on the ground. Are air-bags actually legal for passenger vehicles in Australia?

[OLS108]

Pretty sure you can have them Engineered

[IIV8II]

Plenty of semi trailers and tourist coaches have them! :lmao:

Yes, if engineered: ie installed correctly and legally AND with the paperwork 'clean'

[HRT 8]

In the mornings I drive past a Statey and SS ute parked on the side of the road which *must* have air-bag suspension .. they both just basically sit on the ground. Are air-bags actually legal for passenger vehicles in Australia?

Both black cars? If so then youd be a bendigo local??

[vh-holden]

citroens had them from the factory. one came into a car yard i was working in and i'd take it whenever i could to do errands. i'd park, dump the suspension and giggle like a school girl.

[OzJavelin]

Both black cars? If so then youd be a bendigo local??
Yup .. and yup. Yesteday the ute had the back in the air and the front on the ground. Today it was just on the ground. It's quite weird seeing it actually ..

[vt350phantom]

I've seen a late model statey around syd CBD with hydraulics. I suppose that is legal too????

[the big fist]

Our 20T articulated road cranes have airbag suspension. :)

[V8torana]

Wasn't Jason Gray's SC Monaro fully engineered and legal with the airbag suspension in it????

[VZSS_Freak]

Hey there,

Yep ur defintily a bendigo local, i drive passed them 2 same cars to work everyday, one day the ute, is literally sitting on it rear bumper, then next the rear is high off the ground, Oh, i can tell you the Ute, sounds a ripper hearing it start up, absoutly amazing, and beaut looking car!


Cheers
VZSS

[bambam]

That ute and statie belong to JHP1 dont they?

[Vulture]

citroens had them from the factory. one came into a car yard i was working in and i'd take it whenever i could to do errands. i'd park, dump the suspension and giggle like a school girl.

That's a hydraulic system in the Citroens. A phenomenal car, the DS.

[pah]

So what's the advantage with airbag suspension? I guess it would be handy to be able to pump up ride height to clear crook driveways such as the Shell servo driveway on Kissing Pt Rd Dundas. My exhaust scrapes and I'm running standard height FE2.

How does it affect handling? That's the big question. If the suspension is lowered, is it soft and mushy? If it's pumped up hard, does that lift ride height?

I think I'd prefer a nice set of prgressive rate springs and good quality shocks.




PAH

[OzJavelin]

Oh, i can tell you the Ute, sounds a ripper hearing it start up, absoutly amazing..When I live down near Gisborne a couple of years ago one of the "boys" down there decided that his GenIII ute (in B&S confg with roobar, rollbar lights, Bundy stickers, etc) would sound better with the baffles in the mufflers removed .. or that's what it sounded like. Nothing this side of a Harley was that loud .. but it didn't really sound good!!!

[Sonic_Brew]

Ive seen a bus lowering one side for a wheelchair. He couldnt get it right so he was going from std height to low, back n fourth trying to get it right... looked like a bad transit hip hop video.


Im a bit turned off from airbags, have heard they need a bit of maintenance and can give out (see drop to the road) if they fail. I think i remember someone saying this happened at over 100kph to the front passenger side. Thats not to say you cant get decent ones from reputable places, might just cost a lot more.

Yes, Jason Grey's was fully engineered and "STREET" legal.

[badnews]

airbags are legal provided if they are fitted to a car that wasnt released with them it has an engineers certificate.
hydraulics are very much illegal.
and airbags ruin the handling of your car. they are a bit of a novelty and are handy if you come up to a crazy driveway but the car will never handle as good as with a conventional suspension setup. i would never dream of putting them on any decent car unless it was mostly a show car or something you drive on weekends

[seldo]

citroens had them from the factory. one came into a car yard i was working in and i'd take it whenever i could to do errands. i'd park, dump the suspension and giggle like a school girl. But have you driven one when they have failed and it's sitting on its guts..? Not pretty... :headbang: Same with the old 300SEL Benzes...they also used to collapse onto their belly. Bloody cheap to fix too....:shock:

[MRSS]

Is this them?
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/jhp1/DSC00811.jpg

[RhysB]

and airbags ruin the handling of your car. they are a bit of a novelty and are handy if you come up to a crazy driveway but the car will never handle as good as with a conventional suspension setup.

Spoken by someone who clearly has never owned a bagged car.
My last ute (VU) had them (fully adjustable, and very fast system) and it handled great. Took it to the track and ran 11.2 too. Very versatile system, but setting it at the right height takes some getting used to.
Never got hassled by the cops either. Got pulled over by the hoon task force, and they didnt even have a clue. As long as you dont flick the switches like a madman, you shouldnt get hassled.
I never got mine engineered tho. I dont think you can up in QLD, but as with all mods, you run the gauntlet.

[VooDoo]

Did they say anything about the note Rhys? Your car always sounded awesome but was pretty loud and over the limit (like mine is now). I havent had any issues yet and even got a thumbs up from one copper but again, you run the gauntlet.

Are you going for airbags again on the new car ?

