Ok guys so I planned on putting some coillies on my e21 when I got back to the uk, but air is way too tempting.....I have a good mechanical knowledge and access to an array of tools and a workshop which repairs armoured vehicles, air however is something I've never touched! How much am I looking at to drop air on my e21 and what exactly is entailed?
Many thanks in advance
Stew
Questions about air.....
Re: Questions about air.....
Hi stew,
Im in a pretty similar situation to yourself at the moment.. Very tempted by airride!
The two companies ive looked at using are plush automotive and design4automotive, both have very good reputations.
The kits seem to vary from 2k to over 4k fitted dependant on what you want. Have a look on both website, they have a lot of info (especially plush).
Id emailed plush about different specs,
Hopefully the following my clear things up a little.
I'll be keeping an eye on the thread as im sure people know alot more about this than me, although i haven't seen many uk e21's on air.
---- All of our kits will drive and perform the same as they are all 4 way systems and we do not get involved ith the cheaper 2 way systems that give air the name for not handling well due to cross loading issues.
paddle valve kit:
this kit is basically 4 manual switches each one corresponds to each corner of the car its as simple as flicking the switches one way to lift the car and the other way to drop the car. Being a manual system the lift and drop is slightly slower than the other electronics systems.
Switch speed:
this system is an electronic version of the above system so it will lift and drop quicker it has the option of an all down button and you can lift in pairs instead of individual corners as well. Also you have the ability with this system to upgrade to the e-level system at a later date to allow you to gain preset ride heights.
V2
This system is the first system with its own management and allows you to have preset ride heights. The system has 8 presets and at a touch of a button you can select these, so for example you could have a preset for 5 people in the car one with 1 in the car, speed bump height, etc etc etc. Being a pressure based system i would say it would be accurate within 5mm of its setting (due to pressures changing with temperature)
E-level
this is truly the all singing and dancing management and once running this, hand on heart you would never look at anything else. it is a height based management system not a pressure based system like the v2. this will take a little longer to fit due to mounting sensors on the body to measure suspension travel. Being a height based system it auto calibrates itself so say you set a cruising low ride height then pick 3 mates up, they get in the car and without touching anything it compensates for the extra weight so you can have that perfectly dialled in stance all the time. you have 3 presets on this as well and also the option for i pad/phone integration.
Again all the systems come with a 5 gallon tank (which we recommend) giving you enough volume to lift a new wave vag in a single lift without a recharge via the compressor.
twin compressors just help with recharge time of the tank but is not essential, depends how much you play with the system and how long you want to listen to the noise coming from the boot.
Hope this helps a little.
Cheers
Im in a pretty similar situation to yourself at the moment.. Very tempted by airride!
The two companies ive looked at using are plush automotive and design4automotive, both have very good reputations.
The kits seem to vary from 2k to over 4k fitted dependant on what you want. Have a look on both website, they have a lot of info (especially plush).
Id emailed plush about different specs,
Hopefully the following my clear things up a little.
I'll be keeping an eye on the thread as im sure people know alot more about this than me, although i haven't seen many uk e21's on air.
---- All of our kits will drive and perform the same as they are all 4 way systems and we do not get involved ith the cheaper 2 way systems that give air the name for not handling well due to cross loading issues.
paddle valve kit:
this kit is basically 4 manual switches each one corresponds to each corner of the car its as simple as flicking the switches one way to lift the car and the other way to drop the car. Being a manual system the lift and drop is slightly slower than the other electronics systems.
Switch speed:
this system is an electronic version of the above system so it will lift and drop quicker it has the option of an all down button and you can lift in pairs instead of individual corners as well. Also you have the ability with this system to upgrade to the e-level system at a later date to allow you to gain preset ride heights.
