Air Shocks worth it?

[Slayerdies]

There is a 91 Caprice at the local yard with rear air shocks. The ones with the line so you can release or add air. I am wondering if it be worth pulling them off and putting them on my Impala. What yall think?

[1slow96]

Not a big fan of them myself. Maybe if you carry extremely heavy loads. Air-bags inside the coils give a much better ride along with some adjustment possible for loads,and to a lesser extent height.

[ScottLC]

Air shocks are hard on the shock mounts if you keep them "jacked up" and ride...less well...than normal shocks no matter where you keep the air pressure. If you've gotta have shocks and they're dirt cheap, sure. Otherwise...meh.

[Slayerdies]

Kinda figured their be no real advantage to having them. I got my car dropped on sprints and need to figure out what size bags i need to go inside the spring.
Just saw these on the caprice at junkyard n was wondering if worth taking off.

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Perhaps the Caprice is done differently, but my Town Car has rear air suspension, and it's fantastic. I can put in a ton of groceries, parts, bodies, etc. and then the car will rise up in the rear and look completely normal, so you can't tell anything is back there. The ride is nice and soft, and when they are converted to coils, they do ride a bit stiffer, and are a bit "bouncier" it seems.

Perhaps the suspension systems on both are different enough that air springs would have a negative impact, but if I had the option (and it wasn't a PITA to convert it to air) I'd likely do it. Especially seeing how the rear coils in these tend to sag a bit anyways....

[1slow96]

Very apples,and oranges. Ford's "level-ride" is complex,and expensive to repair. That's the reason there are so many conversion kits that totally eliminate the system. A friend told me replacing just one of those shocks was over $1000. 70's style air-shocks give a lousy ride,and aren't very popular anymore.

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Don't rely on that friend for suspension information. If you go to the dealer, they will, for $2K, replace both air shocks, and a new compressor, plus the diag. fee.

I replaced both my air springs in my car with OE Firestone units (made for Ford, Motorcraft Part #) for $168 shipped to my door. They can be had for less, but if the originals lasted for 130K, these should as well. Seeing how I drive it 4K a year, I'm good for quite awhile. Even if the entire system was bad, it couldn't cost you $1K to fix.

If you needed new air springs, solenoids, a compressor/dryer assembly, and isolator bushings for it, the total cost would be around $500. You can R&R the compressor in under 45 minutes, as it's located right below the Windshield Washer fluid tank, and the rear springs are as easy as deflating (by either disconnecting a solenoid, or stabbing the rubber bladder) popping loose from the axle, and removing a few clips (and the air line) and re-connecting. An hour, or so.

People with those conversion kits play off the ignorant/lazy people who can't be bothered to shop around, or "don't feel like doing it again in 10 years".

It's a very simple system actually. There's a height sensor, a computer, air compressor, air lines, and air springs. If the resistor on the sensor reads too low, the computer will kick the compressor on until it reads in the normal range, and if it's too high, it'll kick open the vent solenoid, and bleed air from the system until it's low enough. That's pretty much it. The computers never seem to go bad, and I've never heard of them ever being replaced.

Sorry for the thread de-rail, rant over.


Now, I hear the air shocks on the Fleetwoods are very expensive to replace, but I maybe wrong there.

[FuzzyNutzGoneWild]

By what I have read it's kind of a hit and miss, depends on what you like for a ride/what you need them for. If you're getting them from a junk yard you're probably getting them fairly cheap. Take them off and just try them out, if you don't like them you're not out a bunch of money. You would be saving money by buying them used if you like the ride and if you don't like them make a listing on craiglist

[ScottLC]

The Town Cars have only rear air bags and more often than not it's a blown fuse from a hot and over loaded compressor that is the cause of the rear saggage. I stole more Town Cars at auction, swapped a relay, and drove them out that way than I can count. With that said it's a crappy system that gives crappy handling compared to that in the FWB. But that's just one more reason Lincoln has always been called the Poor Man's Cadillac.

Air shocks on the back of a Fleetwood are just that, air shocks. Hundred bucks and an hours work and you're good to go. Or you can replace the springs with 9C1 springs, with no other mods unlike what is required on the Town Cars. Or Impala SS springs...and airbag either one...But at least the Town Car does have one thing going for it: It doesn' have the death plunge four wheel air suspension of the Mark 7 and 8 Thunderbirds or the Lincoln Contitaurus.

[COFFEE]

Originally Posted by ScottLC

...But at least the Town Car does have one thing going for it: It doesn' have the death plunge four wheel air suspension of the Mark 7 and 8 Thunderbirds or the Lincoln Contitaurus.

Ha! Death plunge! Now that's a killer. (no pun intended)