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Ride and handling issues with Panther wagons

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    Ride and handling issues with Panther wagons

    Hi everyone, I found myself wondering today after pulling into the somewhat uneven apartment parking lot in my old '79 beater wagon, whether anyone else has given much thought to the awkward ride of our wagons' rear ends, particularly when going over a bump. Seems like they tend to go over a bump with some degree of reluctance, and then bounce down and then back up again before regaining composure. Not too good for confident handling on anything less than a smooth surface, not to mention the fact that it's just plain annoying. The air shocks I have on the '87 did smooth out this phenomenon quite a bit when I put them on, so I'm not sure if that was related to the difference in damping over the SensaTracs I'd been running, or the slightly higher effective spring rate from the air chambers, or what.

    Perhaps this is related to the fact that when the suspension was stock, my '87 always rode better with the rear end loaded down? I don't have the car here with me, but while I remember the rear springs as being single-rate, there are a whole bunch of rubber doodads strung around part of each spring like beads, which could probably provide the effect of a progressive spring rate by taking a coil or two out of action when loaded down.

    I know there are some folks here who have experimented with different springs on their wagons, so I'm curious to hear how that affected this aspect of ride.
    2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

    #2
    Check out the thread in the suspension forum, "f150 shocks installed"
    Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

    Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

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      #3
      I'm also thinking I need longer shocks, but I'll measure it out first. Loading the rear was probably putting the shocks closer to the center of their overall travel. In a lot of cases the shocks are too close to extended, so going over a bump causes them to extend to the limits, resulting in funky handling and ride.
      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

      Originally posted by phayzer5
      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by gadget73
        I'm also thinking I need longer shocks, but I'll measure it out first. Loading the rear was probably putting the shocks closer to the center of their overall travel. In a lot of cases the shocks are too close to extended, so going over a bump causes them to extend to the limits, resulting in funky handling and ride.
        Ah, okay. I hadn't thought about it in terms of shock travel. I guess it would make sense that it could be more a matter of the shocks not dampening effectively when and where I need them.
        2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

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          #5
          I just put on a set of load levelers on my wagon. They are the shocks with the coil springs around them. I've used them on all of my pickup trucks and my CV sedan. It really stiffens up the ride and raises the rear end a little. It definitely helps when the springs are sagging.
          sigpic
          Mike Pop
          Eureka, NV & Neptune, NJ
          1985 Crown Vic Fire Department Sedan: 351M, Police Package
          1984 Lincoln Town Car Roadster: Saw it's fate at the junk yard
          1987 Crown Vic Wagon: FOR SALE
          Military Vehicles: 1985 Mercedes Unimog, 1952 Jeep M38A1, 1985 Chevy CUCV M1009 Blazer

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            #6
            so it's basically like a coilover shock, or is it more of a helper spring? Don't suppose you have any part numbers handy?
            2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

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              #7
              Sorry, no part numbers. It's a coil over shock made by Monroe Sensatrack. I picked them up at my local auto parts dealer. They are made for the wagons with a towing package and will bolt right up to your wagon. I've had great success whenever I put them on my pickup trucks. It takes the sag out of the rear end for an older vehicle and stiffens up the ride.
              sigpic
              Mike Pop
              Eureka, NV & Neptune, NJ
              1985 Crown Vic Fire Department Sedan: 351M, Police Package
              1984 Lincoln Town Car Roadster: Saw it's fate at the junk yard
              1987 Crown Vic Wagon: FOR SALE
              Military Vehicles: 1985 Mercedes Unimog, 1952 Jeep M38A1, 1985 Chevy CUCV M1009 Blazer

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