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Rear Air Bag in a 85 wagon

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    #1

    Rear Air Bag in a 85 wagon

    Guys

    I have installed the ford factory air bags in place of my tired springs in the rear of my 85 wagon..... So how close was the exhaust with these types of set up from the factory in Lincolns, Crown V, GM?? With the wagon duel exhaust it looks uncomfortable close with the air bag sides once you get the air in them and the air spring holding the weight.

    Im wondering if the exhaust will heat the side of the air bag and weaken them or blow a hole.

    Anyone with experience with these factory installs??.... Thought or pics most welcome.

    Steve
    Tags: None
    #2
    Boxes did not originally come with air springs. They used air shocks and coils. It is a change ( to air springs) I have been thinking about for too long. How close is close, exhaust to bag, when the car is on the ground? The bags will expand a bit when you hit a bump.

    How are you controlling the air in the bags?
    03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
    02 SL500 Silver Arrow
    08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
    12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

    Comment

      #3
      Thanks for your thoughts. yes... It was the later model that had the factory bags and i think they may have also changed the exhaust routing a bit with the later years. I didn't measure the gap but its less that and inch and half when carrying weight. Kinda scary for me.

      Before the air springs, last year I had installed the air shocks and hate them. The shocks (monroe) were garbage and wore out within a year. Not impressed. So that got me thinking about the air bags.

      I am using a GM air shock level controllers for the wagon. I installed that when i did the air shock for and auto control. The GM Venture, Buicks and ect has a simple one piece controller to measure the height and control the air comp and vent. Its a nice simple system. That and a relay to control the ford air bag solenoid and you are good to go.

      As for the air bag install i used the early 90 type style from a CV i think. I had to cut the frame coil spring housing for the solenoid to go through but have a plasma cutter so it was pretty easy.

      I hope this helps.

      Steve

      Comment

        #4
        I'd mount some heat shields to the exhaust.

        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
        Originally posted by gadget73
        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
        Originally posted by dmccaig
        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

        Comment

          #5
          X2 on heat shields !

          Comment

            #6
            I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Springs stayed in the same place, and the exhaust didn't really move change that much, the tail pipes don't really get that warm unless you park in a dry grassy field in the west when it's 120* out.
            2020 F250 - 7.3 4x4 CCSB STX 3.55's - BAKFlip MX4
            2005 Grand Marquis GS - Marauder sway bars, Marauder exhaust, KYB's
            2003 Marauder - Trilogy # 8, JLT, kooks, 2.5" exhaust, 4.10's/31 spline, widened rear's, metco's, addco's, ridetech's 415hp/381tq
            1987 Colony Park - 03+ frame swap, blown Gen II Coyote, 6R80, ridetechs, stainless works, absolute money pit. WIP

            Comment

              #7
              an inch and a half that far back in the exhaust isn't that close really. Put your hand an inch and a half from that same piping with the car hot. I don't think I'd worry about it but some sort of heat shielding wouldn't hurt.

              85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
              160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
              waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

              06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

              Comment

                #8
                are you talking air bags or helper bags.


                1990 Colony Park, with HO swap.

                Previously:
                1990 Lincoln Town Car Cartier.
                88 CVLX
                01 Marquis

                Comment

                  #9
                  sounds like he's used actual air springs instead of coils with helpers.

                  Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                  rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                  Originally posted by gadget73
                  ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                  Originally posted by dmccaig
                  Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Yes they are the 90 air springs I place of the ordinal metal coil spring

                    It is probaly quite cool up and in there. I have an older set of air bag spring that I have in there now and will just drive for a bit before I put in a new pair that i have.

                    Maybe it is more of a phyclogicical thing but I may mock up a simple heat sheild. I'll drive it and see. It's winter out here and nothing gets hot these days.

                    Steve

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Some of the later cars did have a heat shield on the tailpipe. It did not move any though.


                      I've had the parts to do the air spring swap on my Towncar for a while now, but have not done anything with it. Got the bags, the controller, all of the factory wiring, the compressor, just haven't had motivation.
                      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

                        #12
                        So the wagon has been on the road for a month plus with the air bags out back. All is good. Ride is way better and firmer in the rear without the old springs. Glad i did the work. Now to do something about the tired 351.... But that will be in a another post.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Can always just add some header wrap. But, like most have said, it should be fine. Now, get rid of that smogger 351! lol. I will be replacing my wagon's 351 with a 5L HO.

                          1981 Mercury Marquis Brougham 2-Door 302/ 5-speed -special blend (GMGT)
                          1987 Lincoln Mark VII 5-speed (Errand runner)
                          1989 Mercury Grand Marquis (Base Runner)
                          2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited (Hustlyn)
                          2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Down with O.P.P)

                          Comment

                            #14
                            I did do the header wrap... just for piece of mind as i was surprised how big the bags to get under load. I think all will be fine then.

                            In the fall I'm planning to put a 4.6L V32 from a 94 Mark 8 that i have in the wagon. I bought the mark for that purpose last year. Should make for lots of work and one hell of a highway cruiser and sleeper!

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Interesting, mod box long roof! This concept seems to be taking off.

                              1981 Mercury Marquis Brougham 2-Door 302/ 5-speed -special blend (GMGT)
                              1987 Lincoln Mark VII 5-speed (Errand runner)
                              1989 Mercury Grand Marquis (Base Runner)
                              2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited (Hustlyn)
                              2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Down with O.P.P)

                              Comment

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