chris2523
93 Mark VIII
to clarify, both front and rears hold air admirably. weeks on end. the front shocks are much to soft. the rear bags are fine. especially with cobra bilstein shocks.
Air suspension issues..
- Thread starter gearhead291
- Start date
to clarify, both front and rears hold air admirably. weeks on end. the front shocks are much to soft. the rear bags are fine. especially with cobra bilstein shocks.
Don Pfau
Dedicated LVC Member
I've got a couple low miles used compressors. They have been sitting around for years though. Plus both cars had coil conversions so I can't even guarantee they work.
gearhead291
Active LVC Member
soo.. to clarify, can i use stock struts/ springs from a Thunderbird? i have a limited budget after all the suspension work so far, and theres one in the yard that looks like it has almost all new struts/springs. i did take one off and test fit it ( on the front) of a gen 1 mark viii. and it bolted right up no problem. but im not sure if the 2nd gens are different.
gearhead291
Active LVC Member
and its kinda disappointing the suspension on the mark. its a 98 with 114K and is falling apart. where as my 98 conti with 149K is still rock solid with no suspension issues at all. but then again my mark has had 9 owners and the conti has had 2.
DLF
Dedicated LVC Member
They'll fit, all Mark VIII's are the same as far as that goes.
gearhead291
Active LVC Member
so the rears are the same too or does it need to be modded?
Spree
Dedicated LVC Member
The air ride is easier to work on then you think, and cheaper then you would believe. Do some research on the air ride system. I knew nothing about this car when I bought it. Air ride was the 1st problem..Now I know I can fix anything with the air. Start at the beginning and before you get to the end the answer is gonna slap you in the face! Their are other problems with the Mark VIII that are harder and will piss you off more...
...keep your air ride! you'll love it.
...keep your air ride! you'll love it.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Arnott doesn't carry the front air shocks for the Mark VIII anymore. I just got a new catalogue in the mail a couple of days ago and they only have the rears.
In a word...no. The last year for the strut front suspension in the T-Bird was '88. Those definitely won't fit a Mark VIII. They changed from the Fox chassis to the MN12 in '89. From that point they used coil-over shocks with SLA front suspension
But anyhoo, yes, MN12 T-Bird and Cougar front coil-over shocks will fit the Mark VIII
420ss
Active LVC Member
i agree with spree, my air ride was shot when i first got my mark, and with the help from the members of LVC, especially member "right on the mark", my air ride is fine now and i couldn't imagine not having air ride on my mark, like spree said the system isn't that complicated, you got the compressor supplying the air, the solenoids that control air into and out of each bag, then the bags themselves and the air lines. and remember the air is vented through the compressor. would a spyder valve help this member, i figured it wouldn't hurt just throwing that out there as a little food for thought
420ss
Active LVC Member
and suncore industries still sells the front and rear air shocks, they even have re manufactured ones, at a cheaper price of course.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Forgot about Suncore. I think they still sell the old design Arnott front shocks. From what I've read/seen, Arnott quit carrying the fronts due to poor quality from the manufacturer. I lucked up with mine. My d/s front air bag started leaking 8 months after I bought it. It had a pinhole leak in the spring. Arnott replaced it under warranty with no problems at all (that was back in October last year I think, and so far so good
). I haven't checked Suncore's prices lately. But I would hope that they would be under $200 each given that they're old Arnotts. And I would not trust "remanufactured" air shocks. What could they remanufacture? They could put a new air spring on it and maybe a new hydraulic (shock). But from what I've heard, all they do is put a new air bag on the old shock. What good is a new air spring with a worn out shock?
NoLimit95
Dedicated LVC Member
Just be smart and add $85 to it and get the real thing. You can't go wrong. I just took mine on an 80 mile round trip, mostly HWY and the ride now is unreal. When it goes across those small bridges that kinda hop you up and down... now mine is just gliding across them with almost no hopping at all and very smooth. The 16 cost more than the 17 for some odd reason but well worth it IMO.
