Ground Clearance 2" Air Lift Kit - trying to find the preCovid $750 kit I posted about ...somewhere

[Tom and Vipers]

This was an all 4 corners kit. Great price. Can't find where I talked about it.

It is used with straight spring coil-overs.

I seem to recall their website was very detailed about how to determine the fit and what is required to make them work.

 

[BoondocSaint]

$750 ground clearance kit?...I'm all ears lol. Nothing says daily driver like clearing driveways and speedups. Probably too good to be true for many reasons, but I've got my bucket of popcorn.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Actually I've found a bunch of manufacturers. The term is "Air Cup Suspension"
Here are some links:

https://www.driftworks.com/row/stanceparts-air-cup-lift-kit-for-coilover-suspension.html#product-options

Air Cups - Page 6 - D2 Racing

d2racing.com

I think the front only w/o tank is $620 which is pretty reasonable. Biggest issue is where to mount the air compressor

VERA V-ACK + SILVER CONTROL SYSTEM 12.5mm

veraair.com

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[BoondocSaint]

Interesting, so air cups. Now I have something new to nerd out to/learn about. Never knew that was a thing, but I'm definitely curious about the pluses and minuses. Snake oil or realistic budget lift for our cars?

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Interesting, so air cups. Now I have something new to nerd out to/learn about. Never knew that was a thing, but I'm definitely curious about the pluses and minuses. Snake oil or realistic budget lift for our cars?

The "tuner kids" are all into this, also Porsche guys. Saw one in the flesh, little import tuner car splitter was parked and almost laying on the ground. They showed me the 2-3" lift. Viper with splitters, especially ones that extend way forward are nightmare for hits. I'm getting my Hennessy facia redone to sell the car and now seriously considering putting a front lift in it (otherwise there are inevitable hits and glass don't give so always repairing) and IF I do that, I'm probably going to fab the optional splitter that was offered. I've had the car since 2001 and the ground clearance up front has been a thorn in my side. Ironically I should have done this 20 years ago but I don't think this stuff was out then.

There was a fascia where the lower part of the fascia had the splitter and was articulated like a human jaw! If you scraped, the jaw would simply lift out of the way. Saw it at a Viper Days around 2001. Genius design. I think it beloved to a guy that had a small trailer he hauled with his Viper that had his track tires/wheels in it. Very ********* dude.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

UPDATE: there is not even a "finger's width" clearance between the coil OD and the upper inner control arm - need to get some cup dimensions.

 

[BoondocSaint]

Looks like there is a lot of good info on the Audi R8 forums, www.r8talk.com

 

[Tom and Vipers]

UPDATE: Latest discovery & prelim measurements indicate 110mm OD cups are required which means they have to come from Stance. Vera does not have 110's.

 

[white out]

Nothing will touch pre-Covid pricing. I work with Stanceparts for air lifting cups, but it will be a very tight fit as they are designed for MacPherson. There is also KW hydraulic lift, which alleviates the width issues, but reduces the ability to go LOW with most coilovers.

If you want information or specs on either, message me.

 

[Mystique]

I’m looking for more information to do this. Just bought a 97 GTS this week and can’t get up my driveway. Just started looking but would like to install an airlift suspension on the front end to give myself a few more inches of clearance.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

First, you have to have coil overs with no more than a 3.5" OD spring - that means you can run the 110mm air cups. You will have to grind away a little bit of the upper inner control arm shaft (a few mm at most) - NOTE: this measure ment made with suspension hanging. I believe the clearance increases when compressed - but you need to verify that.

Stance makes 120mm cups but 110mm are available for no extra charge.

There are 2 options: w/air tank or w/o air tank. Here is a $680 kit for w/o: https://www.springrates.com/products/stanceparts-universal-tankless-air-cup-kit-front

The tank costs more, could be $800.

There are a number of places that sell this kit, prices vary, but the $680 was the lowest I could find at the time.

I thought about installing on my 96 GTS which I'm selling, but decided not to because of the effort to locate, wire and plumb the various components.

But I would have done this in a heartbeat if it was available 20 years ago when I bot it!

 

[BoondocSaint]

I’m looking for more information to do this. Just bought a 97 GTS this week and can’t get up my driveway. Just started looking but would like to install an airlift suspension on the front end to give myself a few more inches of clearance.

If you go through with it, definitely do a good write up.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Yes, someone has to write this up. This mod will transform Viper ownership (or any car w/low ground clearance)

The biggest hurdle may be getting coilovers with 3.5" OD springs. My Aldans are that size.

 

[GTS Dean]

UPDATE: there is not even a "finger's width" clearance between the coil OD and the upper inner control arm - need to get some cup dimensions.

Are you saying that the cup OD hits the upper wishbone steel pivot bars in the front?

 

[BoondocSaint]

Not gonna lie GTS Dean, with everything you have put that car through, I am impressed with how good that suspension looks.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Are you saying that the cup OD hits the upper wishbone steel pivot bars in the front?

Yes. With the suspension hanging, Aldan 3.5" OD coil overs, the clearance between the spring OD and shaft is a 21/64 drill bit or .328 inches. This would accommodate a zero clearance cup diameter of 3.5 + 2(.328) = 4.156" = 108mm

The cups are 110mm - so it's 2mm OS on the diameter, or 1mm on the radius.
Therefore 1mm would have to be ground off the shaft zero clearance with suspension hanging.

I did not confirm, but I believe as the suspension compresses, this clearance increases.
IF TRUE: I would be happy with 0 to 1mm of clearance hanging which is 1 to 2mm material removed from shaft.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

UPDATE: (can't edit) VERA does not offer 110mm cups. Have to get from Stance. Same price as 120mm's.

 

[white out]

KW hydraulic lift is the better option than stanceparts air lift for the Viper with the tight clearances. There are pros/cons to each. But the easiest install on Viper is going to be KW. If anyone is interested in either system, message me for details.

Picture of KW on a Penske for reference

 

[GTS Dean]

Not gonna lie GTS Dean, with everything you have put that car through, I am impressed with how good that suspension looks.

Thanks man! A guy I was time-trialing against at the Viper Rendezvous last summer also had a B/W 96 GTS. We were way less than a 10th apart from each other out there, with him just having the edge. He had a 650 hp built motor with junk suspension and a race seat, I have a total street car dynoing 390 at the tire, the quietest exhaust at the track, the 3-way Penskes and Hawk brake pads. My suspension is EVERYTHING and I keep it looking sharp!