I have heard of people replacing/upgrading the inner shock cartridge on their air struts. So my question is where can I buy the rubber bladder so I can rebuild it. Knock on wood, my air struts are still holding air after nearly a month since putting the horrible tire sealant in them. However, when they do actually fail, I would like to rebuild them.
Rebuilding Air Struts - Air Bag Rubber Bladder
- Thread starter Ed Hall
- Start date
chicken
SHEOOOOOOOOT
uhhhhhhhhh you cant..............the people who have upgraded are running on coils. the bags and struts are only sold as complete units, thats why no one puts sealant in them cuz new ft shocks/bags aint cheep
Kstills
Dedicated LVC Member
They don't take the old struts back, they are junk when they fail.
However, if you do come up with a way to recover them, I have 4 candidates for field trials....
However, if you do come up with a way to recover them, I have 4 candidates for field trials....
mespock
Marxists - Socialists
Sorry dude if you really want to do this right and safe replace the whole damn thing.
That's the solution.
That's the solution.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Hmmmm. I had an idea a while back about putting Thunderbird Super Coupe electronic adjustable shocks in my Mark VIII. But I want to retain the air ride. There should be a way to replace the mushy shocks in the front without having to replace the air springs too. Somebody's got to know how to do it. It would be interesting to have the SC's adjustible shocks on a Mark. My reasoning for this is for handling purposes. The new Arnotts in my '96 are good, but soft. They ride good but handle like crap. The OEM front shocks in my '97 LSC are super firm and make the car handle great. With the T-Bird SC shocks, you could switch between the soft, fluffy ride of the base and the firmer, better handling characteristics of the LSC. Anybody think it can be done?
If it's not possible, does anyone know of a company that makes high performance front air spring/shocks for Mark VIII's?
If it's not possible, does anyone know of a company that makes high performance front air spring/shocks for Mark VIII's?
chicken
SHEOOOOOOOOT
no and no, your stuck with oem replacements.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
That...really...sucks...a$$
So, the only way to stiffen the ride on my Mark is to go with a coil-over conversion with high performance T-Bird shocks? Oh well. I guess I'll just sitck with the fluffy-riding base and firm-riding LSC. Since I apparently can't do anything about it.
chicken
SHEOOOOOOOOT
upgrade the sway bars........
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
There's a thought.
Did the T-Bird SC have larger sway bars than the LSC? I know where I can get a set of sway bars from a '95 SC for $20 bucks if I take them off. If they're larger, it might be worth the investment.
Kstills
Dedicated LVC Member
That...really...sucks...a$$
So, the only way to stiffen the ride on my Mark is to go with a coil-over conversion with high performance T-Bird shocks? Oh well. I guess I'll just sitck with the fluffy-riding base and firm-riding LSC. Since I apparently can't do anything about it.
Saturn 5 is selling IRS braces and front end braces, which Laser (I think) has installed. Comment was increased the grip to over 1.0.
DLF sells new bushings for the IRS, which if you have miles on yours will certainly help out.
You can lower the air suspension to 'firm it up' a tad.
IOW, there's lots you can do....
chicken
SHEOOOOOOOOT
dunno on the size but i do know the stock rear markviii swaybar is hollow........:shifty:
i got a bird rear i intend on throwing in some day when i put in all my other parts i got laying around :slam:
i got a bird rear i intend on throwing in some day when i put in all my other parts i got laying around :slam:
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Saturn 5 is selling IRS braces and front end braces, which Laser (I think) has installed. Comment was increased the grip to over 1.0.
Can't afford it.
Probably can't afford it.
:You can lower the air suspension to 'firm it up' a tad.
IOW, there's lots you can do....
Tried that a while back. Only lowered it about 1-1/2", but the ride was too jouncy. And it had a tendency to bottom out and scrape on the crappy-a$$ dirt road I live on.
I may try that again, jut not lower it as much. I just wish my '96 handled like the '97 LSC. That car sticks to a curve like glue, with no bottoming out, no nose-dive under braking, and very little body roll in the twisties. The '96, on the other hand, is mushy, wallowy, dives like crazy under braking, and has tons of body motion in the corners. And that's with virtually brand new shocks in the front and rear.
Kstills
Dedicated LVC Member
Can't afford it.
Probably can't afford it.
Tried that a while back. Only lowered it about 1-1/2", but the ride was too jouncy. And it had a tendency to bottom out and scrape on the crappy-a$$ dirt road I live on.
I get the 'can't afford it part'. I live that everyday...
