Adjustable suspension systems are complicated. You have to deal with valves, electronics, unique parts, and more. Because of the complexity, you'll often find these available in high-performance models or luxury vehicles. But what can the Average Joe do to fit it in their cars? The folks from Garage 54 have an ingenious if sketchy, solution.
Yes, the mad mechanics from the channel are at it again. This time, they have office chair struts, a clapped-out Lada, and a lot of ingenuity. Their goal is to see if these chair struts can help give the beaten-up Lada 1500 adjustable suspension and if this unusual arrangement can support the car's weight.
To guarantee some form of success, Vlad and his crew placed four of these struts at the back and welded them to the axle. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, if you're optimistic), the arrangement works when the vehicle is static. Even the jerry-rigged adjuster worked inside the shop, making this (possibly) the first Lada in existence with an adjustable height system. Not only that, the car can lower itself with a pull of a lever, just like an office chair. But the real test would be outside the garage.
Vlad was able to drive the Lada out of the shop without any hitches. However, he does note that the ride quality suffered because of the modification. Vlad called the ride bearable with the dampers in the highest setting. It even managed a few rounds within the area without failing catastrophically.
However, the lowest setting made the ride downright stiff. The car's rear end was bouncing at low speeds, with Vlad describing the experience as 'seriously unpleasant'. Still, the system held up despite one of the dampers popping out of its welds. All in all, Vlad says the experiment is a success and that there is no need to revisit it in future episodes. Of course, we don't see any automakers picking up this solution, and please, do not attempt this on your own.
