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Air Shocks installation

roadrunnerh

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Holy shit, how are you supposed to extend these F'in things for installation?
I have the car resting on jack stands on the rear frame rails, and I
jacked up the pumpkin to get closer, but I'm still 3 inches away from the shock/spring plate.
I managed to pull and extend the shocks a couple inches but not enough......HELP!

I am considering connecting the air lines and using a bicycle pump to put some air in these bitches.
 

sixgunrunner68

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You can pump them up to extend them.
Just cuious as to what the impetus is behind the air shock choice. I had them in the runner when I purchased it and tore them out asap. Not a fan. They act more like a spring than a shock. JMO. :cents:
 

roadrunnerh

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Mission accomplished. Thanks for the response Marty. I am going with a cheap way to increase the ride height on this Scamp I bought. I know, air shocks tend to be stiff as hell. I don't plan on running more than 50 - 70 lbs of pressure. Who knows? I may yank 'em in a couple weeks.....
 

mac

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when i bought my car as a project, there were a set of airshocks installed. the crossmember that the upper mount bolts to was in 5 pieces. that sheet metal crossmember was not designed to support the weight of the vehicle. new springs or dare i say longer shackles is the better way to go in my opinion. :cents:
 

ACME A12

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mac said:
that sheet metal crossmember was not designed to support the weight of the vehicle.

Mac nailed it. I was already preparing a response in my head as I was reading this and then I read his post. This job, Harry, is like a lot of things with these old cars; there is a right way and a wrong way. Unfortunately, you have not chosen wisely, GrassHopper...

:wedgie:

Yank the springs, have them re-arched, and tell the shop you want them rebuilt to 340 specs - say '70 Duster 340 for instance. That will get you upgraded to six leaves. This is what I did for my '74 Duster when I swapped in the 8.75". Wasn't expensive either - can't recall the exact amount however. :cents:

:cheers:
 

ACME A12

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george68hemirr said:
SUPER STOCK SPRINGS :D

You forgot the minitub job, frame connectors, straight axle, and hole in the hood for the huffer. You're really slippin', George... :lmao:
 

george68hemirr

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ACME A12 said:
george68hemirr said:
SUPER STOCK SPRINGS :D

You forgot the minitub job, frame connectors, straight axle, and hole in the hood for the huffer. You're really slippin', George... :lmao:
YEP....I AM SLIPPIN :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: .....WHEN I DID THESE SPRINGS IT REALLY TOOK THE SAG OUT....worked for me.....better then those air shocks but had to get those extended.....longer shocks to make it work
 

roadrunnerh

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I agree with the roughness of the air shocks, however, two very important variables exist.

1. strength/structural integrity of the car they are installed on.
2. amount of air pressure used.

When guys run 100lbs + in these, in rusty cars, you are asking for trouble.
 

ACME A12

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True to a point on the air pressure, Harry. However, if you put enough air in them to lift the rear then you have likely exceeded the design load of that crossmember - rusty or not. And it will eventually stress crack, rusty or not.

It's your car, you do what you want. But facts are facts. And there are PLENTY of cars out there (previously or currently equipped with air shocks) with busted, non-rusty crossmembers out there that prove this point.
 

roadrunnerh

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Won't stiffer springs also put an increased load on the shock mounts?

With all due respect Ray, and I do respect your experience and knowledge,
EVERY car that's had air shocks installed did not suffer from cracked/broken shock mounts.
 

george68hemirr

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roadrunnerh said:
Won't stiffer springs also put an increased load on the shock mounts?

With all due respect Ray, and I do respect your experience and knowledge,
EVERY car that's had air shocks installed did not suffer from cracked/broken shock mounts.
in time the upper shock crossmember will take a beating and possibly crack....the springs wont put any load on the shock mounts since the springs are mounted to the frame rails.....air shocks will really give you a washboard shit ride but will jack the ride height up :D
 

Big John

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Had a 69 Dart, not rusty either, that the shock mounts were ripped out.

