Description
TA Technix kits are bolt-on air suspension systems that allow you to control the height and ride quality of your CLK-Class.
TA Technix kits are perfect for dropping your CLK-Class right to the ground, offering a smooth, low ride. Your CLK-Class’s handling will be maintained, while also allowing you to adjust the ride height at will and while driving. This means you can raise your vehicle a few inches to avoid obstacles, with a comparable ride quality to any other performance upgrade.
If you are looking for a kit to temporarily raise your ride more than a few inches from its lowest height, you may find that other kits we offer are more suitable for you. TA Technix kits, while excellent for lowering a vehicle, do not offer adjustment of shock body length or shock absorber damping. If you would like a kit to raise your ride higher than the TA Technix can, please feel free to use our vehicle finder to find alternative kits, or call/email us.
Our TA Technix kits offer fantastic value for money, providing quality German engineering at a reasonable price. The kits are also incredibly simple to fit, so any local garage should be able to install the system for you, or you may even be able to fit it yourself! It is 100% bolt-on, so no fabrication is needed to attach it to your CLK-Class.
You can also choose to include an air management system of your choosing. This allows you to get the very best from your air and adjust your ride height while on the move. See the ‘Management Options’ tab for more info.
Last but not least, each Custom kit from AirRide, with air management, also includes a VIAIR 444C compressor or equivalent. The compressor is integral to the smooth running of your air suspension and the 444C allows you to run your system as much as you want at high pressures. It is compact too, so is easily stored on any Mercedes.
Here’s exactly what you get in your kit:
- Two front Mercedes performance air struts
- Two rear Mercedes performance air struts
- Four air bags, one for each corner (built into struts)
- Necessary brackets, bolts and fittings to install the system
You can also add an air management system if you wish. To get the most from an AirRide Custom kit a control system is recommended. With a management system you also get:
- An air tank, if needed
- Viair 444C compressor or equivalent
If your system needs are not met or if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to email or call us on 0800 772 0315.
About AirRide Custom
We’ve been making Mercedes kits at AirRide for more than 15 years. In that time, we’ve honed all our kits to make them the best, most comfortable air suspension kits on the market.
If you own a CLK-Class Merc made between 2002 and 2010, this is the kit for you. This includes both the C209 models and A209 models.
Custom kits are ideal if you want to drop your Merc extra low, as you can fabricate your struts to give the exact ride height you want.
Management Options
AirRide Custom kits can be supplied with or without air control (otherwise known as air management or On-Board Air (OBA)).
Air control allows you to get the very best from your kit at all times. It allows the ride height to be adjusted for road, weather and load conditions, and for those who experience grounding issues it allows the absolute maximum lift to be achieved when needed (i.e. for ferries, petrol stations and rough site entrances). If in doubt, please contact us via email or phone.
No compressor, no tank
You can have an AirRide Custom kit with no air control system but this is not recommended. With this option you will receive the air bags, brackets and struts required for a basic air suspension system, but no compressor or tank, as without some form of control system the compressor and tank would not be able to function correctly.
Manual Paddle Control (MPC)
MPC comes with an aluminium, 100% duty cycle compressor with up to 200 PSI and an air tank. It is controlled with four buttons, one for each air bag. The buttons act like electric window switches, meaning you can either raise or lower the amount of pressure in each air bag by pressing up and down on each switch.
Digital computer system
The computer system comes with an aluminium 100% duty cycle compressor with up to 200 PSI and an air tank. It electronically controls the amount of pressure in each air bag. This can be controlled either with a wired controller or a phone app. With the computer, you can adjust your car to certain pre-set heights and alter the vehicle’s height while on the move. This is also the easiest system to install; it is the most highly-recommended option.
Other options
If you would prefer an air control system other to those listed, please feel free to call or e-mail us. We are happy to discuss your personal requirements and make sure you get the air control system that is right for you.
Installation
Although this kit is specifically for the C209 W209, we also offer kits for any Mercedes produced from 1968 onwards. Please feel free to call us on 0800 772 0315 or e-mail us to discuss options for your Mercedes.
One of the main benefits of AirRide Custom kits is that they are easy to fit. This means that your local garage should be able to fit the kit without much difficulty. Alternatively, call or e-mail us and we can arrange the installation on your behalf. We are also happy to talk you or your garage through the installation process.
Warranty
Airide Limited offers a warranty on AirRide Custom products for a period of one year from the time of purchase. This warranty is limited to the original purchaser.
If the kit does not appear to fit – stop and call us, as a vehicle misidentification may have occurred. Kits will be accepted for return and exchange only if they are undamaged. The buyer must cover the return postage fee.
Delivery
Delivery for full air suspension kits is £39.95 to mainland UK excluding Highlands. Please get in touch to find out an exact date for dispatch.
We ship worldwide but our website cannot calculate international shipping costs. International customers can email their requirements to enquiries@airride.uk and we can raise an invoice including international postage.
