I just found this... It looks like the best way to get a car lowered while still being able to drive it. Apologies for the music and the Bentley alloys depending on taste :P...

 

Has anyone used something like this - I believe the likes of the A6 Allroad comes with this already (As did the Mitsubishi Galant in 1990 according to the manual - the one I drove certainly didn't :P). I like the idea of suspension that can keep the car level regardless of loading/towing or cornering and can add or remove ground clearance on demand, while looking completely stock though.

 

Just wondering what other people on here think of it .

Link does not work on my iPad.

I like the Superb in the video, looks great when parked..... but a little like an old lady getting out of a chair when rising. 

Extreme ride height changes are going to mess badly with the suspension geometry. Camber and castor are going to be thrown off. Worst case is if the lower control arm angles are affected: if the LCA moves through horizontal during its travel you're going to get jacking in the suspension and some bad, if not dangerous, handling.

Kits that allow for restoration of ride height in high load conditions are out there, but packaging them in might be tricky. Overloading is a risk with this though - one of the things that stops us overloading is the reduction in ride height. If this visual cue is missing it's easier to pack stuff in without stopping to double check. If the system could report back on the load detected it'd be a nice addition.

 

Manually adjustable air dampers can be bought easily enough too. They're adjusted by connecting a garage air line to a valve on the top of the strut.

 

Audi's Allroad has had air suspension with automatic ride height leveling since it was introduced. The system is also used on Audi's Q models, VAG Bentleys, the VW Touareg. Apparently the compressors can be flaky. Not sure how readily the system would transfer to the Superb since the suspension layouts are very different.

like riding on jelly

Like the citreon suspension of old , brilliant ride. I had a crappy old xsara, best ride ever , that's why rolls Royce used it

Edited 21 April, 201610 yr by terrytowelling

Like the citreon suspension of old , brilliant ride. I had a crappy old xsara, best ride ever , that's why rolls Royce used it

 

i cant recall any sports cars having air suspension, trucks yes, 4x4 yes, coaches yes

Like the citreon suspension of old , brilliant ride. I had a crappy old xsara, best ride ever , that's why rolls Royce used it

 

 

isnt the Citroen system hydropneumatic? i.e. not air solely

It is hydropneumatic; know someone who has it on their Citroen

i used to sell HGV air suspension parts, ROR, Dunlop, BPW, SAF, the bags aint cheap but the valves can be mega-bucks

 

and theres air suspension and air assisted suspension, the latter is an add-on

Edited 22 April, 201610 yr by lichfielddriver

Like an Austin 1100 I had back before the war

Had rear air suspension on my R Class Merc - excellent driving dynamics plus maintaining the design ride height irrespective of boot and/or towbar load.  Wish I had it on the Superb as the back end gets quite low with a bootfull and the caravan on the back.

i cant recall any sports cars having air suspension, trucks yes, 4x4 yes, coaches yes

 

Plus the Audi A8 and S8, the S8 is considered a sports car despite in effect being a luxo barge. 520PS or 620PS versions available, with 8 speed auto box and air suspension standard.

 

The air suspension on my A8 is fantastic, lovely and smooth when making gentle progress but due to the dynamically adjusting dampers its also fantastic when making progress. Remember my A8 is using 13 year old technology, the current S8 is a whole different ball game.

 

Factory systems do not respond like in that video, from the low setting on mine to "Lift" mode takes about 30 seconds.

 

The previous generation S8 used the same V10 featured in the lambo range, the current model uses a turbo charged 4.0 Litre TFSI engine.

Edited 23 April, 201610 yr by mannyo

Plus the Audi A8 and S8, the S8 is considered a sports car despite in effect being a luxo barge. 520PS or 620PS versions available, with 8 speed auto box and air suspension standard.

 

The air suspension on my A8 is fantastic, lovely and smooth when making gentle progress but due to the dynamically adjusting dampers its also fantastic when making progress. Remember my A8 is using 13 year old technology, the current S8 is a whole different ball game.

 

Factory systems do not respond like in that video, from the low setting on mine to "Lift" mode takes about 30 seconds.

 

The previous generation S8 used the same V10 featured in the lambo range, the current model uses a turbo charged 4.0 Litre TFSI engine.

 

 

but is the R8 a 100% air suspension or just air assisted? 

true air suspension will have no mechanical springing (leaf or coil) the airbags and shock absorbers do all the work, it will be independent on swinging arms

 

 

Air-ride kits for Superb2:

http://www.airride.co.uk/air-suspension-kit-for-vehicles/kits-car/skoda/skoda-superb/skoda-superb-08-present/

http://www.airrexsuspension.com.au/index.php/air-ride-kits/skoda/superb/skoda-superb-3t4-airrex-air-suspension-system.html

http://www.tatechnix.de/tatechnix/gx/product_info.php/language/en/info/p11057_ta-technix-luftfahrwerk-audi-a6---skoda-superb---vw-passat.html/

Hi all I'm new here but thought I'd chip in, I owned a Ford Granada Scorpio 2.8i Ghia X rear wheel drive back in 1986 that had true rear air suspension and springs as standard and a rear anti roll bar. Air compressor was mounted behind the left headlamp feeding to a load sensing valve mounted at the rear axle, then split to both air shocks. As soon as the engine was running it worked out if the vehicle was level depending on boot load, and either raised or lowered the suspension. Drove and handled like a dream and was even better when I fitted 2.9 Cosworth ARB,s and bushes at both ends. Haven't tweaked the Skoda yet only LED interior lights, but time might change that!

My neighbour had the cosworth but it was a target for thieves, 3 failed attempts and the final one it was used in a ram raid and badly damaged /written off