How to Choose an Air Ride System for Your Classic Car
As with any purchase, doing a little research before you start searching for an air suspension for your Chevy can go a long way toward achieving a quality driving experience. Like many Chevy C10 owners looking for the right air suspension, you might ask yourself: what exactly are my needs? How do I plan to drive this car? Is it going to be a weekend ride or an actual track car? Does it need to be optimized for cross-country travel? With that in mind, here’s a list of things you should be on the lookout for to ensure your budget air suspension meets your needs.
What exactly can a budget air suspension kit do for me?
A car air suspension kit is a type of vehicle suspension that is powered by an air pump, or by an electric or engine-driven compressor. These suspension packages are installed in lieu of standard springs in order to ensure a smoother ride and enhanced handling. They also add functionalities such as adjustable height, which enables you to lower or raise the chassis to best fit the road circumstances and/or load. To say that they greatly improve an old Chevy’s drive quality would be selling them way too short.
Use the correct springs
Air springs come in many types, and the type used often depends on the shape and physical layout of the vehicle. For instance, the 1963-1987 models of C10 utilize a CoolRide suspension package in the front. Mounting a ShockWave is pretty much impossible due to the OE suspension layout. The ShockWave’s air springs and shocks are packed next to each other, which means their turning radius would be constrained by the mix of CoolRide’s packaging limits and its reliance on an outboard mounted shock.
When it comes to budget air suspension kits, size does matter
When visiting an air suspension shop near you, it’s crucial to keep your vehicle’s size in mind. For heftier vehicles that are equipped with bigger springs, it’s best to use a sizable compressor tank that has been set up to provide more air volume. Increased volume leads to increased efficiency. That being said, any tank larger than five gallons would be an overkill on standard systems.
Ready-to-go budget air suspension systems
Fully engineered kits are available for a wide array of Mopar, General Motors, and Ford models, up to and including the classic Mustangs, C10s, and Buick Regals. Of all RideTech suspension kits, CoolRide is the most budget-friendly solution. It also covers more than 40 car models and as such is highly versatile in its application.
Need help choosing a budget air suspension for your Chevy?
Are you tired of rough rides? Do you want to get in on that wonderful smooth driving everyone enjoys so much, but aren’t sure where to start? Call Chimera Motors at 714-907-06
