Which build?
Struts and bags, Universal, Luxury, Super Performance, Gold or Diamond — what changes between AirForce builds, honestly.
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Struts and bags is the hardware alone, for owners with their own management. The five complete kits add management in steps: Universal is switches and a gauge; Luxury adds a remote; Super Performance adds corner-by-corner pressure sensors and presets; Gold adds height sensors so the car holds a measured height; Diamond keeps that and fits nitrogen reservoir struts with separate compression and rebound.
| Feature | Struts and bags | Universal | Luxury | Super Performance | Gold | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What is included | Four struts and air bags only | Struts, bags, tank, compressor, switches and gauge | Universal plus Deluxe ECM and remote | Struts, bags, tank, compressor, Super Pro ECM, two remotes | Super Performance hardware plus height sensors and Gold ECM | Gold management with nitrogen reservoir struts |
| Height control | Your own management | Two mechanical switches | Wireless remote, 4 solenoid valves | Two remotes, 8 valves, each corner separately | Two remotes, 8 valves, each corner separately | Two remotes, each corner separately |
| How height is measured | — | Dual-needle pressure gauge | Dual-needle pressure gauge | Pressure sensors on 4 bags and tank | Height sensor at each corner | Height sensor at each corner |
| Saved heights | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Damping adjustment | 36 levels | 36 levels | 36 levels | 36 levels, handling tune | 36 levels | Separate compression and rebound plus nitrogen pressure; 864 settings |
| Strut construction | Standard AirForce strut | Standard AirForce strut | Standard AirForce strut | Standard AirForce strut | Standard AirForce strut | External nitrogen reservoir, built to application |
| Top mount | Rubber standard; pillowball optional | Rubber standard; pillowball optional | Rubber standard; pillowball optional | Rubber standard; pillowball optional | Choice: pillowball, aluminium, rubber, rubber-pillowball | Choice: pillowball, aluminium, rubber, rubber-pillowball |
| Raise / lower time | — | 4–7 s | 4–7 s | 2–5 s | 2–5 s | 2–5 s |
| Air tank | Not included | 20 L steel; stainless optional | 20 L steel; stainless optional | 14 L aluminium (12 L option), silver or black | 14 L aluminium (12 L option), silver or black | 14 L aluminium (12 L option), silver or black |
| Phone app | — | — | — | iOS Bluetooth receiver available | iOS Bluetooth receiver included | iOS Bluetooth receiver included |
| Manufacturer fitting time | — | — | About 3 hours | About 2 hours | About 2 hours | — |
Struts and bags
The suspension hardware on its own
from £1,899inc. VAT · cheapest listed chassis
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.
Every AirForce kit is built around the same struts and bags; this option is those parts on their own. You get four struts made for your vehicle, each with 36 levels of damping adjustment, and the air bags that replace the coil springs. There is no tank, compressor, valve block, remote or wiring in the box.
That makes it the right choice in two situations. The first is a car already on air, where the management, tank and compressor are staying and only the struts are changing. The second is an owner who wants to pick the management separately, for instance buying the RC1 or RC2 controller and an air tank alongside, rather than taking a complete Universal to Diamond kit.
Fitting is the same bolt-on job as the full kits: no cutting, no welding and no reuse of the original dampers. Rubber top mounts are standard on McPherson struts, with pillowball available if you want camber adjustment. Check that your existing management can run four bags before you order, and ask us if you are unsure.
- 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
Manual air ride with switches and gauge
from £2,899inc. VAT · cheapest listed chassis
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.
Universal is the simplest way to put your car on air. You get four struts with 36 levels of damping adjustment, the air bags to go with them, a 20-litre steel tank, a high-speed compressor on a silencing plate, a 150–175 PSI pressure switch and a safety valve. Ride height is set from two mechanical switches mounted on a bracket beside a 200 PSI dual-needle gauge, so you can read the pressure and adjust while you drive.
The kit bolts straight on. You do not modify the top mounts, cut the body or weld anything, and the original dampers are not reused. Ride height adjusts through a range of roughly 100–150 mm depending on the car, and takes around four to seven seconds to go from one end to the other. The top and bottom of that range can be set to suit a body kit.
McPherson-strut cars come with rubber top mounts as standard; a pillowball top mount can be specified instead if you want camber adjustment. Stainless steel tanks in 14 or 12 litres are offered as options.
- 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
Adds a wireless remote and solenoid valves
from £3,399inc. VAT · cheapest listed chassis
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.
Luxury is the first step into electronic control. Alongside the four 36-way adjustable struts, air bags, 20-litre tank, compressor, pressure switch and safety valve, the kit includes the Deluxe ECM assembly: four quarter-inch solenoid valves and a wireless remote. Press a button and the car rises or drops; let go and it stays where it is.
Because the remote works outside the car as well as inside, you can set the height while you look at the stance. The two electric switches and 200 PSI dual-needle gauge are still in the box, so you keep a cabin reading of pressure. Height range is roughly 100–150 mm depending on the car, and a full change takes around four to seven seconds.
Fitting is bolt-on with no cutting or welding, and the manufacturer quotes around three hours for most cars, with only a few models needing any modification. Rubber top mounts are standard on McPherson struts, with pillowball available if you want to adjust camber.
- 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
Each corner on its own pressure sensor
from £4,299inc. VAT · cheapest listed chassis
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.
