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Has anyone "bagged" a galant?

mr.mitsu

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Apr 28, 2003
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798
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canada
Tossing around the idea of air ride for my g-ride /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Has anyone attempted this? Or successfully installed air ride?

Thanks for any input /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Jesus_Negros

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Jan 7, 2012
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USA
You mean something like this? click

I know a guy who had an EvoIX with an air suspension setup, I rode in it twice and it was suprisingly comfortable and still handled well enough for his uses. He never tracked it or anything he had an RS for that.

I say go for it, it's something different and when done right is cool.
 

mr.mitsu

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Apr 28, 2003
Messages
798
Location
canada
^thats the ticket!

Didn't go through the site to extensively but I wonder how it corrects camber?
 

ade

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Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
303
Location
Paumanok NY
click

click

i was thinking of trying them but how do i justify spending the money, thats almost four times what i paid for my gvr4
 
Last edited:

cheekychimp

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Apr 19, 2004
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Location
East Sussex, U.K.
I had a similar thread going about a month back and a lot of people dissuaded me from doing it quoting nightmares of maintenance and leaking diaphragms. I'm still tempted. The idea intrigues me and remember the FWD 6G actually had ECS which used air struts. Of course after 20 years most of the systems have failed and a lack of spare parts means most people ripped it out. But let's be honest how many Galants are running on their original springs and oil filled struts?

As long as the compressor, hoses and electrics are up to par, I would think an air shock posed less of a maintenance issue as you can replace the diaphragm easier than rebuilding a shock. The real problem for me is the one quoted above. I'm not sure I can justify spending more than the entire car is worth on new suspension. If I was sure it would last 100,000 miles as some air suspension manufacturers claim I'd be tempted but my experience with KSport in the past hasn't led me to believe that they command that level of reliability. Not insanely bad by any means but for $4000-USD you can get Ohlins, DMS, Hotbits, pretty much anything in fact! You could get a set of EVO Bilsteins, aftermarket springs and have the whole setup revalved and about half of that left over.

Bottom line if the ride was Lexus plush on soft and could be firmed up to handle track abuse I'd be all ears. If the ride quality and performance is just 'okay' however I'm not sure it justifies the price. If you want to do it though, I'd love to see you pull it off and I anxiously await your review on the ride plus pictures of how it sits. I could be convinced if someone could show me it is worth doing. I am truly dissatisfied with my current setup and I really do want to find something more comfortable.
 

Jesus_Negros

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^ I think it would be too expensive just to avoid some speedbumps.
 

cheekychimp

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Messages
7,333
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East Sussex, U.K.
Very true but I think people assumed I wanted air suspension so that I could raise ride height to clear them. I don't have any clearance issues, the shocks are just way too hard and I pogo over every speed hump unless I slow to a crawl. Ironically the harder shocks may tolerate the abuse better as they at least don't bottom out. My kidneys just can't take it any longer. I am very willing to slow down for the humps, I am not looking to get WRC airtime. I would however like to be able to enjoy all of my time driving including the first three minutes of each ride which are spent driving through the estate. I currently spend all of that time cringing and hoping it will all be over with quickly.
 
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prove_it

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Jul 3, 2008
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Sioux Falls, SD
I had a parts car GS with air ride. Front struts would work easily. Rears I'm not so sure since the rear axle is solid. I did think about doing the swap. I old dog mitsu tech buddy of mine told me the compressors only fail due to water in the pump side. He's disassembled them and cleaned out and it works fine. He also said the only other parts that he saw fail where the bags themselves would weather crack and leak. The system uses a "computer" to control everything so wiring it up is not completely straight forward, but doable with some time. You would need a donor car for all the connectors, and components. You could set the ride height sensors to allow three different height settings. Camber is not corrected with this. Ride height and shock stiffness can both be controlled which would be sweet.

I went to EVO suspension and trashed the idea of swapping the GS suspension over.
 

mr.mitsu

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Apr 28, 2003
Messages
798
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canada
Cost is def a deterrent /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Maybe some decent coilovers IS a better alternative
 

Jesus_Negros

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
It's def a commitment.
 

prove_it

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Sioux Falls, SD
I got my parts car for 200 bucks, and new bags can be had for around 300-500 for the whole car. Plumbing the lines is cheap. Cost really isn't bad, not 4K like stated before, it's just a lot of labor. Labor of love though.
 

ade

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Aug 16, 2011
Messages
303
Location
Paumanok NY
3-500.... prove it
 

prove_it

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Jul 3, 2008
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Location
Sioux Falls, SD
If your going to do something like this you'll need to be creative. Swapping in direct fit airbags really might not work due to lack of parts. I was quoted 3-500 three years ago when I was looking into doing this swap. I took a front strut to a guy that has dealt with air ride systems for a while. 3-500 is what he told me for some sort of setup that would need slight modification to work. I'm not claiming to know every little detail and how to do this to the "t". I also don't have a part number list of all the parts. I'm only relaying information I was told.

My only point to this thread is that it could be done, not that it's easy, quick, and cheap. I'm not claiming everyone should do it.

But 4k to do it. HA
 
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