Soarer Central: Airbag Suspension

Soarer Central Suspension Airbag Suspension

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Scott Vim
Newbie
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 1
Reg: 12-2010

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 01:03 am, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

Hey guys. Basically to cut a long story short I've got a supercharged v8 Soarer with the airbag suspension. One of the airbags leaks badly and I need to replace it very soon.

Was thinking about coils but I don't mind the airbags since it's just suppose to be a daily driver for me. I want to stick with the airbags but I just think the Toyota airbags are far too expensive.

I came across this on airbagit
http://www.airbagit.com/product-p/fbx-f-lex-14.htm
They are the airbags to fit the soarer at less then half price. I checked they fit the soarer but they can't promise that the airlines will fit since I'm pretty sure the SC400 never came out with airbags in America. So my question is will these fit and work with the current air system pump in the Soarer or is there a •••••••• of work that needs to be done to get these to work? Pretty much I'll just go a cheap set of coils if I can't get this to work. Would prefer the airbags though.
Thanks guys.

Myles Jantzen
TryHard
SA
SC 400 V8

Posts: 154
Reg: 08-2008

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 10:24 am, by: Myles Jantzen (Maxx999)

By the time you buy both front and rear kits plus shipping and the airtank, other parts etc,
may as well buy Toyota airbags which are better quality.

To answer your question no you would have to buy the airtank and other bits to get it all working.

Scott Vim
Newbie
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 2
Reg: 12-2010

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 11:06 am, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

So what do most people do just go for coils?
I've heard that the standard airbags can't really be lowered (not good for them). I've got an aftermarket controller and it's lowered about 2 inchs below standard.
Shame that no one makes a direct replacement like most other parts.

Myles Jantzen
TryHard
SA
SC 400 V8

Posts: 155
Reg: 08-2008

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 12:24 pm, by: Myles Jantzen (Maxx999)

Coilover kits, Try ebay. The airbag kit your looking at getting is probably similar to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjLBK-3lD30

http://www.airforce-sus.com/product.htm

Just saw this on ebay for $2250 USD
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Complete-Air-Suspension-Kit-Lexus-GS-IS-SC-LS-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhash Zitem33633bf235QQitemZ220708205109QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Just remember when buying from overseas to keep it under $1000 AUD excluding postage costs or will get slapped with customs tax.

Joshua Rao
Goo Roo
WA
JZZ30 vvti auto GT-L (for sale $9.8k ono), TT (for sale $5.2k), 06 Hyundai Elantra (for sale $9.2k), 97 Blk UZZ31, 97 JZZ30 vvti turbo blk manual ($14k), 96 vvti turbo manual, Legnum VR4, Alfa 156

Posts: 2375
Reg: 09-2006

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 12:58 pm, by: Joshua Rao (Soaren1)

Mate I just bought secondhand airbags

Ali Saeed
Goo Roo
WA
UZZ31

Posts: 3048
Reg: 09-2007

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 05:01 pm, by: Ali Saeed (Ali)

so that airbag kit on ebay sits on top of the coils or something?

Daniel Lee
Goo Roo
Victoria
V35

Posts: 2288
Reg: 07-2005

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 06:28 pm, by: Daniel Lee (Son_gokou)

Scott,

You can get a new air strut from Amayama Trading for around AUD$750.

http://www.amayama.com/

Here are the part numbers:

Front Right
48010-29035

Front Left
48020-29015

Rear Right
48080-29035

Rear Left
48090-29035

Murray Lund
TryHard
NSW
V8

Posts: 371
Reg: 07-2005

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 06:53 pm, by: Murray Lund (Murray)

20 year old second hand airbags are only a short term solution, and just because the airbag is OK doesn't mean the rest of the strut isn't worn out. I had an annoying kick back in my steering over roads that were less than perfect, and the cause was a worn out LHS strut, though the airbag was still fine.

Myles Jantzen
TryHard
SA
SC 400 V8

Posts: 156
Reg: 08-2008

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 10:36 pm, by: Myles Jantzen (Maxx999)

Scott obviously wants to keep the car lowered, No idea how long stock airbags will last lowered (probably not long)

Those American airbag kits might work better for lowered cars. Check out Club lexus as a lot of guys on there seem to use them.

Shop around and keep an eye out for stuff on ebay and Yahoo Japan.

New stock airbags are the best but coilovers cost a lot less and will be almost as good.

Murray Lund
TryHard
NSW
V8

Posts: 372
Reg: 07-2005

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 02:32 am, by: Murray Lund (Murray)

Mine has been lowered for 7 years, no airbag problems.

Scott Vim
Newbie
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 4
Reg: 12-2010

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 02:57 am, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

Murry did you buy new airbags? I've heard that it's only really when you dump it on it's arse that it causes problems. I don't want the tyre inside the guard just 2-3 inches lower then stock and to have the option to adjust it is always good. And compared to my other car is so so smooth. If I was going to go coils I would just go a set of BC which I've used and think they a pretty good but pretty firm!
So what's this Amayama Trading site? Looks good if I can get the airbags for that cheap.
Thanks for the response guys. I was leaning towards coils until tonight. If that amayama site isn't too good to be true I'll be keeping the airbags.

