Ilift system and BC Racing Coils

[T_22*]

I have tried researching this setup but there is limited reviews on the Ilift system. I have an opportunity to pick up a gently used front and rear setup with BC Racing BR coils with Swift spring upgrade and helper springs for the front. As people know when it comes to a cup kit/coil kit they are fairly pricey but a great investment since I live in Northern Canada where the residential roads are not the best. Has anyone had any issues with the Ilift kit? I am seeking a maintenance free setup for the most part. This kit is concealed in the rear quarter panel which is a plus as well. My goal is to go low but be able to lift the car up for curbs and maintenance.

 

[ChrisK]

I have tried researching this setup but there is limited reviews on the Ilift system. I have an opportunity to pick up a gently used front and rear setup with BC Racing BR coils with Swift spring upgrade and helper springs for the front. As people know when it comes to a cup kit/coil kit they are fairly pricey but a great investment since I live in Northern Canada where the residential roads are not the best. Has anyone had any issues with the Ilift kit? I am seeking a maintenance free setup for the most part. This kit is concealed in the rear quarter panel which is a plus as well. My goal is to go low but be able to lift the car up for curbs and maintenance.

No issues with my iLift on KW so far. I've been a beta tester and since have a full production version and it works fine with no issues. One of the reason why the developer created the iLift was because he was not impressed with some of the available kits and its shortcomings and thus wanted to improve it, but got carried away and created the full iLift system beast from virtually scratch. I do know his goal was to achieve a kit that basically could have been an OEM Honda feature and I think he succeeded IMHO. Either way, I have had no issues in the 2-3 years I've had it.

 

[Ric]

Does the iLift get stuck in the up position every now and then?

 

[ChrisK]

Not mine. I'm not the designer, but I believe the materials used would prevent any binding in the cup since it's not aluminum rubbing on aluminum it won't bind. The only was it could possibly get stuck in the up position is if there was a failure in the exhaust solenoid valve that releases air from the cup, but I have never experienced such a problem myself.

 

[FF Drifter]

I have had my iLIFT on now for about four months. I am planning a 'long term' review after I've gone through the winter, but so far I have no issues. I also have a KWv3/iLIFT combination and I use the iLIFT frequently ~ probably two or three times a day. I have never experienced the system getting 'stuck'.

My only 'issue' so far has been the pump running every time I start the car up in the mornings, although I've gotten used to this and it doesn't bother me anymore. Oh and I had an issue where a chunk of paint in the trunk lid's drain channels broke free. The spot is where a tab on the trunk lid (the spot wrapped with a rubber stopper/pad) is pressed against the drain channel. I believe the vibration from the iLIFT's pump caused that spot to rub, which cause a paint chip to develop and break apart. My guess is that this is particular to having a rear fender "hidden" iLIFT pump mount.

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For reference, I am in DC which experiences both ridiculously humid, hot summers (iLIFT test complete in that kind of weather!) as well as cold, snowy winters with well-salted roads. We've had only one snow session so far but so far no issues with the iLIFT.

 

[The Hawk]

I have had my iLIFT system with the KWv3 suspensionfor 16 months and put over 7000 miles on the car since the installation with absolutely no maintenance. It has performed flawlessly. With my car 1/2 inch lower, it goes up every time I leave my driveway. My carbon fiber lip looks just like the day I put it on where as before I had to have repaired every fall. As far as I 'm concerned it's the best system available. Thanks to Steve for using the best materials available and meticulous testing before putting it on the market.

 

[iLiftSystems]

Does the iLift get stuck in the up position every now and then?

The iLIFT® systems do NOT use any moving metal parts in the cylinder and piston assemblies that could cause wear to the cylinder bores an possible binding.
The iIFT® systems use highly refined composite pistons that are made of a naturally self-lubricating material. The design of the iLIFT® components are very unique and we currently have five (5) US Patents on the iLIFT® systems with more patents pending and to be issued soon.
In our patented design, the bores of the cylinders are protected from contaminants such as road splash that causes damage to the cylinder bores of other systems.
This contributes to the maintenance free nature of the iLIFT® systems.

It is possible that a defective installation could result in a loose wiring connection that could prevent the solenoid valves from working. But with a good wiring connection to battery voltage and to ground, the system enjoys very high reliability as noted by other users on this thread.

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I have had my iLIFT on now for about four months. I am planning a 'long term' review after I've gone through the winter, but so far I have no issues. I also have a KWv3/iLIFT combination and I use the iLIFT frequently ~ probably two or three times a day. I have never experienced the system getting 'stuck'.