Super Performance is built for handling as much as stance. The Super Pro ECM assembly carries eight solenoid valves, so each of the four bags is filled and emptied on its own. Pressure sensors on every bag and on the tank feed the AFH wireless memory remote, which shows all five readings and adjusts while you drive. A second, simpler remote is included as well.
Four ride heights can be saved and called up with one press. The remote warns you if tank pressure drops, returns the car to a saved height when you start the engine, sleeps to save power and recharges over USB. Because the sensors do the reading, there is no gauge or switch to mount in the cabin. A Bluetooth receiver for the iOS app is available.
The four struts have 36 levels of damping adjustment with a firmer baseline tune. A full raise or lower takes around two to five seconds, the manufacturer quotes roughly two hours to fit, and the kit ships with a 14-litre aluminium tank in silver or black, with a 12-litre tank as a no-cost alternative.
- 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
Height sensors hold your set height
from £4,799inc. VAT · cheapest listed chassis
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.
Gold changes how the system thinks about height. Pressure-based kits hold a pressure and let the height follow; Gold fits a sensor to each corner, linked to the lower arm, and the Gold ECM measures and records the ride height itself. When you call up a preset, the car goes to that measured height and stays there, so passengers, luggage or a cold morning do not leave you with odd tyre wear or a body rubbing on the arch.
The sensor kit bolts on, the linkages attach to the lower control arms and the loom plugs in. Everything else lives in a single monitor box, so there is no tangle of wiring, and the power connection is just positive and negative. The AFH memory remote shows tank and front and rear pressure, holds four heights, warns of low tank pressure and returns the car to a saved height on start-up. A simple second remote is included, as is the Bluetooth receiver for the iOS app.
You can choose your top mounts: pillowball, aluminium, rubber or rubber with pillowball. Struts are 36-way adjustable; a height change takes two to five seconds.
- 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)
Diamond
Nitrogen reservoir struts, built for your car
from £5,699inc. VAT · cheapest listed chassis
Diamond pairs the Gold height-sensor management with nitrogen reservoir struts made for your specific application. Two knobs on each strut set nitrogen pressure and damping, with compression and rebound adjusted separately for 864 combinations. The extra oil and gas keep the damper consistent when it is worked hard.
Who it suits: Drivers who use the car hard and want full compression, rebound and gas-pressure tuning on a sensor-managed air system.
Diamond is the top of the range and the only tier with a different strut. Each one carries an external nitrogen reservoir, which holds more oil and gas than a standard damper. That keeps the damper stable and resists the oil overheating during long, hard use. Two knobs on each strut adjust nitrogen pressure and damping force, and compression and rebound are set separately, giving 864 distinct settings.
The bags and struts are built for your application rather than taken from stock, so front and rear are tuned for the car. Anything not on the application list can be made to order. Top mounts are your choice of pillowball, aluminium, rubber or rubber with pillowball.
Management is the Gold system: a height sensor on each corner, the Diamond ECM, the AFH memory remote and a simple remote, four saved heights, key-on recall, a low-pressure warning and a Bluetooth receiver for the iOS app. Height changes take two to five seconds, and there is no gauge or switch to mount in the cabin.
- Strut
- Monotube with external nitrogen reservoir; increased oil and gas volume
- Damping adjustment
- Compression and rebound adjusted separately; nitrogen pressure adjustable; 864 settings
- Height control
- Diamond ECM: 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
- App
- Bluetooth receiver for iOS app included
- Top mount options
- Pillowball, aluminium, rubber, rubber with pillowball
- Build
- Bags and struts made to the application; unlisted vehicles can be made to order
Air suspension glossary
- Air bag
- The rubber bellows that replaces the coil spring. Add air and the car rises; release it and the car drops. Its stiffness changes with pressure, which is why the struts are adjustable to suit.
- Strut
- The damper and air bag assembled as one unit that bolts in where the original spring and shock absorber sat. AirForce struts have 36 levels of damping adjustment; Diamond struts add a nitrogen reservoir.
- Management
- The electronics that control the air: the control box (ECM), solenoid valves, sensors and remote. The tier name tells you how much management you get.
- ECU / ECM
- The control box that opens and closes the valves, reads the sensors and talks to the remote. AirForce calls it the ECM; each tier has its own version.
- Height sensor
- A small sensor on each corner, linked to the lower arm, that tells the ECM the actual ride height. Fitted on Gold and Diamond so the car holds a measured height rather than a pressure.
- Tank
- The reservoir that stores compressed air so height changes happen in seconds. AirForce kits come with a 20-litre steel or 14-litre aluminium tank depending on tier.
- Compressor
- The electric pump that fills the tank. The RC controllers switch it on when tank pressure drops and off at a set pressure, and limit how long it runs.
- Damping
- How much the strut resists movement. Turn the adjuster firmer and the car settles faster but rides harder; softer is the opposite. Diamond lets you set compression and rebound separately.
- Top mount
- The part that fixes the top of the strut to the body. Rubber, aluminium, pillowball and combinations are offered; only pillowball types allow camber adjustment.
- Camber
- The tilt of the wheel seen from the front. Lowering a car usually adds negative camber; pillowball mounts or a camber kit let you set it back where you want it.
- PSI
- Pounds per square inch, the unit of air pressure used throughout the system. Tanks run up to 200 PSI; the compressor cut-in and cut-out points are set in PSI on the remote.
- Preset
- A ride height saved to a memory button on the remote. Super Performance, Gold and Diamond store four; memory 4 is reserved for the lowest height.