Coil Conversion Help

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dff97mkiii

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I have a 1997 MKVIII with ongoing suspension issues. After doing thread reading and seeing mixed reviews, I have decided to go with a coil conversion. I know that there are many advocates on both sides of this debate, however at this time, I certainly can't afford two new OEM front bag assemblies and don't want to entertain used.
In viewing everyones input, I have decided to go with a Vogtland .75 lowered coil and Tokico blue shock. My questions are simply: Does the 89-97 Tokico Tbird strut and rear shock/coil assembly fit the 97MKVIII without a mod? Where can I get the mounting hardware needed for the complete mod(upper perchs,isolators,etc.). I was hoping to get a mounting kit from one vendor.

There is a very reasonable kit from Suspensionmax that has a 1.25 spring drop wiht Tokico blue struts-anyone tried this set up?

For those that have done a coil conversion mod-your thoughts and help are really appreciated. Again-Thanks.
 
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Personal opinion .. Call Eddie buy from him ....

You'll like the support and service much better ... You actually get to talk with a real trained ford suspension tech ...
 
brand new bags from American Air Suspension are cheap and will last many years.
 
Don't do the lowering kit. I did it and it is really annoying. I have to take it easy over speed bumps - almost come to a complete stop - and intersections where there's a good crown sometimes I bottom out. Plus, when you jack up the car, you have less room which means you have to jack it higher. I actually have trouble getting the jack under the car. Yeah, you don't get the superior aerodynamics of being lowered but it really isn't worth the headache. If I had to do it all over again I would not have done the lowering kit.
 
I have a red garnett on coils and I also have the Chamelion. The chamelion is still [and will remain] on air. I bought my red one with a lowered coil kit on it. The chamelion drives like a luxury car that can handle like a scalded cat. It is still a lincoln at heart though and feels more like a boat. Don't get me wrong at high sustained speed it is still a demon through the twists. As long as she stays over sixty most the time.

The red one though is more like an 80's vette. Stiff as hell, I feel the road. But at any speed the feel gives me the confidence to throw it out around any corner, hold it and bring it back when necessary. [I do keep the psi in the tires a little higher also so I don't get sidewall roll.]

My opinion is bias cause I love to drive both But if you like the sports side go coil if not spend the money on the air. Cause the price to do either will balance out.
 
mines lowered and love the handeling/looks.. But do to my wheels(a tad shorter overall then oem) and the fact that its lowered i have to be extra carefull around bumps/dips ect like 1bad said. Also, when jacking up the car i have to put a brick under the wheel i want to take off (drive onto the brick for more clearence) just so i can fit my jack under it.But remember i have a/m wheels so it differs. .Though i never tried the oem jack, those thing just take to dam long.

But imho after having gone through all the air susp b.s, i'm super glad i never have to worry about the a/r again.
 
Still Have the Questions

:p:confused:Thanks for your responses-just what I've seen and expected from similar questions-mixed reviews. In any event, I had posted a couple of questions that everyone seemed to ignore? Let's assume that someone is to do the said conversion, where would this individual get the needed hardware for such a modification? Thank you.
 
Also, I gave my opinion on both and a good review on both how is that confusing?
 
Not Confused

Thank for your unbiased assessment. I was after a distributor for mounting modification parts, which you came up with in your next to last thread. I will look into it and if I have any questions, I will place another thread. Appreciate it.
 
I am not a mechanic and I was able to do my coils inside my garage with ordinary tools. I don't remember, but I'm sure somebody can give you a list. If you have sockets up to 22 mm you're probably good.

I probably have the worst tools of anybody on this site, and it took me two days to do the conversion. I'm not proud of my tool set, but I am proud of my persistence.
 
I shopped around on fleabay and found front struts for a cougar for 60 bucks and eibach lowering springs for $250 and poly rear isolators for $20 from an 03/04 cobra, upper strut mounts for $30. I then had a machine shop make the upper locators that I needed for 20. IMO bags suck. Sometimes they ride good and sometimes they don't.
 