[VZSS_Freak]

Is this them?
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/jhp1/DSC00811.jpg

Yep, thats them, beauties eh, love driving passed them every day! :D

Cheers
VZSS

[RhysB]

Did they say anything about the note Rhys? Your car always sounded awesome but was pretty loud and over the limit (like mine is now). I havent had any issues yet and even got a thumbs up from one copper but again, you run the gauntlet.

Are you going for airbags again on the new car ?

At the time I got booked for too low, and too loud. Both easy fixes tho.
And yep, will probably get them done again :D

[JHP1]

Hey guys haven't been on here for a little while. Yes they're mine. The utes bagged and yes when you get them engineered you shouldnt have any probs with Mr Plod. The Statey however is not Bagged would love to but I bought it for the girlfriend and shes the reason sometimes you see the ute with its a*s in the air she just pumps it up as far as it'll go and leaves it gives me the s#its. So I couldnt trust her to control them properly. They take a little time to get the ride height just right but once youve found what pressure thats it your set. I installed mine because I was getting hassled when I had a lot of gear in the back it would sit too low. Now I just pump it up as far as handling goes they handle great not qiuite as good as when i had the adjustable gear under it but not much worse. Ride quality however is miles better than FE2s or the lowered springs. i ran a 12.8 in it with street tyres and airbags on and big heavy 19" mags I dont think The springs would change that time much depending on what pressure you dialled in

[JHP1]

Oh and the exhaust is a twin 3" diFillippo with DiFillippo extractors and high flows many people have told me its the best sounding exhaust they've heard I like it so thats all that matters to me its crisp deep and doesnt drone.
Cheers
Jase

[JHP1]

Also Seldo it they're set up properly and an air bag fails completely as in deflates completely the car will stil drive albeit in a straight line unless you want to tear your front gaurds happened to me with the first kit I had from airbaggit the ones that advertise in street machine absolute garbage in my opinion I swapped them for air ride technologies stuff miles better product all CNC billet stuts etc fit better and work as they are intended to.

[OzJavelin]

Hey guys haven't been on here for a little while. Yes they're mine. The utes bagged and yes when you get them engineered you shouldnt have any probs with Mr Plod. The Statey however is not Bagged would love to but I bought it for the girlfriend and shes the reason sometimes you see the ute with its a*s in the air she just pumps it up as far as it'll go and leaves it gives me the s#its. So I couldnt trust her to control them properly. They take a little time to get the ride height just right but once youve found what pressure thats it your set. I installed mine because I was getting hassled when I had a lot of gear in the back it would sit too low. Now I just pump it up as far as handling goes they handle great not qiuite as good as when i had the adjustable gear under it but not much worse. Ride quality however is miles better than FE2s or the lowered springs. i ran a 12.8 in it with street tyres and airbags on and big heavy 19" mags I dont think The springs would change that time much depending on what pressure you dialled inStill "freaks me out" everytime I see that ute sitting on the road! Good on ya for the engineering cert! :)

Rod.

[JHP1]

Hey Ozjavelin do you work in Bendigo? Where n what do you do stop in on your way past I'll show you how they work.

[vh-holden]

That's a hydraulic system in the Citroens. A phenomenal car, the DS.

oh. that's even cooler then!!! upgrade the pumps and bounce :p

[JHP1]

I love the old DS's cool old car miles ahead of their time superb ridequality for such an old car

[vh-holden]

But have you driven one when they have failed and it's sitting on its guts..? Not pretty... :headbang: Same with the old 300SEL Benzes...they also used to collapse onto their belly. Bloody cheap to fix too....:shock:

i did drive it at its lowest height setting. was a horrible ride, but not out of control.

[OzJavelin]

Hey Ozjavelin do you work in Bendigo? Where n what do you do stop in on your way past I'll show you how they work.
Do you want to get out of bed at 6:50am when I drive past your house :) I'll beep the horn if you like :)

[JHP1]

No worries mate Im usually up and about I start about 7 - 7.30 Im in the van thugh normally.

[buster]

So what's the advantage with airbag suspension? I guess it would be handy to be able to pump up ride height to clear crook driveways such as the Shell servo driveway on Kissing Pt Rd Dundas. My exhaust scrapes and I'm running standard height FE2.

How does it affect handling? That's the big question. If the suspension is lowered, is it soft and mushy? If it's pumped up hard, does that lift ride height?

I think I'd prefer a nice set of prgressive rate springs and good quality shocks.




PAH
Just sold an 03 F250 that I had fitted air bag suspension to. Fully legal. The type that sits between the stock springs and the chassis rail .Anything over a couple of hundred kilos and the back would start to drop noticeably. Got sick of people flashing me at night thinking I had high beam on, on long runs. It worked great! Yes, lifted the ride hieght and when pumped did affect handling. The more wieght you had in the back, the more air pressure you put in and the stiffer the ride got.I noticed the car had less body roll and sat flatter in corners and of course didnt soak up the bumps as per usual. Offroad had you bouncing around in the cab a lot more. Im in the process of buying a lowered 01 SS ute and I will definately be looking at some sort of pump up add on to increase load carrying capacity when needed to save the exhaust system etc from damage. :thumbsup:

[JHP1]

You can get bags that go inside your rear springs for the rears they help with load carrying Pedders have them theyre a different set up to this where you replace the spring with an airbag

[IIV8II]

airbags ruin the handling of your car. they


RIIIIGHHTTT. Tell that to the Land Rover, multiple Australian 4WDOTY winner for its bagged Discovery...

