Air Lift Suspensions Fitment Issues

[Supramiya]

I recently installed the Airlift suspension for the GR Supra. I had a bag pop in the rear left and got it replaced via warranty. Prior to, I thought it was my own installation at fault in terms of fitment since it popped on the control arm from a singular bump on the first drive. After inspection when installing the second bag, I have been running into issues and I am curious if someone has either run into this issue before or has any suggestions.

For starters, the front suspension works perfectly, zero issues, the rear however does not and I am running stock suspension until I can find a solution. In the rear left, the air bag is about 1/16th of an inch from the upper control arm so any bounce will guarantee pop it and it has a ton of room behind it to the rear toe adjustment arm. The rear right however, is rubbing on that toe arm and has a ton of clearance to the control arm. So it seems as though the whole rear subframe is "rotated" . I've made sure it's fitted and installed properly multiple times and am still running into the same clearance issue. I'lol attach the two videos I took for reference.

It's worth noting that I have also taken this to two performance shops and neither have said they have noticed anything terribly off. No arms bent, no shifted bolts, and nothing out of the ordinary besides a very minor alignment fixing needed (like 2 degrees of toe in). The only thing that was noticed was a possible bushing that needed replaced.

Have you guys ever had any clearance issues with GR Supras before? I'm trying to decide what to do here, I want to run bags but they're just sitting in my garage and I can't until this is fixed. Is it possible aftermarket upper control arms and toe arms from SPL would help or is this issue elsewhere? If there's anything else I can provide I will gladly do so.

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[Supramiya]

I would also like to note, this car was used with 8k miles prior, nothing on the carfax so I had assumed it was okay, but the stock exhaust was also very damaged on the underside. When I replaced it with an aftermarket, i had no alignment issues so i thought nothing of it, the car drove fine. But looking back at it, the damages are right where the rear left axle would be. Pics for reference.

Any info anyone would have would be extremely helpful 🥲 I just want my bags to work LOL

 

[GhostSZN]

when i installed mine, i had pretty equal clearances on both sides of the bag. i’m not entirely sure what’s going on, but i hope it ends up being as positive an outcome as possible!

 

[Supramiya]

when i installed mine, i had pretty equal clearances on both sides of the bag. i’m not entirely sure what’s going on, but i hope it ends up being as positive an outcome as possible!

Thank you, I appreciate that a lot!!! Really hope so too! I'm glad to know it's not something I could've done on my end and that it's something wrong with the car and/or prior owners' accident. Been terrified since this is my first suspension install ever and I did it solo, hopefully it's fixed soon tho !

 

[baagel]

but the stock exhaust was also very damaged on the underside.

FYI all the stock exhausts come like this from the factory. It's kinda bizarre. Here's mine when it was taken off.

 

[suicidaleggroll]

Yeah that’s just what the stock exhaust looks like. The stock charge pipe also looks like it’s been all smashed up, I guess it’s just a BMW thing.

 

[zrk]

I would also like to note, this car was used with 8k miles prior, nothing on the carfax so I had assumed it was okay, but the stock exhaust was also very damaged on the underside. When I replaced it with an aftermarket, i had no alignment issues so i thought nothing of it, the car drove fine. But looking back at it, the damages are right where the rear left axle would be. Pics for reference.

Any info anyone would have would be extremely helpful 🥲 I just want my bags to work LOL

I see no damage here.

 

[Supramiya]

FYI all the stock exhausts come like this from the factory. It's kinda bizarre. Here's mine when it was taken off.

Yea that's definitely interesting LOL. Thank you though appreciate it, good to know mines not the only one that looks mangled HAHA

 

[Supramiya]

Yeah that’s just what the stock exhaust looks like. The stock charge pipe also looks like it’s been all smashed up, I guess it’s just a BMW thing.

That's so weird LOL. It definitely looks like it's been mangled and beat but, I guess it's a common thing with this exhaust LOL.

 

[zrk]

That's so weird LOL. It definitely looks like it's been mangled and beat but, I guess it's a common thing with this exhaust LOL.

It's no so much "common" as that's how it's engineered. That's how they are.

 

[DarkZupra]

Have you tried flipping them to the opposite side? maybe for some odd reason theyre side specific.

 

[Supramiya]

Have you tried flipping them to the opposite side? maybe for some odd reason theyre side specific.

I haven't yet but I might give that a shot today to see how it fits up!! I have OEM springs on right now in the rear, so i've been kinda waiting for a "solution" before unbolting everything again.

That, plus I read that there's a possible offset on the bag and mounting position. So depending on how its oriented could give it more clearance, so rotating it might also give me more space on that control arm.

 

[Supramiya]

Update on the thread for hopes anyone has any idea still. The videos posted in the beginning of this thread still stand true. I have upgraded to SPL control arms in the rear, both uppers and the rear toe arms.

The rear driver side now clears the air suspension bag because the control arm is thicker but shorter so it doesn't touch the top of the bag, however on the passenger rear side the toe arm is still resting on the bag. It doesn't look severe but there's obviously minor rubbing.

If you're looking at it from the front end of the vehicle it's still as if the rear subframe is clocked clockwise about 3 degrees (1/4") because where im making contact on the toe arm on the rear passenger side the rear driver side has tons of clearance.

Is it possibly blown bushings in the lower control arm giving it play? Im out of options and have gone to tons of performance shops with no results or answers :/ If anyone has any idea or things to try that'd be amazing.

 

[Axix23]

Go back to Oem suspension or a full coilovers setup with edc capabilities. You will thank me later. I came running air bag suspension for years…. It was nothing but a headache……..

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