SUSPENSION- need help/advice!

[frankdodd]

Hey guys,
So i need some help.
I have a 1996 Mark viii and I love the car. Currently I don't drive much (so it's not an issue), but I'm moving and need a daily driver and will be doing a lot of driving.
The car has lowered coilspring conversion from american air supply. It rides great- but it's way too low to be a daily driver and be (more) practical.
Obviously I don't have the original air suspension. And I recently drove a car that had a spring conversion- at stock height (don't remember what kind) but it rode like sh$t.
What are my options? Looking for some advice here- I don't mind it being lowered- but this is way too low.
here is a pic.
Thanks!!!

 

[chris2523]

stock Super Coupe springs shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of and will raise the car to around stock height.
or, pick up a cheap daily.

 

[KC96LSC]

It really depends on you and what your willing to do yourself, or pay to have done. If I were in your position, I would first of all, see if some of the main components are still there. Things like the compressor and dryer and if all the lines are still connected and still in position to be hooked back up. If so, you could find a Pick & Pull that has a Mark VIII for your needed used parts and rebuild the air ride suspension. Say the previous owner just had air bags that were leaking and left everything basically intact, you might get lucky at the Pick & Pull and could do it all for $100.00 or so.

You would need a pair of front Air struts and a pair of rear bags, you will probably need the solenoids for each one too (4). Again it all depends on what was wrong with the original system. If the compressor is there and functional (Compressor is tucked inside the front passenger side bumper) You will have to remover the plastic inner fender to work with it. I could go into detail but there are guys one here that know a lot more than I do and would be able to explain the ins and outs better than I could, but at that point it would only be your time to put it back together.

If money isn't an issue for you, then you could get everything you need here: https://www.arnottindustries.com/search-Products/index.asp?make=2&model=4&year=7 . It's just my preference to go with the air ride system than doing the coil springs. Good luck and here's hoping another air ride system comes back to life

 

[Rushsampson]

Another vote for restoring the air ride. It's really not that hard to work on, and as long as the air springs used are in decent shape, the chances of it failing are pretty low. My '96 was on the factory rear bags up until just a couple of years ago. Now, I'm not sure if all Strutmaster conversions ride like garbage, since I've only been in one car with one done, my uncle's '93, and that rode like an absolute turd compared to mine. It was hard to describe, like it was stiff when you wanted it plush, but spongey when you wanted it stiff. Coils are a cheap replacement, and a solution to a potentially expensive problem, but I get the feeling there was a reason these cars were built with air suspension, IMO.

 

[frankdodd]

Thanks for the info guys. Will check what's left- it's up north being fixed! Fingers crossed!!

 

[My Great 8]

I have a strutmasters kit in mine at the moment and I'm not happy with it. If you find a solution to your problem, I would buy your current setup.

 

[beatcpl]

I totally agree with My Great 8's idea. Standard strutmasters kits will popping your rear side when your gas is low. standard kit you will need babels in your trunk that rear side sat down or You might be drive a full gas all the time due to Standard kit's rear spring sits higher than rear air bag. When your gas is getting low, rear spring will keeps pop-up

 

[Lownslowlsc]

I totally agree with My Great 8's idea. Standard strutmasters kits will popping your rear side when your gas is low. standard kit you will need babels in your trunk that rear side sat down or You might be drive a full gas all the time due to Standard kit's rear spring sits higher than rear air bag. When your gas is getting low, rear spring will keeps pop-up

No drunk posting allowed!


Doesn't seem like many are ever happy with the conversions. Often times they suffer from opposite rake because the kits don't include the rear isolators of any kind. They're soft and float as well, both std and lowered kits suffer from it. Only way to get a good coil kit is to use a t-bird sport setup or a legit lowering kit from a t-bird....Or go back to air.

 

[91 LSC SE]

I think she sits beautiful and looks the same!

I am also agree with others here - return the air ride system and purchase an ASHAM 8.

That gives you the best of both worlds. You can raise the suspension for your dd. And drop it low for the casual driving you know where the roads are fine.

If money is tight right now, I think you can spring extenders (not sure of the actual name). Two spring clamps and two bolts and nuts, that raise the spring to give you more height.
I have used the opposite - spring compressor clamps (not sure of actual name) and they brought a car with springs down almost two inches. I didn't want to cut the springs and this way I could return it back to original if I didn't like it. I think they were around 10 dollars that was 10+ years ago.