'Full' Air Suspension (1 Viewer)

Jul 23, 2012
80
82
Kingswinford & 86230
Funster No
22,100
MH
Burstner Elegance 890
Exp
Since 2012
Looking at having 'full' air suspension fitted to my Burstener Elegance 890
The ground clearance on the front seems quite low and the bus really doesn't like potholes and crappy road surfaces - noisy & harsh, also have grounded the back end a couple of times, thankfully not to badly
Would welcome any comments good or bad regarding this expensive modification
Choices seem to be between Goldschmidt or VB, any others?
Cheers in advance of any comments
 

lunarman

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Sep 23, 2008
2,147
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South Glos
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4,151
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C Class
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since 1994
Is it a 3ltr fiat?

Had the same problem with my pilote front bottoming and a really harsh ride. I had vb comfort springs fitted and it has made the world of difference.

It lifted the front by 61mm

Lunarman
 
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Timotei
Jul 23, 2012
80
82
Kingswinford & 86230
Funster No
22,100
MH
Burstner Elegance 890
Exp
Since 2012
Yes it's a 3ltr, with 'auto'
61 mm is a lot. Does this not lower the back end?
Have thought about different springs on the front and air on the back, not sure what to do

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spitfire

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Oct 13, 2010
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Correze France
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Bavaria
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Since 2003
Just had ours done by Car support in Rotterdam . Excellent professional job and good price. Have just come over to UK and makes a huge difference on the dreadful roads !!
 
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Timotei
Jul 23, 2012
80
82
Kingswinford & 86230
Funster No
22,100
MH
Burstner Elegance 890
Exp
Since 2012
Anything that smooth's out our dreadful roads has got to be a bonus
What system did you have fitted? And what sort of cost (I am sitting down with a stiff drink)
 

lunarman

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Sep 23, 2008
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Yes it's a 3ltr, with 'auto'
61 mm is a lot. Does this not lower the back end?
Have thought about different springs on the front and air on the back, not sure what to do
The lowering of the back end was not a problem with our Van at 7.3 mtr it has levelled the van.

With the length of your van and it's long overhang I can see that a higher front may give you problems at the rear. Why not give AS suspension of Warrington a call for advice, I had air suspension fitted to a previous Van with an alko chassis by them
 

MikeD

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Dec 21, 2011
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Since 2012
We have had air assistance on the rear and you can pretty well set your own ride height.

It's really just a balance between comfort and ride.

Full air suspension sounds the business. But surely you could as a default setting have any ride height you want?

Dave Newall fitted ours and did a great job. The site he recommends is only a few hundred meters away from him and a clean and quiet.
 
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Timotei
Jul 23, 2012
80
82
Kingswinford & 86230
Funster No
22,100
MH
Burstner Elegance 890
Exp
Since 2012
Andy - thanks for the link, can't believe what a difference in ride height you both got, can understand the smoother ride, the shock absorbers are able to do their job.
Lunarman - thanks for the advice, I will give AS a ring and see what they have to say/offer

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dave newell

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Oct 31, 2008
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Home converted PVC
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26yrs
Heavy duty coil springs on the front will help and although they are stronger will usually give an improvement in ride quality as the suspension will not be bottoming out. We can source them from our regular motor factors (standard Ducato coils have 19mm wire thickness and the uprated ones are 21mm thick) and it usually gives around 45-55 mm ride hieight improvement. TravelWorld are now the sole UK agents for Goldschmidt and can supply and install anything from uprated coils to full air all round although that is likely to be costly. If your van is over five years old I'd strongly advise the fitting of new front struts and top mounts, it does bump the price up but as they all need stripping out to replace the coil springs it makes sense to chuck another £100 or so at it to prevent future issues, top strut mounts are a known weak point on Ducato/Relay/Boxer models.

D.
 

Techno

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Glad to help
As you can see my van looks level now (y)
IMG_0097-X2.jpg
 

funflair

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Dec 11, 2013
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Worth talking to Mick at (S.A.P) Specialist Automotive Products in Doncaster, he is an approved installer for VB and E&P levelling jacks (did ours) top man.

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old-mo

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Oct 16, 2008
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Caravan & motorhome 45 + yrs
VB... Full air is the way to go,,,,,, makes for a fantastic ride/drive...

All angles are covered, Off Road,, Park Up,, Back up/down,,, Front up/down..

Tilt to one side to make sure waste tanks are completely empty..

Raise the front and lower the back to facilitate loading heavy goods into the garage..

Auto Level for camping, (No need except in very extreme conditions for Ramps)

Any fear when getting on a ferry etc of grounding out.... just drop the front and lift the rear.. (Only had to do that once with a trailer on the back, most times it was OK)

Control is on a long coiled umbilicle cord,,,, so you can stand out side and level by eye..

Thing I can compere the ride with is a Lorry drivers hydraulic seat,, does not get rid of every bump in the road, but eleviates most..

Off road position brings the whole rig up from the normal road use by approx 4 to 6 inches.. (Dont know why anyone would want to go off road with a front wheel drive.. :D)

It was already fitted when we bought the van...

Would I have it put on another van..... OH yes please.

Went over one of the bridges in a gale,,,, not sure whether it was 4th or severn... all cars where warned to go slow,,, we had to hang back cos a pantek van was being blown into the offside lane... didn`t move and no struggling with the steering wheel..(y)(y)
 
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Timotei
Jul 23, 2012
80
82
Kingswinford & 86230
Funster No
22,100
MH
Burstner Elegance 890
Exp
Since 2012
Mike D - I was posting my reply when your's came in, I believe there are 3 different height settings with full air, also there is an auto level facility, which sounds very nice but at what cost, need to find out
Dave - bus is a 61 reg (13500 miles) but front is very low so I need to do something. If I decide to go down the 'uprated front springs' road I will give you a ring as you are not far away from me and you have loads of positive comments. If I go down this road I will look at fitting the rear air myself, probably over Xmas
Thanks to all responses but has nobody had any experience of full air? or nobody like the price you must have to pay
 
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Timotei
Jul 23, 2012
80
82
Kingswinford & 86230
Funster No
22,100
MH
Burstner Elegance 890
Exp
Since 2012
Martin & old-mo - wife is trying to talk to me whilst I'm trying to to do this this, so I missed your posts
Will do some more research and try and decide which way to go (but I do fancy full air) maybe get the wife to blow in some bags have to to heat resistant material though

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Judge Mental

Funster
Deceased RIP
Sep 2, 2009
6,650
5,883
Sarth London
Funster No
8,272
MH
Possl 636 FR panel van
Exp
1994 and beyond...
For a x 250 full air over 5k....I tend to change vans frequently so not for me. Weighing and adjusting tyre pressure correctly helps enormously..

Plus I use Roho an air flight seat, bought for long haul flights but it now lives in the van, not cheap but a hell of a lot cheaper then air!



but if a van overweight and listing....a different matter
 
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