US Dollars
Swing Axle Air Ride Install
Convert your Classic VW's torsion-sprung rear suspension to a floating, on-the-fly-adjustable air ride. 30,000+ kits installed worldwide. The cleanest, coolest ride upgrade you can make to a 1949–1968 Beetle, Ghia, or Fridolin.
"Take control of your ride height anytime, anywhere. Our premium Air Ride Kit turns your Classic VW into the perfect blend of style, comfort, and adjustability."
From Torsion-Sprung to Floating on a Pillow.
The factory torsion-sprung rear suspension was great for 1958. It's not great for 2026. Modern roads, modern speeds, and the way classic VWs actually get driven today — the stock setup feels rough, choppy, and dated.
The Airkewld Air Ride Kit replaces the torsion bar setup with a 2,500lb air bag system that gives you on-the-fly height adjustment from "lay frame" show stance to highway-cruise ride height. Push a button. Settle. Drive home.
Soft ride. Show stance on demand. 30,000+ kits installed worldwide.
Fits 1949–1968 Type 1 Beetle, Ghia, and Fridolin. Works with short axle and long axle transaxles. Available as a standalone rear kit or as part of a complete (front + rear) air ride bundle.
Spring Plates Spring DOWN. Hard.
When you pry a spring plate off its perch, the torsion bar unloads with violent force. People get hurt every year on this exact step — busted teeth, broken wrists, concussions. Treat the torsion bar like a loaded spring, because that's exactly what it is.
- Stand to the FRONT of the plate — never below or to the side. The plate swings down and outward.
- Safety goggles ON. Non-negotiable. Casting flash and old undercoat fly when the plate releases.
- Use a long pry bar. Distance is your friend.
- Expect the violence. Don't be casual. The torsion bar holds the entire car's rear weight in spring potential energy.
The Numbers You Need Before You Cut
Axle Flanges
PerpendicularEarly parallel = swap first
Bag Mount
~1/4″ from topLevel + parallel to torsion tube
Heim Joints
1 LH + 1 RH3/4″ jam nut each side
Welding
Tack → Cycle → WeldNever weld first
Confirm Your Setup in 60 Seconds
✓ Fits
- VW Type 1 Beetle and Karmann Ghia — 1949–1968 (swing axle rear)
- VW Type 147 Fridolin — the Swiss Mail Truck
- Kit cars on a Type 1 swing-axle transaxle
- Both short axle and long axle setups
- Late-model transaxles with perpendicular shock flanges
✗ Does NOT Fit
- Type 2 Bus (different rear architecture; coming separately)
- Type 3 (Squareback, Notchback, Fastback) — different chassis
- Stock reduction-gear-box transaxles
- Straight axle conversions
- Pre-1959 transaxles with parallel shock flanges (these need a flange swap or transaxle replacement first)
Complete Rear Kit Contents
Everything you need to convert the rear from torsion-sprung to air ride. Add a tubing cutter, a welder, and basic shop tools (next section) and you're ready to start.
- Swing Axle Bracket Kit — bag mounts, trailing-arm hangers, hardware
- 2500 lb Air Bags (1 pair, rear)
- Short Shocks matched to the lowered ride height
- Hardware Pack — bolts, washers, nylocs, heim joints + jam nuts
- Printed Instructions (this guide)
Three Ways to Air Ride Your VW
Just doing the rear? Grab the standalone kit. Want front + rear in one box? Pick the complete kit that matches your year.
Swing Axle Rear Air Ride Kit
Just the rear. For builders who already have a front air-ride solution or are doing the rear separately. Fits 1949–1968 swing-axle Beetle, Ghia, and Fridolin.
Shop Rear Kit →
Complete Air Ride Kit
Front + rear in one box. The most popular pick for the early link-pin era Beetle and Ghia builders.
Part #111 000 397.
Complete Kit + Fridolin
Front + rear for 1966–1968 Beetle and Ghia, plus the Type 147 Fridolin (Swiss Mail Truck).
Part #111 000 398.
Six-Part Install Video Series
We filmed every step. Watch the whole series before you start, or pull up the part you need while you're under the car.
Subscribe to Airkewld on YouTube for new install videos when they drop.
The Top 5 Install Mistakes — And How to Avoid Them
These five are the difference between a clean install and a $$$ rework. Read them. Live them.
Releasing Torsion Bar Tension Unsafely
Spring plates spring DOWN hard. Stand to the front, wear safety goggles, expect violent release. People get hurt every year on this step.
