Fabricating Rear Air Suspension
01-05-2015, 10:09 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-12-2009
Location: Boutte, Louisiana
Posts: 534
Fabricating Rear Air Suspension
Well, I'm in the pursuit of getting my ride height as low as physically possible. In doing so i have gone through a couple variations of rear suspensions.
First I started off using the stock 2-link (rear axle using only two mounting locations), and replacing the springs with air bags. This kind of worked, but the stock 2-link results in the wheels swinging to the front of the wheel wells when you lower it. This sort of movement is inevitable with a 2-link suspension.
Next I modified a stock rear axle by cutting off the hub plate, and welding on a new plate. This moved the hub up and back, allowing for the wheel to be centered in the wheel well when the ride height is lowered, but caused the wheel to swing to the back of the wheel well as it is raised up.
After my failed attempts to make a stock-ish setup work, i have decided to go all out. I have began fabricating a 6-link setup with a straight axle. It will consist of a rear mounted parallel 4-link, and two front link bars using the stock mounting locations. This will ensure that the axle stays centered in the wheel well throughout it's cycle up and down. It may be hard to understand without visuals, but it shouldn't be too long before i have it all mocked up, I'm still waiting on parts to arrive.
Fabricating the brackets to fit the stock location
Test fitting
I figured i might as well do a disc brake conversion too
First I started off using the stock 2-link (rear axle using only two mounting locations), and replacing the springs with air bags. This kind of worked, but the stock 2-link results in the wheels swinging to the front of the wheel wells when you lower it. This sort of movement is inevitable with a 2-link suspension.
Next I modified a stock rear axle by cutting off the hub plate, and welding on a new plate. This moved the hub up and back, allowing for the wheel to be centered in the wheel well when the ride height is lowered, but caused the wheel to swing to the back of the wheel well as it is raised up.
After my failed attempts to make a stock-ish setup work, i have decided to go all out. I have began fabricating a 6-link setup with a straight axle. It will consist of a rear mounted parallel 4-link, and two front link bars using the stock mounting locations. This will ensure that the axle stays centered in the wheel well throughout it's cycle up and down. It may be hard to understand without visuals, but it shouldn't be too long before i have it all mocked up, I'm still waiting on parts to arrive.
Fabricating the brackets to fit the stock location
Test fitting
I figured i might as well do a disc brake conversion too
01-10-2015, 10:19 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-12-2009
Location: Boutte, Louisiana
Posts: 534
Thanks guys, more progress will be coming soon, more parts are arriving on Monday. Today i made the driver side bracket for the disc break setup, just gotta replicate it for the passenger side. After test fitting everything, i think i'm gonna narrow the rear axle a few more inches to allow for lower offset wheels.
01-16-2015, 10:34 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-12-2009
Location: Boutte, Louisiana
Posts: 534
I started to cut out the floor of my donor HHR, getting ready to mock everything up. I plan on building two setups, so both of my rides will have the same suspension, so this one isn't getting hacked up for no reason. Next i gotta build a rear "frame" to mount everything to, and start making linkages.
