# Uncomfortable rears!



## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

So I recently got air ride, riding on an analog management. Mason tech fronts and airlift tapered sleeve rears. 
The fronts ride fine at low height, but I've always got to air up the rears to keep them comfy-ish. I can't tell you my psi levels because I don't have gauges at the moment, but is anyone else getting crap ride with their airlift rears? I'm also running my old Ultimos rear shocks, would throwing on bilsteins or konis help with it?

And these airlift rears don't seem to go as low as I'd hoped, anyone else having this issue?
Thanks!

Pics for clicks not quite laying frame yet 











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## OVRWRKD (Jul 1, 2010)

I think you may want to change out the struts. I find the airlift rears comfortable in my buddies' mk4s. They all have different struts bilstein, koni, and raceland even. The racelands are definitely the worst out of the group. Not sure if they're making them for te mk4 but airlift will eventually be coming out with a new mkv rear strut that is threaded and adjustable dampening which would be perfect in your situation.


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## Slamtastic (Jul 24, 2010)

Get bilstein sports. It'll be much better.

And analog with no gauges?


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Bilsteins>konis I'm guessing? 
And yeah it sucks. Planning to get a set soon along with some dump control. 


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## reynolds9000 (Oct 16, 2003)

Bilstein or Koni would make the right a lot better.


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## thethein11 (Mar 25, 2011)

Just wondering but did you cut down the bump stop on the rear struts?


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Nope, there are no bump stops on the rears. 
Planning to cut the rear brackets and reweld em on to drop the rears down some more. 


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## Twilliams83 (Jan 25, 2011)

My airlifts rears went to sub 22.5. I tried yno wgn's wheels on and with my new drop plates and we got to 21.3 before i stopped airing out because i didnt wanna scratch his wheels haha. I guess the airlift rears are hit or miss, me and steve both love ours and go low but some people say they wont. 
Your in temecula right?


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Really? With no modification? I'm getting some prominent rake cause the rears just don't go past 23"ish. Don't wanna spend the cash for another set. 
And yes I am. If you know anyone that does good work to help me get lower and notch my tie rods and such I'd appreciate it 👍.


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## vjg1215 (Mar 23, 2009)

Get firestone rear bags and better shocks.


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## Twilliams83 (Jan 25, 2011)

clean'nblackmk4 said:


> Really? With no modification? I'm getting some prominent rake cause the rears just don't go past 23"ish. Don't wanna spend the cash for another set.
> And yes I am. If you know anyone that does good work to help me get lower and notch my tie rods and such I'd appreciate it 👍.
> 
> 
> .enohPi gnisu klatapaT morf tneS


pm me ill send you the number for my notch guy, and ill get the pic right now of when i tried steves wheels on. no modifications at all the bags.


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## tonyb2580 (Jun 22, 2006)

vjg1215 said:


> Get firestone rear bags and better shocks.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


this


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## BMP_3918 (Jun 21, 2011)

Got this same issue. I'll be getting the Bilstein for my MKVI :thumbup:


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Dammit I had used firestones but sold em cause I thought the airlifts would be better . And bilsteins it is. First priority though if to drop the back some more. 


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## BMP_3918 (Jun 21, 2011)

Yeah, I almost went with Airlift because they were so cheap! But I've heard better things from Bilstein or Koni, so I decided to go for the Bilstein (since I had them on my MK4 before)


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## [email protected] (Dec 15, 2010)

clean'nblackmk4 said:


> Really? With no modification? I'm getting some prominent rake cause the rears just don't go past 23"ish. Don't wanna spend the cash for another set.
> And yes I am. If you know anyone that does good work to help me get lower and notch my tie rods and such I'd appreciate it 👍.
> 
> 
> .enohPi gnisu klatapaT morf tneS



Have you loosened the twist beam pivot bushings and re-set at your new ride height?? If not, you could be severely winding them up preventing maximum low as well as affecting your ride quality.

FWIW, the Firestone bags are longer and could rub the axle when dropped or running low.


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Have you loosened the twist beam pivot bushings and re-set at your new ride height?? If not, you could be severely winding them up preventing maximum low as well as affecting your ride quality.
> 
> FWIW, the Firestone bags are longer and could rub the axle when dropped or running low.


Twist beam pivot bushings? I'm unsure of what that is honestly. What exactly do I need to reset? I actually haven't gotten a look at the rears since I threw on the bags two weeks ago. 


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## Niagara_V_Dub (Sep 25, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> Have you loosened the twist beam pivot bushings and re-set at your new ride height?? If not, you could be severely winding them up preventing maximum low as well as affecting your ride quality.
> 
> FWIW, the Firestone bags are longer and could rub the axle when dropped or running low.


