How Do Air Springs Work?

9/19/2013

Air Lift adjustable air springs are engineered to fit and work with your existing suspension and help to eliminate squat, providing you with a safer and more comfortable ride when towing or hauling a heavy load.

Here at Air Lift we offer air springs for two types of vehicles – those with leaf springs and those with coil springs.

For vehicles with leaf springs, we engineered the air spring assemblies to mount on top of your existing leaf springs and connect to the frame. This design allows for the leaf springs to continue to do their job, while the air springs, with air pressure added, provide extra leveling and support when towing or hauling heavy loads. Our leaf-spring-compatible kits – the LoadLifter 5000 Ultimate –  includes an internal jounce bumper, which replaces the factory jounce bumper and prevents the vehicle from bottoming out on harsh roads or under extreme loads.

For coil-sprung vehicles, the air springs fit directly into the coil spring, then are expanded by adding air pressure to support the coils and prevent them from completely compressing, creating a smoother ride and restoring any ride height lost when a heavy load is applied.

Installation is fast and simple and most of our applications do not require you to drill into your vehicle’s frame.

To make the air springs fully adjustable, air line is run from each spring to a Schrader valve, located on the rear bumper, allowing you to inflate or deflate the springs easily, as needed. Most Air Lift air springs are fully adjustable from 5 to 100 PSI.

For optimal convenience, install an Air Lift on-board air compressor system, which allows you to inflate or deflate the air springs from inside or outside your vehicle with the touch of a button.