Welcome to AirRide.

For reliable operation any air install requires a quality sealer for the unions and threads. Many people make the mistake of using PTFE thread seal. This is hard to apply well, and breaks up potentially blocking both lines and more importantly solenoids. For correct and reliable operation warranties often call for a liquid sealer such as the one pictured. Its not cheap but it is very effective.

The kits that we supply use very expensive and ultra reliable fittings. Leaks are almost unheard of. We regularly install exotic air suspension installs with over a hundred unions (multi controller systems and simulators) and experience no leaks on the system. We could get far cheaper unions which would save a little on kits but any saving would quickly be lost in additional time spent chasing leaks. I still remember the early days in the early 2000’s when we used those cheaper unions and it regularly took 2-3 days to find all the leaks (few unions did not leak!). You can read about those experiences elsewhere on this site.

A client recently brought us a vehicle with air suspension from another installer and cheaper unions – you guessed it multi leaks. We usually use our own leak test but this time tried some expensive gas leak detector spray. It failed to find leaks that our 99p home made detector could! We use a 99p pump action plant sprayer (you could recycle a kitchen cleaning product container if cleaned well). Fill it mostly with water and about a tablespoon of washing up liquid (you don’t need much). Systematically spray every union and you will soon see bubbles coming from any leaks. Its quick, its simple, and its effective.

Its advisable to do an overnight leak test monthly and if this shows a leak however small deal with it before it gets worse!

For many years now we have refused to supply or install kits where the left and right circuits are joined. This is on the grounds of safety primarily but also linked to legality. An air suspension circuit where the left and right are joined leads to air transfer as the vehicle corners which is dangerous as the vehicle progressively rolls (leans) through the corner getting worse and worse until the car can potentially spin out of control. This is worst on fwd vehicles but affects the handling on all vehicles.

Other suppliers are not so discerning and are happy to take your money and supply items not lawful for road use. Does this approach cost us sales – potentially yes. Are we going to change the policy – definitely not. It was heartening the other day when consulted on documentation for air suspension to see that the Australian government holds the same views as we do and wont issue permits for vehicles with conjoined systems.

It is dangerous to use FB or Front-Back systems where the left and right circuits are joined. It is almost certainly not lawful for UK road use (regardless of any MOT you may have) and saves only a relatively small amount of money for such a large safety compromise. Independent systems handle better and ride better.

Its well known, that an Internet-wide security threat emerged earlier in the month called the Heartbleed bug. Online security is a topic that we take very seriously, and we are pleased to report that all systems are secure, and the airride.co.uk website and shop ordering systems are not vulnerable to this bug.

General advice to everyone using the internet is to change your passwords and that remains true regardless of where you buy products from and is good ongoing advice. Further tech info at http://www.cnet.com/news/heartbleed-bug-undoes-web-encryption-reveals-user-passwords/

We are asked regularly about the speed of adjustment of air suspension (full kits) with everyone thinking that faster is better. This may not necessarily be so depending upon the purpose of fitting air to your vehicle.
If you are going to be playing with the air or showing the car (its addictive and great fun) then fast is a good way to go but bear in mind you need a lot of air and additional tanks and compressors are likely going to be required or it will run out of energy pretty quickly.
If you are attracted to air for more practical reasons and just want a low car you can lift to clear obstacles then a slow or medium kit will meet your needs, be cheaper to buy, simpler and more compact to install and can be a great way to go. Many of the most expensive vehicles we fit air systems onto are using the basic controllers not on the basis of cost but for packaging and simplicity reasons.
Fast kits are very tough to get to hit the pressure target, so tough to live with on a daily basis, but there is of course nothing to stop you fitting dual tandem controllers – fast for playtime and slow for drivetime.

Fiesta Mk6 on AirRide would go lower with slimmer wheels but Cosworth wheels just look to good its worth losing some drop. No liners and no handbrake required as always on low riders. Full bolt on kit for fiesta now available. More pictures and video to follow.

The revisions to the Classic Mini air suspension kit made last year improve ease of fitment, and afford a smoother ride. Full kits from £995-£1995.

For more info please call or email. More pictures coming soon.

This classic Mini does not need a handbrake. When the suspension is fully down the wheels are locked against the arches. Full 4 wheel kits available for the Classic Rover, Austin Mini from £1000-£2000 for most kits. Please email or call. Better pics coming soon.

Don’t forget we have a whole bunch of YouTube videos showing a small selection of the parts and kits we sell.

Due to circumstances beyond our control there has been a limited telephone and email service in operation over the past few weeks. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused all those wishing to discuss their requirements before placing an order.

Orders for most parts can be placed on the website as always but if you need to speak to someone then please email your requirements ideally. All website orders are being processed as normal.

The office is back up and running and with a new 0800 number.

We are back after the summer break, refreshed and now snowed under with emails. If you have emailed over the past few weeks please be aware be are wading through them all now, and will be up to date by the weekend hopefully.

We also have a whole bunch of exciting new announcements to make shortly so LIKE the facebook page or check back here regularly for all the latest info.

Our workshop diary is currently fully booked but we are still able to supply parts for air suspension conversions on ANY vehicle. We also able to provide solutions for ANY requirements regardless of if you need load support, handling, low stance, adjustability,,,,

AirRide will be taking a summer break from 12th August until 25th August. Please feel free to email your enquiries and we will deal with them on our return. Technical enquiries may be responded to for existing customers but please put TECHNICAL in the subject line to make them stand out from the hundreds of sales enquiries we get daily.

Regards

Many clients want their vehicles low and look at the options. Lowering springs used to be common but with stricter MOT’s failing these springs, and more discerning clients expecting better performance the market has changed towards coil overs. A coil over set up allows a vehicle to go low, and have a sportier stance, but uprated springs, and dampers come at a price. Firstly anything from £500-£1000, and secondly ride quality is almost always compromised.  Plus it take 30 minutes to adjust the ride hieght which is not very practical if you find a speed bump in your way!! lol

So how does this compare to air suspension? A coil over setup is not usually better in any aspect. Air can beat a coil over for comfort, it can beat it for drop and it can match it for handling. The only aspect coils overs beat air is on price and for the reduced price you have to put up with a poor ride quality.  About 1/3 of all our customers tried saving cash by going coil overs but could not put up with the poor ride quality, and switched to air. It is of course a false economy to pay out twice. Buy once and buy right. Buy Air.

We have just finished designing and developing a new bolt on kit for the Ford Fiesta Mk6. The Mk6 is also known by some as generation 5, and we are talking about Fiestas from 2002-2009. Currently in testing full details will be coming soon. This kit allows significant lowering of the vehicle and a fabulous ride in combination with awesome handling. Video, pictures and details to be announced shortly.