Hydraulic suspension on a passenger car - is it worth installing?

The idea of ​​replacing the shock absorption system from spring to hydropneumatic and hydraulic is not new. This refers to the 40s, that is, to the times immediately after the Second World War. However, the hydraulic suspension in passenger cars has not taken root enough to be used in series. However, tuners still love it. Is such a change profitable and reasonable? Learn more about the types of hydraulic suspension in a car!

Hydraulic suspension in vehicles - construction

The analogue of shock absorbers are hydraulic cylinders. Oil is supplied to them using a special gear or piston pump. This, in turn, is due to the power of electricity. Of course, such a design requires heavy-duty oil lines that pump fluid at high pressure. In addition, valve blocks and height sensors provide system protection. Hydraulic suspension is somewhat similar to air suspension. However, the environments responsible for receiving vibrational energy differ.

Hydraulics in a car - what does it give in practice?

One of the main reasons for using such a system is the ability to smoothly adjust the position of the body. Each of the cylinders is controlled separately, allowing you to raise one side of the car or even just one corner. Vehicles with hydraulic suspension can also make hard jumps. What is the conclusion? Hydraulics will be good mainly for tuning a car that will stand out from the crowd.

Hydropneumatic and hydraulic suspension - are they really the same thing?

Of course not. Hydraulic and hydropneumatic designs are based on completely different solutions, although the nomenclature may lead to a different conclusion. Hydraulic Suspension:

• uses oil;
• it is rather a tuning technology that was not in any production car. 

On the other hand, hydropneumatic solutions are based on compressed nitrogen and LDS synthetic fluid. Moreover, the Citroen brand is considered the forerunner of this suspension and this type of suspension can be found on the C4 and C5 models.

How does hydropneumatic suspension work in a car?

If in hydraulic technology the cylinder is responsible for lifting the body, then in hydropneumatic technology the part filled with nitrogen and liquid plays the most important role. Due to their mutual influence, under the influence of road irregularities, gas pressure increases and vibrations transmitted to the vehicle suspension are suppressed. This contributes to an extremely high driving comfort even on very rugged roads.

Advantages and disadvantages of hydraulic suspension in a car

The main benefit of hydraulic suspension is the ability to customize it to suit your needs. The driver can raise or lower one side of the vehicle, a specific axle or one of the wheels at any time. It can also completely increase the gap or do the opposite and completely minimize it. There is only one problem - if the kit is not homologated, you will not be able to drive the car on public roads. In addition, all the parts needed for the conversion are quite expensive.

Is it worth investing in hydropneumatic suspension?

The elimination of vibrations with nitrogen and liquid provides incredible driving comfort. The car does not bounce on the pits and picks up all the pits, stones and other irregularities very well. In addition, suspension settings can be adjusted to suit speed, surface type or surface quality. Hydropneumatic technology also allows you to set the ground clearance at the same level, regardless of the vehicle load. This is especially important when driving with a full trunk or a large group of people on board.

Faulty vehicle with hydraulics, i.e. the most common malfunctions of hydraulic and hydropneumatic suspension

Older car models sometimes had hydraulic fluid and oil leaks. Therefore, before buying a used car, look very carefully at the individual suspension elements. Also remember that changing the original layout to a non-standard one will make it difficult for you to find a workshop that can fix any defects. Although the operation of hydraulic and hydropneumatic suspensions is no big secret, failure and repair can be costly.

Hydraulic suspension - price of complete sets

There are many companies on the market that offer suspension kits tailored to specific vehicles. However, their prices are high and depend on:

• brands;
• kit expansion;
• specific company. 

Most of them are American products, because it is in the USA that this type of suspension is most often used in cars and pickup trucks. How much does a simple hydraulic suspension cost? The price is about 4 zł. The upper limit is hard to grasp rigidly. Surely the biggest fanatics of lowriders will be able to spend even 15-20 thousand just for spare parts!

How to deal with the lack of substitutes in the market?

Hydraulic systems are easily repaired. But forget that spare parts can be ordered at any store or bought on the secondary market. Such sets are not very popular, and if someone gets rid of them, then rather entirely. What can be done about it? The advantage is that you can make any pressure hoses at almost any plant that deals with pressure testing of hydraulic and pneumatic hoses. It is also possible to regenerate drives. And it will be, rather, the only reasonable option because of the costs.

Why do some people choose hydraulic suspension? Probably the only explanation is the desire to highlight your car. This is what motivates a large group of people who tune their cars. However, the taste of originality comes at a price in this edition. Moreover, you cannot drive the modified vehicle on public roads. But at rallies and in all places separated from traffic, it will be possible to show off plenty. Whether you decide or not, we leave it up to you.