First off, Heyas everyone!!
I have just some simple concerns about whether or not I should really drop my new fire, mostly because where I work (at a farm facility) it's not the nicest terrain to or from (or anywhere near)... Basically I have to drive 3 km on a dirt road, then drive by the building and around back on a dirt lane (and it's always used by big rigs) get around the back where all the farm equipment and tractors are and make my way to the employee parking area (which when raining is nothing more than a mud pit) and faaar from level and smooth.... I scraped my front bumper already at stock height today, but had I been paying more attention to where I was going I could have avoided it (no damage though)...
Sometimes I think I'd have been better off buying a 4x4... LOL
So I'd be in trouble I think if I lowered my car (to get an idea, here's a pic of my fire)...
The one thing I'm am considering and I'd have to save awhile for it and sacrifice buying rims/tires till next year is a air ride system that I could raise to maximum (can it go higher than factory?) to get too and from work and make getting out of the car easier too.. (I'm 6'2" tall) and then lower to a nice dropped state for street and highway travel.. That seems to be the best option I think, any opinions...
TiTUS
I should also add that we get brutally cold and long winters... How will that affect the air system? Is it best to set at one height and not adjust while it's freezing outside?
TiTUS
Air ride is not exactly "comfortable"... you'd likely hate it on that gravel road!!
I wouldn't lower it if that's your daily commute. Maybe coilovers... but get good ones with good struts too... otherwise it'll be bouncy as hell... just like the air ride would be!
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To me it doesn't sound like you should be lowering your car with that commute. If you scraped on the way to work with stock height, then how are you going to do this while being lowered?
Even if you get coilovers then are you seriously going to raise and lower the car EVERYDAY just for the ride to work? This post screams air ride.
Jay
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but with air ride, and going off road... that i wouldnt be too sure of....
brutally cold winters..... just from website to website and seeing some air ride cars, the water trap and freezing water in the lines kinda step up a caution sign.
if you do lower it, do the 1.2 suspension techniques if anything, especially if you are already hitting stuff at stock height. thats just my view....
^ good idea... lol
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98' Pontiac Sunfire SE
Thanks for the comments! Can air ride go higher than stock height?
So exactly how does air ride, ride? bouncy?
For winter couldn't you just leave the air ride set at one height and not have to worry about freezing water and stuff? water in the air ride?? how's that happen?
TiTUS
well i know most people put it away for the winter....
some kits have a ride adjustment deal, but its usually decently bumpy. i mean its just air....
you could... but also be preparred to do maintainence more often than mechanical suspension. leak checking, etc... its all a fine tuning process....most times it takes time...
some people like it, but for me, it would be too much time, and maintainence, making sure this and that line has no leaks, etc....
i;ve helped a few and learned from others kits and stuff...
alright well i guess i can jump in now. ive had air on my car for a year now. its great. my easystreet kit has 9 way adjustable damping on each strut. my car rides great. no bounce at all. as for the winter, i drove through the whole winter w/ my car. all my lines are ran on the outside and come up threw my rear wheel well into the trunk. no lines ever broke and nothing ever froze. i was able to use the switches whenever i wanted. as for height the easy street kit goes to stock height up front and about 1/2" lower than stock in the rear. its the best kit out there for the price. i only had to replace one fitting since ive had the kit.
just in questioning, does this car go offroad? and what happened to the said fitting you had to replace?
well the closest thing to offroading my car gets is speed bumps and unpaved roads. the fitting that broke was the quick release fitting that you plug the fill line into. its a male elbow w/ a little metal cylinder on the inside. that cylinder slides into the air line to connect the quick release. well anyway the metal cylinder came loose and broke inside the fitting. i actually didnt noticed til like 2 weeks later. i would come out to my car and notice that the one side of the rear was down to 40psi, which isnt that low. anyway i thought it was the air line so i bought new air line and then when i took it out from the quick release thats when i noticed it was the fitting. it wasnt a big deal, my car was still driveable it just lost a little bit of air from the fitting.
[quote=ßãggéÐÇåv98 (Ûñqùðtäߣè Øñé)]well the closest thing to offroading my car gets is speed bumps and unpaved roads. the fitting that broke was the quick release fitting that you plug the fill line into. its a male elbow w/ a little metal cylinder on the inside. that cylinder slides into the air line to connect the quick release. well anyway the metal cylinder came loose and broke inside the fitting. i actually didnt noticed til like 2 weeks later. i would come out to my car and notice that the one side of the rear was down to 40psi, which isnt that low. anyway i thought it was the air line so i bought new air line and then when i took it out from the quick release thats when i noticed it was the fitting. it wasnt a big deal, my car was still driveable it just lost a little bit of air from the fitting.
yeah i remember those... the collar clamp thats one way, allows the hose to attach to the solenoid. but not blow the hose off when air passes
i;ve spent a few sunday afternoons, from 3-4pm till 3-5 am monday mornings at pahtcubs house helpin out and learnin.
Have you looked at Tein's 1.1/1.0 drop springs?
I am looking at those aswell in my near future.
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-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
just save up some cash and buy a beater to drive to work and save your car
Titus: My air ride survived the winter when I visited KY. On top of that, when it snowed over night, my car had been dropped so it was literally surrounded by the snow. Needless to say, I was stuck for 3 days (but I didn't need to go anywhere). The only thing that happened was that the car would raise slower than normal. I think it was the valves. After the snow melted and I was able to drive her again they returned to their normal speed. What little water left in the trap that night, though, had turned into an ice cube! Go easystreet and you'll be happy!
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