ONAIR / Product Guides
Pressure presets or height sensors?
Understand what the system measures before expecting it to return the car to a particular position.
Pressure-based management targets air pressure. Height-based management uses compatible position sensors as feedback for suspension position. They solve the control problem differently. Individual-corner valves alone do not make a system height-based, and neither approach removes the need for safe setup and clearance checks.
Recalls a pressure target; load can change the resulting position.
Uses installed position sensors and needs correct mounting and calibration.
Still needs checking on the actual vehicle.
01 / THE DETAILS
What a pressure preset remembers.
A pressure-based controller recalls a target reading for its controlled channels. ONAIR 2V and 4V use pressure profiles. The display tells you about air pressure, not a direct measurement of ground clearance.
Save a setting on an empty car, then add passengers or luggage. The same pressure target can produce a different physical position because the load has changed.
That makes a preset useful, but not a substitute for checking the car before moving.
02 / THE DETAILS
What height feedback adds.
A compatible height-based system uses position sensors mounted to measure suspension position. The controller can use that feedback to work toward a calibrated position rather than relying only on a stored pressure target.
The sensor arrangement, operating range, calibration and controller compatibility are part of the installation. It is not a universal accessory that can be plugged into any pressure controller.
03 / THE DETAILS
Compare the complete control arrangement.
| Question | Pressure-based | Height-based |
|---|---|---|
| Primary preset feedback | Air pressure in the controlled channels. | Calibrated suspension-position sensors on a compatible platform. |
| Extra position hardware | Does not need height-sensor linkages for its pressure presets. | Requires appropriate sensors, mounting, wiring and calibration. |
| Changing load | The same pressure can result in a different position. | Position feedback can help the controller compensate within its supported behaviour and limits. |
| Safe installation | Still requires clearance, travel and driving-height checks. | Still requires clearance, travel and driving-height checks. |
04 / THE DETAILS
Corner control and height sensing are different choices.
ONAIR 4V adds independent air control at each corner compared with 2V's axle grouping. That does not turn its pressure profiles into measured-height targets.
Likewise, a phone app changes the interface, not what the system measures. Read the feedback and sensor specifications rather than inferring them from the remote or number of valves.
05 / THE DETAILS
Choose with the installer and actual platform in mind.
- How much does the vehicle's normal loading change?
- What feedback and automatic behaviour do you need?
- Is there a compatible sensor kit and suitable mounting space?
- Who will install, calibrate and service the equipment?
- How will actual driving clearance be verified?
Height feedback measures a configured suspension position, not every obstacle or clearance around the car. No control method makes an unsafe mechanical setup acceptable.
ONE MORE THING
The questions that come next.
Does 4V mean height-based?
No. Four-corner pneumatic control and height-sensor feedback are different features. Current ONAIR 4V presets are pressure-based.
Can I add generic height sensors to ONAIR 2V or 4V?
Do not assume compatibility. The controller, software, harness and sensor system must explicitly support the arrangement.
Does a height sensor measure the gap to the road?
It measures the configured suspension position through its mounting arrangement. It does not directly detect every ground obstacle or guarantee tire and body clearance.
Sources & equipment references
General education is not a replacement for the instructions supplied with your exact components. Product-specific ratings and procedures do not transfer automatically to another setup.
- ONAIR 2V Management System
Current pressure-preset behaviour.
- ONAIR 4V Management System
Current four-corner pressure control.
- Air Lift Performance 3H
A manufacturer example of height-sensor management, not an ONAIR compatibility statement.
