Burkeys Budget Bag Build

So I toyed with the idea of bags for quite some time, unconvinced by the marketing hype that surrounds the mystery that is "air bags".
Now, a couple of cabs need to get off the rank before I delve too deep into the tech stuff.

Firstly, thanks Peter [MENTION=20113]FIXR7[/MENTION] for giving me the confidence to move forward on this one. :cheers: His thread certainly helped me to be MORE confident in the abilities of the AirLift equipment. Thread can be found here:
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71459
I also PM'd quite a few users in the US, not one of them showed a hint of regret.

Given that I'm still not ABSOLUTELY convinced of the hype, I decided that it would be wise to dip the toe before committing to an all-out monster investment only to be disappointed with the result. This where the Budget part kicks in.

Also, after MANY years of racing karts, I'm damn fussy about the way a car goes around a corner, so you can rest assured that my testing will be pretty damn rigorous and I will NOT put up with a sub-standard system whatsoever. It'll either perform exactly as I want it to or it will be gone. Having said that, if I find it to be "not all that" there's a good chance that half the people might be quite happy with it :shrug:

I'm also going to mention that I LOVED the Vogtland springs (thanks Fred) right up until I went into full "and then" with my suspension mods. They were great with the sway bars only, but once it moved past that point, the factory dampers showed their true colours. Honestly, I think they could be made to work VERY nicely with the right dampers, but I've got other issues going on now with regard to ground clearance post header install/engine lowering.

Details:
I've ordered AirLifts front (78521) and rear (78621) air bag and strut assemblies.
I've also ordered:
4 x 21633 (Inflation valve, 1/4" PTC)
4x 22666 (1/4" stem x 3/8" PTC fittings)
1 x 20650 (50 foot, 3/8" DOT air line)
All of this was supplied by Jay at DotComParts on eBay.
AWESOME customer service and cheap shipping. Landed price for that lot (ex taxes) $3130 AUD.

Also:
Grabbed 20 x 10mm stainless Pclips from an Aussie bloke (Graeme's Workshop) on eBay (circa $30)
Some loctite 565 thread sealant from a random on eBay ($10) This was strongly suggested by Accuair. They prefer this over thread tape.
Rivnut kit (464pcs) with tool from eBay $40. :lol:

The plan:
Run 3/8" lines to all four corners of the car. Install 4 x tyre inflators in the boot.
Use #22666 fittings to adapt the 3/8" line down into the 1/4" tyre inflators.
Fill system with nitrogen to create smaller changes in ride height due to ambient temp. Also avoids introducing water to the system.
I always felt that the install vids on YouTube were um...friggin terrible. Jerry rigged springs to mind. Peters approach was much more to my way of thinking, so again Peter, thanks for that.

I'll be taking as many pics as possible throughout the experiment, recording weights and all that stuff that really matters. What I'm really trying to create here is a reference that others can use if they choose to go down a similar path.
If all goes to plan, I'll probably wait for Accuair to release their "ENDO CVT" before I commit to the management side of things. Placing the valves and compressor inside the tank holds a huge appeal to me. Less mess, less noise etc.
Link provided:

It's not due for release until the US summer. So if you're interested, you'll need to wait! :doh:

PTC fittings.

For those who aren't aware, the airbags are in fact quite adjustable in ways that most people don't realise.
My explanation is this:
You can increase or decrease the "spring rate" by using more or less air pressure in the bags, you can then adjust the height via the locking collars.
It's basically like a coilover kit, except you aren't stuck with the one spring rate.
Having said that, air bags are progressive (untrue, see EDIT) by their very nature and this is where most hardcore enthusiasts will crack the shits "cos linear is the only way" :doh:

Link to article here:
https://www.bagriders.com/blog/suspensionadjustment/

EDIT: Thanks [MENTION=22068]Josh_TypeX[/MENTION]for challenging me on this one.
Air bags can be EITHER progressive OR linear, depending on the design of the bags. It's complex and technical so I'll leave it alone.

So I went to the post office to collect a parcel today, thinking it was some vinyl samples..
This happens when your have heaps of stuff on order and can't keep your finger on the pulse.

The lady produced a much larger box than anticipated.
This would be box one of three.

Had a quick play just to check things over and make sure it's all there etc.
Now I'm just guessing at this point but I'm going to say that the entire air bag front strut assembly weighs about the same as a coil spring...
So, it seems that there's a few kgs in unsprung weight being lost here. Always a bonus.

Unfortuantely, I'll be away when the other boxes arrive, so the will be zero progress here for at least a week :frusty:

Quality of the units appears to be pretty good. Ok, they aren't CNC machined from billets, but the general quality of the welds etc appears to be on par with all the other stuff I've ever played with.
The pillowball tops should make the front end slightly more direct and having camber adjustment might just appeal to a few people. Personally, I'm pretty happy with where mine ended up after lowering the car 35mm (-1.7 degrees)

No regrets so far, but it's early days.

How they are packaged

All the bits you get in the front kit.
Weighed the front strut assemblies at 6kg per side. I'll weigh the factory jobs when they come out.
Not entirely sure that the shorter sway bar links will survive with the BMR sway bars. The manufacturing doesn't look brilliant on these bits and they look a little too small for the job.

Rears arrived a bit earlier than expected. Helps to know people who know people I guess..
Unfortuantely, they (AirLift) supplied the wrong size airline. My mate Jay at DotComParts (eBay) had me refunded in no time at all. New airline sourced locally from Air Ride Suspension Supplies (airide.com.au).

Laid out for you guys

Assembled as far as it can go without installing

Just doing some preliminaries while I wait for the airline to arrive.
Thought it best to have a good look at the options for running the airline without drilling holes, avoiding heat, finding securing points and all that stuff.

Plastic panel be gone..

I didn't bother to fully remove the liner for this experiment

Factory rubber plugs are always a good place to start.
Will need to confirm suitability once the car is jacked up, but at this stage, they seem feasible.

Couldn't upload the image I wanted...

3/8" airline arrived at last.
1/4" line has 12.5mm surface area (can't find the squared symbol)
3/8" is a little over 28mm.
So, if you want to be able to air up quickly, you'll be wanting the good stuff.