'95 and up Continental shocks

[MonsterMark]

Just a heads up and have not been able to confirm but I thought I would throw it out there anyway. In attempting to fix a 'harse ride' complaint on my parents Continental I looked into replace the electronic shocks with a set of regular Monroe type shocks. Rumor has it that shocks may be compatible form a '96 Ford Taurus wagon although I have not been able to confirm this. Thought somebody might look into it someday and maybe it will help them out.

Regular shocks for the car should run about $35 each. To replace the OEM electronic units, definitely get a hold of Max at FiveStarFord. He beat the 'dealers' price by $100/unit. So for under 4 bills, you could stay with the stock suspension. Easy to replace from what I saw.

I was pleased, as where the folks that my 'wrenching' returned a car that now rode smoothly once again. I concentrating on removing the mass dampers and lubing up the area to allow them to pivot more. Also re-leveled the car by droppin it slightly on all 4 corners, which btw, has separate adjustments at all 4 wheels. The bags will probably wear faster now and need to be replaced by the ride is a little softer, much to their liking.

Peace

 

[remote1234]

Air Struts
I had one side go out in my 96 cont. I replaced both fronts with active coil overs from stutmaster. These struts by pass the load leveling in front, but let you adjust the ride frimness. Thats what strutmaster says. I took me 2 years lots of agrivation to get them to work. If the ride is not exactly the same with the coil overs as the air struts, the computer will throw codes and the car rides very stiff, Every tar line shakes the car and passengers! Lincoln dealers will not look at it, speed shops screw arround for weeks at a time, and give the car back basically telling me the car is F...ed up. Strut master says go look at the trouble codes and fix the problem.
Problem codes were left front time out up, right front time out down. This means the ride height sensors need to be recalibrated. This procedure requires a Star Testor ll. This is an expensive dealer code reader. I located one, and the recalibrate procedure requires the suspension to go into the test mode. This will cause the suspension to raise up and lower to test output of the sensors, pump, lines solinoids. Once this is performed, this star tester will allow the suspension height to be adjusted, saved, and thus calibrated.
With the coil over struts, the up down setup test will not cycle and the calibration is over, no adjusting or calibration will be set. In other words Strutmaster said they cannot help me any more. The car rides like a rock, and the computer keeps throwing a code.
I was able to fix the problem my self. Don't ask me why the engineers at strutmasters could'nt figure it out. I placed the car on a level surface, used a volt meter to monitor the voltage out put of the front ride height sensors, reaching in with a 11mm box wrench, I adjusted the sensors to the correct voltage. Turned the car off, reset the computer, start the car, problem solved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Now the car rides great, I can adjust the ride stiffness, no error codes and the rear leveling works. The bad part is, had I checked the voltage in the first place, I would not have had to replace the air strut with the coil over in the first place, a very expensive mistake.
Some times you just have to tell the EXPERTS, to go jump in the lake, and think for your self. If you have any questions and you think I can help, contact me by e mail.
Christo.
chris.stoffels@comcast.net