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Good Morning Folks,
It is surprising how much artificial movement can be applied via these air springs, yet if I think about it?.. Hmmm.......
A standard 4-inch lift spring should indeed somewhat center the weight of the Jeep within the range of motion available from the spring, from full compression to fully unloaded.
The air springs do the same, but the spring rates are infinitely (and artificially) variable (within a range of motion). Applying or removing air pressure has a direct effect on the spring rate and the height of any corner of the Jeep.
Coil springs are reactive to the amount of weight on the springs. Air springs are dynamic in providing the ability to ?Power? up or ?Power? down the springs.
I believe any 4-inch coil spring system would have a similar range of motion as these air springs, but that range of motion can only be achieved by off-loading or on-loading a spring passively with weight.
The air springs can be off-loaded or on-loaded dynamically. This dynamic ability is exactly what I was looking for in my efforts to manage rollover angles.
Artificially Angles
I did get a chance to measure the actual ?artificial angles? that can be generated when taking the air springs to their maximum positions.. (Please note I used a standard angle finder with an analog indicator to take these measurements. I do have a digital unit and will verify these recording when I get it back.)
The Left to Right and Right to Left ?artificial angle? is just a hair over 17 degrees. Please note this angle is a function not only of air spring lift but also the width of the wheel track.
The Front (raised) to Back angle is 11 degrees, and the Back (raised) to Front angle is just under 9 degrees.
The difference in Back to Front and Front to Back is cause by reaching the limits of my rear sway bar links. I expect to get this angle in line once I resolve this issue.
Front to back and left to right artificial angles vary because wheelbase is much larger then the wheel track.
Frank
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