What Are Air Lift Airbags And Do You Need Them For Your Suspension?

Towing heavy loads can make a vehicle's rear start to squat as its rear suspension compacts under the added weight. This can cause a variety of problems, from increased braking distance to the vehicle bottoming out over rougher roads. This isn't just unpleasant for drivers, it can also be unsafe. However, there are ways to stop the vehicle from squatting altogether. 

One way is to fit Air Lift airbags, which are designed to reinforce the vehicle's rear suspension and help keep it level when it's towing. When paired with an onboard air compressor, these airbags can be adjusted to level out the suspension, ensuring that drivers don't have to deal with the comfort or safety issues they'd otherwise face when towing.

Air Lift offers a range of different kits to fit most common cars, vans, and trucks, with several onboard compressors to go with the kit. The standard compressor works best for occasional towing; the heavy-duty compressor works best for the heaviest loads and fastest inflation speeds; and the dual-path compressor lets drivers inflate airbags to different levels on each side of the vehicle. Anyone who buys a kit without a compressor will have to rely on air pumps at gas stations to adjust the airbag's height. There are many different options to suit all kinds of drivers, but whether or not an Air Lift kit is worth it comes down to the kind of towing you'll be doing.

Before working out whether or not you can justify buying an Air Lift kit, it's worth taking stock of what the kit can't do. It won't change the overall towing capacity of your vehicle, and despite its name, it won't work as a substitute for a regular lift kit. Air Lift specifically notes that its kits aren't designed to lift the vehicle above its factory height, and that the kit's lifetime warranty will be invalid if drivers try to tow anything heavier than their vehicle's factory capacity. Rather than a way to improve a truck's capabilities, it's better to think of the kits as an upgrade for the driver, making it easier and more comfortable to tow heavy loads.

If you regularly tow heavy boats or trailers with your vehicle, or transport heavy payloads in a truck bed, you might have noticed that your vehicle isn't level when loaded. If that's the case, an Air Lift suspension might be a worthwhile purchase. It should prove useful if you rely on your vehicle for your job, or frequently perform longer journeys while towing. On the other hand, if you don't notice your truck's rear suspension dipping when it's towing, or don't regularly tow anything heavy enough to noticeably affect the suspension, there won't be as much benefit to an Air Lift kit.

Air Lift's towing air suspension kits are all about adding practicality, but there's another reason you might want to install air suspension on your vehicle: looks. Air Lift's Performance line of suspension kits caters to this crowd, offering drivers the same versatility as its towing kits. The difference is that the performance airbags are designed to drop the vehicle's suspension below its stock level, giving it the slammed look that's popular with car enthusiasts. Lowering a car or truck has pros and cons and won't necessarily improve its practicality — in fact, in most cases, it will hinder it — but it will certainly draw more attention on the road.

The main advantage of lowering using air suspension compared to coilovers is that the former can be adjusted on the go, so speed bumps or rougher roads won't pose as much of a hazard to lowered vehicles. It also tends to be more comfortable than coilovers, which can make a big difference if you're planning to use your lowered car for more than the occasional show run. However, air suspension can be significantly more expensive and won't offer the same track-ready performance chops that a good set of coilovers would.

So, whether you're looking to reinforce your truck to deal with the rigors of towing or give your car a new, lower stance, Air Lift's suspension kits are a compelling option. However, it's worth considering whether you truly need them before you cough up the cash.