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DIY Air Ride Suspension


andybp

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So here I am again with more DIY madness

I live in Southend On Sea the roads are crap and there are speed humps everywhere including down my road shortly and I'm fed up with having to plan my route around town based on speed humps I can't get over

but as some of you may know I'm partial to a project and some would also say tight. actually I'm not tight I just do a really crap job for a living (literally) so demand value for money when I part with it

This is not going to be a shiny setup for show hopefully it will all be hidden and OEM looking and much of it will be, just not Nissan mostly Audi with range rover height sensors, aftermarket Bags and a custom built controller

 just got to wait for stuff to arrive now :)

Edited by andybp
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cool,looking forward to see what you come up with, even my airlift 3p is not perfect and always thought is something simple to do but  overpriced because of the companies/brand....

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  • 2 weeks later...

My air springs arrived in the country today and will be delivered monday hopefully, I already have the compressor with built in exhaust valve, the valve block with built in pressure sensor also the air line and all of the electronic goodies for the controller writing the code for the controller is giving me a headache but I'll get there this heat is making it really hard to concentrate all I really need for now is the tank and height sensors which I haven't ordered yet

 

:)

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Time for an update with some pictures this time

so far it's just a pile of bits

 

pipework

IMG_20180730_203043.jpg.48f88ef0a10fc4d6dd30c3e7f1050eee.jpg

 

valve block (audi)

 

IMG_20180730_203122.jpg.043587d0199510ea64818bd63eea992e.jpg

 

compressor with built in exhaust valve

 

IMG_20180730_203201.jpg.5d4b87f20996b1d1e010156f7f5c44c7.jpg

 

Front springs which should screw onto my BC coilovers

 

IMG_20180730_203323.jpg.cb369ccbbcc213512e6aaf660545a63b.jpg

 

IMG_20180730_203349.jpg.2b96bdcb5f2f1b0495bda9c5d937ec0e.jpg

 

Rear springs I need to make up some adapters to mount these

 

IMG_20180730_203417.jpg.db94139cfbe79a94d17f9b1be1b50179.jpg

 

IMG_20180730_203432.jpg.fd9c9b7a727dc7eeeab87cb91ea164cb.jpg

 

and the electronics 

2.4" touchscreen

 

IMG_20180730_210046.jpg.db5a734f0116c0aa999881d1afa26d6d.jpg

 

arduino uno R3

 

IMG_20180730_210119.jpg.2feda85a70ae56c3af39e7ac37b2774a.jpg

 

and finally an 8 channel solid state relay card

 

IMG_20180730_210136.jpg.71c6f92a521f84a0d0104c12640ccd1a.jpg

 

Throw all this and another few bits into a 350Z and stir add salt and pepper to taste ;)

:)

 

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6 hours ago, Keyser said:

Ahh the ingredients have arrived just need the chef to put it together and cook it up now :thumbs:

 

What power can the solid state relay handle?

they are each rated at 250 vac at 2 Amps the solenoids in the valve block should draw about 500 mA, I will also use one of these channels to switch a 40 A relay for the compressor

cost about £15 for the 8 Channel board

:)

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1 hour ago, andybp said:

they are each rated at 250 vac at 2 Amps the solenoids in the valve block should draw about 500 mA, I will also use one of these channels to switch a 40 A relay for the compressor

cost about £15 for the 8 Channel board

:)

Damn that's the first spanner in the works I thought something seemed wrong when I answered this post, they sent me the wrong board these relays will only switch A/C so that will be going back :angry: and guess what they don't have any of the DC ones that's what happens when you rely on other people I think I'll just make my own.

:)

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I've had a reasonably successful weekend between decorating

I have a new relay card to replace the incorrect one I was sent but I had to go with standard mechanical relays, not the end of the world, also got started on the rear air spring spacers so far all it's cost me is my time as I have used some items I had lying around, two fire extinguishers and some 6mm ally plate

 

IMG_20180806_171346.jpg.cd90f85d42fbdb96a7ee67542cd4b314.jpg

 

IMG_20180806_180458_BURST001_COVER.jpg.ad8ff5f979206e50d4d9aa6f1549bfd5.jpg

 

IMG_20180806_164607.jpg.e7978bf20279bc475664b06861bbfa28.jpg

 

IMG_20180806_164613.jpg.e116869d43f0f126ec9ef44ed06f474a.jpg

 

IMG_20180806_180524.jpg.c9a94d189819a54d990a6f240b342320.jpg

 

IMG_20180806_180510.jpg.e7fec2d1c2667f0d125ccc99cd7abb94.jpg

 

should get the rest of the machining done and welded together tomorrow

:)

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Got the rest of the machining done today it looks like I've just machined a lot of random holes into it 

 

IMG_20180807_190200.jpg.47e0512e17b10fb6bb7a69f9f676a38f.jpg

 

the cutout in the rim at the bottom of the first picture is where the airline will go in and will face inwards towards the diff

the three square holes in a triangular pattern will locate in the tags in the top of the 350 spring mount and will prevent the whole thing from turning

the hole in the center is for the top fixing bolt which will be done up with a spanner through the slot which is easier to see in the second picture and will face outward for easy access

the other two holes are for an allen key to tighten the cap head bolts which will fix the spacer to the airspring

 

IMG_20180807_190151.jpg.18e647f5699629a2feb1d0239c5bd42c.jpg

 

 

Just need to weld the spacers to the base plate as seen in the next picture sitting as it will on top of the airspring

 

 

IMG_20180806_180458_BURST001_COVER.jpg.53edc5d97015f568a980399072ac79e5.jpg

 

:)

 

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6 hours ago, scobie140 said:

Loving the forward planning by giving yourself access holes :thumbs:  I'm forever cursing designers who make stuff but don't consider access for maintenance when at work. 

