AirForce air suspension kit
BMW3 Series E30 4WD1988–1991
From £1,899 inc. VAT
- Part number
- AF-BM-87
- Model years
- 1988–1991
- Front top mount
- Pillowball rubber top mount (P+)
- Rear top mount
- Aluminium top mount (A)
- Front strut diameter
- Ø52 mm
- Lead time
- about 21 working days
Why air on this car
The BMW 3 Series E30 4WD φ52 is the four-wheel-drive 325iX version of BMW’s compact saloon, built between 1988 and 1991 when it was an everyday car rather than today’s classic. Its slim, upright arches leave gaps at standard height that a fixed-height coilover closes only by giving up ride comfort.
Air suspension keeps that low stance for a show, then lifts the car clear of speed bumps, steep driveways and rough B-roads. Front fitting on this car needs welding, so it’s a job for a proper installer, not a driveway afternoon.
The front top mount is a pillowball with rubber isolation, sharper than a standard bush without much extra noise; a straight pillowball option gives the sharpest feel if you accept a bit more. Struts and Bags suits a car with its own management; the tiers above move from simple pressure control towards individual-corner and height-sensor control with presets, so choose based on how much control you want against what you want to spend.
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
Universal
The entry kit. Four 36-way adjustable struts with air bags, a 20-litre tank, compressor and a pair of mechanical switches with a dual-needle gauge on a bracket. You raise and lower the car by hand from the cabin, reading pressure off the gauge. Bolts on with no cutting or welding.
Who it suits: Owners who want a straightforward, bolt-on air kit with manual switches and no electronic management.
- Four struts with 36-way damping adjustment
- Two mechanical switches and a 200 PSI dual-needle gauge
- 20-litre tank, high-speed compressor and safety valve
- Around 100–150 mm of height adjustment, car dependent
- Four to seven seconds to raise or lower
- No cutting, welding or top-mount modification
- Damping adjustment
- 36 levels, all four struts
- Height control
- Two mechanical switches with 200 PSI dual-needle gauge on bracket
- Height range
- Approx. 100–150 mm, depending on application
- Raise/lower time
- 4–7 seconds
- Air tank
- 20 L steel (55 × 24 × 25 cm); 14 L or 12 L stainless steel optional
- Compressor
- High-speed compressor × 1 on silencer plate base
- Pressure switch
- 150–175 PSI
- Air line
- 35 m of 4 × 6 mm nylon line
- Electrical
- 7 m power cord, 60 A fuse and fuse box
- Top mount (standard)
- Rubber on McPherson struts; pillowball optional for camber adjustment
- Also included
- Safety valve, switch and gauge bracket, installation manual
- Drive
- Applications are 2WD unless 4WD is stated
Luxury
Luxury takes the Universal hardware and adds a Deluxe control box with four solenoid valves and a wireless remote. You can raise, lower or stop the car at any height from inside or outside it. The switches and gauge are still supplied. Typically fitted in about three hours.
Who it suits: Owners who want remote control of ride height without going to sensor-based management.
- Deluxe ECM with four solenoid valves
- Wireless remote works inside or outside the car
- Four struts with 36-way damping adjustment
- Electric switches and 200 PSI gauge still supplied
- Around 100–150 mm of height adjustment, car dependent
- Typically fitted in about three hours
- Damping adjustment
- 36 levels, all four struts
- Height control
- Deluxe ECM: 4 × 1/4" solenoid valves and 1 wireless remote; plus 2 electric switches and 200 PSI dual-needle gauge
- Height range
- Approx. 100–150 mm, depending on application
- Raise/lower time
- 4–7 seconds
- Air tank
- 20 L steel (55 × 24 × 25 cm); 14 L or 12 L stainless steel optional
- Compressor
- High-speed compressor × 1 on silencer plate base
- Pressure switch
- 150–175 PSI
- Air line
- 25 m of 4 × 6 mm nylon line
- Electrical
- 7 m power cord, 60 A fuse and fuse box
- Top mount (standard)
- Rubber on McPherson struts; pillowball optional for camber adjustment
- Fitting time
- Around 3 hours (manufacturer figure)
- Also included
- Safety valve, switch and gauge bracket, installation manual
Super Performance
Super Performance moves to eight solenoid valves and pressure sensors on all four bags and the tank. Each corner can be set separately, and the AFH memory remote shows every pressure on screen and holds four saved heights. No cabin gauge or switches are needed, and the faster valves cut a full height change to two to five seconds.
