turn_on68
Dedicated LVC Member
Does anyone have anything to say good or bad about either of these vendors on the replacement air struts / shocks for my '98 Mark VIII, because right now strutmasters is a whole lot cheaper than Arnott!
Arnott VS Strutmasters?
- Thread starter turn_on68
- Start date
Check with Eddie Spinks at www.americanairsuspension.com he is also a member here his user name is ( American Air-1 ). Eddie will make you a better deal.
turn_on68
Dedicated LVC Member
Thanks for the tip.
M
my95mark8
Guest
I thought I had heard that they were the same. I am not sure though.turn_on68 said:
Read this http://www.markviii.org/htdocs/dc/d...23715&sub_topic_id=23717&mesg_id=&page=#23718
torquemonkey
Dedicated LVC Member
I had called Strutmasters today @ 9:30 AZ time about their warranty. They took down my info and promised to call me back in a few minutes. I sent an email forwarding the receipt of purchase, to be thorough. Being a third shifter I fell asleep and low and behold . . . no messages/callbacks or email today.
mespock
Marxists - Socialists
Arnott and Strutmasters use the Same parts - Same thing!!!
You can get re-manufactured originals from Eddie with a very good warranty plus someone who will help you and talk you through any problems. Or you can get the cheap ones also from Eddie. Plus Eddie will buy back your damaged struts or old struts which lowers your over all price.
In all Go with Eddie... He's the Best!!!
You can get re-manufactured originals from Eddie with a very good warranty plus someone who will help you and talk you through any problems. Or you can get the cheap ones also from Eddie. Plus Eddie will buy back your damaged struts or old struts which lowers your over all price.
In all Go with Eddie... He's the Best!!!
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Strutmasters actually sells Lincoln Mark VIII front Air Spring/Shock Absorber assemblies manufactured by Arnott. I purchased a set a few years ago from Strutmasters and they had a 1 year warranty. Guess what, one sprung a leak 14 months later, and the other blew out a couple of months after that. Of course they were out of warranty. So I bought a couple of used factory air spring/shocks off E-Bay and have had no trouble out of them. I would like to say that the Lincoln Mark VIII does not use struts. This is a common misconception since the Air-Spring/Shock Absorber Assembly resembles a McPherson strut in appearance. However, it is not a strut. This is evendenced by the fact that the Mark VIII has an upper control arm in its front suspension. By definition, a strut IS the upper suspension link. In a strut suspension, there is no upper control arm as the strut acts as the upper suspension locating link. Please reference the Lincoln Mark VII which was based upon the FOX platform. It has modified McPherson struts in the front. The Mark VIII has an upper and lower control arm front suspension, negating the use of a strut. Also, in a strut suspension, the strut is mounted to the spindle and actually turns with the wheels as they steer the car. The Mark VIII's front air-spring/shock is mounted directly to the lower lateral link and the shock tower under the hood. It only moves up and down. It does not turn with the wheels. Therefore, the Mark VIII does NOT use struts. Just because it LOOKS like a strut does not make it one. Struts are for cheap Japanese and Korean FWD econoboxes, not for Premium Luxury Coupes like the Mark VIII. Thank you.
Jafeb
Active LVC Member
Has anyone hear anything bad about Sun Core Industries?
unity
Dedicated LVC Member
Yes, cause they and Arnott are one in the same. Read above... Sun Core does all the work, Arnott resells em.
Go OEM used, new or American Air and you will be happy, if not you may be taking a gamble.
Go OEM used, new or American Air and you will be happy, if not you may be taking a gamble.
mespock
Marxists - Socialists
Yes he is and I'll keep saying it. Eddie has done very good by me everytime.
Great guy to deal with... good products.
I can tell you that all three are different companies. I dont know if they have the same products or not. However, Arnott had it's website a year before suncore did, and 2 years before strutmasters did.
unity
Dedicated LVC Member
Website registration means little, especially if there is a company name change.
What we know is the Eddie form American Air does NOT personally rebuild his struts, that is what I have been told and what he says. Last I checked, and this was a while ago, Eddie is not selling rebuild since the place that was doing them was not doing a good job. When you do by from Eddie, you often ship your struts cores to Sun Core. He does work with them, but I am pretty sure its a one way street, some of the parts go there but he does not get anything back from them parts wise.
Sun Core and Arnott are not the same company. Both sell rebuilds or "new" struts but as far as most can tell, Anrnott sells Suncore under the Arnott name.
Its really simple, and has been said a hundred time, literally! If you want a new ride, get NEW OEM. If you cant afford the hight price tag of $300 each then go rebuild and go with Eddie. Even IF Eddies sells Suncore or whatever, he WILL stand behind your product - even out of warranty or out of HIS pocket if the situation demands it. Arnott and Suncore and notorious for erroneous shipping charges and they will NOT ship you a replacement until the old one is back for "inspection". If they find it ok, they ship it back to you at your cost.