Myles Jantzen
TryHard
SA
SC 400 V8

Posts: 157
Reg: 08-2008

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 10:43 am, by: Myles Jantzen (Maxx999)

Murray how much did you lower it by and did you use a height controller or the adjusting rods?

http://www.planetsoarer.com/lower/Lower.html

Murray Lund
TryHard
NSW
V8

Posts: 373
Reg: 07-2005

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 01:52 pm, by: Murray Lund (Murray)

I have two new airbags in the front end. It's not ridiculously lowered, and no I don't have a controller, just lowered it via the control rods. The tyres sit just under the guards (so that there is no gap between the outside of the tyre and the edge of the guard).
Any lower is impractical with speed humps and gutter crossings.

Peter Williams
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8

Posts: 87
Reg: 01-2009

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 03:04 pm, by: Peter Williams (Skeeta)

Scott, new Toyota air-bags $750 EACH

Scott Vim
Newbie
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 5
Reg: 12-2010

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Friday, December 31, 2010 - 01:05 am, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

That's not from Toyota. I called around and got price variations from about $1000 up to $1400

Grant Brooks
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8 LTD

Posts: 60
Reg: 10-2005

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Friday, December 31, 2010 - 12:20 pm, by: Grant Brooks (Gbroog)

Scott I have ordered 2 gen toyota airbags from cheap toyota parts in the UK brand new all up and shipped $1180. I have bought several items from them before and found them very reliable dealt with Chris Bilimore he has been very helpful. Hope this helps cheers

Murray Lund
TryHard
NSW
V8

Posts: 374
Reg: 07-2005

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Friday, December 31, 2010 - 02:20 pm, by: Murray Lund (Murray)

Hi Grant,
Do you have a web address for your source in the UK?
M

Scott Vim
Tinkerer
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 8
Reg: 12-2010

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Friday, December 31, 2010 - 02:49 pm, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

Yeah give us some contacts man that's a bargain. Screw coilovers at that price. Really glad I signed up to this forum

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Friday, December 31, 2010 - 03:28 pm, by: Joshua Rao (Soaren1)

thats a terrific price

Scott Vim
Tinkerer
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 11
Reg: 12-2010

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Saturday, January 01, 2011 - 01:15 pm, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

Yeah it pays to shop around for sure. What's the website?

Grant Brooks
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8 LTD

Posts: 61
Reg: 10-2005

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Saturday, January 01, 2011 - 05:35 pm, by: Grant Brooks (Gbroog)

Sorry for the delay been away a couple of days the website is www.cheaptoyotaparts.co.uk cheers

Phil Gibson
Goo Roo
WA
'91 UZZ30, '91 manual UZZ31 track bunky, '94 blk/blk UZZ31

Posts: 1788
Reg: 07-2005

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Sunday, January 02, 2011 - 09:56 am, by: Phil Gibson (Sciflyer)

Im not really convinced that this "lowering airbags = bad" thing is true

On 15-20yo Soarers its the damper part itself that is the problem long before the airbag has any issues (and that is true of any Soarer not just 31s)

How many airbag problems are due simply to age, regardless of the ride height of the car?

Ive run my 31's both significantly lower than stock and never had any airbag issues, on my daily car for over 5 years now

There is a limit obviously, but if you dump the car to the bumpstops you probably have other things to worry about than just the airbags....

Scott Vim
Tinkerer
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 17
Reg: 12-2010

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Thursday, January 06, 2011 - 06:24 pm, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

So Grant did the airbags arrive in one piece?

Geoff Burton
Tinkerer
Nsw
Soarer TT

Posts: 17
Reg: 11-2010

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Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 09:54 pm, by: Geoff Burton (Low_baller)

if anyone need them, i have 1 left rear, and 1 right rear airbag struts, just stock ones but working perfectly that i will sell for $300 for the pair, if anyones interested swing me a message one 0402 493 150

Scott Vim
Tinkerer
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 59
Reg: 12-2010

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Friday, January 28, 2011 - 04:44 am, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

How old are they?

Geoff Burton
Tinkerer
Nsw
Soarer TT

Posts: 19
Reg: 11-2010

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Saturday, January 29, 2011 - 03:42 pm, by: Geoff Burton (Low_baller)

umm im not too sure sorry pal

Grant Brooks
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8 LTD

Posts: 62
Reg: 10-2005

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Tuesday, February 01, 2011 - 08:22 pm, by: Grant Brooks (Gbroog)

Sorry for the delay have been relaxing on holidays and haven't looked at this thread for a while. Airbags arrived 24/01/11 put them in on Australia day. Great improvement I didin't realise how bad it was getting, The left front airbag I removed is still OK if anyone want's to buy it. The right (drivers) was cactus. The only hassle was the delay in receiving them but the result was well worth it.

Scott Vim
Tinkerer
Vic
Soarer (1uz) Chaser (1jz)

Posts: 70
Reg: 12-2010

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Tuesday, February 01, 2011 - 08:41 pm, by: Scott Vim (1uz1jz)

Yeah mine just arrived too. It did take a while. Was your airbags wrapped in plastic or just there in the box? I haven't fitted them yet so I'm looking forward to seeing how much of an improvement it actually is.

Grant Brooks
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8 LTD

Posts: 63
Reg: 10-2005

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Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 01:46 am, by: Grant Brooks (Gbroog)

Mine were in the box Scott. You probably won't know yourself when you fit them no more compressor working it's heart out. Took me about 3 hours for the first one feeling my way a little and just on an hour for the 2nd. Good luck with it cheers

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