Has anyone had success with ditching the air struts and installing airbags inside the springs and using the ELC to control the height with them?

Im just brainstorming here.

Jay

I'm not sure what the advantage would be. ELC struts are actually not air struts. They're gas struts just like the front, and the air is just an assist for levelling. I can't see seperate bags being a better alternative.

iairbags = cool.

I doubt you'll see better handling, however you will have an advantage in ride height. I have thought of this idea. In theory, it will work. However, in reality, it isn't. If you look at the pressure your pump puts out, and the thin little tube it has sending that pressure, you know it won't have the power to fill up those airbags. You would have to mount an alternative pump.


-justin

I disagree to a point. He'* talking about using the bags for controlling ride height. Same function as ELC. ELC can raise the rear of the vehicle significantly. Anyone seen an ELC jacked SSEi at the track? Mine looks funny and aggressive at the same time. The ELC pump is actually quite capable. Especially on something like struts or airbags that have relatively low volume. Mine puts out 70psi at sufficient volumes to work quite well.

The disadvantage to air pads in the rear springs is that the springs are actually INBOARD. This makes them less-responsive to handling improvements as ELC struts would be.

In a nutshell, it would be cheaper and easier (as well as better for most purposes) to simply replace the ELC struts with new units.

http://www.williamwren.com/struts/elc.html

Oh.. well yeah air bags for replacing the ELC would be senseless.

How long did it take for your car to get from stock ride height to that 70PSI level? And what PSI is stock ride height?


-justin

It'* not a PSI per height thing. It adds air until the sensor reads properly (level). With my leaking struts, it took 2 minutes to FULLY jack the ELC (with elc tricked to ignore the sensor) for the track, takes less than 30 seconds with the new struts.

Eh, I wanted to do KYBs all the way around but wanted to keep ride leveing. Oh well.

Jay

The Monroe Reflex is an equivalent strut to the KYB'*. And it'* ELC compatible.