Airbag Suspension - Convert to coilsprings..

[cptsideways]

Here's something I was tinkering with today, it may be a useful & inexpensive mod for those LS400 Celsior & Aristo peeps with leaky suspension airbag systems...

These were on my newly aquired UZS143 an Aristo with the V8 4WD & airbag suspension, one front side had collapsed due to a leaky bag. The Aristo being 4wd uses a shortened strut compared to all other similar fitting cars so replacement with something else from the parts bin would be impossible. Th estrut uses the TEMS system and apart from the airbag attachment bit looks just like any other.

So with the angle grinder I got to work & investigated what was inside, not a lot just a bit of wind... My plan is to fit a slide on Coil over convertion kit, keeping it simple.

Here's some pics

First the elusive front strut, shorter than an LS400 one or Standard Aristo one,


Captain angle grinder strikes again, cutting just below the weld line, this is twin skinned (as I later found out) so dont go too deep! you only need to cut the outer skin its abouts 1.5mm thick.


Whats inside, some knackered bump stops & not much else. Airbag units are held in place by pressed outer casing over an internal steel ring. So impossible to reove or replace without cutting. I cut below the airbag support & above the strut brace ring.


The top section, airbag cut away, inside is a lower section about 20mm deep which is like a support unit, it also apears to have a valaving system in the top connected to the TEMS controller.


TEMS strut with lower & upper airbag unit removed




Next Step
Measuring up. The strut is 48mm OD, you can buy coilover sleeves to convert such struts to coilover. With this system you can fit standard 2 1/4" springs over the existing units. The support cup is perfect diameter for the springs to sit in too. There is 5" of travel in the shock unit.

Work in progress I'll update you all soon
da-da coilover suspension units, this is a brief test using Z20/A70 top mounts off my drift car, as the springs were already there. Will test the results tomorrow & see what happens

[cptsideways]

Ok an update guys......


Got it all working a treat, spring poundage was a bit of issue as I had nothing to work with to start off, so 325lb springs on the front DOES NOT WORK dropped the car on the jack low rider special. So what does work & seems almost spot is 600lb springs, factory like ride too.

I'm running 8" springs with coil convertion kit that shortens the overall stroke by about 2" but you could run without the adjuster plates with a 500lb 9-10" spring easy enough. This would be a very similar set of for LS400/Celsiors as no doubt the weights would be much the same.

Hope its helpful to someone