Officially decided to ditch air ride. Help me choose suspension parts!

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Hankyman240

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So I was planning on taking another look at what could be wrong with my wiring this spring in hopes of getting the air ride back to being functional. However, I spent a lot of time on it last summer, and I've had enough electrical problems with my winter beater to where I just don't feel like dealing with any more wiring issues.

If I'm ditching the comfort of air ride, I'm going all the way to the other side. I want performance. The cheap and easy way would be to buy a kit, but I have big plans for this car, so cheap and easy ain't gonna cut it.

I've done a lot of searching on here. I've picked up a lot of ideas, but there's really very little discussion about what's better than what. I was hoping some of the guys running "non-standard" coil conversions might be able to chime in.

From what I've gathered, Vogtland springs are the way to go. Anyone run the 1.6" drop? Any others I should look into?
http://www.supercoupeperformance.com/partBrowser.aspx?partId=508

I'm also considering Tokico Blues all around for shocks, but I've been reading things about them being discontinued, etc. I can still find fronts on ebay, so I'm not extremely worried, but are these the best way to go? The other alternatives I've seen are cheap and not performance-oriented. I've also read about people using Mustang Bilsteins in the rear. Would it be better to mix/match with blues in the front and bilsteins in the rear? As a followup, does that mean that other aftermarket Mustang shocks will fit? Again, anything else worth considering I'm missing?

I'll likely let Brandon handle the spring perches in the rear, but out of curiosity, are there any options out there besides DLF's? They look great and all, but considering the number of coil-swapped Marks on here, I know not everyone has shelled out the money for them. Don't get me wrong, if I end up needing to purchase something, I will likely bite the bullet and buy those.

I hate using the phrase "money is no object" because that's not 100% true, but I wouldn't mind putting $1000 or so into this. The car will be getting a front end rebuild at the same time, but I already have other money set aside for that. Don't hesitate to suggest anything regardless of cost.

Thanks!

-Darren
 
i've heard tokico blues and vogtland drop springs are a nice combo.

and i love my rear bilstein cobra shocks.

and yeah, you could run other mustang shocks if you wanted to i guess. thunderbird is an option as well.
you will need a new upper shock mount, or i cut on the old one to fit the new bushings.
 
Darren,
Have Brandon text-call me.
You can bypass the factory computer and keep your air ride.
I am in the process of doing my 97.
Simple.
I know you can do it EASY.
If you are sold on springs....Jason will chime in and tell you how to set it up.
 
Yeah, I've mostly been looking at Tbird parts anyway. Thanks for the input. Where did you get your Bilsteins?

Kirk, I'll let Brandon know. If I could get the air ride working like stock (plus ability to lower) I'd keep it. My bags are in great shape, it's just this damn electrical glitch. Can you give me the info as well?
 
I went with the arnott kit and I it installed last year, the hard ware is top notch but the shocks are pretty soft. I am planning on going to vogtlands and blues as I have also heard it is a good combo. Truth be told I miss the air ride, but I had to get my big pearl back on the road.
 
My setup I am putting together:

Tokico Blues (Front)
99-04 Cobra Bilstein shocks (Rear)
Vogtland 1" drop spring kit
KYB strut mounts/isolators (Front)
Stainless Steel shock mounts (Rear)
4 isolators from energy suspension (Rear)
4 spring perches (Rear)

^ I think that pretty much sums up what you need, just as an example. Shorter sway bar endlinks I would have to say would almost be a definite if you are going with the 1.6" drop kit because it will compromise the bar a bit and affect the rear handling I have heard. You can take shortcuts and leave things out of the recipe but it won't be technically right and as a result won't be a perfect conversion. I am trying to put together a perfect conversion, but I am a drag racer and have lofty goals. :D

The dynamics of the valving on cheaper shocks don't work well with the drop spring kits I have heard. I have brand new Arnotts in the rear, but they will be coming out and getting sold when I do the conversion. You gotta pay to play. Don't put cheap shocks into a performance-minded spring conversion.

Also I HIGHLY SUGGEST you call, or email these places that claim to have the Blues in stock and be sure they actually do requesting that they physically put their eyes on the shocks they calim to have. There is a shortage of them right now from the warehouse in Japan and from what I have found out firsthand, information regarding their inventories can be faulty. I recently had an order cancelled because of this and was lucky enough to get some NIB from another forum member. You might be waiting in line to get the Tokicos.
 
I put this together in a pm a few weeks ago

first thing is shocks, springs, and a way to properly secure the springs in the rear. allways buy moog when buying stock suspension replacement parts.

shocks tokico blue 2 front 2 rear aprox $300

http://www.discountautoshocks.com/shop/? N=0&uts=true&Ntt=tokico+shocks&dascid=gooppc

then you will need strut tower mounts for a 1997 thunderbird
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...k203552-841282


approx $100

now to mount the rear springs securely you have a few options. i got my upper mounts from an old strutmaser kit i bought. i searched and searched for a aftermarket way to mount them properly the only one i found was dlfs spring mounts. i personally could not afford them but they are the way to go. you can just take a center cap off an old snowflake rim and they fit perfectly just throw abolt and washer in with some loc-tight and vouala.