Could you elaborate on the process for the twist beam pivot bushing resetting?

And proof on the firestone bags rubbing? Every instance of them rubbing I have seen on here was install error.


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

Niagara_V_Dub said:


> Could you elaborate on the process for the twist beam pivot bushing resetting?
> 
> And proof on the firestone bags rubbing? Every instance of them rubbing I have seen on here was install error.


You know how your rear swing beam has bushings where the beam meets the frame. Well the bolts are torqued in such a way as to keep the center cylinder of the beam in place, so the more you lower your car, the more torsion is going to build up in the rear beam bushing. What you should do is put the car on a lift and then loosen the middle bolt on the bushing, this will allow the center cylinder to relieve all of its built up torsion and retract to a neutral position. Then you tighten it back up at your correct ride height and it is just like it would be stock, with no built up forces at work. This allows the bushing to act like more of a pivot point rather than a mini torsion spring and might make the rears have a more comfortable ride.

And AFAIK the firestone rears are actually smaller in diameter than the airlifts when inflated and deflated.


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## [email protected] (Feb 19, 2010)

This sound's like a shock issue to me. I've been on Konis for the last 50k and I've been loving them. The Air Lift rear is actually known is one of the MOST comfortable options for the Mk4 platform when paired with a solid set of shocks.


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## vjg1215 (Mar 23, 2009)

Niagara_V_Dub said:


> Could you elaborate on the process for the twist beam pivot bushing resetting?
> 
> And proof on the firestone bags rubbing? Every instance of them rubbing I have seen on here was install error.


The only issue I have with my Firestone rears is with the bag rubbing with my fitting. 


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## Niagara_V_Dub (Sep 25, 2007)

MechEngg said:


> You know how your rear swing beam has bushings where the beam meets the frame. Well the bolts are torqued in such a way as to keep the center cylinder of the beam in place, so the more you lower your car, the more torsion is going to build up in the rear beam bushing. What you should do is put the car on a lift and then loosen the middle bolt on the bushing, this will allow the center cylinder to relieve all of its built up torsion and retract to a neutral position. Then you tighten it back up at your correct ride height and it is just like it would be stock, with no built up forces at work. This allows the bushing to act like more of a pivot point rather than a mini torsion spring and might make the rears have a more comfortable ride.
> 
> And AFAIK the firestone rears are actually smaller in diameter than the airlifts when inflated and deflated.


That's awesome. I will add it to the list of things to do.


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Niagara_V_Dub said:


> That's awesome. I will add it to the list of things to do.


Same here!


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## Rat4Life (Oct 14, 2004)

in addition to all the above, cut the top mounts like that, to get that little extra low out of airlift rears.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/r...ickr.com/8177/7968063822_3ee8089d6d.jpg[/img] IMG_4181 by misha/rat4life, on Flickr[/URL]
http://[url=http://www.flickr.com/p...ickr.com/8029/7968061662_59cd96d6fd.jpg[/img] IMG_4183 by misha/rat4life, on Flickr[/URL]


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## froggyfly (Sep 10, 2012)

Rat4Life said:


> in addition to all the above, cut the top mounts like that, to get that little extra low out of airlift rears.
> [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/r...ickr.com/8177/7968063822_3ee8089d6d.jpg[/img] IMG_4181 by misha/rat4life, on Flickr[/URL]
> http://[url=http://www.flickr.com/p...ickr.com/8029/7968061662_59cd96d6fd.jpg[/img] IMG_4183 by misha/rat4life, on Flickr[/URL]


really great modification!:thumbup::thumbup:


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

So what did you just hack at it with an angle grinder? 
How about leveling it?


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## Rat4Life (Oct 14, 2004)

clean'nblackmk4 said:


> So what did you just hack at it with an angle grinder?
> How about leveling it?
> 
> 
> .enohPi gnisu klatapaT morf tneS


 leveling what?
you end up cutting them the same way on both(same place)
if you want measure and mark it off where to cut it.


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Leveling the top part that was shaved down? So the top will sit as straight as it used to sit. 


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## Rat4Life (Oct 14, 2004)

clean'nblackmk4 said:


> Leveling the top part that was shaved down? So the top will sit as straight as it used to sit.
> 
> 
> .enohPi gnisu klatapaT morf tneS


 if you really need an explanation how to make that part flat and even,dont do it yourself then,have someone to do it for you.


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## clean'nblackmk4 (Nov 19, 2009)

Touché 


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