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DIY Air Ride Suspension


andybp

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5 hours ago, cs2000 said:

Im absolutely loving this topic. Any chance you could write up a guide and parts list once complete? I know its likely to be pretty "full on" but at literally 2k cheaper than commercial options, im willing to give it a read. As for your incentive, you could whip up a few sets of brackets on your CNC machine and sell them with the guide so people to copy your system :)

 

I have the same coilovers as you and am literally fed up of smashing every speed bump in sight to the point where i barely use the car unless i 100% know theirs no speed bumps along the route!

sure I can sort something out for you once I'm happy with the setup. Going to make a custom pcb for the electronic side when I get a chance and do away with all the relays I only mention this as I know you're partial to an arduino 

:)

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14 hours ago, andybp said:

sure I can sort something out for you once I'm happy with the setup. Going to make a custom pcb for the electronic side when I get a chance and do away with all the relays I only mention this as I know you're partial to an arduino 

:)

Haha guilty, along with PCB design ;) Happy to assist if you need help

Edited by cs2000
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Well I've got the rear all up and running but it's taken most of the weekend as I had lots of problems with the electronic side of things turns out it was back emf from the valve block causing spurious problems which shouldn't have happened as they are all driven from mechanical relays which are immune from such issues unfortunately the electronics driving the relays seems somewhat sensitive anyway I've frigged it for now and will build my own, I have managed to get the front coilovers removed and fitted with air springs and back on today but I need to route the airlines before I can try them

So that's my excuse for a lack of pictures, I've been too busy trying to get it to work will try and get some pics tomorrow.

:)

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Those Mechanical relays boards are normally pretty good, but general overkill for what i have needed in the past, They're usually fully opto isolated etc which sometimes is needed, other times not and can complicate matters. On my VDC/Traction control boards im just protecting from back EMF with a simple diode across the relay coils, seems to work well.

 

Looking at your boards, your original solid state relays weren't opto isolated., the new ones (blue relays are) but i cant see any EMF diode on the board in the photo you've put up.

 

Looking forward to seeing progress!

Edited by cs2000
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got the fronts connected up today had a few air leaks but still got a few issues I don't think I fitted the top o-ring properly so will have to strip them out again tomorrow as the fronts only hold air for about 2 hrs then the Z's on the floor the rear are good been up for 2 days

This is the front installed

 

IMG_20180820_112634.jpg.c5ee53a0d6fd949b662d137b56bc76d9.jpg

 

:)

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16 hours ago, Daisyduke said:

That looks like it would raise the front so high.

 

What does the min and max height look like?

 

Awesome work

not sure on max height but as it's set up now it pretty much sits on the floor at it's lowest in fact it is right now as the air has pretty much all leaked out :lol:

hope to get that sorted tomorrow

:)

Edited by andybp
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3 minutes ago, cs2000 said:

Looks amazing! Hope you get the air leaks sorted, then we need some propper external photos and videos too. Is the pump loud?? I always imagine them sounding like a garage air compressor!

all seems to be holding air now. controller is temperamental ,same emf issues but I have designed a new one just need to make the pcb.

The compressor is a bit noisy hopefully will be a bit quieter when everything's back together lots to do yet

:)

 

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Well. This is all way beyond me but Wow... I just want to skip to the end! Hope this all works out! And can't wait to see the end product - had to comment something just to get on the updates! 

Edited by Mik Du
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Looks good mate. if you need any assistance on the PCB layout or arduino coding, give me a shout :thumbs:

 

I know that PCB is a one off prototype, but im sure i could get that smaller if i built it in Eagle and had it printed over at JLCPCB, but for a rev 1.0 design, it does what it needs to do by the looks of it!

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8 hours ago, cs2000 said:

Looks good mate. if you need any assistance on the PCB layout or arduino coding, give me a shout :thumbs:

 

I know that PCB is a one off prototype, but im sure i could get that smaller if i built it in Eagle and had it printed over at JLCPCB, but for a rev 1.0 design, it does what it needs to do by the looks of it!

As a pressure based system the arduino code is pretty much sorted I just need to write the code for the 2.4" touchscreen the only problem is that I haven't decided on the control philosophy and how the controls will work once I add the height sensors

As for the PCB as you said it's a prototype and I've already started designing the rev 2 board in Eagle but it's always good to know there's someone I can run it by :thumbs: or the code for that matter.

:)

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Just now, Keyser said:

Yes but apart from all that circuit board nonsense - is it done yet ??

 

:lol:

 

:thumbs:

 

 

It goes up and down and I've driven it with no problems and the ride is great but no I wouldn't consider it done :lol:

:)

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It's a little bit one step forward 2 steps back at the moment

I thought I was being clever with a bit more Ghetto Rigging, trying to use flexible hoses to go from the front struts to the body but hoses with the right fittings 1/8"Bsp and about 12" long are like hens teeth

except for grease gun hoses. Damn I'm good ;)

 

IMG_20180901_171233.jpg.736eddb7f95b3b487fb4b2dd753f6a36.jpg

 

 

at least I thought I was being clever watch the video and see

 

 

 

so it seems grease gun hoses will hold 4500 psi of pressure as long as it's not air as it seeps through the inner core and blows apart the rubber outer scaring the crap out of me :lol:

so back to the drawing board.

:)

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