Please do call if you need more information, or to check on stock as it can change quickly. Please do not assume that something is still in stock if you last checked on a different day to ordering.
Technical, Overview
Expectations – Car Kits
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We sell air suspension kits for a vast number of different vehicles and most customers are well informed about the aftermarket performance suspension industry and what the kits offer and what to expect. Some customers make incorrect assumptions about what air suspension can do and this page is for primarily to dispel any myths and to ensure realistic expectations.
All car kits on our website are primarily for lowering the car. If that is not what you are looking to achieve, please do get in touch and we will advise whether we can supply parts for you. Van kits are different.
We specialise in aftermarket air suspension, that is, vehicles that were not originally fitted with air suspension.
Air suspension kits might be bolt-on but the air suspension setup itself is not so straight forward. Different kits do different things and different cars will have a very different ride quality.
Just because Rolls Royce and Range Rover have air suspension do not assume that you will be able to achieve the same ride quality on your car! This is simply not realistic.
Air suspension should always be installed by a competent mechanic. Installation is only the beginning. Air suspension also needs to be set up correctly as incorrect pressure/ride height could damage the airbags, give you a harsh ride and result in other problems. This is particularly true on those kits with adjustable shock bodies.
Dos and Don’ts
Please DO NOT decide the ride height from looking at it and measuring. DO NOT match your original vehicle height. Aftermarket performance suspension systems are almost always designed to operate at lower heights and are expressly not designed to run at the OEM height although they may achieve it at full lift.
Comfort
When air suspension is fully inflated the spring rate is too high and the ride will be poor. When the suspension is deflated it will also be bad but this time because the spring rate is too low. In order to find the comfort window or the sweet spot in the height of your particular vehicle some set up and testing is required.
The correct way to set air suspension pressure for the most comfortable is to:
- inflate the airbags to 100 or 110 PSI.
- 110 PSI will be far too hard.
- Make a note of how it drives. Drop it 10 PSI and drive a bit further.
- Repeat step 3 until you are down to the minimum which is about 30 PSI.
- You should now know the comfort window where it was most comfortable.
- Return to 10 PSI above this window and repeat 3 but this time with 3 PSI per time. You should now have the most comfortable setting.
- Measure the height front and rear at the most comfortable. They may not be the same.
Shock Length
The correct way to adjust the shock body is to ensure that the shock can travel. If you max. out or min. out the shock whilst it is trying to operate then you will have a harsh ride and potential failure of the suspension.
Why would you want air suspension?
Air suspension gives a good to great ride and the ability to lower the vehicle or raise the vehicle at the touch of a button
What does the kit do?
It will drop the vehicle a long way – usually putting at least the tyre into the arch and sometimes the wheel at full drop.
Anti Roll Bars
Anti Roll Bars (sometimes called sway bars overseas) are common on most modern vehicles and essential to correct handling/cornering. Some kits include shorter drop links and some do not. It is the installers responsibility to check if these are needed.
What it can’t?
- You cannot usually drive the vehicle at the lowest setting – this is for stance only.
- You cannot usually drive the vehicle at the highest setting – this is for manoeuvring at low speed at best.
- It cannot turn your car into a Range Rover.
- Best handing and best comfort will not coincide
- Handling and Ride will not be the same through out the range of travel.
Adjustment
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Ride Quality
If the ride quality is not what you expected when you get the suspension installed then speak to us. The chances are you have not set it up right – this is often caused by not reading the instructions, or not understanding fully how to set your air suspension. This is significant – it does not just work perfectly on every vehicle out of the box. Each kit needs a process of “dialing it in” to achieve what you need. If this is not done then you wont get the best out of it and wont achive everything air suspension has to offer. Failing to set the suspension correctly is not a fault – it’s a user error. We are here to help on the phone and by email.
Install & setup
Install is the process of bolting the suspension onto the vehicle. This is within the ability of almost all competent mechanics.
Setup is the process of adjusting components to get the best out of the suspension and to ensure it meets your needs. It will not work properly without being set up.
Adjusting adjustable dampers if you have those on your particular kit (not all kits do)
Spacers may be needed on some vehicles in order for wheels and tyres to clear the suspension. This is more likely if you have after-market wheels and tyres.
Warranty
20 years ago when we started parts could fail. The industry was new and items had not had the benefit of years of development, testing and upgrading of weaknesses. Now the situation is very different. Suspension simply does not fail if fitted correctly and used correctly. Faults are almost always down to incorrect installation.
What can cause air suspension to fail?
- The most common issue is bags which are touching things and fail.
- Next most common is not reading the instructions.
- Bags left deflated for extensive periods of time will be damaged
- Bags that are overinflated in terms of height or in terms of articulation or pressure will be damaged and potentially very dangerous.
None of these things are warranty issues – they are user issues not covered by warranty.