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=62875

like $400

you will also need spring isolators 2 sets depending on the springs you buy

http://www.ajusa.com/details/index/643/0/0/PTP 6-1709 like $40


now for the big decision the springs. when i bought mine i got a deal on them and got springs and shocks/strutts for like $300 off ebay brand new. i loved the feel of the intrax but they sagged badly in the back. i would go with H&R cup springs for a 98 tbird if i had it to do over again.

http://www.tunersdepot.com/Suspensio...--V8-2620.html
http://www.ebay.com/itm/H-R-Sport-Sp...item2a19ac0ba9

if you can not afford that you can go tokico for the entire setup

http://www.ebay.com/itm/89-97-THUNDE...#ht_500wt_1180


or if you have some big cheese go with the h&R springs and some koni adjustable shocks and strutts

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KONI-Sport-Y...ht_2069wt_1163

then with the bug cheese slap on a set of addco sway bars and grease able mounts for them with a tl 3.73 or 4.11 diff chassi braces and have some fun.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Addco-727-Fr...item4843cf6db1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Addco-726-Fr...ht_2128wt_1396

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=64344


i have the 1.25 bars on mine and once i finish the 95 i will have a set of braces put on mine
 
zmt325 said:
I put this together in a pm a few weeks ago

first thing is shocks, springs, and a way to properly secure the springs in the rear. allways buy moog when buying stock suspension replacement parts.

shocks tokico blue 2 front 2 rear aprox $300

http://www.discountautoshocks.com/shop/? N=0&uts=true&Ntt=tokico+shocks&dascid=gooppc

then you will need strut tower mounts for a 1997 thunderbird
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...k203552-841282


approx $100

now to mount the rear springs securely you have a few options. i got my upper mounts from an old strutmaser kit i bought. i searched and searched for a aftermarket way to mount them properly the only one i found was dlfs spring mounts. i personally could not afford them but they are the way to go. you can just take a center cap off an old snowflake rim and they fit perfectly just throw abolt and washer in with some loc-tight and vouala.

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=62875

like $400

you will also need spring isolators 2 sets depending on the springs you buy

http://www.ajusa.com/details/index/643/0/0/PTP 6-1709 like $40


now for the big decision the springs. when i bought mine i got a deal on them and got springs and shocks/strutts for like $300 off ebay brand new. i loved the feel of the intrax but they sagged badly in the back. i would go with H&R cup springs for a 98 tbird if i had it to do over again.

http://www.tunersdepot.com/Suspensio...--V8-2620.html
http://www.ebay.com/itm/H-R-Sport-Sp...item2a19ac0ba9

if you can not afford that you can go tokico for the entire setup

http://www.ebay.com/itm/89-97-THUNDE...#ht_500wt_1180


or if you have some big cheese go with the h&R springs and some koni adjustable shocks and strutts

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KONI-Sport-Y...ht_2069wt_1163

then with the bug cheese slap on a set of addco sway bars and grease able mounts for them with a tl 3.73 or 4.11 diff chassi braces and have some fun.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Addco-727-Fr...item4843cf6db1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Addco-726-Fr...ht_2128wt_1396

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=64344


i have the 1.25 bars on mine and once i finish the 95 i will have a set of braces put on mine
Click to expand...

Ummm, nothing personal, but most of those links don't work. I've got bad bags on the back of my Mark right now and a pair of Bird Sport Springs going in since I have them.
 
I say get the Vogtlands and Tokicos if you can find em and call it a day. I would get the lowest springs they sell, because why the hell not... and for any additional parts I would probably grab a set of the rear shock mounts from DLF or 98's, the stainless shock mounts, not the delrin/umvh parts.
 
kustomizingkid said:
I say get the Vogtlands and Tokicos if you can find em and call it a day. I would get the lowest springs they sell, because why the hell not... and for any additional parts I would probably grab a set of the rear shock mounts from DLF or 98's, the stainless shock mounts, not the delrin/umvh parts.
Click to expand...

What would you know?

keep the air ride FTMFW.
 
I went wiith suncore's on my prairie tan. I am soooo happy with them. I use the car on weekends only but the 1st 5 weeks after I installed the suncore's I put well over 3,200 miles on the car + another 1,500 since then. The car rides sooooo smooth. No complaints at all. I got them on ebay. The company is local to me. They are based out of Pompano, Fl. Spoke to a couple rep's over the phone & they were super nice! Good luck with your choice.
 
Need a set of these?

I've only got a couple sets left from the last run of them. It might be a little while before I get another run together...

IMG_1849.jpg
 
Thanks for all the input guys! This is what I was hoping for.

I like cars that handle well. Obviously the Mark is going to be nowhere near the level my RX-7 used to be at, but I'd like to see as much of a gain as possible. I don't ever plan on drag racing the car, but I wouldn't rule out autocross.

KStromberg, thanks for the heads up for the sway bar endlinks. I didn't think of that. It sounds like you're going to be running almost the exact setup I'm interested in. You'll probably have it done by the time I get my tax money back, so I'll be very interested to hear how how like it. I'll be doing sway bars later, so realistically I'll probably just drive with the stock endlinks for a while and then do it all in one go once I decide to do the rest.

zmt, what's your reasoning for the H&R's? I just haven't heard much about them on here.

Those mounts look really nice. I'd be interested if I had the money to spend right now. Fingers crossed you still have them for a little while.

-Darren
 
KStromberg said:
I challenge you at the road course once I'm done. :D
Click to expand...

Sounds like fun!
Darren....when you turn your car into a t-bird I will take your bags.
PM me.
Hell I will even come to help/watch you turn a Lincoln into a Ford.:p
 
ford nut said:
Sounds like fun!
Darren....when you turn your car into a t-bird I will take your bags.
PM me.
Hell I will even come to help/watch you turn a Lincoln into a Ford.:p
Click to expand...

+1
HAHA so true ford nut! I've always said the same thing, that's why I have both a T-Bird and a Mark VIII :D
 
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