Is Air Suspension Good For Drag Racing?

With air suspension becoming increasingly popular, it is no surprise that you are seeing more air-equipped cars hit the drag strip. While this may be the case, is it beneficial to have air suspension on a drag racing car? This all depends on the main use of the car. If your car sees more action at car shows than at the drag strip, then air suspension will be perfectly fine for the occasional trip to the drag strip. For those who want to build a purpose-built drag car, you may want to go with a non-active, drag-specific setup. Today, we are going to explain whether or not air suspension is good for drag racing.

Can You Use Air Suspension For Drag Racing?

Yes, you can use air suspension for drag racing, and thousands of people do it every weekend. We have seen people put down some serious times with high horsepower vehicles that are equipped with air suspension. The on-the-fly adjustability allows you to fine-tune your suspension to help with power-to-weight transfer for better launching off the line.

Is Air Suspension Ideal For Drag Racing?

With that being said, that still leaves the question, is air suspension ideal for drag racing? Again, this will depend on the level of racing you will be doing. Air suspension for the weekend warrior types will be fine and give you great handing for drag racing. For those who plan on doing any serious racing or will be in NHRA sanctioned events, you will need to choose a different suspension system. NHRA rules and regulations state that active suspension cannot be used in NHRA races.

Can Air Suspension Handle The Power

Since air suspension relies on air-filled rubber bladders to hold up your suspension, how well does this hold up to being shocked by a 5,000 RPM launch? Surprisingly well, actually! Air suspension has been proven time and time again to handle the demands of drag racing. Our AccuAir systems have been used on various high-horsepower vehicles with great success.

Pros & Cons Of Air Bag Suspension For Drag Racing

Now that we have looked at how air suspension can be used for drag racing and what you need to consider let’s break down the pros and cons to give you a quick list of things to remember.

Pros

• Adjustable Ride Height For Better Center Of Gravity
• Reduces Vibrations Often Found In Non-Active Suspensions
• It Gives You Better Comfort On And Off The Track
• Better Adjustment To Fine Tune Performance
• Air Bag Suspension Has Great Longevity

Cons

• Air Bag Suspension Adds A Lot Of Weight Which Is A Drag Racer’s Enemy
• You Might Use More Fuel With The Added Weight
• Cost Of Installation Is More Than Conventional Suspension
• Repair Cost Could Be Higher

Conclusion

In conclusion, air bag suspension can be good for drag racing up to a certain point. Like any type of racing, once you start getting to a specific threshold, you will need specifically built parts to take your car to the next level.