[JHP1]

Exactly airbags dont ruin yourr handling your only replacing the spring coil with a rebound rubber bag so long as you have pressures right it should handle well, mines pretty good a lot better than the crappy FE2 that it came with anyway.

[HRT 8]

Exactly airbags dont ruin yourr handling your only replacing the spring coil with a rebound rubber bag so long as you have pressures right it should handle well, mines pretty good a lot better than the crappy FE2 that it came with anyway.

I will concur with the above statement.
I drove a VT clubby fitted with air bags a couple of weeks ago.
The ride comfort was great for the height of the vehicle. It was sitting very low and I would class it no firmer than normal FE2. I was very surprised at this.
We gave it a bit of a punt around corners and if I didnt know there was bags in it, I would never have guessed.

[JHP1]

Hey Ozjavelin was that you that tooted this morning? :wave:

[Y2kGoofball]

yep as mentioned their legal and yes, Discos have them ... well higher spec Disco 3's and Rangies. The reason for it in the Land Rovers is because they become useful for multi purposing. They automatically drop with the ignition off for easier access in/out. They raise to a comfortable highway driving height and they raise again for off roading to give better clearance ANd they can still pull 3.5 tonne of trailer behind you ... in comfort!

They also auto adjust according to speed and conditions, and err, due to malfunctions!

One of the mechanics at work did it to a beamer. Must admit good job but as mentioned toe he encountered numerous problems. Compressor was too small, tank was too small so it took 3 seconds to drop and 3 minutes to raise.

Guards were chewed out, as were his 20" tyres. I dont know how a modified Commodore would go with them, from the sounds of it from the guy whose got 2 they go ok! I know the Discos are exceptional then again theyve been designed for that system.

[rteuma]

I just bought airbags for my vy ss from air ride in melbs which i will be fitting myself. They seem to be the best guys to go with. I've heard that in victoria you have to fit the auto level kit also which sets ya back about $1200 so i decided not to. I havent rang up any engineers yet but im keen to see what they have to say about what i need to do to get the car fully engineered. One thing about getting the airbags engineered they have to go over the whole car!
Ill post soem pics up when i fit them too

[badnews]

RIIIIGHHTTT. Tell that to the Land Rover, multiple Australian 4WDOTY winner for its bagged Discovery...

obviously thats gonna be a slightly different setup to what you get in a bagged commodore. i suppose we should compare kenworths with bagged commys now too then hey.


Exactly airbags dont ruin yourr handling your only replacing the spring coil with a rebound rubber bag so long as you have pressures right it should handle well, mines pretty good a lot better than the crappy FE2 that it came with anyway.

i probably shouldnt of said ruined your handling, what i meant is good springs and shocks are always going to outhandle bags, at this point in time anyways. i havent seen many track or drag cars with airbags. obviously my setup in my hilux would be alot different from a commodore, all i know is my hilux never drove the same again. i suppose the bags that are available now are leaps and bounds ahead of what was available when i got mine which might also explain why mine doesnt handle as well as people are suggesting here.

[V-Car]

Many cars these days have airbag suspension, so if engineered properly, they must be legal.
An old 1990 Lexus LS400 i have, has it standard with height adjust and electronically adjustable shocks.
Here is a front strut from it.

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~reccie/strut2.JPG

[Slammer]

Air bag suspension is legal in all states

To get them passed you need to have self levelling that has no manual controls for each corner
The car must adjust for load changes so it retains min 100mm ride height when loaded
The car must adjust all 4 wheels at once
DW customs in Vic supply fit and engineer them and have had Commodores passed already
You don't need to spend $1200 on self levelling
DW has the ACCUAIR self levelling for $1050 outright or $850 as a upgrade


All factory cars with bags have self levelling

The handling depends on three things
The right pressure
The right shocks
The right size bag for the car it is fitted too

If the bag is too small for the strut you will need a stiffer shock to control it as the higher running pressure = a stiffer ride
I have a TSS kit with the tripple convoluted bags at the front and Slam Specialties RE7's at the rear
Even with 20" and 35 profile tires it handle better and rides smoother than the FE2 suspension did with the 17" and 45 profile tires
I have had my WH bagged now for 18 months and would not go back to springs

Some posts mentioned the quality of the bags in some kits aren't as good
I have seen a few of these copies around when I looked into bagging
All of them are copies of Firestone bags and don't have the Firestone logo on the side of them
They are also very easy to squueze between your finger and thumb when they have no pressure in them as they are thinner in construction than the genuine Firestones

You definaltley get what you pay for when it come to bag systems
Do you home work