Best Air Suspension Brands?
 

I was wondering what the general opinions are for the best aftermarket air suspension setups are for the LS 430.

I’m just getting into these cars and I saw a sick silver 430 from Honolulu using Air Runner, but what brands for the struts should I be researching? What about for the air management controller?

I’d prefer to get Japanese made stuff to keep the car JDM as possible, but I also want overall quality.

Tons of great cars and information here!

AirRunner is a good setup. I used to run them on my car but recently changed to Air Lift. Switched to Air Lift due the added adjust ability to help with my setup. As for air management I am currently running Accuair e-Level and I am thinking of switching to the Air Lift 3H/3P system. It does height and pressure control to eliminate "cross loading".

Air Runner is made in Japan its the most premium air suspension you can install setup cost between $5-8k completed. Next up is Air Lift Performance more budget minded setup cost between $3500-5k and ride excellent . Either Air Lift for management or Accuair both very good

You need to figure out if you want Height Based or Pressure Based management as well.

Any specifics as to why you refer to Air Runner as 'premium' and Air Lift as 'budget minded'?

Air Lift seems pretty premium to me. Also Air Runner lists the Air Lift 3P management as an 'upgrade' option.

You have to understand the difference between the two my friend
Air runner is a more oem style strut with a sleeve type bag for the LS430 and it is valved more towards the same valving as oem so the ride quality is very minimally affected. The basic struts cost around $4900 and the OTG about $5900 just struts alone. As far as Air lift they use a generic strut and a bellow type bag. The ride is much different although still a nice ride its not like OEM. The cost for these struts is about $2k. The air runner OTG also has an adjustable strut body to allow you to set them lower while maintaining more air pressure in the bag to make the best ride possible while driving extremely low. As for the Air lift upgrade as an option that is in regards to the air management because the air runner come with basic manual valve paddle setup to upgrade to air lift 3p its electronic then and remote controllable.

https://www.airliftperformance.com/v...430-2001-2006/

The Airlift struts offer the same threaded, adjustable shock mount to achieve the same results if you choose to do so. The Airlift offers a double bellow front, and even the OTG from air runner has a similar double bellow setup, not sure how one can be called generic and the other not? Only difference I could think of would be in the shock body, with valving, piston size / bore, etc.

The Air Runner is based off a KYB strut the same KYB strut used on LS430 from Japan so the valving is much more identical to oem then the other air sips eion manufactures on the market. Also the sleeve type bag rides smoother then a double bellow bag but does not have as much lift. For anyone interested in air suspension I recommend you take a ride in someone’s car with the different types. Once you ride in an LS on air runner you won’t want to ride in anything else and I use air lift just saying. If money was no object it would be air runner every time for luxury cars like these. It’s pretty much all my team run on their Lexus all model Lexus as well so I know ride quality first hand

I know AirRunner ride quality first hand as I owned it on my vehicle for years. I can say that the ride is no better than a properly setup Airlift setup as I own Airlift currently.

I'm fairly certain double bellow is preferred, with the sleeve type being utilized for applications with reduced clearances. Air Runner uses double below on their new model LS suspension kits.

As for the shocks, Air Lift uses a very high quality mono-tube shock. Like most suspension companies (like T-Demand), a general shock body is fitted with an application specific bottom mount and top hat. The shock body length is also adjustable, and the damper is 30-way adjustable.

As for price, parts from Japan are naturally much more expensive than a USA made product, so comparing price as a sign of quality is not apples-to-apples.

And believe me, I am always the 1st one to promote the superior quality of Japan made products, but the quality of Air Lift is also very good. I'm not saying Air Runner isn't a superior system, since I have not handled it personally, but I don't see clear evidence.

Sorry never seen the response and I know it’s been a year so I assume you already have something by now haha. I am speaking from personal experience with both brands as I own two LS and install and drive both. I love the Air Lift and it rides very well but the Air Runner OTG rides as if the car hasn’t even been modified and this is at a much lower then OEM ride height. The OTG has the adjustable strut body as well a dampening adjustment into top. For the LS430 if that’s what we are talking about installing them on Air Runner use the sleeve bags front and rear. I feel the Air Runner is more fine tuned to each application instead of the general application feel from other manufactures. I’m only speaking from personal experience I do enjoy both but the Air Runner rides far superior over the Air Lift. Same wheel and tire setup and same ride height for comparison. I would just say if you are still looking around or doing research try to ride in someone’s car with the suspension you are looking at get a better feel for it you know. As for the management as you know Accuair went belly up so I would stick with Air Lift. They have been around since the late 40’s and the 3P/3H both great systems. I use the 3H in my Air Lift car and Accuair elevel in my Air Runner car but I’ll be removing the Accuair and installing a 3H in that car as well soon. Good luck excited to see what you came up with 😊

Air Lift also has adjustable body length adjustment and dampening adjustment. Air Runner looks like a great product, but I don't see how it could be better 'tuned' when everything is adjustable?

Arnott hasn't been mentioned yet, they make air struts for the LS430. I have no experience with them, but the company occasionally posts on these forums. I recall using the Arnott struts means you have to give up the adaptive suspension dampening or otherwise not be able to use the electronic spring rate actuators on each strut.

Arnott hasn't been mentioned, because this thread is in regards to the VIP scene of airride, lowering the car to the ground, etc.