That's the thing that's taken so long not the actual work ,all the planning, measuring, test fitting and trying to think of everything :headhurt:

:)

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This is the top spring mount I was talking about with the three locating tabs that will locate my spring spacer

 

IMG_20180808_152731.jpg.c016ee9e29227292a0387d1ceda4ee98.jpg

 

people usually drill a hole in the middle and use a Nutsert for fixing not sure why because if you drill the hole you can get a nut in over the top and a spanner to hold it, it's tight and fiddly but not too bad

I put a stud in mine , easier than trying to get a bolt in afterwards

 

IMG_20180808_141725.jpg.1bdef7c6103b1aaefc723e281bf32e52.jpg

 

here it is with the spacer in

 

IMG_20180808_155705.jpg.95b5d344b9ad509d2975da89a5eab83a.jpg

 

all finished and fitted to the springs

 

IMG_20180809_160405.jpg.ea68b585b16ac939853547aae0c30485.jpg

 

I can't actually fit any of this yet as the inner adjustable bolts on the spring bucket/arm sheared off both sides oh I laughed (:angry:) then used the phrase "you're taking the p!**" to the local Nissan dealership when he said the bolts would be £21 + vat each and that's without the nuts which I also needed and I'd have to wait till Tuesday luckily we have some Excellent and helpful traders on here thanks Adrian@TORQEN both nuts and bolts for what Nissan wanted for 1 bolt

I can't start on the front till I get my nuts and bolts for the rear and can get it off axle stands anyway it's been raining all day so I got on with the electronics and some of the programming oh I also got my height sensors 

 

IMG_20180809_184550.jpg.700f68d2277781a72da7fd28ec2769cc.jpg

 

It's coming along

:)

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No bolts yet so got on with installing the compressor and tank, first I took out most of the rear trim and passenger side polystyrene  that makes the spare wheel well

as shown in this photo with my finger in it (just to make Keyser feel like he's not the only one)

 

IMG_20180810_084158.jpg.73769a03695e7dcb1fe9c0cd6bd60258.jpg

 

also removed the bose amp which won't go back and treated the surface rust then I made up a bracket with rubber mounts for the compressor

 

IMG_20180810_142433.jpg.98c1b8ec098ad0e3bf5ffe0cff1f2c73.jpg

 

and here it is fitted also showing the tank location 

 

IMG_20180810_165817.jpg.fc6925b804d33dd15c0f83282513ecda.jpg

 

and here it is all fitted.

The missus is going to make me a new carpet if she can't modify the old one to fit the tank

 

IMG_20180810_183610.jpg.9efee178effb9c0c158f150421abab1c.jpg

 

:)

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On 10/08/2018 at 20:48, Daisyduke said:

Loving this. 

 

Bet kits would fly out if you had the time to produce them.

If you look at the amount of time it's taken planning and researching finding the suppliers programming my cnc and making everything it would work out pretty costly but to actually just produce kits.

 

brackets 4 for height  sensors,2 for the compressor ,2 for the tank, 1 for the electronics and 1 for the valve block

2 rear spring spacers

4 air springs 

4 height sensors

1 compressor

1 tank

1 valve block

airlines and fittings

wiring

connectors (bloody expensive for what they are)

electronics

hardware (nuts and bolts)

and a set of suitable coilovers

 

the electronics and wiring, brackets and rear spring spacers are the only things that need to be made the rest is just bought in from various suppliers

would probably cost approx £2000 less than commercial electronically managed setups or if like me you already had suitable coilovers  £2500-£2700 less

but I don't charge myself for labour :lol:

:)

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The bolts arrived today from Adrian@TORQEN so the rear bags are now fitted as are the rear airlines.

 

IMG_20180814_165209.jpg.472fe870d067d2c11026c3f39d348d8a.jpg

 

I've decided to get everything working on the rear first before fitting the front then if I desperately need the car I just need to replace the rear springs though hopefully it won't come to that as I hope to have it back on the road monday/tuesday as long as nothing goes wrong also I've set it up as a pressure based system for now until I can get the height sensors fitted

:)

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Im absolutely loving this topic. Any chance you could write up a guide and parts list once complete? I know its likely to be pretty "full on" but at literally 2k cheaper than commercial options, im willing to give it a read. As for your incentive, you could whip up a few sets of brackets on your CNC machine and sell them with the guide so people to copy your system :)

 

I have the same coilovers as you and am literally fed up of smashing every speed bump in sight to the point where i barely use the car unless i 100% know theirs no speed bumps along the route!

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On 10/08/2018 at 19:43, andybp said:

as shown in this photo with my finger in it (just to make Keyser feel like he's not the only one)

 

Hey now @andybp  you're lucky thats not my finger in that picture or I'd be looking into copywrite  infringement!!  :boxing::rant:

 

:lol:  :lol:

 

Keep up the good work, Then I need a set for the 370 so if you could just pop over???

 

Keyser

 

 

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