Notching the Spring Plate by Eye
Use the supplied template (page 3 of the PDF) — print at actual size — and only cut what's marked. Over-notching weakens the plate.
Welding Bag Mounts Before Cycling
Tack-weld only, install bag, cycle full travel, verify clearance. THEN remove bag and finish-weld. Fully welding first locks in any binding.
Air Bag Misaligned
At lowest point the bag must look like two donuts stacked. Off-axis = rubbing under load = puncture and air loss.
Air Lines Routed Where the Axle Moves
Swing axles travel a LOT. Keep tubing well clear of the axle tube and trailing arm path; chafe-through is silent.
Tools Required · Shop the Build
A welder is non-negotiable for this install. If you don't own one, find a friend with a MIG or a local fab shop. Affiliate links support the channel — same price to you.
Jack & Jack Stands
Lift, pit, or pair of stands rated for vehicle weight. Lift from the torsion tube and the front Napoleon hat edges.
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Metric Socket Set
Full metric range. You'll touch 10mm through 19mm sockets, plus 3/4" for the heim joint jam nuts.
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Long Pry Bar
For releasing the spring plate from its perch. Length = leverage = distance from the violent release.
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Angle Grinder
For notching the spring plates and grinding the torsion housing surface where the bag mount welds.
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MIG Welder
Required. MIG recommended for the bag-mount and trailing-arm hanger welds. Tack first, cycle, then finish-weld.
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Safety Goggles
Non-negotiable. Spring plate release sends old undercoat and casting flash flying. Welding sparks too.
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Teflon Tape
For the 1/2″ reducer-to-bag NPT connections. Tape goes on the male threads only.
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Soapy Solution
Spray bottle of dish soap + water. For leak-testing every air-line connection under pressure.
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Step by Step · The Way We'd Run It
Read each phase. Match each video. Don't skip the Pro Tips. Body-off makes this 3× easier — if you have an hour to remove the body, that hour buys you a much smoother install.
Spring Plate Removal
- Disconnect battery + e-brake cables. Lift from the torsion tube + Napoleon hat front edges. Remove rear wheels.
- Pull the (3) axle-tube-to-spring-plate bolts. Remove rear shocks (save the hardware).
- Remove (4) spring plate cap bolts.
- SAFETY: Stand to the FRONT, goggles on. Pry the spring plate off its perch — it will spring DOWN HARD.
- Pull torsion bars and rubber doughnuts. Do NOT damage the doughnuts — they get reused.
The kit needs the later perpendicular axle-tube shock flange. Early Beetle / Ghia tubes have flanges parallel to the chassis — those must be swapped for the perpendicular style or the air bag mounts won't sit correctly.
Notch & Reinstall Plates
- Lay the supplied template (page 3 of the PDF, at actual size) on the spring plate; mark the notch.
- Cut to the marked line for max drop, OR less for moderate drop. Smooth the cut.
- Paint the spring plates so they don't rust.
- Lube the rubber doughnuts; reinstall onto plates with original hardware.
- Reinstall axle bolts with removable Loctite.
Trailing Arms
- Each side: (1) LH heim, (1) 3/4″ LH jam nut, (1) RH heim, (1) 3/4″ RH jam nut, (2) 3/4″ washers.
- Spin jam nut + washer onto each heim. Thread heims into each end of the control arm; bottom them out.
- Bolt trailing arm hangers on with supplied 12mm bolts, washers, nylocs.
- Other end: 1/2″ bolt + washers + nyloc through hanger; hanger between jam-nut/washer stack on the heim.
- Don't tighten jam nuts until arms are aligned at ride height.
When fully collapsed at lowest point, the air bag should look like two donuts stacked on each other. If it leans, twists, or pinches — your upper bag mount is off. Adjust before you commit to a full weld. Every torsion housing has casting marks and gaps that are different — expect to slot or grind the upper mount to fit.
Shocks
- Press supplied steel spacers into both shock ends — prevents bushing crush at torque.
- Install upper shock with original hardware; tighten.
- Lower shock: 130mm bolt + 12mm washer + stepped bushing into rear control-arm hole.
- Add second stepped bushing; pass through lower shock mount; cap with washer + nyloc; tighten.
Air Bag Mounts
- Grind paint / undercoat off the torsion housing where the upper hanger and bag mount will weld.
- Tack-weld upper trailing-arm hanger ~1/4″ from top of torsion tube; level + parallel.
- Bolt bag to control arm (2.250″ bolts, loose). Bolt upper bag-mount to bag (loose).