As has been said, the mounts aren't made to take much stress. Shocks are there to control the bounce and not to hold the car up.

That said.... you can probably get away with lower pressures. I have done it myself with good results on cars I used for towing. (remember when people towed trailers with cars?)
 

dobie

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Well, thanks for the information here. My RR had (still has) air shocks on it when I bought it. I changed out the front a few years ago with new KYB's. I bought a set for the rear, but never installed them. After reading this, I will finally get them on, next spring of course. I guess that would be the time to put new leaf springs on too, huh?
:cheers:
 

ACME A12

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dobie said:
Well, thanks for the information here. My RR had (still has) air shocks on it when I bought it. I changed out the front a few years ago with new KYB's. I bought a set for the rear, but never installed them. After reading this, I will finally get them on, next spring of course. I guess that would be the time to put new leaf springs on too, huh?
:cheers:

Unless there is something wrong with your springs, do not change them. If they are sagging, get them re-arched. Anything you buy new today will be cheap chinese steel; your 43 year old springs are good old American steel and 100 times better than anything you can buy today. And this I was told by one of the MoPar Performance Tech Advisors when I was contemplating buying new springs for my Gold Duster and called them for their input. :eek:
 

Big John

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ACME A12 said:
dobie said:
Well, thanks for the information here. My RR had (still has) air shocks on it when I bought it. I changed out the front a few years ago with new KYB's. I bought a set for the rear, but never installed them. After reading this, I will finally get them on, next spring of course. I guess that would be the time to put new leaf springs on too, huh?
:cheers:

Unless there is something wrong with your springs, do not change them. If they are sagging, get them re-arched. Anything you buy new today will be cheap chinese steel; your 43 year old springs are good old American steel and 100 times better than anything you can buy today. And this I was told by one of the MoPar Performance Tech Advisors when I was contemplating buying new springs for my Gold Duster and called them for their input. :eek:

You know.. I haven't tried it yet, but there's people that have told me that if you disassemble the springs, clean and put new liners in them, the springs will work almost as good as new without having the springs re arched. It makes some sense... decreasing the friction between the leaves has to help.
 

dobie

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Really? Good to know! Thanks guys!

We put new MP SS springs on the Satellite when we bought it. No issues, although I probably wouldn't recognize any issues as im not real good with that stuff.

Thanks again!
 

69hemibeep

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Big John said:
[quote="ACME A12":726ksfhn]
dobie said:
Well, thanks for the information here. My RR had (still has) air shocks on it when I bought it. I changed out the front a few years ago with new KYB's. I bought a set for the rear, but never installed them. After reading this, I will finally get them on, next spring of course. I guess that would be the time to put new leaf springs on too, huh?
:cheers:

Unless there is something wrong with your springs, do not change them. If they are sagging, get them re-arched. Anything you buy new today will be cheap chinese steel; your 43 year old springs are good old American steel and 100 times better than anything you can buy today. And this I was told by one of the MoPar Performance Tech Advisors when I was contemplating buying new springs for my Gold Duster and called them for their input. :eek:

You know.. I haven't tried it yet, but there's people that have told me that if you disassemble the springs, clean and put new liners in them, the springs will work almost as good as new without having the springs re arched. It makes some sense... decreasing the friction between the leaves has to help.[/quote:726ksfhn]
I did that and had them re arched and without a full tank it sets to high at least so far. Back in the day when these cars were new they set level.
 

roadrunnerh

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Ok, Well, F these air shocks. I recall running A.S. on my '78 Cutlass 20+ years ago and the ride was rough even with rear coil springs.
These are REALLY rough! Plus all the negative shit I've read. Not worth the chance of damaging the car. Their going back to Summit today, I order KYB's. (plus I want to get back on good graces with "Master Po" a.k.a. Ray) :jester:

I still would like to lift the rear end just a little. The wife has been totally cool with the purchase of the Scamp, but if she keeps finding boxes delivered from UPS on the porch, that could change...
How about a sleazy bolt on "helper spring" or I might even go the shackle route. Any thought guys? :popcorn:
 
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