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The latest modification I have
performed is a complete coil spring conversion to my 1994 Lincoln Mark
VIII. I had performed the common "sensor lowering" to my car
and exposed a leak in the right front air strut. After close inspection,
I discovered that all four of my 10 year old air bags were showing small
leaks.
The following information will
provide you with a basic description of the modification along with a
few pictures of the job. I also decided to install a 1.5 inch lowering
kit to achieve the handling and look I desired.
 To
remove the Lincoln Mark VIII stock air strut, first I relieved the air
strut of air by removing the solenoid. Then I proceeded to un-hook all
the air ride hardware. Next, I removed the upper control arm from the
knuckle, removed the lower control arm-to-strut bolt, and unbolted the
top nuts from the air strut. I was then able to drop the air strut out
of the car.
To remove the stock air strut,
first I relieved the air strut of air by removing the solenoid. Then I
proceeded to un-hook all the air ride hardware. Next, I removed the upper
control arm from the knuckle, removed the lower control arm-to-strut bolt,
and unbolted the top nuts from the air strut. I was then able to drop
the air strut out of the car.
 The
kit came with both air suspension struts completely assembled with springs.
After taking this picture, I completely removed the factory air ride height
sensor, and solenoid, and then neatly wire-tied all the wire connections
behind the inner fender cover. That way they would be kept safe out of
the way of the air suspension components, and they will remain on the
vehicle incase I ever decide to re-install new factory air suspension
components
The rear part of this job is
quite a bit different. The rear air bags are mounted separately from the
shock. The air bags are held in place between the lower control arm and
the rear carrier. The bottom of the air bag has a 4-point clip-in design,
and the top of the bags are held in place by a twist-lock method. You
must support the lower control arm with a third-man jack.
 Release
the air in the rear air bag by removing the solenoid. Then, loosen and
remove the lower shock mounting bolt and remove the rear sway bar link
pin. Next, press in each of the 4-point clips that hold the bottom of
the air bag to the lower control arm. Once each of the clips has been
released, slowly lower the control arm until the lower part of the air
bag is free from the lower control arm. Next you have to rotate the air
bag until the twist lock is free from the carrier frame. Remove the bag
from the car.
The next step is to install
the rear springs. Each spring should have a flat end where the last 2
coils come together to form a flat surface. This is the TOP of the spring.
There is a spring pad included in the kit. The spring pad has a stud sticking
out of the top-center of it. This stud is used to center the pad in the
top of the old air bag mounting location. The bottom of the spring has
a blunt-cut coil end. You MUST line this cut end up in the rectangular
cut out in the lower control arm's air bag cup (where the air bag was
mounted). This rectangular cut out is there to ensure you properly match
the installation of both rear springs, so the ride height will be equal
on both sides.
Raise the third-man jack until
the lower shock mount bolt is lined up with the hole location. Keep an
eye on the spring to make sure it has not rotated in the spring cup. Install
the lower shock bolt, and the rear sway bar link pin. Make sure you have
safely removed all of the air suspension components, and wire-tied all
the extra wires and lines securely out of the way.
I decided to replace the rear
shocks at the same time. I also replaced the rear upper shock mounts.
I recommend you do the same if you are installing a coil-spring kit. The
ride characteristics are very comparable to the factory air ride with
the exception of the SELF LEVELING feature. To obtain the best possible
ride from this conversion, I recommend replacing the rear shocks since
the front struts are new. I am extremely pleased with the quality of parts
in this kit. There are a few different conversion kits available, such
as from American Air Suspension.
That's it. Let the car back
down, and be sure to hand-torque your lug nuts back on. I also recommend
that you check your tire pressure. That way your test drive will produce
true results!
Don't be surprised if your
Lincoln Mark VIII sits a little higher than expected at first. The springs
are new, and have yet to support any weight. They will settle within a
few hundred miles or normal driving. I also recommend that you have a
4-wheel alignment performed after the air suspension settles. My Lincoln
Mark VIII sits exactly 1.5 inches lower than the stock ride height after
250 miles of normal driving.
I recommend this conversion
to anyone who has been dissatisfied with the factory air suspension on
their 1993 - 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII. Many Lincoln Mark VIII owners love
their factory Lincoln Mark VIII air suspension ride, and will never change
it. Just be advised that there are options out there. This is one of them,
and you will NOT be disappointed!
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