Air bags Part 1!

[damronjr]

Well, we (Andre and I) started putting the airbags in today. I was in high hopes that we would finish today, but really expected that we wouldn't even be able to figure it out. In one way I was suprised and in another disappointed. We took everything out and threw it on the ground and started trying to hook it all up. Got it all hooked up the way we thought was right and thought we had a bad valve and air leak. Fortunately it was just the sun frying our brains and we had hooked a hose up on the wrong end! Tested it out, attempted to launch Andre into space, and then got to work on the car. Put in the RAAMmat in the back, bolted down the compressors and tanks, and started running the rear hoses. Andre got a little frustrated after a long day and we stopped. We got a lot done considering neither of us have done anything like this before. Fortunately he's a pretty freakin smart guy, cause I would have thrown it in the shop and spent the $600 to get it done!here's the pics so far, I am supposed to go over tomorrow afternoon (damned church-goers ) and we are going to try to finish up the rears and fronts and get all the wiring done. If we make better progress than today we may even get the struts in, but that may end up having to wait until next weekend. These bags are fast and are going to be tons of fun! Here's the pics:Wish us luck tomorrow, if you;re in the area COME HELP!

[GMJAP]

Help an automotive idiot: What are airbags (in this sense)?

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by GMJAP »Help an automotive idiot: What are airbags (in this sense)?It's an air suspension kit, much like hydraulics, but using compressed air instead of hydraulic fluid. Used to raise or lower the car (or hop in some cases) with the push of a button!

[GMJAP]

Ah so! Cool. You'll definitely need to take a video for us of your Vibe hopping when you get it done!What's all the reflective foil-type stuff for, like on the bottom of the cargo floor?

[NascarXprt]

it looks like a heat shield or a sound damper material. or some thing like the stuff you use with audion in the doors stuff.

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by NascarXprt »it looks like a heat shield or a sound damper material. or some thing like the stuff you use with audion in the doors stuff.Yep, with the spare and tray gone it is quite a bit louder. I used that both for sound deadening and to keep anything from rattling back there. It should also help with heat, those tanks and compressors get HOT!

[damronjr]

Well, we didn't get done. Wiring - done, most hoses run - done, guages hooked up - done, front valve assemblies - NOT done, struts installed - NOT done. The biggest challenge has been having no clue how any of this stuff was ran/installed/mounted on the Matrix I got them from. Need to make brackets for the front valve assemblies which Andre said he would do this week, then hopefully if everything works out, we will get those mounted and the struts put on and be done! FYI, the Hotchkis stuff MAY be for sale afterwards, I haven't decided yet. If you're interested, let me know what you expect to pay for them. I have the springs and front sway bar. I can remove the rear sway bar also and put it back to stock as it will be pretty useless at this point! Might even do the STB as well. Consider this a feeler, no deals or promises are going to be made at this point. I may keep what I have on on and keep the springs JIC of emergency.

[Ponyota]

looks pretty cool, can't wait to see it complete! Maybe a little video for us when your finished

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by Ponyota »looks pretty cool, can't wait to see it complete! Maybe a little video for us when your finished Definitely!

[damronjr]

Well, bad news. Fronts worked out awesome, but we soon found out that the rears weren't going to work. The base of the bag assembly was hitting the frame around the rear sway bar. We tried notching it, but it still wouldn't clear. We realized that since the kit came from an XRS that the rear suspension was different and the rear lower bolt posts need to be extended about 2". My brother-in-law is a welder and is going to extend them for me, but everything works and the fronts are up and running! Video and pics will be coming soon, probably tomorrow as I can't do them right now and I have watch from 11pm-7am tonight!

[damronjr]

Ok well, no videos of the bags in action yet, but here's some more pics and a video of the compressors and tanks on action!Enjoy, hope you like them. Will try to get a video up tomorrow!

Attached files Movie.wmv (311 KB) 

[BlueCrush]

Nice work, Jason! Looks great! I bet you can't wait to see the looks on peoples faces when you start going up and down and then blast off. Your ride is awesome!!!

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by BlueCrush »Nice work, Jason! Looks great! I bet you can't wait to see the looks on peoples faces when you start going up and down and then blast off. Your ride is awesome!!! Thanks, Brain! I already get looks left and right when I cruise with the front up like that pic, and I scared some kids today when I was cruising with it up and dropped it right next to them! lol It's awesome and I can't wait to get the backs on!

[GMJAP]

So cool!

[BOZACK]

THats cool. Can't wait to see the full video.

[mcgusto82]

one question.can you control bags like hydrulics can be controlled. i mean, like switches. can you "pancake, side to side, bounce" those things.i've always wondered.

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by mcgusto82 »one question.can you control bags like hydrulics can be controlled. i mean, like switches. can you "pancake, side to side, bounce" those things.i've always wondered.Pancake - yes, side to side - yes, front to back - yes, bounce - not with the set-up I have, but with some you can. I'll try to get a video up today after work! Note the backs are not hook ed up yet until my bro-in-law gets done with them, but I will be calling him today to see what's up, especially since it is his day off!