Does Anyone Offer a Kit?

It seems odd to me that as many people(right or wrong) that have done the coil conversion don't have the resources to get the kit without the springs/struts/shocks.
Do American Air or Strutmasters sell there set-ups less the coil and shocks? I wanted to get the Vogtland .75 drop and a good stout shock/Tokico-nothing drastic my friends:(. Sounds easy enough until you get to the other required mounting goodies. I went to Orielys site and there are no pictures and vague discriptions-didn't see any info for upper perches. Into my 11th Budwieser as the front end of my car lays on the pavement.
 
you can just get bird ft shocks the springs you want and the upper strut mounts
and in the rear you need a lower spring insulator and a upper plate you might be able to just get that from american air suspension or make one yourself
 
chicken said:
you can just get bird ft shocks the springs you want and the upper strut mounts
and in the rear you need a lower spring insulator and a upper plate you might be able to just get that from american air suspension or make one yourself
Click to expand...

He won't sell just the upper locator or give you the dimensions either. I wouldn't buy a square of toilet paper from him.
 
i was trying to trade my lowered kit off my 97 lsc for a good leak free set of struts and compressor to put back in my 97. i wanted to go back to air ride so i can install a module to lay the car out when ever i want. no one replied! all i wanted was a nice clean compressor and two front gen 2 struts in nice shape.
 
dff97mkiii said:
It seems odd to me that as many people(right or wrong) that have done the coil conversion don't have the resources to get the kit without the springs/struts/shocks.
Do American Air or Strutmasters sell there set-ups less the coil and shocks? I wanted to get the Vogtland .75 drop and a good stout shock/Tokico-nothing drastic my friends:(. Sounds easy enough until you get to the other required mounting goodies. I went to Orielys site and there are no pictures and vague discriptions-didn't see any info for upper perches. Into my 11th Budwieser as the front end of my car lays on the pavement.
Click to expand...

Contact DLF on here, he sells everything you need for the rear conversion.
 
dff97mkiii said:
I have a 1997 MKVIII with ongoing suspension issues. After doing thread reading and seeing mixed reviews, I have decided to go with a coil conversion. I know that there are many advocates on both sides of this debate, however at this time, I certainly can't afford two new OEM front bag assemblies and don't want to entertain used.
In viewing everyones input, I have decided to go with a Vogtland .75 lowered coil and Tokico blue shock. My questions are simply: Does the 89-97 Tokico Tbird strut and rear shock/coil assembly fit the 97MKVIII without a mod? Where can I get the mounting hardware needed for the complete mod(upper perchs,isolators,etc.). I was hoping to get a mounting kit from one vendor.

There is a very reasonable kit from Suspensionmax that has a 1.25 spring drop wiht Tokico blue struts-anyone tried this set up?

For those that have done a coil conversion mod-your thoughts and help are really appreciated. Again-Thanks.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the site and kudos to using the search function and figuring out what you wanted and how to do it. You have made a solid choice in your springs and shocks. The Vogland springs are prolly the best you can get for our cars. The Tokico Blues are very good shocks too. Had them in my 97 and installed them in Sapperfires 93 and they are great budget shocks/struts. Yeah Konis or Illuminas are better but not like an "OMFG what a difference!" difference. :lol:

As to the fronts if I remember right all you need are the t-bird hats and nut to bolt them together. For the rear all you need is a 9 or 10" square piece of steel thats at least 1/8" thick. Bend the corners to locate the spring and drill a hole in the middle to mount it. Then just get whatever spring isolators you want. You can get stock T-bird ones to keep it quiet or you can get some Energy Suspension polly ones to keep the car a bit firmer.

Don't forget, on the rear shock mounts to the body you will have to burn out the old rubber out of them to install the new shocks bushings.
 
LaserSVT said:
Then just get whatever spring isolators you want. You can get stock T-bird ones to keep it quiet or you can get some Energy Suspension poly ones to keep the car a bit firmer.
Click to expand...

Prothane p/n 6-1709, I don't believe that Energy Suspension makes them.
 
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