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    Air Shocks vs Air Bags

    Which one. And why.
    Typical Monroe Air Shock vs Airlift 1000 airbag.

    I've got a couple hundred pounds of stuff in the trunk. Its making the rear sag. Removing the stuff from the trunk is not an option.
    And since Ford springs are stupid soft even with the "heavy duty" moniker. These wagon rear springs just ain't cutting it (I held a thread of hope that the wagon springs would be better suited to having some load on them, guess not). The begining of the variable rate seems to be softer than the sedan variable rate springs they replaced as the car rises a heck of a lot more when emptied out than it did with the sedan variable rate springs. (It actually sits with a nice rake when empty). I don't like lowered. So speedway springs are not an option either to get a proper high rate spring in there. So that leaves me to turn to add-on air suspension piece of some sort.

    The question is which. Gut reaction says airbag would be better suited since I want to support the initial weight better. Air shocks would end up holding up most of the initial weight, while the spring really does nothing until the suspension would get sufficiently compressed to put the spring back into the picture. So, which one would you chose and why.

    Alex.
    Last edited by GM_Guy; 06-29-2012, 09:20 PM.

    #2
    Originally posted by GM_Guy View Post
    Which one. And why.
    Typical Monroe Air Shock vs Airlift 1000 airbag.

    I've got a couple hundred pounds of stuff in the trunk. Its making the rear sag. Removing the stuff from the trunk is not an option.
    And since Ford springs are stupid soft even with the "heavy duty" moniker. These wagon rear springs just ain't cutting it (I held a thread of hope that the wagon springs would be better suited to having some load on them, guess not). The begining of the variable rate seems to be softer than the sedan variable rate springs they replaced as the car rises a heck of a lot more when emptied out than it did with the sedan variable rate springs. (It actually sits with a nice rake when empty). I don't like lowered. So speedway springs are not an option either to get a proper high rate spring in there. So that leaves me to turn to add-on air suspension piece of some sort.

    The question is which. Gut reaction says airbag would be better suited since I want to support the initial weight better. Air shocks would end up holding up most of the initial weight, while the spring really does nothing until the suspension would get sufficiently compressed to put the spring back into the picture. So, which one would you chose and why.

    Alex.
    i think you answered yourself there.....air shocks are not really designed to carry the initial load...so air assist bags or helper springs would be my choice

    Comment


      #3
      I have the air shocks. One item on my wish list is air springs as the unloaded ride is rough. But... when the wagon is loaded it rides nice so they may be fine for you if you always run loaded.

      Do not get me wrong, I am glad I have the auto shocks as sometimes I load up the wagon and it does not sag at all. I have/had two panthers with air springs and loved them.

      Jay
      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


        #4
        Whats out there, or what should I search for to find helper springs for a coil spring? Never seen anything other than airbags for a coil spring suspension.

        Alex.

        Comment


          #5
          what do you have?....town car...crown vic...grand marquis?...what year?

          Comment


            #6
            http://catalog.monroe.com/catalogPar...dStatus=ACTIVE these may help

            Comment


              #7
              and if those aerent "stout" enough..they make a "police severe service version" http://catalog.monroe.com/catalogPar...layPartDetails
              Last edited by ; 06-30-2012, 12:22 AM. Reason: spelling...dam typos!

              Comment


                #8
                i run firestone load assist air bags. they are very afordable and easy to install. and by running air bags, you let the shocks do their job.

                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


                  #9
                  I had air shocks. They work OK but you're putting load on weaker parts. The air bags would probably be better. You're also not limited in your shock selection then. I've been debating going late model air springs in the rear of my car, but increasingly I think maybe I should go with the load assist bags inside the coils, and just tie that in to the compressor. It would do the same job.
                  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


                    #10
                    Originally posted by marquisman View Post
                    i run firestone load assist air bags. they are very afordable and easy to install. and by running air bags, you let the shocks do their job.
                    How is the ride?

                    Specifically, how is it compared to immediately before you installed the bags?

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I guess that settles what I already knew, air bags it is. Thanks for the input y'all.

                      Originally posted by t65neon5 View Post
                      The only issue with those is the same as the air shocks, the load gets carried by the shock mounts, and not the springs where it should be. I did have a nova that had these, and yes, they did the job really well. But I also went through a couple sets of shock plates also because of it, which just cemented my distrust of air shocks and weight carrying shocks in general.

                      The car is a sedan with 1998 cop front springs (80090. 710lb/in) and Wagon variable rate coils (CC819, 200lb/in...eventually. The first two inches is probably 100lb/in, wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was even less based on sag and weight carried).

                      Now to go see whats up locally between the airlifts and the riderites.

                      Alex.
                      (okay, I just realized this, but why does this canuck have y'all as part of his vocabulary, eh?)
                      Last edited by GM_Guy; 06-30-2012, 04:33 PM.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by GM_Guy View Post
                        I guess that settles what I already knew, air bags it is. Thanks for the input y'all.



                        The only issue with those is the same as the air shocks, the load gets carried by the shock mounts, and not the springs where it should be. I did have a nova that had these, and yes, they did the job really well. But I also went through a couple sets of shock plates also because of it, which just cemented my distrust of air shocks and weight carrying shocks in general.

                        The car is a sedan with 1998 cop front springs (80090. 710lb/in) and Wagon variable rate coils (CC819, 200lb/in...eventually. The first two inches is probably 100lb/in, wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was even less based on sag and weight carried).

                        Now to go see whats up locally between the airlifts and the riderites.

                        Alex.
                        (okay, I just realized this, but why does this canuck have y'all as part of his vocabulary, eh?)
                        i just posted those as possibile alternatives........70s Nova and camaro upper shock mounts were notoriously weak new ...after a few years and some rust,well.....LOTS of novas and camaros dogtrack ,.....(long time ago i owned a 77 COPO 9c1 Nova....first thing that needed fixed......upper shock mounts......)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Ike Clanton View Post
                          How is the ride?

                          Specifically, how is it compared to immediately before you installed the bags?
                          my lincoln rides pretty good. the back end dont feel heavy, after going over bumps. im so pleased with them, i will be installing a set in my wagon too.

                          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
                            Anyone recall if the upper spring mount on an '89 box has a hole in the center?

                            Marquisman, how tall is the bag for panthers? Full spring length? Or confined to either end of the spring?

                            Alex.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by marquisman View Post
                              i run firestone load assist air bags. they are very afordable and easy to install. and by running air bags, you let the shocks do their job.
                              I am slightly confused because I can't find them anywhere with that name. But do these load assist bags go in the coils, so you can increase capacity, or do they replace the coil entirely? Is it hard to setup an air bag in the back, since the shock isn't even in the way? Sorry for thread jackin.

                              -Blane
                              85' Crown Vic 2dr. Small tire stock block grudge car.
                              09’ CTS-V family car making over 700whp with ease.
                              79’ f350 427 ls7 swapped with th400. Prerunner setup
                              64’ c30 dually. Slammed and turbo 5.3 with 4l80e

                              Comment

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