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What Is an Air Suspension? A Simple Guide for Car Owners

Your car is an essential part of your life. 

There are many options when it comes to the features and benefits of your new ride. If you are in the market for a new car, it is crucial to know how these features and benefits affect the vehicle long term and how they work. 

Are you wondering what is an air suspension, and how does it work with regards to cars? If so, read on to learn more about air suspension. 

What is Air Suspension?

Air suspension, primarily, works by replacing traditional coil springs with a chamber of air known as an “air spring.” These air springs are usually rubber or plastic that are inflated to similar pressure to compare to coil springs.

Additionally, air suspension technology has morphed over the years. It is now more refined than it used to be and now is mostly seen on high-end or luxury vehicles as a feature. Air suspension allows for several advantages over traditional metal coils. 

Here are some of the benefits: 

Air Suspension Allows for a Smoother Ride 

Because air suspension uses rubber coils instead of metal, drivers describe the ride with air suspension as “pillowy.” This is because, when you hit a bump in the road, the metal coils can rattle and cause disruption and echoes across the entire vehicle. 

With air suspension, the rubber is pretty at absorbing that shock. This allows for severe twists and turns to be more manageable and for bumps to feel less aggressive. Because of its smoothness, air suspension is seen in the luxury market and also on a lot of well-known trucks. 

You can also get air lift kits are that available for installation and allow for further customization.

More Adjustable

Because of the more flexible materials, air suspension is way more adjustable than traditional coil suspension. With air suspension, you can adjust the pressure, and the amount of airflow the vehicle is receiving. This is a massive benefit to drivers, as they want to have the option to customize a car to their needs and comfort level. 

Additionally, depending on the type of terrain they are driving on, they can change the level of cushiness in the ride. If they are on a more abrasive drive, they can opt for a more pillowy ride. If they are on slick roads and need to improve handling, they can adjust to make the air suspension less cushion-like. 

Overall, the most significant benefit is the customization. Air suspension allows for the fine-tuning that you want in a vehicle. 

With benefits, there are also some considerations. Here are a couple of factors to think about if you are looking at air suspensions: 

Steel Springs May Have Easier Maintenance

Because most vehicles still opt for steel springs, you may find easier maintenance with traditional steel springs. Though air suspension provides a better experience, when something breaks, it could be more challenging to get it serviced. 

Of course, this is all relative, and will probably get easier once more repair shops have more accessible tools for repair. 

Need a Lift?

With this guide, you should be comfortable with air suspension and know the pros and cons. For more information, check out our website.