[url]http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-AVS17-Spring/dp/B0011DTY2U/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613178&sr=1-1&keywords=AVS-17[/URL]
[url]http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-AVS16-Spring/dp/B0011DSB6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613522&sr=1-1&keywords=AVS-16[/URL]
$310.80
$285.83
--------
$596.63 for 15 years of worry free front air shocks.
Wished I had found these prices before I done mine. In total, I paid $723.00
-596.63
--------
$126.37 in savings. I just need one more and I'll have another complete front set for the closet.
Never know when there won't be anymore in stock anywhere.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Just be smart and add $85 to it and get the real thing. You can't go wrong. I just took mine on an 80 mile round trip, mostly HWY and the ride now is unreal. When it goes across those small bridges that kinda hop you up and down... now mine is just gliding across them with almost no hopping at all and very smooth. The 16 cost more than the 17 for some odd reason but well worth it IMO.
[URL="http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-AVS17-Spring/dp/B0011DTY2U/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613178&sr=1-1&keywords=AVS-17"][url]http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-AVS17-Spring/dp/B0011DTY2U/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613178&sr=1-1&keywords=AVS-17[/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-AVS16-Spring/dp/B0011DSB6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613522&sr=1-1&keywords=AVS-16"][url]http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-AVS16-Spring/dp/B0011DSB6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613522&sr=1-1&keywords=AVS-16[/URL][/URL]
$310.80
$285.83
--------
$596.63 for 15 years of worry free front air shocks.
Wished I had found these prices before I done mine. In total, I paid $723.00
-596.63
--------
$126.37 in savings. I just need one more and I'll have another complete front set for the closet.
Hopefully those prices will stay relatively constant until tax time. Then I might be able to get a set
NoLimit95
Dedicated LVC Member
Hopefully those prices will stay relatively constant until tax time. Then I might be able to get a set
They should unless they sell out before then. If they do, I have one other place that has them just as cheap but shipping is the only thing making them higher by the time they get to the door. Total on both to the door would be $650.85 from the other place I found that has them but again, with them, stock is limited! Since everyone is swapping to coil over conversions, I don't think you'll have a problem thaywood. $870.00 from Eddie, not including shipping lol. Fuggg that.
[url]http://www.americanairsuspension.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1819[/URL]
I'm only getting one more and I'm done with those. Then I need to go ahead and get a compressor from Eddie while he has them. I'll get one from my local JY to send back to him to stop the additional $50 fee. It's hard to beat $135 + shipping for something that was rebuilt better than it was originally made.
Sensors
do you know where i can buy a rear height sensor # f7ly-5359-ba ?
Any help would be appreciated.
do you know where i can buy a rear height sensor # f7ly-5359-ba ?
Any help would be appreciated.
gearhead291
Active LVC Member
car has been converted. used everything from a v6 thunderbird.rides MUCHH better. but i have warranty/ exchange on all the parts. ive heard that the v8/SC thunderbirds sit lower, true?
ford nut
Local nut case
Nope it will sit higher if the springs are stock.
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=83618
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
A V-6 Thunderbird? Mark VIII's are a lot heavier than V-6 Thunderchickens. Have you noticed any floatiness or bottoming over bumps/dips? I just don't think the V-6 'Bird springs/shocks are going to be stiff enough to handle the extra weight you've subjected them to. But I could be wrong...
gearhead291
Active LVC Member
Floats a little but i figured it was more to do with the struts
KStromberg
Dedicated LVC Member
That's what I thought until DLF posted on the other forum when this topic came up. He owns both cars and they are within 10# of each other according to the track scales. The GVWR ratings on the door tags between the Mark VIII and SC Thunderbird shows that they are VERY close in weight.
NOPE.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
But...an SC has stiffer springs than a stock V-6 T-bird. I figure the SC springs are similar to the Mark VIII while the stock V-6 T-bird's would be substantially softer.
KStromberg
Dedicated LVC Member
Oh gotcha. My bad. Yeah, I'm sure you're right there.
gearhead291
Active LVC Member
so is it only the SC that has the stiffer springs? not the v8 TB also?
DLF
Dedicated LVC Member
SC's and Sport Model 4.6's with spring code JJJJ
