# Mk3 airlift fronts wont lay frame... Bottomed out. Huh?



## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

Ya so I thought they went low enough to lay out? These are the slam series grey ones. I have no sway bar, axle notch, tie rod notches and trimmed control arms. Im about 3/4" from laying still. Going to do mk2 bushings to help but I doubt im going to get 3/4" lower from them. Anyone else run into this?


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## madL0w (Jan 3, 2009)

dehate is on the same struts and got his to lay send him a pm :beer:


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

madL0w said:


> dehate is on the same struts and got his to lay send him a pm :beer:


Sent!


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## dehate. (Oct 27, 2008)

dubsnmotion said:


> Sent!


http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5212079-Finally.-(Mk3-AirLift-content)

everything i did is in there. hope that helps. :thumbup::thumbup:


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## dehate. (Oct 27, 2008)

most of the info is on page one and three.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

dehate. said:


> most of the info is on page one and three.


Ya ive seen that. I have done everything but the mk2 bushings. I'm a vr so I didn't need to notch the mount. Did your struts bottom out before mk2 bushings?


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## hyphytrain203 (Jun 9, 2003)

I highly doubt those struts are bottomed out... Where did you notch your control arms? did you drop the subframe to make the cuts?

if you're positive that's not where you're being held up, put your car up on jackstands and jack up beneath each wheel and inspect

any easy way to tell if your struts have room to go down is if you still hear air being exhausted after your car has stopped descending


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## dehate. (Oct 27, 2008)

put the car on jackstands, take the struts out and jack each side up and see whats hitting. something has to be hitting. the mk2 bushings got me lower. then notching the mk2 bushings got me lower. but notching the control arms and subframe were the determining factor.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

dehate. said:


> put the car on jackstands, take the struts out and jack each side up and see whats hitting. something has to be hitting. the mk2 bushings got me lower. then notching the mk2 bushings got me lower. but notching the control arms and subframe were the determining factor.


I have been making all my cuts and notch's by this method to make sure they are lined up. And how I know its the struts bottoming out is because I pulled them out and jacked the control arm up and it goes way lower!


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## blind (Nov 26, 1999)

Here's a link to what was holding me up. I'm also on vr6 suspension. When I switched to 2.0 strut bushing/bearings, I started having weird steering and it wouldn't return to center on its own. 

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5630006-mk3-frontend-held-up-by-magic


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

blind said:


> Here's a link to what was holding me up. I'm also on vr6 suspension. When I switched to 2.0 strut bushing/bearings, I started having weird steering and it wouldn't return to center on its own.
> 
> http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5630006-mk3-frontend-held-up-by-magic


 yea I have that lip trimmed already.. Im on 16's also so much more hacking is involved to lay out, I bought new mk2 bushings yesterday and been cutting them down, ill try and install today and post my results. Thanks for the help.


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## reynolds9000 (Oct 16, 2003)

Are you sure the axle isn't hitting the rear engine mount bracket? That needs to be notched as well.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

reynolds9000 said:


> Are you sure the axle isn't hitting the rear engine mount bracket? That needs to be notched as well.


 Plenty of room, my car is a vr. But I tried modified mk2 bushings, they were actually too small, my bag hit the top of the tower before the bushings seated. I was able to modify mk4 bushings to work and now I'm 1/4" from layingout. I'm out of town for the weekend but when I get home ill re inspect where I'm hitting now. I believe more camber would probably get me there now but my struts are pushed all the way in already and it doesn't seem like much if any. Any other way of getting more camber?


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## reynolds9000 (Oct 16, 2003)

You could try to clearance the top bolt hole on the strut by making it a little more oval shaped. That would likely void the warranty, but you'd get more camber.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

reynolds9000 said:


> You could try to clearance the top bolt hole on the strut by making it a little more oval shaped. That would likely void the warranty, but you'd get more camber.


 I need to send them in to get the newer style ones, mine are rubbing even more now that I hace shorter bushings.


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## blind (Nov 26, 1999)

They just sent me the newer style bags and I swapped them out.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

blind said:


> They just sent me the newer style bags and I swapped them out.


 How do I get that hookup? I emailed them (Will I think it was) snd he said I have to ship them mine first? Which would be a HUGE inconvenience because its my only car.


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## blind (Nov 26, 1999)

They did that back when the issue was first brought up so I don't remember who I spoke to. Bagriders helped me get in contact with the right person. The first one I talked to at airlift wasn't aware of the issue.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

blind said:


> They did that back when the issue was first brought up so I don't remember who I spoke to. Bagriders helped me get in contact with the right person. The first one I talked to at airlift wasn't aware of the issue.


 Hopefully someone @bagriders or @airlift will chime in.


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

dubsnmotion said:


> Hopefully someone @bagriders or @airlift will chime in.


Hopefully..............


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## dubsnmotion (May 5, 2003)

will?


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