Hydraulics/Airbags

E

Eclaire

Wrench Pro
Points
28
Location
Japan
Car
Daihatsu Storia
Hi! I'm looking into buying a new car soon, and I want to do some modifications to it once I get it. One of the things I'm looking into doing is lowering the car. However, I live in an area that gets pretty snowy in the winter, and I was told that I would have to raise the car every winter due to the snow. So I am considering putting hydraulics or airbags into the car so I could lower it down when driving, but raise it for the winter, speed bumps, bad roads, etc. I know they are expensive, but how are they performance-wise? I don't plan on racing the car a lot, but I would like to occasionally take it to a track or such. Is the strain too much for hydraulics, or would they be a worth-while investment? Car I am looking at right now is a JDM 98' Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4 rated at about 350bhp. Thanks for the thoughts!
 
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Re: Hydralics/Airbags

Both mods compromise the cars handling. IMO hydraulics are better and allow a firmer setup compared to the rather soggy handling of the airbags. A set of height adjustable dampers should suffice, just wind them up in winter and leave it low in summer.

What sort of drop are you looking at?
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

agreed
airbags are more about looks than performance
as youve said about raising for speedbumps have a look at KW coilovers they have a small airbag on the top that allows the car to be raised approx 40mm for the likes of rough roads etc.

as for snow, doesnt take long to wind them up
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

Awesome, thanks for the advice.

The car is already lowered now and I'm not sure how the current owner has it set up. If it is that easy, I'd prefer not having the hydraulics for both handling and maintenance problems. As far as how far to drop it, I'd have to wait till I got a hold of it to see what clearance with the engine pan and wheel bays there are and such.

It was just a consideration I had as I was looking at the vehicles. We can get up to 2.5 - 3 meters of snow here over the winter, so it has to be raised a decent amount during that time.
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

Haha, I wish. Everyone is so used to it here, no one gives it a second though. "Ah, it snowed again last night. Oh well.. "
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

So how long does it snow for over there then? Are you just about to go into winter?
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

I'm in Hokkaido, which is the northern island of Japan. Same hemisphere as England, so it is going into Summer here now, but it can snow for a good half of the year at least. From end of October or so until as late as March or even April. Needless to say Lancers, Imprezas, and their like are popular here. Rear-wheel cars can only be used for a few months!
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

WOW! That shows how bad my geography is! I can't imagine snow for so long! We're lucky to get a few weeks worth of snow, and when we have 10cm of snow everything grinds to a halt on our roads! :D
 
Re: Hydralics/Airbags

Yeah, up here 10cms of snow is nothing at all. Does mean that rear-wheel drive cars can be tough though. As much as I would love to buy a Supra or the like, it just isn't feasible. Lots of racers and such here buy two cars. a cheap winter car and then their baby. Does cost a lot more in taxes and such though...
 
Yeah I would have said an evo myself,
Maybe adjustable, suspension like KW coilovers, but I'm sure I have seen electrically adjustable suspension on those cars
 
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