Technical air suspension question regarding lift and damping
03-30-2017, 03:02 AM
#1
Track Day
Thread Starter
Technical air suspension question regarding lift and damping
Can someone explain how the air suspension works in regards to ride height and also damping? in my experience the air shocks from back in the day had only one input which was air pressure that would pick up the rear of your vehicle or lower it with less psi. How did Porsche design a shock that can do more than raise/lower and also adjust the damping with only one air inlet.
I'm looking at using a pair of shocks for a project and would like to know as much as possible about them beforehand.
-Thanks guys
I'm looking at using a pair of shocks for a project and would like to know as much as possible about them beforehand.
-Thanks guys
03-30-2017, 12:46 PM
#2
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They are completely different systems. Air-lift does what you'd expect. Increase or decrease the pressure in an air spring to raise or lower the car. The shock has electronic damping control - controlled by a computer. On the newer systems the suspension also has accelerometers that measure the rate of displacement, allowing the computer to adjust the damping to the road surface. It's not one input - it's an air input and an electronic input. Not all Cayenne air-shocks have the electronic damping. It's often combined as on the turbos, but it was possible to order just air, or air + damping.
03-30-2017, 12:52 PM
#3
Track Day
Thread Starter
Thanks berger,
Just what I was looking to hear. So it's not advisable install air shocks on the back of my CS that currently has steel springs?? Wouldn't be able to adjust the damping without a complicated method of control. It's for a 2004 CS by the way.
Just what I was looking to hear. So it's not advisable install air shocks on the back of my CS that currently has steel springs?? Wouldn't be able to adjust the damping without a complicated method of control. It's for a 2004 CS by the way.
03-30-2017, 09:58 PM
#4
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Who is "berger"?
I'd say it's not advisable. And it would likely be economically impractical unless you got all the parts and labor for free. A '04 CS is worth what now?
If you are just looking for load assistance - there are companies that used to make add-on air-springs designed to work alongside a standard steel spring. I rather doubt if they have a kit for a Cayenne - but 'ya never know, if they made one for the Tourag it might well fit your CS. Google is your friend.
I'd say it's not advisable. And it would likely be economically impractical unless you got all the parts and labor for free. A '04 CS is worth what now?
If you are just looking for load assistance - there are companies that used to make add-on air-springs designed to work alongside a standard steel spring. I rather doubt if they have a kit for a Cayenne - but 'ya never know, if they made one for the Tourag it might well fit your CS. Google is your friend.
04-01-2017, 03:39 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
My Dad had a 72 Plymouth Gran Fury. He had a trailer hitch and air shocks added to tow trailers. It looked just like the car in the moving Thunderbolt and Lightfoot where the owner stop started pulling rabbits out of the trunk and shooting them. With the air shocks it was jacked up in the back and Dad had a CB radio antenna sticking up out of the trunk just like it. It did not have air suspension only the air shocks.
I was 12, but remember them being called Ai rJackers. Their was an air filler like the valve stem on a tire being the license plate to adjust the rear pressure, ride height or load capability. The gas fill was being the license plate as well.
Don't know if there is an air shock like that for the Cayenne or not.
Later I bought an 81 GMC Jimmy, just like a full size Chevy Blazer. It had huge tires and a 4 inch lift to fit them. The lift was done with bigger shocks only. After problems with it eating U-Joints so I replaced the shocks with a lift kit that proper.y raised the right height with taller front springs and spacers on the leaf springs in the rear and longer shocks to operate properly with a 4 inch lift. Had no more problems.
I had a CS with the air suspension. It also had the adjustable shocks. They are completely independent. The shocks are have adjustable firmness for Comfort, Normal, or Sport. The air suspension adjusts the ride heights. The air suspension also has a load leveling feature that if you increase the rear load, or tongue weight it will increase the air pressure to level the ride. Also if you are driving in normal and increase your speed over 70 MPH it will lower to the lower right height to make it more stable. When you slow down it raises back up. The higher ride heights called terrain will automatically lower once you reach over a certain speed for safety. Think it's 15mph for the highest special terrain mode and 50 for the terrain mode.
So the air suspension is a bit more complex than air shocks and the CS shocks are for adjustable firmness and does not affect ride height.
I was 12, but remember them being called Ai rJackers. Their was an air filler like the valve stem on a tire being the license plate to adjust the rear pressure, ride height or load capability. The gas fill was being the license plate as well.
Don't know if there is an air shock like that for the Cayenne or not.
Later I bought an 81 GMC Jimmy, just like a full size Chevy Blazer. It had huge tires and a 4 inch lift to fit them. The lift was done with bigger shocks only. After problems with it eating U-Joints so I replaced the shocks with a lift kit that proper.y raised the right height with taller front springs and spacers on the leaf springs in the rear and longer shocks to operate properly with a 4 inch lift. Had no more problems.
I had a CS with the air suspension. It also had the adjustable shocks. They are completely independent. The shocks are have adjustable firmness for Comfort, Normal, or Sport. The air suspension adjusts the ride heights. The air suspension also has a load leveling feature that if you increase the rear load, or tongue weight it will increase the air pressure to level the ride. Also if you are driving in normal and increase your speed over 70 MPH it will lower to the lower right height to make it more stable. When you slow down it raises back up. The higher ride heights called terrain will automatically lower once you reach over a certain speed for safety. Think it's 15mph for the highest special terrain mode and 50 for the terrain mode.
So the air suspension is a bit more complex than air shocks and the CS shocks are for adjustable firmness and does not affect ride height.
04-04-2017, 01:39 PM
#6
Track Day
Thread Starter
Thanks RKD,
Yeah I had air shocks on my old Mercury that helped pick up the rear like you said (although I never carried rabbits). The install on the CS is easy with used shocks off flEbay as the labor would be free, only issue is supporting the technical side of things to keep the damping under control. Looks like I'm in the market for some lower mileage rear coil springs then.
Thanks all
Yeah I had air shocks on my old Mercury that helped pick up the rear like you said (although I never carried rabbits). The install on the CS is easy with used shocks off flEbay as the labor would be free, only issue is supporting the technical side of things to keep the damping under control. Looks like I'm in the market for some lower mileage rear coil springs then.
Thanks all