- Lift suspension to its travel stop. Deflate bag — it must read as 2 stacked donuts at lowest point.
- Tack upper mount in place. Cycle full travel; verify NO contact. Remove bag, finish-weld, paint, reinstall.
Every time. Tack only → install bag → cycle full travel → verify no contact at any point → THEN remove the bag and finish-weld. Fully welding first will lock in any clearance issue, and the bag will pay for it.
Air Lines & Final Setup
- 1/2″ reducers into bags with Teflon tape. 90° push-to-connect fittings into reducers.
- Cut tubing SQUARE; push fully into fittings; pull-test EVERY joint. Soap-test all connections under pressure.
- Route lines AWAY from axle tube and trailing arm travel paths. Secure with clamps.
- Reinstall wheels + e-brake cables. Inflate before lowering the vehicle.
- Lower; verify full travel · check ride height · confirm bag clearance through up-and-down cycles.
Spring Plate Notch Template
Page 3 of the install guide PDF is the 1:1 notch template. Print at Actual Size / 100%. Fit-to-Page will undersize the notch and your plate cut won't match the geometry.
Sold Worldwide
"Best mod I've ever done to a classic VW. Lays frame at a show, drives like a Caddy on the highway."
— Posted by Robert Myers"Watched the 6-video series twice before I started. Made all the difference. No surprises."
— Posted by David Smith"Took the body off like Pete recommends. 8 hours and the rear was DONE. Would not have wanted to do it on the lift."
— Posted by Lyle SummersThe Questions We Get Most
Is welding required for this kit?
Yes. The bag mounts and trailing-arm hangers weld to the torsion housing. MIG is recommended. If you don't own a welder, find a fab shop or a friend with one — the welds aren't structural-load critical, but they need to hold the bag mount in place under cycling.
Does the body need to come off to install?
To do it right, yes. If you have a pit or lift, it can make it easier — but the PROs recommend removing the body. It only takes 1–2 hours and the ease of installation triples. Some shops have done it body-on, but we don't do it that way as a company.
Can the heaters still work with the air ride kit installed?
Simple answer: no. If you're fabrication-friendly, you can make it work — but it requires custom routing around the new bag mount and trailing-arm hardware. Most builders accept the heat-loss tradeoff for the ride quality.
How long does the install take?
8 hours. Add 1–2 hours up front for body removal (recommended) and you're at a clean weekend project. Skipping body removal might save 2 hours but doubles the working-under-the-car frustration.
Will it fit my VW?
Yes if you have a 1949–1968 Type 1 (Beetle, Ghia, Fridolin) with a swing-axle transaxle and perpendicular shock flanges. Works with both short and long axle setups, and with kit cars on the same transaxle. Does NOT fit Type 2 Bus, Type 3, stock reduction-gear-box transaxles, or straight-axle conversions. Pre-1959 transaxles need either a flange swap or a full late-model transaxle (we sell that).
Can I use an electronic air management kit (AMK) with your air ride?
You can. Heads up though: we won't be able to tech-support any AMK-specific issue, because we don't have the ability to recreate problems with every vendor's AMK and their firmware updates. The mechanical install on this guide doesn't change — only the controller wiring after the bags are mounted.
Do you offer a bolt-on solution?
No, sorry. The geometry of the swing-axle suspension and the way the bag mounts have to clear the torsion housing means welding is part of doing it right. A bolt-on solution would compromise the structural integrity at the bag mount.
Is there anything else I'll need with this kit?
No — the kit ships with everything mechanical. The exception is if you have the pre-1959 parallel-flange transaxle (see Fitment Check above), in which case you'd need either a flange-swap or a complete late-model transaxle. Standard tools and a welder are on you (see the Tools section).
What's the difference between the Standalone Rear Kit and the Complete Kits?
The Standalone Rear Kit is just the rear air ride conversion (this install guide). The Complete Kits bundle the rear with our front air-ride solution — everything you need to put a Beetle, Ghia, or Fridolin on air front-and-back. 111 000 001 covers 1949–1965; 111 000 002 covers 1966–1968 (which includes the Fridolin).
What's your warranty?
If any component in the kit ever fails from a manufacturing defect, we replace it. Period. Email help@airkewld.com with a photo and your order number.
Real Humans. Real Phones. Real VW People.
Compatibility questions, weld-clearance fears, mid-install confusion — reach out before you make a cut you can't undo. We pick up the phone. We answer the email.