Air Suspension for OEM Magneride

[Angrey]

Before you run me out for being a heretic, hear me out.

I'm interested if it would be possible to run one of the generic air cup systems over the OEM setup and simply cut the lowering springs a bit to reduce the ride height adjustment added by the cups.

I'd be interested in one of the ride normal, park high type systems meant for getting over speed bumps and such.

If you live in an urban setting and you have lowering springs and even worse if you have the R front splitter, scraping isn't just a problem, it's a problem virtually everywhere. Just about every parking garage entrance is a threat and in many places you're boxed in by lateral elements that won't allow for an angled approach (like the ticket gate at most garage ramp entrances).

It's so bad that I almost avoid driving my car if I know I'm going to go certain places because I won't be able to park it in a garage, I'm not allowing a valet to touch my car and finding street level parking is difficult to impossible. On top of that, some speed bumps are either so high they scrape or they're just before or after ramps that cause you to scrape, etc.

Combine with most approach ramps are at max allowable code and it's scrape city all the time.

Ferrari and a couple of other manufacturers are now offering the ability to lift the car for just these type situations.

Of course I wouldn't need the giant reservoir most kits provide, it would literally be just enough to lift the car a couple of inches (I think most kits offer like 50mm of lift) and it would be driving slowly so there wouldn't be some sort of magneride code issue or height sensor issue (I wouldn't think).

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are. Oh, and before anyone says "just move" yeah, I thought of that and it's not an option right now.

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[JAJ]

KW makes a hydraulic lifter, but it only works on KW suspensions. You could probably kit your GT350 out with their coilover suspension with the lift for about $15k.

My solution to the problem you describe is just running slightly overheight tires. Works wonders.

 

[Angrey]

KW makes a hydraulic lifter, but it only works on KW suspensions. You could probably kit your GT350 out with their coilover suspension with the lift for about $15k.

My solution to the problem you describe is just running slightly overheight tires. Works wonders.

Yeah, obviously I'm not looking to spend $15k. For that price, I could simply buy a dozen splitters and have them waiting for replacement.

As far as tire sizes go, with a 19" there's not a lot of options, especially within a particular manufacturer/model.

I'd love to run 35 series, but they don't make them in a 35 series beyond a 305. The 305/35 in cup 2 is 27.4 inches tall (vs 26.7) but 3/4" inch narrower than the 325/30 series. In the R888R they don't even make a 35 series in anything wider than 285. The tallest r888r is the 345 (too wide) at 27.2".

In the 4S, the tallest tire they make is the 295/35 at 27.1".

The only other solution is to go 20" wheels, which comes with cost (significant), increased weight and rotational inertia, etc.

I was hopeful for a solution that could just take an air piston and lift the car in certain situations.

 

[DougS550]

Before you run me out for being a heretic, hear me out.

I'm interested if it would be possible to run one of the generic air cup systems over the OEM setup and simply cut the lowering springs a bit to reduce the ride height adjustment added by the cups.

I'd be interested in one of the ride normal, park high type systems meant for getting over speed bumps and such.

If you live in an urban setting and you have lowering springs and even worse if you have the R front splitter, scraping isn't just a problem, it's a problem virtually everywhere. Just about every parking garage entrance is a threat and in many places you're boxed in by lateral elements that won't allow for an angled approach (like the ticket gate at most garage ramp entrances).

It's so bad that I almost avoid driving my car if I know I'm going to go certain places because I won't be able to park it in a garage, I'm not allowing a valet to touch my car and finding street level parking is difficult to impossible. On top of that, some speed bumps are either so high they scrape or they're just before or after ramps that cause you to scrape, etc.

Combine with most approach ramps are at max allowable code and it's scrape city all the time.

Ferrari and a couple of other manufacturers are now offering the ability to lift the car for just these type situations.

Of course I wouldn't need the giant reservoir most kits provide, it would literally be just enough to lift the car a couple of inches (I think most kits offer like 50mm of lift) and it would be driving slowly so there wouldn't be some sort of magneride code issue or height sensor issue (I wouldn't think).

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are. Oh, and before anyone says "just move" yeah, I thought of that and it's not an option right now.

Hey. Did you ever find a way to be able to raise your front end when necessary like going over speed bumps, Driving into driveways ETC and then be able to lower back down for crushing. Thanks

 

[GTthree50]

I looked into this quite a bit. For a stock diameter spring it does not seem possible at all. Ditching the Magneride is for me the limiter since I don’t want to lose that but a fairly simple conversion to a oil over setup of which many options are out there at various price points would then potentially allow the use of an air cup system and you could achieve virtually any ride height you like within reason. I’d be near the front of the line if a system for Mac struts was available.

 

[DougS550]

I looked into this quite a bit. For a stock diameter spring it does not seem possible at all. Ditching the Magneride is for me the limiter since I don’t want to lose that but a fairly simple conversion to a oil over setup of which many options are out there at various price points would then potentially allow the use of an air cup system and you could achieve virtually any ride height you like within reason. I’d be near the front of the line if a system for Mac struts was available.

I might take a long look at the front underside and come up with a way like find a place to install an arm/link and bolt an actuator to it which when activated would raise the front end a few Inches. I only want it in times when I need to raise and when lowered does not affect the suspension.

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