How to Install Air Ride Suspension Systems

Learn everything there is to know about how to install a versatile and capable air ride system.

Air suspension used to be expensive, difficult to install, and complex to figure out. But that was years ago. Today, thanks to kits made for virtually every make and model of car and truck, plus the popularization of automatic digital levelling kits, it’s easier than ever to take a vehicle and put it on the ground. With a properly installed air ride suspension, you can set your height wherever you like, lay your ride on the asphalt when you want, and even tear through the corners like you’re driving a slot car. But here’s the most important part: it’s just cool.

Having an air-bagged vehicle isn’t restricted to one vehicle class or another. While it originally became popular with mini trucks, it soon caught on with street rods, cars, and motorcycles, and even traditional lowriders have embraced the scene. That’s because where previous adjustable suspensions had their problems, air ride setups are quite often cleaner and easier to maintain. It all depends on how it’s installed and managed.

In How to Install Air Ride Suspension Systems, air ride veteran Kevin Whipps walks you through everything you need to know about installing an air suspension onto pretty much anything. After going through the basics of each component, he explains how it all works together in easy-to-understand terms that make it simple for even the mechanically challenged. By the end of it all, you’ll know more about air suspension than you thought was possible and have a clear understanding of what you need to do to bag your ride.