mark viii air shocks

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Bttrfly299

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Hi, guys, got a 95 mark viii with the air shocks stuck in the up position. Wasn't a problem till last night when we had to load the trunk heavily and I guess more air was pumped in. Now when I drive the car bounces like it's riding on basketballs. How do I let some of the air out? Thanks.
 
It's stuck in the aired up position. Replaced the shocks and the compressor, and when we got done it never released any air.
 
If it's radically high, and you've replaced the shocks and compressor, that would mean you probably either have bad solenoids in the air springs or, somehow, your rear air ride sensor is on the fritz or the mount get bumped.

Additional question- Did you turn the air ride off when you lifted the car to work on it?
If you need to empty out the rear air springs, you can always just remove the solenoids for a second. That'll drop it fast. Hopefully it'll refill after you hook it back up.
 
And to clarify-

Front- AIR STRUTS- single unit: traditional strut with built in Air spring.
REAR- two pieces: shocks & seperate air springs.
 
Calabrio said:
If you need to empty out the rear air springs, you can always just remove the solenoids for a second. That'll drop it fast. Hopefully it'll refill after you hook it back up.
Click to expand...

PUT A JACK UNDER THE CAR FIRST!!!!!! dont want that thing setting on your chest
 
On mine, one of the front sensors got knocked off, I just snaped it back onto a little pin and it's been fine... :rolleyes:
 
It sounds like the vent valve in the compressor might not be working. Did you replace the compressor with a new or rebuilt unit?
 
Calabrio said:
And to clarify-

Front- AIR STRUTS- single unit: traditional strut with built in Air spring.
REAR- two pieces: shocks & seperate air springs.
Click to expand...

The fronts are not "struts" by definition. They are air-spring/shock absorber units. A strut is a different animal. The Mark VIII has an upper and lower control arm suspension. In a strut suspension, there is no upper control arm because the strut actually acts as the upper suspension locating link. Since the air-spring/shock in the Mark VIII does not act as a locating link, it can't be called a strut by the definition of the term. By comparison, the previous generation Fox-platform Mark VII did have a strut front suspension. It had no upper control arm, and the McPherson strut connected the spindle to the upper shock tower. Sorry for the rant, but I just get tired of people calling the Mark VIII's front shocks "struts" when they are, in fact, not struts.
 
One dictionary definition: Any part of a machine or structure, of which the primary function is to hold things apart; a brace subject to compressive stress; the opposite of stay and tie. In this sense one could indeed consider it to be a strut of sorts.
 
Well, one thing's for sure, they aren't McPherson struts.:)

To get back on topic, if you want to vent the car back down to normal height try this:

Turn the air ride switch off in the trunk
Remove one air line from the dryer
Take the car off of jackstands if you needed to jack the car up to remove the airline
Turn the key on and open the trunk and close the door.
Turn the air ride switch on in the trunk and the car should vent
Turn the air ride switch back off and replace the air line that you removed.

If you don't replace the air line, the next time that you key on, the car will try to pump up but since the air line is out, it will just slam to the ground.
 
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.
 
Here is the definition of a coilover (air-over in the case of the Mark VIII).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coilover

"A coilover is an automobile suspension device, short for "coil (spring) over strut". It consists of a shock absorber (British: damper) with a coil spring encircling it. The shock absorber and spring are preassembled as a unit prior to installation, and are replaced as a unit when the shock absorber has leaked. This provides for optimal damping without torsional loads. Some coilovers are adjustable for ride height and hardness as well using a simple threaded spring perch similar to a nut."

"The coilover is a basic component of the MacPherson strut suspension system, which is distinguished from other arrangements by employing a particular design of anti-roll bar as a longitudinal constraint. This was the first widespread use of the coilover in automobile suspensions. But there are other designs; the word coilover should not be considered a synonym for the MacPherson strut arrangement."

"Coilovers should not be confused with struts or independently mounted shock absorbers."

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coilover"
 
You can write what ever you want on wikipedia for definitions, doesn't mean it's the truth...
 
My Ford 94 Service manual calls them:

Front Air Spring/Shock Absorber 3C098

That sounds right to me.:)
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to come off the wrong way... I'm just tired of people quoting stuff from wikipedia likes its the bibles' truth or something...
 
Could it be the ride height sensor in the rear? Mines sits a bit higher than normal in the rear. Before the check air suspension light comes on, I always hear a click in the rear where its located. The front stands a little high when the vehicle is runing but the front does go back down after sitting for a while.

A mechanic/friend of mines who's Mark began to sit completely on the ground, all four post, replaced a module located under the front right fender well. His sits at the perfect height, now. He bought a compressor from Arnott, thinking that was the problem, however, before replacing it, he tried the module first.
 
Icarus said:
You can write what ever you want on wikipedia for definitions, doesn't mean it's the truth...
Click to expand...

This picture clearly shows the obvious differences between a strut suspension and an upper and lower control arm suspension like the Mark VIII. It is obvious to anyone with any knowledge of automotive suspensions that the Mark VIII does not have McPherson struts. Sorry, but it is true.

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

suspension.jpg
 
BTW,

Bttrfly299, I hope you got your suspension problem fixed. I had the same problem recently. And it was my front height sensor on the driver's side front. It had come loose from it's mount on the upper A-Arm and caused the whole car to go waaaay up. I put it back on and all was well. Hope this helps.
 
thaywood said:
Yet another site that clearly and obviously describes the differences between double A-arm and strut suspensions.

http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/suspension/tech_suspension2.htm

Again, the Mark VIII does not have a strut suspension.
Click to expand...

Quoting Autozone doesn't show that you are intelligent only that you are dumb enough to quote them.

Autozone tech support doesn't know squat... Strut Strut Strut... Who cares why waste our space with it. Why not go on a rampage to ford about the $hitty quality of the Gen 1's headlights....
 
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