And yes, notorious and erroneous rhyme but that was not my intent!
lol
What we know is the Eddie form American Air does NOT personally rebuild his struts, that is what I have been told and what he says. Last I checked, and this was a while ago, Eddie is not selling rebuild since the place that was doing them was not doing a good job. When you do by from Eddie, you often ship your struts cores to Sun Core. He does work with them, but I am pretty sure its a one way street, some of the parts go there but he does not get anything back from them parts wise.
Sun Core and Arnott are not the same company. Both sell rebuilds or "new" struts but as far as most can tell, Anrnott sells Suncore under the Arnott name.
Its really simple, and has been said a hundred time, literally! If you want a new ride, get NEW OEM. If you cant afford the hight price tag of $300 each then go rebuild and go with Eddie. Even IF Eddies sells Suncore or whatever, he WILL stand behind your product - even out of warranty or out of HIS pocket if the situation demands it. Arnott and Suncore and notorious for erroneous shipping charges and they will NOT ship you a replacement until the old one is back for "inspection". If they find it ok, they ship it back to you at your cost.
And yes, notorious and erroneous rhyme but that was not my intent!
lol
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Definition from wikipedia:
"An automotive suspension strut combines the primary function of a shock absorber (as a damper), with the ability to support sideways loads not along its axis of compression, somewhat similar to a sliding pillar suspension, thus eliminating the need for an upper suspension arm. This means that a strut must have a more rugged design, with mounting points near its middle for attachment of such loads."
Here is a picture of an actual strut complete with definition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacPherson_strut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapman_strut
Here is a definition of an upper and lower A-Arm suspension (Mark VIII) and pictures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_wishbone
I know this is not relevant, and off the subject, but ther is a big difference between a strut suspension and a SLA suspension. The Mark VIII has an SLA, not a strut suspension. The air spring/shocks are NOT struts. Just because they LOOK LIKE STRUTS does not make them struts. The misconception and mislabeling of the Mark VIII suspension irritates me to no end.
"An automotive suspension strut combines the primary function of a shock absorber (as a damper), with the ability to support sideways loads not along its axis of compression, somewhat similar to a sliding pillar suspension, thus eliminating the need for an upper suspension arm. This means that a strut must have a more rugged design, with mounting points near its middle for attachment of such loads."
Here is a picture of an actual strut complete with definition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacPherson_strut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapman_strut
Here is a definition of an upper and lower A-Arm suspension (Mark VIII) and pictures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_wishbone
I know this is not relevant, and off the subject, but ther is a big difference between a strut suspension and a SLA suspension. The Mark VIII has an SLA, not a strut suspension. The air spring/shocks are NOT struts. Just because they LOOK LIKE STRUTS does not make them struts. The misconception and mislabeling of the Mark VIII suspension irritates me to no end.
Moes8
Dedicated LVC Member
well sorry to say,but get over it,
everyone calls them struts for these cars,you buy them as "struts" from every single vendor that sells them.
seriously,you must have something more important to worry about besides calling an air shock an air strut.if not,you are a lucky man.
rmac694203
Dedicated LVC Member
Inevitably every thread where a strut is mentioned there's Thaywood to educate the rest of us how the Mark VIII does not have struts. It's kinda amusing.
Moes8
Dedicated LVC Member
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
I know, I'm beating a dead horse. But the Ford service manual calls them air spring/shock assemblies, not struts. There is a big difference. Just because it "looks" like a McPherson strut, does not make it a strut. It's just one of my pet peeves. All the vendors that sell them are WRONG. Maybe some day I'll get over it, but not today.
Moes8
Dedicated LVC Member
strut
turborich
Dedicated LVC Member
Well I hope my front air struts/shocks and rear bags last for while. When they do finnaly give up then I will call eddie due to all of the positive talk! He sounds like the best choice! I bought my compressor and air tank for my train horns from Arnott & so far so good!
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Air Spring and Shock Absorber assembly. According to the Ford Service Manual. I even called my local Ford dealership to make absolutely sure. That is what Ford calls them. If they were McPherson struts, I think Ford would be smart enough to call them such.
This picture clearly and obviously shows the distinct differences between a strut suspension and an upper and lower control arm suspension like the Mark VIII.
Steering Systems
1. Steering Gear Box
2. Center Link
3. Pitman Arm
4. Idler Arm
5. Tie Rods
6 Rack and Pinion Assembly
7. Bellows Boots
8. Tie Rods
Suspension Systems
9. Control Arms
10. Ball Joints
11. Springs
12. Shock Absorbers
13. Struts
Notice the difference between the Strut system and the Dual Control arm system. It is obvious from this illustration that the Lincoln Mark VIII system is definitely not a strut system. Why is this so hard to accept? It is obvious. There is a big difference between struts and standard coil-over or air spring shocks. This picture is the best I have seen so far to demonstrate the obvious differences between the two.
Yet another site that clearly and obviously describes the differences between double A-arm and strut suspensions.
http://www.autozine.org/technical_sc...uspension2.htm
Again, the Mark VIII does not have a strut suspension.
mespock
Marxists - Socialists
Well maybe that's all he knows? But what he doesn't know is who gives a phuck.
Mark VIII Strut... Mark VIII Strut.... Mark VIII Strut... does this cause any stress...