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Thread: Air lift bags

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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Air lift bags

    I am investigating air lift bags along with different shocks or springs and a new tire size.
    Can anyone offer advice on air bags? Cost? DIY? Other mods required? Results?

    For the right price I'd be happy to use them.


    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

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    I have no value to add so you can just ignore my reply. But, I'm just curious as to what you might be considering to do that would require airbags. Because my immediate thought is ... maybe a cheapie well used Ranger or Tacoma might be a better solution versus doing prosthetic surgery on your Mirage.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    I am investigating air lift bags along with different shocks or springs and a new tire size.
    Can anyone offer advice on air bags? Cost? DIY? Other mods required? Results?

    For the right price I'd be happy to use them.
    The only person I remember using air bags inside his rear springs was Eggman. Eggman is not on the forum as often these days. He moved up the social ladder by buying a Tesla. I am only kidding! Eggman will always be a Mirage brother to us all.

    He may have pulled his air bags after his Mirage accident? Regardless he would have the best input for you. You could private message him to get his attention, but he may appear here, too.

    I could see the value of air bags during light trailer use. I would cling to my reservations about using a Mirage for towing, however. I would still keep loads small & light regardless of how a Mirage is set up.

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    Eggman We need you.

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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 7milesout View Post
    I have no value to add so you can just ignore my reply. But, I'm just curious as to what you might be considering to do that would require airbags. Because my immediate thought is ... maybe a cheapie well used Ranger or Tacoma might be a better solution versus doing prosthetic surgery on your Mirage.
    I have a 2006 Saturn VUE 5 MT 2.2l Ecotec in amazing shape. It has a hitch and wiring. Saturn rates it to tow 1500 lbs which makes no sense as the V6 Saturn, same brakes, wheels/tires more or less, is rated for 3500 lb. Since stopping in my mind is the real issue how a lighter vehicle can only stop 50% or so of the heavier car puzzles me. Especially as the 5 MT has the engine braking added to the mix. Anyhow, I only take my Saturn if I know I'm going to tow something over 650 lb. (the limit I set for the Mirage using it's GVWR - me - trailer weight.)

    Anyhow, I also have a rear carrier which has already proven it can carry 200 lb. safely BUT the Mirage squats too much for my liking. My light aim is also off and might bother other drivers.

    When I just tow like the pic I added, the Mirage seems fine. Soon as I add a couple hundred lb. in the trunk it seems the rear end squats too much again.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    The only person I remember using air bags inside his rear springs was Eggman. Eggman is not on the forum as often these days. He moved up the social ladder by buying a Tesla. I am only kidding! Eggman will always be a Mirage brother to us all.

    I could see the value of air bags during light trailer use. I would cling to my reservations about using a Mirage for towing, however. I would still keep loads small & light regardless of how a Mirage is set up.
    Thanks Mark, I recall now Eggman's mention of air bags. As I discovered there's a scenario where my Mirage is loaded well under GVWR, the weight split between the trunk and the trailer. There's 200 lb. of "lead" in the trunk, and 350 lb. of steel on my small 4x4 trailer. I'm only at 850lb. GVWR including me so I'm well under the 950 lb. allowable. The tonque weight the way I load the trailer is in the region of 100 lb. Allowable for the class of hitch but when added to the 200 lb. in the trunk the Mirage squats too much and the lights aim high. I know you might suggest placing the Lead on the trailer as well but I end up with a negative tongue weight no matter how I arrange things on the trailer. I can't provide any more details as it's something I'm doing under a contract.

    I'm having a blast figuring out towing and cargo with the Mirage.
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


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    Wally - Your tow set up is quite nice. I watched a youtube video where it was suggested that keeping the load as neutral as possible was the most stable.

    You've probably seen the picture of my Blueberry towing my 5'x10' utility trailer. The tongue weight as I recall (it's on a thread somewhere) is about 80 lb maybe 85 lbs. And I measured the amount of rear drop at that weight. It dropped, but not too much as I recall. No lead in my trunk!

    I hauled my ATV out to the riding spot with the Mirage, but the combo of the two just wasn't enough power to hold 65 mph steadily on the interstate. The hills were just too much. I loaded the ATV to the neutral spot and the stability was just fine.

    I'm going to do this ATV haul again next year but with the tailgate down. Maybe that will solve the power issue.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 7milesout View Post
    Wally - Your tow set up is quite nice. I watched a youtube video where it was suggested that keeping the load as neutral as possible was the most stable.

    You've probably seen the picture of my Blueberry towing my 5'x10' utility trailer. The tongue weight as I recall (it's on a thread somewhere) is about 80 lb maybe 85 lbs. And I measured the amount of rear drop at that weight. It dropped, but not too much as I recall. No lead in my trunk!

    I hauled my ATV out to the riding spot with the Mirage, but the combo of the two just wasn't enough power to hold 65 mph steadily on the interstate. The hills were just too much. I loaded the ATV to the neutral spot and the stability was just fine.

    I'm going to do this ATV haul again next year but with the tailgate down. Maybe that will solve the power issue.
    Thanks, with the tractor just fitting the trailer, and that's with some 2x4 under the wheels, the tongue weight was about 60 lb. Just a guess. If I had backed the tractor on the tongue weight would likely be negative. That day, the total load was about 835 lb. including me. The Mirage didn't even notice the weight, our hiways are flat but there was no issue merging or travelling 65 mph, passing slower cars was easy.

    I have another trailer, much heavier, around 400 lb. and even empty I feel it. It's a box trailer, frontal area about 7.5 sq. ft. My other box trailer, an old camper is 6 sq. ft. frontal and weighs about 300 and I don't notice it when empty. All the trailers have good wheels and tires so it just comes down to weight and aerodynamics.

    What does your ATV weigh?
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


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    ATV is about 625 pounds. I was towing about 1,500 pounds.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by cleadus_fetus View Post
    Eggman We need you.
    I can point you in the right direction, because Speck may be the most documented Mirage on the forum. Eggman shared pretty much everything he did. I didn't search through the 350+ Speck posts, but the link he has for the air bags he installed is still active on Amazon. Look under his suspension upgrades -

    https://mirageforum.com/forum/showth...(Garage-entry)

    You may be able to find out more about them searching through his posts, he dated when they were added which may help in the search. Looks like he yanked his broken sway bar & added the air bag lifts about the same time.

  10. #10
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    The Air Lift airbags were especially useful for the early 2014-2015 soft rear suspension. 2017+ had firmer springs which made a significant difference in ride & handling.

    I took Rally's Mirage for a brief drive and laughed out loud over the improvement in ride. I wouldn't expect a need for air bags in a 2017+.


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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Eggman For This Useful Post:

    Mark (01-18-2023)

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