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showpost.php?p=673751&postcount=1
Rears are only 75 bucks.
Seems if you were gonna get new shocks, you could afford that?
But again, I do understand...
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
I get the 'can't afford it part'. I live that everyday...
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showpost.php?p=673751&postcount=1
Rears are only 75 bucks.
Seems if you were gonna get new shocks, you could afford that?
But again, I do understand...
Well...I wasn't planning on buying "new" shocks just yet. The rear shocks on my '96 are just over 2 yrs old and the fronts are just over a year old. I don't know how old the F/R shocks are on the '97, but they "feel" brand new. I was planning on getting a set of "used" adjustable shocks from the same '95 T-Bird SC that I'm planning on getting the sway bars from and trying to modify them to work with the Mark VIII's air springs. I was going to try to get a cheap used set of front air springs to experiment on as well. Right now, I can't afford to buy anything.
What I need is plans for those braces so I can build them myself. I have plenty of square tubing and steel plate lying around. It would be an interesting project. I would like to stiffen up the chassis of both my Marks.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
:yourock::headbang:
Hells yeah!! That is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you! I shall try this with the T-Bird SC shocks as soon as I can get them. That is absolutely fantastic!! I had a feeling it wasn't impossible. Just not "easy".
The biggest reason I want to go with the T-Bird SC shocks is because of my prior experience with Thunderbird Turbo Coupes' adjustable suspensions. I had an '87 and an '88 TC with the electronic ride control and they both were phenomenal cars in every way. They rode smooth in "Auto" mode and handled like go-karts in "Firm" mode. I haven't had the priveledge of driving an SC, but if the TC is any indication, the SC should be comparable, considering the SC's far superior upper-and-lower control arm front suspension vs. the struts in the TC, as well as the IRS in the SC vs. the log axle in the TC.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
My fronts on my '96 are only a year and 4 months old, yet they are rather "mushy". Lots of brake dive, body roll, and wallowing. They only have about 15K miles on them. The ones in my '97 LSC are OEM. IDK if they are the originals, but they are seriously firm and the car exhibits zero brake dive and very little body roll, floating, or wallowing. That's the kind of handling and ride I want in my '96 base. The Arnott shocks are just too soft for my tastes.
I would love to do it but cant weld and have bad luck with epoxies. I know I would screw up my $400 air struts then be really pissed. Maybe I can bribe SVO to build me some.
And the TC shocks are not available any more. The TC I am trying to buy has shot front struts and it looks like I will loose the AAS because NOBODY has the struts. There are a couple members on the forums that have new pairs in boxes but you would think you were asking to buy their first borns if you try to buy them! :lol:
They are more coveted then a CE steering wheel or even the trinkets a CE is supposed to come with.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
I would love to do it but cant weld and have bad luck with epoxies. I know I would screw up my $400 air struts then be really pissed. Maybe I can bribe SVO to build me some.
Luckily, I can weld quite well.
And I plan to experiment on a pair of decent used ones before I do it to a new(ish) set. I really hope it works. And I haven't checked into it, but I don't know if Ford still makes SC front/rear shocks either. But we'll see.I know. They are super rare. And a Turbo Coupe isn't a Turbo Coupe without the Programmed Ride Control. I got my first '88 TC in 1995 for $5K with about 55K miles on it. It was black with a 5-speed, fully loaded with everything but leather and sunroof. I bought a new set of shocks and struts for it from Ford shortly after I got it just so I could have them when/if I ever needed them. I wrecked that car 3 yrs later and bought a grey '87 TC with 160K miles on it. I put the engine, transmission, rear end, headliner, seats, and brakes from the wrecked '88 into it and then put the new shocks/struts in. I drove it for a couple more years and sold it. I still kick myself for getting rid of it. I had a chance to buy a '88 last year, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It was a good price with low (120K) miles...but it was a slushbox. I drove it around one day and it just didn't work. That car just doesn't work with an automatic. It needs a 5-speed to really perform. And it doesn't hurt that the manual models had 40 more hp and dual exhaust. Okay, enough rambling. Thanks again for the link.
I'm aware of the procedure on rebuilding the inner shock cartridge on the air struts. So my question is, where can I buy the rubber bladder so the air struts can hold air?
cadillackman
Dedicated LVC Member
You can't.
Is that because no source for the rubber bladder has yet been identified? Somebody's got to make it.
cadillackman
Dedicated LVC Member
yep. Unless you can source the suppliers of the aftermarket air strut manufacturers, although I believe arnott makes their own.