My only 'issue' so far has been the pump running every time I start the car up in the mornings, although I've gotten used to this and it doesn't bother me anymore. Oh and I had an issue where a chunk of paint in the trunk lid's drain channels broke free. The spot is where a tab on the trunk lid (the spot wrapped with a rubber stopper/pad) is pressed against the drain channel. I believe the vibration from the iLIFT's pump caused that spot to rub, which cause a paint chip to develop and break apart. My guess is that this is particular to having a rear fender "hidden" iLIFT pump mount.

- - - Updated - - -

For reference, I am in DC which experiences both ridiculously humid, hot summers (iLIFT test complete in that kind of weather!) as well as cold, snowy winters with well-salted roads. We've had only one snow session so far but so far no issues with the iLIFT.

FF Drifter,

Thank you for posting your experiences with the iLIFT® system on your car.

Please note that the compressor can be rotated in its mount if additional clearance is needed. You can loosen the screw at the bottom of the mount clamp and rotate the compressor.

The iLIFT® systems use very accurate pressure transducers to monitor the air pressures throughout the system. The ECU will top off the air tank when the air pressure drops even a little bit. After driving the car and using the system, the air in the tank usually gets warmer and the air expands a bit.. When you start the car in the morning or after a long cool down, the air is cooler and the air pressure will be lower. The iLIFT® ECU is programmed to top off the tank to maintain the target pressure selected by the installer or the default. It is normal for the iLIFT® system to top off the tank upon start up if the air temperature and pressure have dropped.

The iLIFT® system actually "locks" the air in the air tank when the system is at rest. In fact, you could disconnect all of the air fittings except the safety valve on the air tank and the air would NOT be released from the air tank. The system was designed this way to specifically to preserve the air in the tank and to prolong the life of the compressor.

 

[Ric]

Not mine. I'm not the designer, but I believe the materials used would prevent any binding in the cup since it's not aluminum rubbing on aluminum it won't bind. The only was it could possibly get stuck in the up position is if there was a failure in the exhaust solenoid valve that releases air from the cup, but I have never experienced such a problem myself.

Thanks for the reply. This is the problem I have with the VRH. The solenoid would get dirty every once in a while and the lift would get stuck in the up position. Sometimes, it will automatically raise itself when I start the car and just stay there.

 

[iLiftSystems]

Thanks for the reply. This is the problem I have with the VRH. The solenoid would get dirty every once in a while and the lift would get stuck in the up position. Sometimes, it will automatically raise itself when I start the car and just stay there.

Yes Ric, I understand what you're talking about.
You're not the only one that experienced that type of issue with the system that you have. I've heard it from other users of that system.

The iLIFT® system uses a proprietary filtration system to keep the dirt and the moisture out of the system. It's an added expense that we accept to provide long term reliability and to eliminate the need to manually clean debris and moisture from the system. Water will condense in other brands of air systems causing corrosion in the aluminum valves that they use. Our patented iLIFT® filtration system eliminates the "dirt" and the moisture and the related problems that you are familiar with.
The filtration system adds a small amount of cost to our systems but it is well worth the cost once you realize the type of problems that you can have without the proper filtration.

We tested MANY different solenoid valves including the ones used by other companies. We didn't accept them for quality and performance reasons. Those small anodized aluminum valves that we tested had long term corrosion problems. We spent several years and many thousands of dollars to design, develop, test and manufacture the proprietary iLIFT® valves that we use. They offer superior performance and reliability.

Originally I thought that your system could be having a problem with a worn cylinder bore caused by wear from the metal piston rubbing against the bore.
A damaged bore can also cause the problems you describe. The iLIFT® cylinders and pistons do NOT use O-rings in the cylinder bore that tend to trap dirt and rub it against the cylinder bore because that can lead to damage to the and binding. Your might want to check the cylinder bores on your system to see if the bores are damaged. If there is any visible wear to the bores of the cylinders, that damage could be contributing to the problems you are having.

One of our customers used to have the brand of lift system you're using and he had so much damage to the bore that he had it re-machined. It was a temporary fix.
He finally replaced the entire system with an iLIFT® system.

The iLIFT® systems do not have any metallic moving parts in the cylinder. In fact, the pistons in the iLIFT® system NEVER even touche the cylinder bores. This eliminates any wear to the cylinder bores and promotes trouble-free longevity of the system.

If you would like to discuss any specific issues with your system feel free to call me at 559-464-5438.
Even though we're NOT the manufacturer of your system, I might be able to help you trouble-shoot it to determine the specific causes for the problems you're having.

Steve
Manager
Stealth Innovative Systems, LLC
Ph. 559-464-5438