[Merzbow]

Ahhhh...sacrificing your handling for airbags I'll take the rear sway if you wanna get rid of it! HAHAHA I can't wait to see a video when you two are finished. I know alot about cars but from the looks of everything you got going on over there I would have already given up.

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by Merzbow »Ahhhh...sacrificing your handling for airbags I'll take the rear sway if you wanna get rid of it! HAHAHA I can't wait to see a video when you two are finished. I know alot about cars but from the looks of everything you got going on over there I would have already given up.haha, me too, Andre kicks (removed)!

[damronjr]

#1: http://media.putfile.com/bags-...nside#2: http://media.putfile.com/more-of-the-bags#3: http://media.putfile.com/even-more-of-the-bagsThese are vids of the bags so far. My bro-in-law was in control of the car on the two day shots and wasn't quite doing what I wanted. I will post more later.

[BlueCrush]

Ha, Ha, Ha! Cool Vids! Can't wait to see more soon.

[BOZACK]

I guess your going to spend alot of time playing with your new fun bags. Great vids, more please.

[mcgusto82]

looks great. too bad i'm all the way over here. i'd love to see that in person.

[JustinVGT]

Looks pretty good and a lot of work to set up Damronjr! One question I have is how precise is the control? In the video it seems kinda abrupt when moving up or down. Can you adjust that to make it smoother and more precise?

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by JustinVGT »Looks pretty good and a lot of work to set up Damronjr! One question I have is how precise is the control? In the video it seems kinda abrupt when moving up or down. Can you adjust that to make it smoother and more precise? Not sure, I think it's just b/c the valves are so big for it to be a fast-bag kit, that in order to slow it down I would have to change out the valves and maybe even get smaller hoses. It is pretty fast! And you can sort of click on and off it to make it slower instead of filling all at once.

[JustinVGT]

Cool. So, now when you park it, you can drop the font to the ground almost and have the rear normal, giving it that aggressive stance. Probably will get lots of looks.

[Merzbow]

That looks grrrrrreat!As much as I'd hate to admit it, I think if I came into some money I might just consider doing that I was so much against air bags but now after hangin with some minitruck clubs and seeing yours I like them alot. Now you are a part of two different cultures..."tuners" with the s/c and other performance and "lowriders" with the bags. Let me be the first to ask, how does it feel?Excelent work...lookin forward to seeing the back Wish I could visit you and see em!

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by Merzbow »That looks grrrrrreat!As much as I'd hate to admit it, I think if I came into some money I might just consider doing that I was so much against air bags but now after hangin with some minitruck clubs and seeing yours I like them alot. Now you are a part of two different cultures..."tuners" with the s/c and other performance and "lowriders" with the bags. Let me be the first to ask, how does it feel?Excelent work...lookin forward to seeing the back Wish I could visit you and see em!Yep, as I've been asked before, I am a car enthusiast on many different levels, so this is like a molding of 2! I'm glad everyone (that's posting! ) seems to like them, and they ride pretty good. It really depends on what ride height you are riding at as to how they feel. All the way up and full is very stiff and rough, but way down with just a little air is very bouncy. About stock ride height is probably the best, but I like to ride with my nose in the air just b/c it looks so freakin cool and lets everyone know you're bagged!

[millster]

Looks good! So now the obvious question and the one I haven't seen asked...How long before the body kit goes back on?

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by millster »Looks good! So now the obvious question and the one I haven't seen asked...How long before the body kit goes back on? Hmm, been thinking about that one and not sure. I MAY not even keep it, but I haven't decided yet. Andre (same guy helping me with the bags, and did the supercharger) was the one helping me with the paint, but I don't know, it just seems to risky to me. $$$ is an issue as well, even though he is a friend and hooking me up, I can't expect him to take time out of work and his life and not reimburse him for it, so that complicates things as well. We'll just have to wait and see on that one. At that point I may as well start showing it!

[NascarXprt]

i like cant wait to see the whole thing move. but over bad @$$ wish i had the money to do it.

[idontknowwhatimdoing]

Quote, originally posted by damronjr »Not sure, I think it's just b/c the valves are so big for it to be a fast-bag kit, that in order to slow it down I would have to change out the valves and maybe even get smaller hoses. It is pretty fast! And you can sort of click on and off it to make it slower instead of filling all at once.You can get an inline flow control valve to adjust the rate of flow (not pressure) to adjust the speed of the bag fill and even add one to the drain side to control the drop speed...these run about $5 at a surplus store.

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by idontknowwhatimdoing »You can get an inline flow control valve to adjust the rate of flow (not pressure) to adjust the speed of the bag fill and even add one to the drain side to control the drop speed...these run about $5 at a surplus store.Thanks for the tip! Might have to look into it