V2
This system is the first system with its own management and allows you to have preset ride heights. The system has 8 presets and at a touch of a button you can select these, so for example you could have a preset for 5 people in the car one with 1 in the car, speed bump height, etc etc etc. Being a pressure based system i would say it would be accurate within 5mm of its setting (due to pressures changing with temperature)
E-level
this is truly the all singing and dancing management and once running this, hand on heart you would never look at anything else. it is a height based management system not a pressure based system like the v2. this will take a little longer to fit due to mounting sensors on the body to measure suspension travel. Being a height based system it auto calibrates itself so say you set a cruising low ride height then pick 3 mates up, they get in the car and without touching anything it compensates for the extra weight so you can have that perfectly dialled in stance all the time. you have 3 presets on this as well and also the option for i pad/phone integration.
Again all the systems come with a 5 gallon tank (which we recommend) giving you enough volume to lift a new wave vag in a single lift without a recharge via the compressor.
twin compressors just help with recharge time of the tank but is not essential, depends how much you play with the system and how long you want to listen to the noise coming from the boot.
Hope this helps a little.
Cheers
Re: Questions about air.....
Thanks for your reply bud, if I'm honest I think I'd be happy with the paddle valve kit, don't really need anything too fancy, although the idea of presets does interest me! As for the price I'd be looking to fit it myself mainly to gain some knowledge along the way, and I enjoy working on my own cars, and obviously to save some cash. What sort of price would I be looking at for just the paddle valve kit....no fitting....I will check out plus he's website too 
Re: Questions about air.....
it just varies how far you want to go with it really. id say cheapest is around 1200 right up to upwards of 4k!
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pandemonium001
- E21 Pro
- Posts: 528
- Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:19 pm
- My E21(s): E12 535i T (ish)
- Location: Scotland Ayrshire
Re: Questions about air.....
Been looking at air as well. comfort and stance all in one. not sure on performace yet tho!
A simple mechanical kit would be easy to put together. hard part is finding the struts for what you want.
Stance works has some good how to guides on there.
There are 2 vw golf mk2 air lift rear struts on fleabay new for £730 i think the same for 2 decent bag over struts for the front self weld to the strut.
the rest easy rangerover compressor, 12v pressure switch, moisture seperator, loads of 1/4" air tubing and push fit connectors,
2 guages, 2 paddle switches, some relays, doughnut tank for boot, 8 valves 1 exhaust 1 pressure for each bag, Truck airhorn ones are perfect chrome, 180psi 12v for £6 each.
I have been trying to figure out if the discovery3/ rrsport struts could be adapted for the front as they go for peanut second hand.
I think in the end i may have several steps in my suspension to end up with bag over coils.
I want to have the best dampers i can buy first on coilovers run them, then swap the springs for bags,
something like Bilsteing B16 pss10 with air bags would be my idea.
A simple mechanical kit would be easy to put together. hard part is finding the struts for what you want.
Stance works has some good how to guides on there.
There are 2 vw golf mk2 air lift rear struts on fleabay new for £730 i think the same for 2 decent bag over struts for the front self weld to the strut.
the rest easy rangerover compressor, 12v pressure switch, moisture seperator, loads of 1/4" air tubing and push fit connectors,
2 guages, 2 paddle switches, some relays, doughnut tank for boot, 8 valves 1 exhaust 1 pressure for each bag, Truck airhorn ones are perfect chrome, 180psi 12v for £6 each.
I have been trying to figure out if the discovery3/ rrsport struts could be adapted for the front as they go for peanut second hand.
I think in the end i may have several steps in my suspension to end up with bag over coils.
I want to have the best dampers i can buy first on coilovers run them, then swap the springs for bags,
something like Bilsteing B16 pss10 with air bags would be my idea.
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e21-Mark
- E21 Master
- Posts: 5715
- Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:19 pm
- My E21(s): 316 m52/2.8 Cat Cams & Jenvey ITB
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JackyardBackoff
- Location: Cornwall - UK
Re: Questions about air.....
Check back issues of Performance BMW and there was some detail on the light green 316 that was converted to air. I may be wrong but seem to recall they used a modified e30 set up?
Air systems seem to be developing quite a lot. Always used to appear you'd have to sacrifice handling for the aesthetics of a low ride height, but seems you can have both now.
Air systems seem to be developing quite a lot. Always used to appear you'd have to sacrifice handling for the aesthetics of a low ride height, but seems you can have both now.
