Air suspension and handling

[MrwReckless]

I can't understand why it'd be impossible to engineer an air bellow to have the same quality and meet the same technical design criteria as a coil spring. Why can't an engineered air spring have the same spring rates etc as a similar coil spring?

Porsche introduced 3 chamber air springs to the new Panamera, and I personally think you can engineer a single chamber air spring to meet the same criteria as a coil spring FOR A GIVEN HEIGHT. (just to make that clear). Further the air spring gives you adjustability and versatility a coil over setup can just fantasise about, but of course, ride height set to anything but the designed ride height will of course be a compromise, but one I'd guess is ok given the versatility an air suspension setup gives you.

That being said, I might be biased, but I'm having air springs fitted to my car this spring and will be super curious to how it'll ride compared to a static coil setup.

Regards

[ManOpener]

MrwReckless said:

I can't understand why it'd be impossible to engineer an air bellow to have the same quality and meet the same technical design criteria as a coil spring.

I don't think it is, whether than can be achieved without costing more than a coil spring meeting the same criteria and quality is another question.

[Digitalize]

Clearly Air Suspension cannot compete with a conventional coil spring on price, there's far more parts and they're produced in much smaller volumes.

[crosseyedlion]

underphil said:

kambites said:

OverSteery said:

I would assume that the 'floaty to firm' is a result of adjustable shocks. Whilst air can lower and raise the suspension, I didn't know that spring rates could be adjusted - or it there some new fangled piece of tech that I don't know about.

If the car is air-sprung, I think changing the pressure (so changing the ride height or using the suspension to maintain the ride height at different loads) will change the effective spring rate.

I believe this to be true (at least for the usual aftermarket kits), you can go low & soft or high & firm!!

The Mercedes ABC (and I'm sure other O.E.) system is dual chamber, meaning it can lower AND increase spring rates. I had it on my E500 and found it to be great, really well calibrated for comfort & attacking a country road. The biggest obstacle to being a drivers car was the lack of steering feedback and brake by wire. It was still decent for a 5.0 v8 large saloon.