Gents, <br/><br/>I recently received my air cups to go onto my Aragosta coilovers. Overall the quality appears to be superior. I did receive some english installation instructions, which i can follow for the most part. However, there still seems to be lot to this. Does anyone have any experience with the plumbing and wiring for an air cup kit?<br/><br/>Happy holidays.<br/><br/>I hope all is well.<br/><br/>Cheers,<br/>Steven

 

Back from the dead!

Any thoughts or tips after driving on the Aragosta cups for 4 years?
How well do they work? Complaints? Compliments?

Would love to see more pics (and videos!!) if you have them!

Anyone else have experience with these?

 

Hey Adriel,

I answered your PM... see below.

I did manage to put together the coilovers and air cup kit... but unfortunately that is about as far as I made it... the car is undergoing some serious surgery; 20B install, new drive train, rocket bunny kit, all new custom suspension and brakes, etc... a full rebuild..

If you want more or different pics please just let me know and I'd be happy to showoff my bling

If there is anything else I can answer for you just let me know..

I hope all is well.

Cheers,
Steven
steven.s.jones.mil@gmail.com

 

Thanks, Steven!! Really appreciate the feedback and response.

Your car sounds like a beast! Are you happy posting them here or should I send you an email so you don't have to show the world before the build is done? ;-)

Are you keeping the Aragostas for the build, or switching to a different system?

I read on other threads that using the cups up front were fine, but that they raised the rears too much -- does that appear to be the case? I had originally thought of going for 4 cups, but reading that and seeing that it takes two tanks has made me lean toward just 2 cups for the fronts. Thoughts?

Also, how much height does the cup add to the total length of the strut, from the top mounting surface to the bottom mounting hole? I've heard everything from 1.5cm to 5cm...

Thanks!!

 

 

Thanks, Steven!

---
Separately, anyone else here on Aragosta coilovers?
Comments on your spring rates?
(Yes, I read the whole thread on spring rates, but it didn't give me much to work on vis-a-vis the Aragostas...)

I am used to my 180sx on 8k/6k (Cusco), and am trying to figure out what the equivalent would be on an FD/Aragostas. I'm guessing it's not the 8/8 on the softest set, and probably not the 10/8 as recommended on the type-S...
Since many of the Japanese coilover brands use 16/16 as a base for their FD model, I wonder if that is closest to my 8/6? (And hence I should go with 16/14 on my Type-S)... Thoughts??

 

I received my Aragosta 2 Cup kit last month, and took delivery of the car 2 days ago... these are going on in a hot minute!!
Any tips on the cup installation? Where did you put your tank/pump?
Anything I should be aware of?? @SW20/FD3 I would appreciate any input!!

 

NICE!!

I take it with the 2 cup kit you just have a single tank? Since I have the 4 cup kit I have two tanks... but you may have the same.. Admittedly, I still don't have mine installed, so please document your installation and keep us posted!

As for possible mounting locations, I was thinking one of the rear storage bins for the pump provided it fits nicely and wont be too noisy. And for the tanks, since I have two, I was thinking of fabricating a bracket to mount them vertically under the rear strut bar.

I have seen others that cut the rear plastic trim and them fit the tank and pump as closely to the metal body as possible, they did it in such a way that it doesn't look to bad all the cuts were rather precise to make it look somewhat factory. But this also tells me the pump maybe noisy and thus needs to be pushed to the rear of the car..

did you get the remote lift or manual?

Cheers,
Steven

 

Thanks Steven!!
It sounds like you've had this kit sitting around for a while... when's it going in?? Where can we see an update on your car? (Instagram?)
I think a dual vertical setup under the strut brace would look great.

I installed the coils first without plumbing the cups, just to feel it out -- the setup is amazing. 15k/13k springs feels BETTER than stock; would you believe it!? (To be fair, I had a blown front strut.)

My comment on the ride quality in another thread:
"I'm absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the ride quality of these Aragostas. Even with 15k/13k spring rates, they feel better than the bilsteins (actually, maybe the bilsteins were stock...?).
Partly, I'm sure, because my front right shock was probably blown -- there was atomized bumpstop rubber all over the back of the fenderwell, and chunks of it fell out when I pulled off the strut.
Besides that though, the ride is less harsh despite much stiffer springs. I feel more road in my butt now, but less chatter in my teeth.
(They make me wonder about my low range Cuscos in the 180...)"

