AirForce air suspension kit

JaguarS-Type1999–2008

From £2,499 inc. VAT

Part number
AF-JA-02
Model years
1999–2008
Front top mount
Pillowball top mount (P)
Rear top mount
Pillowball top mount (P)
Variant
FR Eye
Lead time
about 21 working days
AirForce air suspension struts with gold-anodised top mounts and air bags
STRUTS AND BAGS · AF-JA-02

Why air on this car

The Jaguar S-Type revived a retro saloon shape on a platform shared with contemporary Lincolns, and its factory setup leans towards comfort, so the standard ride height often sits higher than the wheel arches really need. Lowering it on fixed coilovers tends to firm up a car that was built to waft, which works against what drew buyers to the S-Type in the first place.

Air suspension changes that equation. Drop the car for a show or a quiet weekend, run a driving height that clears speed bumps and steep driveways without drama, and lift again for a rough car park or a long motorway run home. Because the air spring keeps some give in reserve, the ride stays closer to the S-Type’s naturally soft character than a coilover set to the same drop.

Both top mounts here use a pillowball bearing, trading a touch more road noise for steering that responds more precisely than the standard rubber bushes allow. Struts and Bags suits anyone building their own control system; the kits above it add finer, more automated height management as you move up.

What's in the kit

Struts and bags

Struts and bags is the air suspension hardware without any management: four vehicle-specific struts with 36 levels of damping adjustment and the air bags that go on them. Choose it if you already run management you want to keep, or you are buying the RC1 or RC2 controller and tank separately.

Who it suits: Owners keeping their existing management or choosing their own, who need only the struts and air bags.

  • Four vehicle-specific struts and four air bags
  • 36 levels of damping adjustment
  • No tank, compressor, valves, remote or wiring included
  • For existing management or separately chosen RC1/RC2
  • Bolt-on fit, no cutting or welding
  • Rubber top mount standard; pillowball optional
Contents
Struts × 4 with air bags; no management
Damping adjustment
36 levels, all four struts
Top mount (standard)
Rubber on McPherson struts; pillowball optional for camber adjustment
Fitting
Bolt-on; original dampers not reused
Drive
Applications are 2WD unless 4WD is stated

Fitment notes

  • Front top mount: Pillowball top mount. A spherical bearing replaces the rubber, giving the sharpest steering response and allowing camber to be adjusted at the top of the strut. Expect more noise and vibration than rubber.
  • Rear top mount: Pillowball top mount. A spherical bearing replaces the rubber, giving the sharpest steering response and allowing camber to be adjusted at the top of the strut. Expect more noise and vibration than rubber.
  • Variant: FR Eye.
  • Application note: Fr EYE.
  • Listed by the factory as: S-TYPE (Fr EYE).
  • Built to order — the typical lead time is around 21 working days from the date of purchase to UK delivery. We confirm the lead time for your kit before you pay.

Five years against oil leaks, with a service every two years

AirForce covers its air suspension struts against oil leakage for five years. To keep that cover, the struts need to come back for inspection and maintenance every two years; the manufacturer treats the service as a condition of the warranty, so book it in and keep the paperwork.

Damage caused by suspension components rubbing against an inflated air bag is not covered, which is why we ask your fitter to cycle the system to full height and check clearances before they hand the car back.

Compressors, air bags and the electronic control box and remotes carry the manufacturer’s separate terms, and electronic parts may need to go back to the factory for repair. Ask us for the current wording before you order.

None of this affects your statutory rights as a UK consumer. If a product is faulty, your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply alongside the manufacturer’s warranty, and your contract is with us as the retailer.