Air suspension systems have become increasingly popular in high-performance street cars in recent years. But can air suspension really hold up to the rigors of racing? Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of racing with air suspension.
How Air Suspension Works
Traditional suspension systems use metal springs or leaf springs to support the vehicle's weight and absorb bumps. Air suspension replaces these metal springs with air springs, also known as air bags.
An air compressor pumps air into the bags to inflate them. Sensors constantly monitor the air pressure and make adjustments to maintain the desired ride height and stiffness. This allows air suspension to be infinitely adjustable with the push of a button.
Advantages of Air Suspension for Racing
Adjustability
One of the biggest advantages of air suspension for racing is the ability to quickly and easily adjust ride height, spring rate, and damping. This allows you to dial in the perfect suspension setup for different tracks and conditions.
Lowering the ride height at high speeds reduces aerodynamic drag and improves stability.Being able to raise the ride height for more ground clearance is also very useful for getting in and out of the pits without scraping.
Weight Savings
Despite needing an air compressor, tank, and lines, a well-designed air suspension system can reduce weight compared to traditional coil springs. The air bags themselves are very light. Eliminating heavy coil springs, especially at the rear, can provide a significant weight advantage.
Improved Traction
Air suspension can measurably improve traction by maintaining an ideal ride height and keeping the tires in firm contact with the road, especially during acceleration and cornering. The system prevents squatting under acceleration, diving under braking, and excessive body roll in the turns.
Disadvantages of Air Suspension for Racing
Complexity and Cost
The biggest drawbacks of air suspension are the added complexity and cost compared to a conventional spring system. In addition to the air springs themselves, an air suspension setup requires an air compressor, air tank, sensors, airlines, and an electronic control unit.
This added complexity introduces more potential failure points. And if any part of the system fails, you'll be left with no suspension. The cost of all these components and spares is also considerably higher than simple coil springs and shocks.
Lag and Compressibility
While modern air suspension systems are very fast-acting, there is still a slight delay between hitting a bump and the system reacting, especially compared to a rigid coil spring. This can make the suspension feel less responsive to driver inputs.
The compressibility of air also causes the spring rate to ramp up as the suspension compresses, making the response non-linear. Careful air pressure and damping tuning is required to minimize this effect.
Real-World Racing Results
So does air suspension work for racing in the real world? A couple of notable examples suggest that it can indeed be viable:
In 2016, the Dodge Viper ACR set 13 track records using a bespoke air suspension system. The team chose air suspension both for its adjustability and for the packaging and aerodynamic advantages of eliminating the rear coil springs.
Conclusion: Air Suspension Has Potential
In summary, air suspension does have some compelling advantages for racing, namely adjustability, weight savings, and improved traction. However, the added complexity, cost, lag, and non-linear response are challenges that must be overcome.
As the technology continues to advance and teams learn how to tune and exploit air suspension systems better, we may see more widespread adoption in racing. For now, though, it remains an intriguing option explored only by a handful of high-end race programs.
Want to learn more about air suspension? Check out our latest blog post: Air Suspension for Classic Cars: Modernizing Your Ride