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Ridetech Air Ride Control Systems & Accessories
Pontiac V8 Ridetech Air Ride Control Systems & Accessories
The Other Half of Air Ride — Ridetech Air Ride Control Systems & Accessories for Pontiac V8s
RideTech air ride control systems are the half of an air suspension that does not come in the chassis kit. The air springs hold the car up; the control system stores the air, measures it and moves it, and it decides whether the car levels itself when you turn the key or waits for you to work a switch.
Butler stocks the RidePro E5 digital system in both component and prewired AirPod form, the analog RidePRO leveling system, the RidePro-HP ride height sensor kit and a cover for the 5 gallon AirPod. All of them are built around an aluminum 5 gallon tank and dual Thomas compressors.
More About Ridetech Air Ride Control Systems & Accessories
1. Digital or analog
Both approaches manage the same four air springs through the same RidePro 4-way valve block. The difference is how much thinking the system does for you.
| RidePro E5 digital | a full color 3.5" TFT touchscreen plus a four-button backlit silicone keypad, three height presets, and a Ride Height On Start feature that lifts and levels the car every time the ignition comes on. Setup runs from the panel, a phone app over Bluetooth, or a laptop, and the ECM and connectors are weatherproof. |
| Analog RidePRO | manual rocker switches and two dual-needle pressure gauges. Simple, affordable, and nothing to learn. It can be converted to digital leveling later by replacing the analog switches with the RidePRO-X leveling ECM package, so choosing it now does not lock you out. |
2. Loose components or a prewired AirPod
The hardware underneath is the same on both 5 gallon E5 systems, so this comes down to how you want to spend install time.
| Component system | RidePro 4-way valve block, dual Thomas 319 compressors, aluminum 5 gallon tank, 1/4" airlines and fittings. |
| Prewired AirPod | the same parts preassembled and tested on the tank as a single unit, which turns most of the install into mounting and plumbing. |
| AirPod cover | available for the 5 gallon AirPod, worth having if the assembly is going anywhere visible like a trunk floor. |
| Sizing | these 5 gallon dual compressor systems are specified for vehicles over 3500 lbs, which covers most Pontiac V8 cars and all of the full-size ones. |
3. Pressure only, or pressure and height
A base E5 install measures air pressure. Adding height sensors lets it measure position as well, and that is a real handling difference rather than a convenience feature.
| What it adds | the RidePro-HP ride height sensor kit, part number 30400036, compares the position of each sensor against the pressure in that air spring, so the car levels without cross-loading a corner. It matters most in sudden direction changes and panic stops. |
| What is in the kit | four ride height sensors, four linkage kits with bendable rods and rubberized rod ends, a group harness, sensor hardware, mounting tabs, heat shrink and an installation guide. |
| The one restriction | RidePro-HP sensors work only with the RidePro E5 digital control system. They will not work with the analog panel, but they can be added to an existing pressure-only E5 install later. |
Work out the control system at the same time you order the chassis kit. It is far easier to run airline and pick a tank location while the car is apart.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Email our tech team at tech@butlerperformance.com. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.