Who it suits: Drivers who want corner-by-corner pressure control and saved heights, with a damping tune aimed at handling.
- Eight solenoid valves; each corner adjusts independently
- Pressure sensors on all four bags and the tank
- AFH memory remote with four saved heights, plus a simple remote
- Low tank pressure warning and key-on height recall
- Two to five seconds to raise or lower
- 14 L aluminium tank in silver or black (12 L option)
- Damping adjustment
- 36 levels, all four struts; baseline tuned for handling
- Height control
- Super Pro ECM: 8 solenoid valves, AFH wireless memory remote and simple remote
- Sensors
- 4 × bag pressure sensors, 1 × tank pressure sensor
- Saved heights
- 4 memories; key-on recall
- Height range
- Approx. 100–150 mm, depending on application
- Raise/lower time
- 2–5 seconds
- Air tank
- 14 L aluminium (75 × 17 × 18 cm), silver or black; 12 L (60 × 17 × 18 cm) at no extra cost; custom length up to 75 cm and custom colours available as options
- Compressor
- High-speed compressor × 1 with vibration-free socket, on silencer plate base
- Air line
- 25 m of 4 × 6 mm nylon line
- Electrical
- 7 m power cord, 60 A fuse and fuse box
- Remote
- USB rechargeable, sleep mode, low-pressure warning, one-touch presets
- App
- Bluetooth receiver for iOS app available
- Top mount (standard)
- Rubber on McPherson struts; pillowball optional for camber adjustment
- Fitting time
- Around 2 hours (manufacturer figure)
Gold
Gold adds a height sensor at each corner. The control box measures actual ride height rather than inferring it from pressure, so the car sits at the height you saved regardless of load or temperature. Eight valves, two remotes, four presets and a choice of top mounts, with a Bluetooth receiver for the iOS app included.
Who it suits: Owners who want the car to return to an exact, repeatable height every time, whatever the load.
- Height sensor kit on all four corners
- ECM controls by measured height, not just pressure
- Eight solenoid valves, AFH memory remote and simple remote
- Four saved heights with key-on recall
- Bluetooth receiver for iOS app included
- Choice of pillowball, aluminium, rubber or rubber-pillowball top mounts
- Damping adjustment
- 36 levels, all four struts
- Height control
- Gold ECM: 8 solenoid valves, AFH wireless memory remote and simple remote
- Sensors
- 4 × height sensors (linkage to lower control arms), 1 × pressure sensor
- Saved heights
- 4 memories; key-on recall
- Height range
- Approx. 100–150 mm, depending on application
- Raise/lower time
- 2–5 seconds
- Air tank
- 14 L aluminium (75 × 17 × 18 cm), silver or black; 12 L (60 × 17 × 18 cm) at no extra cost; custom length up to 75 cm and custom colours available as options
- Compressor
- High-speed compressor × 1 with vibration-free socket, on silencer plate base
- Air line
- 25 m of 4 × 6 mm nylon line
- Electrical
- 7 m power cord, 60 A fuse and fuse box; all parts housed in one monitor box
- Remote
- USB rechargeable, sleep mode, low-pressure warning, one-touch presets
- App
- Bluetooth receiver for iOS app included
- Top mount options
- Pillowball, aluminium, rubber, rubber with pillowball
- Fitting time
- Around 2 hours (manufacturer figure)
Fitment notes
- Front top mount: Pillowball rubber top mount. A pillowball bearing with a rubber element, sitting between the plain rubber and full pillowball options: some isolation back, with the bearing's location and camber adjustment kept.
- Rear top mount: Aluminium top mount. A solid machined mount with no rubber in it, so more of the road comes through to the body but the strut stays precisely located. Camber is not adjustable on this mount.
- A pillowball front top mount (camber adjustable) is available as an optional upgrade — there is a surcharge for changing the standard top-mount setting. Ask us when ordering.
- Fits cars with Ø52 mm front struts — check your strut before ordering if this model came with more than one size.
- Application note: Frt Welding.
- Listed by the factory as: 3 SERIES E30 4WD φ52 (Frt Welding).
- 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.
Going struts and bags only?
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.
More BMW applications
