deflating airbags

keVIIIn

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Quick question, i will be removing the airbags in favor or springs and shocks within the next few days..and I need to know how the air lines disconnect from the air bags, I tried searching and didn't come up with much, how are the lines secured to the bags both front and rear? Is it some kind of twist lock fitting? Pics would be helpful if possible. Thanks!
 
The lines come off the soloniods. The solonoids twist and pull down off of shocks and bags. To get lines off soloniods you press the small orange plastic ring(right where line goes into solonoid) up and then pull line out. If your pulling system you can just cut the tubing.
 
THere are clips that you remove with a screw driver that hold the lines into place. once you remove that clip you twist and they pull right out. be prepaid as it can be startling the first time it happens.

im curious. if the bags are good why would you want to swap to coils. maybe its just me im a fan of air bags but i wont give mine up till i absolutly have too


DONT CUT THE TUBING. remove it proper and tie them off and out of the way. some day you may wish to go back to the greatness of air ride. or possible sell the car to someone who would.
 
You can cut the lines right at solonoids and still have plenty of line to reconnect if you want to. To compress line locks I like to use open end wrench that just fits over line and push up on lock and pull line.
 
The lines run to the solenoids, you do not have to cut them just take them out and zip tie them out of the way in case you ever deiced to go back.

To remove the line push up on the orange collar on the solenoid with a small screwdriver, while also pushing the line up, then keep pushing the collar up and pull the line out.

Solenoids are held in the bags by clips, that pop off with the twist of a screw driver, then the solenoids screw out and down(but be careful as they are under pressure).


That's my 2 cents hope it helps:p
 
THere are clips that you remove with a screw driver that hold the lines into place. once you remove that clip you twist and they pull right out. be prepaid as it can be startling the first time it happens.

im curious. if the bags are good why would you want to swap to coils. maybe its just me im a fan of air bags but i wont give mine up till i absolutly have too


DONT CUT THE TUBING. remove it proper and tie them off and out of the way. some day you may wish to go back to the greatness of air ride. or possible sell the car to someone who would.

This is why...
IMAG1219.jpg


The passenger front bag I believe has some dry rot causing it to leak if I park it a certain way and if the temp drops overnight..it has happened several times over the last year or so. Also I think one of the rear bags is bad too. The whole car always leans and is lower on the passenger side even when running with the bags inflated and I can't figure out why, the ride height sensors are fine and it vents when shut off, but the left front is always higher causing the whole thing to lean toward the pass side. I tried adjusting the ride height sensor on that corner and it just made the front bags leak down and slam over night so I put it back to normal. Just too many quirks with the air ride on this car and I don't feel like just replacing one or two bags and still have two old old ones still on the car..and I'm certainly not going to replace all of them and have the compressor rebuilt and replace all other components just to fix it and get it back to normal ride height, sure I could sensor lower it but then the ride quality sucks..I don't care about being able to raise and lower it, I just want it at a consistent lowered ride height which is why I went and bought a 1.25" lowered kit from tokico for a Thunderbird/cougar, and got dlf's perches and isolators..I did it the right way and didn't just buy American air's kit which I've heard is junk from most people.
 
This is why...
IMAG1219.jpg


The passenger front bag I believe has some dry rot causing it to leak if I park it a certain way and if the temp drops overnight..it has happened several times over the last year or so. Also I think one of the rear bags is bad too. The whole car always leans and is lower on the passenger side even when running with the bags inflated and I can't figure out why, the ride height sensors are fine and it vents when shut off, but the left front is always higher causing the whole thing to lean toward the pass side. I tried adjusting the ride height sensor on that corner and it just made the front bags leak down and slam over night so I put it back to normal. Just too many quirks with the air ride on this car and I don't feel like just replacing one or two bags and still have two old old ones still on the car..and I'm certainly not going to replace all of them and have the compressor rebuilt and replace all other components just to fix it and get it back to normal ride height, sure I could sensor lower it but then the ride quality sucks..I don't care about being able to raise and lower it, I just want it at a consistent lowered ride height which is why I went and bought a 1.25" lowered kit from tokico for a Thunderbird/cougar, and got dlf's perches and isolators..I did it the right way and didn't just buy American air's kit which I've heard is junk from most people.


thats a purdy car man
 
I just want it at a consistent lowered ride height which is why I went and bought a 1.25" lowered kit from tokico for a Thunderbird/cougar, and got dlf's perches and isolators...

is there a link to these perches and isolators. and any chance did you document the swap with photos?
 
Don't cut the lines. It takes 2 minutes to disconnect and empty them. Beliee ti or not, some people cut them.
 
push the round ring on the line in, pop the line out, disconnect the electrical connector, touch 12v to the solenoid to vent the bag, then use a screw driver to pop the metal clip off of the the solenoid, now it will just twist and drop out, but after the bags are deflated you don't really need to remove them.

I would find a way to cover the air lines and tuck away the connectors in case you ever want to go back.
 
you can only use the spood fed if i didnt search. and trust me i searched and still didnt see it. which is odd because i couldnt even find his walk through in my recent list either because im pretty sure i replied in that thread also. but meh thanks.


edit: guess i was wrong i didnt reply in that thread. all well.


The search engine here is junk. Use Google with lincolnvscadillac.com in the search string.
 

Yeah I bought two sets I only layed out two for the picture though, and yeah it would be nice if it settles a bit.


DLFs perches were a little over $80 I believe and the isolators were around $40 for 2 pairs..

Where is the link to those ones. i much rather spend those prices instead of the 300 dollars in the link you posted.
 
Where is the link to those ones. i much rather spend those prices instead of the 300 dollars in the link you posted.

300 dollars for 2 perches doesnt seem worth it to me. when you add another 4-600 for the springs and crap that puts you well into the price of just putting oem bags back in the car and having the best ride there is.

$80 x 4 perches = $320 shipped.

Upper and lower perches for both sides. ;)

And yes, you can replace both front bags with new Ford pieces for around $700.

It all depends upon what you want to do with your car, and how you want to go about doing it.
 
damn it... i REALLY need to pick up a set.

Me too. Hopefully they'll still be that price in February when we get our taxes done. Should be able to get a set then. Along with a few other doodads and junk and stuff for the car:) And it makes me immensely happy that the folks at Amazon have enough sense not to call them "struts"!! :D :p
 
Just remember, the 17 is always going to be cheaper than the 16. The 16 is the first one I would get, if you plan on getting one and then 2 or 3 months later, getting the drivers side. That price isn't going to last long because, "Only 1 left in stock." When it's bought by whoever, there goes that price. Well, Amazon's price anyway. I'd be all over that one because of the free shipping. Most places are $20 each for shipping.

thaywood, someone will already have bought that thing by Feb. I'm thinking within the next week or two. :)
 
Check this out. Looks like the 16 is gone from Sarad now. All I see is the 17 but shipping is likely to be included with them. They are running away quick.

[url]http://www.sarad.com/SearchResults.aspx#yr=1998&yri=314&mk=Lincoln&mki=1911&mo=Mark%20Viii&moi=31599&c=Steering%20and%20Suspension&ci=1627[/URL]

Last week, they had a 16 listed but not now.

This seller can be trusted also but the price difference is what it is because it is the passenger side.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTORCRAFT-AVS-16-Front-Shock-Absorber-/170830487248?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27c64a5ed0&vxp=mtr
 

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