I am also the type who would prefer to keep the tank and pump closer to the body to maintain more interior space, but I have an RB which means I have rear "seats", so the compartment is a non-option. (I want the option to take friends for a drive!) I will be rifling around the back to find space, and will let you know when I find one! For the time being I'm thinking along the trunk, up against one of the quarter panels. If the pump is that loud, I may try to make an enclosure or insulate it.
Do you have any links to (pictures of) the installs you've seen?
I absolutely want an OEM look.

I got the remote version, with an extra remote. ;-)
Did you get the same?

For a 4 cup system I'm guessing you're riding pretty low... did the dealer (or internet) say anything about driving long term with the cups inflated? In everything I've seen/interpreted so far it recommends using the "up" position only for clearing ramps/bumps, but not for long term driving.

Thanks again!

 

How long does the car take to raise with these systems?

 

Aragosta says a couple of seconds; the video seemed like just over a second? I've yet to plumb mine in so I'll find out soon enough...

 

That’s a fair assessment.... from what I’ve seen it’s around one second or so... but that’s from videos... mine aren’t installed, so no first-hand experience..

and correct, NEVER drive around with the cups extended... they’re only meant for very low speeds and very short durations... going over speed bumps or getting on or off a trailer, etc....

 

Interesting. Do they say why not?
Are the bladders in the cups very delicate?

What about driving around with the cups un-plumbed? (i.e. what I'm doing now -- cups are on but no fittings or hoses!)

 

I honestly don’t think there are bladders.. I thinks it’s more precision machining with an o-ring of sorts.... like a piston... but I’m just guessing...

as as long as they are collapsed you’re fine for driving around... at that point they’re more of a spacer, whether they are plumbed or not....

though i would be cautious about getting debris into the air line fitting...

 

Gotcha -- I kept the fittings taped closed!
Interesting about just an industrial-strength O-ring... Someone must have a cross-section of one of these things somewhere!?

 

Somebody motivate me...

i owe you guys some pics of my setup....

my plan for this weekend is to show off the footwork... coil overs w/ aircups, big brake kit, and custom made pipe arm suspension..

if I snap the pics can someone teach me how to post them? I use to use photo bucket but I think they changed things..

i just need to find the courage to dig through my boxes in the garage...

cheers,
steven

 

LOL I used to know how to upload photos, too. Now the forum has its own server/host, where you can click a button in the message composition box, and you can upload photos, but you'll have to have resized them (otherwise they'll be too big) before doing that... bit of a pain!

Suffice to say, though, that I am VERY interested to see your setup... it sounds like you're the +1 version of my (future) setup... I've got BBKs sitting waiting to go on (need to clean and rebuild my rear calipers first though) as well as full adjustable suspension... but not custom tubes!!

Looking forward to seeing your exotic 'do!!!

 

Re-enforced JUN see frame...

This pile contains the rocket bunny kit for the RX7 and the air walker kit for the MR2... i didn’t feel like pulling there down... sorry...

This pile contains the rocket bunny kit for the RX7 and the air walker kit for the MR2... i didn’t feel like pulling there down... sorry...




BBK.... 8 pot front, 6 pot rears w/ emergency brake...

Custom pipe set

Coilovers w/ aircups....





Let me me know if this works...

 

What in tarnation....!?!?!?!?!?!??!!
Damn, @SW20/FD3 that is some serious kit...!!! When's it all going on??
And I thought my brakes were big...!

I can't wait to see it all... Get a move on!!!

 

to answer your question about when, I have to answer with a ridiculous idiotic reply.... because that’s just me...

my daily driver is a 2012 RAV4 with the 2GR and it is freaking brilliant!

but the house boss wants me to find something new (cause she doesn’t know **** about cars)....

anyhow, I’ve rather chosen to reinvent the beast:

- 2” lift kit w/ new rims and tires
- new suspension
- new stereo system
- supercharger kit
- and front and rear push bars

this will be my project until October or so, then back to the RX7 and MR2...

sorry...

 

P.S.- I realize that Hong Kong and Japan have two different dialects.. but those supercharger installation instructions are in Japanese... know anyone that could interpret?

 

Nothing to be sorry about; we all know who the boss is!

Seriously though, those are going to be some serious projects -- including the rav-4! I can't wait to see this when it's done, too.

Unfortunately my best resource when it comes to translating japanese manuals have been a combination of:
1) the manufacturers' US/English websites,
2) google translate (translate.google.com) -- including the app for your phone, which lets you take a picture of text and translate from that, and
3) these forums!! (There's gotta be something for the Toyota out there.)

Good luck on all these builds!

 

installed the lift kit last weekend... now onto the push bars then supercharger...

 

LOL I got so excited - I thought you were talking about the aragostas on the 7!
But good stuff on this -- can't wait for you to finish so you can start working on the FD. ;-)