Air Shocks- Call me Crazy!
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: East Cobb County, Ga.
Air Shocks- Call me Crazy! I lowered my car about a year ago and installed American Racing 200S wheels at the time. Since then the car would rub the fenderwells on the slighest bump. Also, with the horsepower I am putting out, traction was impossible to find even with LCA brackets and I had the "Ricer bounce". Tried the Hal shocks set up- no good, Ground control ride height adjusters- no good. Tried one airbag- an improvement, not the best. Had a brain storm- or brain fart- depends on how you look at it. Bought a set of Gabriel air shocks, installed them with independent fill ports. Here are the results:
No Air Pressure: Lowered ride height- about the same as before.
20 psi: raised back end 3/8", no tire rub, good feel,handles well restored zero center. No bounce, fender height measures the same.
30 psi: raised back end 1/2", tight ride, no bounce, no rubbing with two, 200 plus # guys onboard. Hooking up good, could be better. Good measurments.
35 psi: still 1/2" increase in height, two guys and 150 lbs. of luggage- no rubbing, tight firm ride , no bounce, hooking up well, rear level- same measurments at fender wells.
35 psi- drivers side, 45 psi passenger side: Ride height is 1/4" higher on passenger side. Car is hooking up incredibly well, pulls straight and hard out of hole, runs straight down track. Handling feels normal- no noticeable probelms with exaggerated lean on turn in.
Running at 30 psi for normal driving- 35/45 psi for drags. These shocks have a 200 psi max. Anything above 60 psi results in a buck board ride. We called these shocks "Hi-Jackers" back in the day- maybe they have a place in the new muscle car era.
Let me here your thoughts
PeeDee
No Air Pressure: Lowered ride height- about the same as before.
20 psi: raised back end 3/8", no tire rub, good feel,handles well restored zero center. No bounce, fender height measures the same.
30 psi: raised back end 1/2", tight ride, no bounce, no rubbing with two, 200 plus # guys onboard. Hooking up good, could be better. Good measurments.
35 psi: still 1/2" increase in height, two guys and 150 lbs. of luggage- no rubbing, tight firm ride , no bounce, hooking up well, rear level- same measurments at fender wells.
35 psi- drivers side, 45 psi passenger side: Ride height is 1/4" higher on passenger side. Car is hooking up incredibly well, pulls straight and hard out of hole, runs straight down track. Handling feels normal- no noticeable probelms with exaggerated lean on turn in.
Running at 30 psi for normal driving- 35/45 psi for drags. These shocks have a 200 psi max. Anything above 60 psi results in a buck board ride. We called these shocks "Hi-Jackers" back in the day- maybe they have a place in the new muscle car era.
Let me here your thoughts
PeeDee
Air shocks just supplement spring rate with air
pressure * piston area somehow. They have a
fixed damping. They will have a variable-rate
characteristic as travel compresses the air.
I use air shocks on my Caprice convertible to
get it level (4 feet of *** overhang from the axle
has sagged the springs over time) with no ill
effect. But this is not a G-machine....
If the stock air shock damping is what you like
then it's all good; but I don't see the air shocks
as being performance-designed, just load / tow
oriented. Which may get you to the same result
though - "it could happen".
What's the part number? I'm fixed to put lowering
springs and SLP Bilsteins on this week, and if
I need a plan B I could see going this way. Seems
like a built-in "drag bag", it could be cool if the
damping is right for the car. Wonder if Gabriel has
published shock rate data that could be compared
to known F-body shock types' numbers.
pressure * piston area somehow. They have a
fixed damping. They will have a variable-rate
characteristic as travel compresses the air.
I use air shocks on my Caprice convertible to
get it level (4 feet of *** overhang from the axle
has sagged the springs over time) with no ill
effect. But this is not a G-machine....
If the stock air shock damping is what you like
then it's all good; but I don't see the air shocks
as being performance-designed, just load / tow
oriented. Which may get you to the same result
though - "it could happen".
What's the part number? I'm fixed to put lowering
springs and SLP Bilsteins on this week, and if
I need a plan B I could see going this way. Seems
like a built-in "drag bag", it could be cool if the
damping is right for the car. Wonder if Gabriel has
published shock rate data that could be compared
to known F-body shock types' numbers.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: East Cobb County, Ga.
Gabriel Air Shocks jimmyblue,
Thanks for your input. Yes, I realized that air shocks were primarily for load/tow situations. My main reason for going this route was to keep the tires and fenders from contacting each other and to get the car sitting right again. The added benefit of traction improvement was just icing on the cake. I have Eibach Pro springs and have not been happy on how they have settled in after a year. The air shocks do help tune the spring rates.
These shocks, P/N 39203, are listed for 99-2002 T/A or WS6. Without air the damping seems to be fine, no noticeable difference from the Bilsteins I had before the Hal's. The Hals are a pain to adjust- easier to do it with air and the push of a button ( I had a SUN mini- compressor with an auto leveling module, that I installed.)- Auto level can be turned off for drag settings.
Alot of new cars come with air ride suspension- Cadilac & Lincoln have been doing it for years. I figures what the hell- Works for me. I am not looking for the ultimate G-machine or drag car- just a good looking road burner, that handles, accelerates, stops, rides well and doesn't throw off sparks and tire smoke at every little bump. Good Luck with your ride.
Thanks for your input. Yes, I realized that air shocks were primarily for load/tow situations. My main reason for going this route was to keep the tires and fenders from contacting each other and to get the car sitting right again. The added benefit of traction improvement was just icing on the cake. I have Eibach Pro springs and have not been happy on how they have settled in after a year. The air shocks do help tune the spring rates.
These shocks, P/N 39203, are listed for 99-2002 T/A or WS6. Without air the damping seems to be fine, no noticeable difference from the Bilsteins I had before the Hal's. The Hals are a pain to adjust- easier to do it with air and the push of a button ( I had a SUN mini- compressor with an auto leveling module, that I installed.)- Auto level can be turned off for drag settings.
Alot of new cars come with air ride suspension- Cadilac & Lincoln have been doing it for years. I figures what the hell- Works for me. I am not looking for the ultimate G-machine or drag car- just a good looking road burner, that handles, accelerates, stops, rides well and doesn't throw off sparks and tire smoke at every little bump. Good Luck with your ride.
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
Likes: 208
From: Eastern MA
Originally Posted by PeeDee
jimmyblue,
Alot of new cars come with air ride suspension- Cadilac & Lincoln have been doing it for years
Alot of new cars come with air ride suspension- Cadilac & Lincoln have been doing it for years
My understanding of what you have done is: steel springs and air-pressurized shocks? Did you replace or supplement the Hals?
--VIP1
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: East Cobb County, Ga.
Air Shocks Bought the shocks and air line kit from Pep Boys- they don't carry anything for the front, because of the style of suspension. I am running my Decarbod shocks in the front- now that the zero center is restored, the fronts are doing fine, no ricer bounce. Cost $70.00 for everything- took about an hour to install. I am very happy with the set up- car is fun to drive once angain.
I went and picked up a set at AutoZone today, and an
extra line kit, for about the same price. But they gave
me a box that had 42903 on it. Wonder what's the diff.
The SLP Bilsteins I just put on are a bit hard and I'll
see if these are a happy combo with the Hotchkiss.
extra line kit, for about the same price. But they gave
me a box that had 42903 on it. Wonder what's the diff.
The SLP Bilsteins I just put on are a bit hard and I'll
see if these are a happy combo with the Hotchkiss.
