DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
Just trying to see if anyone knows about this? Figured if they did I can share part numbers as they are in stock for the thunderbirds still. But do Thunderbird shocks work on the LS at all?
Do 2005 Thunderbird shocks work on any Ls's ?
- Thread starter DaleGrib
- Start date
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
Too bad they don't make the correct stuff for the LS anymore for this. Kinda sucks that there is not something out there by Motorcraft that is not the same for the LS as it was stock.
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
I Will likely look at the Bilstein route when the time comes if I can't source any OEM LS Sport shocks. I know she has low miles on her but I do feel the age also plays a factor in needing to replace them. I feel like they might be starting to show the signs as I went over a speed bump and it bounced badly and bottomed out. Was going very slow at that but I will test them out more once I get my car back from the transmission rebuild. Could had just been the bump was too dang big which I hate on any modern car!
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
Anyone ever seen anyone use these ? RS Series – D2Racing
RS Series
The RS Series suspension kit is our most popular coilover. Featuring a 36-way damping and rebound adjustable monotube design, RS Series coilovers are perfect for the modified street car that also sees occasional track days. This coilover has separate height and preload adjustments allowing for optimal suspension tuning while maintaining full strut travel at all times.
Features:
RS Series
The RS Series suspension kit is our most popular coilover. Featuring a 36-way damping and rebound adjustable monotube design, RS Series coilovers are perfect for the modified street car that also sees occasional track days. This coilover has separate height and preload adjustments allowing for optimal suspension tuning while maintaining full strut travel at all times.
Features:
- 36-way damping adjustable monotube shock assemblies
- Full ride height adjustability with separate spring preload
- Anodized finish and Teflon coated threads to prevent rust
- Upper camber plates and pillow ball mounts* (6061 Aluminum construction)
- 1 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
- Serviceable in the USA
A guy I know down in Florida has a racing set of these on his XKR, which has a similar suspension setup. He so far likes them. Supposed to be semi-customized to your specific application, so should be a drop-in/bolt-in kinda thing, but I have no personal experience with them. I'd Google-fu them thoroughly, make phone calls, & email before you commit to that tho
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
The only thing that sucks right off the page though is that they are Over $1,300 and have only a one-year warranty. Good to know though and I will research them some more.
SultanGris
Dedicated LVC Member
Kyb on rock Auto are 56 bucks each, worth trying if you're able to change them yourself, definitely not if you got to pay a mechanic however. Unless you're going for an expensive high end race suspension system I guess. honestly I've never changed the shocks or struts on any other vehicle I've ever owned in my life, and I have a 1975 F-150 that I drove in high school and still drive today occasionally, I'm owned that thing for at least 23 years and I've never changed them once, they built stuff way better back then though, lol
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
The KYB won't give the monotube feel to the car and it will be bouncy and I am trying to avoid that. I have someone that only charges $200 to do my shocks so thats not that bad! I just have to find the right ones and as of now it will be bilstein b6's when I do mine for a Jaguar S-type. Only bad thing though is trying to find the spring seats for the bottom. The rear ones work from the LS but not the front ones and you basically need to source Rear seats for the front springs if I am not mistaken.
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SultanGris
Dedicated LVC Member
Oh I see. Well I'm gonna follow this thread and wait a while before I do mine then, see what you end up finding out. Got to be honest though I really don't want to spend 1300 bucks on suspension, 250 bucks and a little bounce might not be so bad, but I don't plan on going to the track. Probably mostly be just my weekend cruising ride after I get my truck back from the shop, which could be dangerous cuz it'll give me lots of time to work on it and upgrade it when I'm not driving it daily, ha
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
It ends up being a preference thing that is for sure! But I do like the tighter feel of a suspension rather than it being bouncy. I would buy the OEM motorcraft for the thunderbird though if I went with a twin tube assuming that is what the thunderbird ones are. The OEM ones I know will last a very long time. My car just has age on it with only 46,000 Miles. But even if I don't change these parts now I am trying to start sourcing them so when I truly do need it then it won't break the bank having the work done if I have the parts mostly on hand.
SultanGris
Dedicated LVC Member
Makes sense. Hard to believe a car that old has that low miles and so many problems. this one has 160k on it, I wonder how much money in repairs the previous owners have put into it.
I've been tinkering on mine myself which is saving me a fortune. I'm no mechanic but I was always broke when I was younger so I had to fix things myself. most things are pretty easy if you have the right tools and know what to do, YouTube videos help lots, takes me longer than a mechanic for sure but I just be slow and careful. I tell you what though, the third time I took my thermostat housing off was way quicker than the first time, ha!
Does get frustrating at times but that's where the slow and careful part comes in make sure you don't wreck anything. having the correct tool for the job really makes it a lot easier though, as of yet been unable to get my driver's side coil cover off but the passenger side is easy. I gotta go buy a gear wrench or a u joint knuckle for my ratchet to get one of the bolts. I just have a little cheese ball Craftsman tool set that cost less than 100$ that can do quite a lot, but there's definitely some other tools you need to make it easier.
Actually the only reason the passenger side was easy is because the previous owner failed to reinstall the hard to reach bolt on that side, and trying to take the driver side off one now I see why, ha
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
Mine does not have a lot of problems. I am doing this partly as I stated before to get parts for when I do actually need them as parts become rarer for this car. The only real problem my car has is a screwed up transmission. And that is being rebuilt right now and I will get it back next week.
Luckily I have a very good mechanic that does not charge crazy rates and I usually can afford his labor! His shop rate is $60 per hour and he has a lift and all at his shop. And yeah those bolts can be a pain to reach on the coil covers on the driver's side.
SultanGris
Dedicated LVC Member
Right on, yeah that's not too bad of a mechanic at all, I've been getting soaked for 100 to 120.
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
Being that I am dropping right at $2,000 into the transmission that is why I am prepping the rest of the wear and tear parts. I just bought the car in November at that so kinda sucks on that aspect of it. Yeah, some of the places in the town over charge crazier prices than that. It helps that I live out in the sticks on somethings though! But we have some crazy backyard mechanics around here charging as much as the dang shops that are insured and crap. It's freaking crazy so yeah I feel that pain otherwise.
04_Sport_LS
Dedicated LVC Member
Wear is a factor of age... as well as milage. Sometimes it's worse for a car to sit around... instead of driving it.
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
When I see a good Bilstein sale going on again I will grab my shocks. And I will source two brand s-type new springs for the rear that will come with the lower spring seat and will use the old rear spring seats on the front and use the new springs on the rear.
04_Sport_LS
Dedicated LVC Member
You most likely won't see a sale on the B-6's. My understanding is that they are "made to order".
DaleGrib
Dedicated LVC Member
Gotcha, Well I will shop around for a good price then when the time comes!
04_Sport_LS
Dedicated LVC Member
And you will have a hard time sourcing Jag spring seats too.
Best to cannibalize a 2nd set of rear LS springs for the seats... to use on the front Jag Bilsteins.
Best to cannibalize a 2nd set of rear LS springs for the seats... to use on the front Jag Bilsteins.