Height adjustable Shock absorber possible?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of creating a height-adjustable shock absorber for vehicles, particularly in the context of off-road and overland applications. Participants explore the mechanics of shock absorbers and air shocks, questioning how ride height can be altered and the implications for ride quality.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes the idea of raising or lowering a vehicle by pumping or removing oil from the shock absorber, questioning its impact on ride quality and the possibility of automation.
  • Another participant asserts that the vehicle's weight is supported by the spring, not the shock absorber, which only functions during motion.
  • A participant references a video discussing air shocks, suggesting that fluid can be added to raise the ride height, and questions if this represents a different suspension system compared to traditional designs.
  • It is noted that air shocks integrate an air spring, which can adjust stiffness with air pressure, and that this system can be used alongside traditional springs.
  • One participant mentions that custom air suspension kits exist for changing ride height, particularly in low riders, but expresses uncertainty about their application in off-road vehicles.
  • A historical example is provided regarding Citroen's hydraulic ride height adjustable suspension, highlighting its long-standing use and suggesting that a rebuildable system could be a viable option for further exploration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the shock absorber alone does not determine ride height, but there are competing views on the mechanisms available for adjusting ride height and the implications of different suspension systems. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to achieve height adjustment in off-road vehicles.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the functionality of shock absorbers versus springs, as well as the specific applications of air shocks and hydraulic systems. The discussion also reflects varying levels of expertise among participants.

Heijneker
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Greetings,

in my total distraction of designing the ultimate Off-road/Overland vehicle, I've been thinking about the following matter:

Is it possible that a vehicle can be raised/lowered by pumping/removing extra oil into the shock absorber?

And if so, would it affect the ride? Could it be done automated by a pump? Should I have already patented this idea :-p? This is really stuck in my mind and sadly I don't have the resources or expertise to fabricate something like this!
 
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Fast answer, great!

I was already thinking something like that, that the ride height isn't detirmened by the shock absorber. But in the following video they explain how to adjust air shocks. In which they say that fluid is added to raise the ride height. The car also doesn't have any springs, it only has bumpstops and the shocks to control the vertical movement of the axle.

Here is the link:


Is this somehow a completely different suspension to the traditional kind?

EDIT:

Hmmm, I seem to have misunderstood what he was saying. It seems the amount of gas sets the ride height.

So let me rephrase my question:

Could the amount of gas in an airshock be altered by using a compressor and a reservoir?
 
Last edited:
Air shock is a misleading name. Actually, it's a shock with an integrated air spring, which plays a role similar to the coil-over spring. The advantage of the air spring over the coil spring (whether integrated within a shock or not) is that its stiffness can be adjusted with air pressure. The air spring can be a stand-alone or use in conjunction with another more common coil or leaf spring.

Here are videos from a company called Ridetech that specializes in air spring suspensions. The first video shows their separate coil and spring suspension and the next one their shock with integrated spring (or vice-versa?):


​


The next product is from a company called Airlift and it is an air shock ... without the shock! i.e. it's an air spring which is just an air bag that you put within the spring to achieve the same goal: creating an adjustable ride height vehicle.

pb-al1000-spring1.jpg

The problem with the air spring is that it stiffens the ride when you increase the pressure ... unless you add weight on the vehicle. Which is why they are usually use to level a vehicle that is often loaded and unloaded. The spring I showed you in the previous post increases or decreases the ride height without altering the spring stiffness and therefore you keep the same ride quality if the weight is unchanged.
 
Citroen has had hydraulic ride height adjustable suspension for DECADES... A pump is driven off the engine to supply the fluid pressure. To change a tire, you would raise the car up to max, then place the jack stand under the corresponding wheel change pad, under the body/ frame, and then lower the car suspension.. Voila, tire off the ground.. If you could find a re-buildable system from a wreck, you'd be a lot further along, and you'd just have to engineer it from that point..
Heijneker said:
Should I have already patented this idea :-p? This is really stuck in my mind and sadly I don't have the resources or expertise to fabricate something like this!
 

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