Did the Coil Conversion today

Raped Ape

Raped Ape

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Well I took the coil conversion and put it on my Mark. I did not cut wires or toss anything as it is a trial period with this. If I do not like it I will go back to my air ride and sell the kit. We will soon see, pretty simple though, took about 3 hrs for the first time. I heard about some saying in previous threads about the stock Motorcraft Air ride shocks were not idea for the coil conversion, so I bought some new Thunderbird Monroe SenaTrac for the rear.

The cool thing is after install, the wheel well height is that of the same when I sensored lowered it last week, right at 27.5 inches. It still could be lowered maybe another inch, I thought it would put it at stock height. So I do not know if this is a lowered kit or not. But I was happy. I took it for a spin after and around the s-turns around my neighborhood. Drove pretty good and under control. Did not witness any sea duty with leaning or turning, pretty stable and stiff. I will wait and see.

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Nothing wrong with either system. If you have air and it works, great, if you fix it, great. If you want springs, that's good too. Glad all went smoothly.
 
Thanks, I will ride on it till next weekend and see how I like it. For $80.00 for the kit, and $75.00 for the shocks and $15.00 for the sway bar bushings and 3 hrs of my time, not too bad if I say so. If I do stay with it, then I will clip the wire behind the P/S kick panel to delete the air ride warning.
 
If you work at it, you can disengage the pin from the harness and avoid cutting anything.
 
I saved the multi threads on that pin to look at tomorrow, and if I do not need to cut it I will not. I do not like destroying OEM as you never know if you ever have to go back to it. And cutting wires sometimes can cause havoc on resistance and the computer getting a accurate reading.
 
Raped Ape said:
I saved the multi threads on that pin to look at tomorrow, and if I do not need to cut it I will not. I do not like destroying OEM as you never know if you ever have to go back to it. And cutting wires sometimes can cause havoc on resistance and the computer getting a accurate reading.
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My thoughts were echoing yours. :)
 
Big Mike said:
My thoughts were echoing yours. :)
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Yeah, I did a :q:q:q:q load of reading in search for the last week or so, and that is when I found the thread about peoples thoughts with the coil conversion and using stock shocks in the rear, with the sway and lean and bump control. And then I found a thread that someone asked about the dummy message coming on and how to get rid of it, and thru that one thread, it contained about 6 other links of threads mentioned. So for all you that refuse to search and or say I searched and found nothing, Bull:q:q:q:q!!!!

I was not planning on this purchase but that of a new setup from Strutmasters or American, in a few weeks and trial test it, then bam, it fell in my lap at a quarter of the price, SWEET!
 
Raped Ape said:
Yeah, I did a :q:q:q:q load of reading in search for the last week or so, and that is when I found the thread about peoples thoughts with the coil conversion and using stock shocks in the rear, with the sway and lean and bump control. And then I found a thread that someone asked about the dummy message coming on and how to get rid of it, and thru that one thread, it contained about 6 other links of threads mentioned. So for all you that refuse to search and or say I searched and found nothing, Bull:q:q:q:q!!!!

I was not planning on this purchase but that of a new setup from Strutmasters or American, in a few weeks and trial test it, then bam, it fell in my lap at a quarter of the price, SWEET!
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I speak from experience of the cheap way, the Ford shocks SUCK with springs. I have very bad bump control. I REALLY need to get new rear shocks, but not until after some mor eimportant stuff.

First is the alignment this week, then Jmod and fluid/filter change, then I will do shocks with the sway bar bushings in the back and end links up front, then interior repairs and the stereo, then cobra brakes and rims.
 
Completely understand, I think my next step is the exhaust and a in house made FIPK, and one of these,
http://www.lincolnmotorsport.com/MarkVIII/ViewDetails/powermaxx.html

I do not know if others have tried or is using one but I want to try that instead of a JMOD first. It states that it stiffens the shift points and shift timing to a better performance level. Then new 18" rims like a Sallen or staggered or a set of Nitrous Foose rim, have not decided which one yet.
 
Stuff like that is usually a poor substitute for the Jmod, which isn't too hard at all. Those things usually bump up line pressure and that's not good for internals.
 
Well I went back to my air bags today and took the coil conversion off. I did not care for the coil conversion at all after a few days. The car and its weight seem to be not too friendly with the coil setup in my opinion. The car rolls over to either side depending on which turn you take. And the bounce is more noticeable when going over speed bumps in parking lot. In my opinion, with a coil conversion, the stability is totally gone without the air bags.

At least I know now that a coil conversion is not a interest to me no more.
 
Raped Ape said:
Well I went back to my air bags today and took the coil conversion off. I did not care for the coil conversion at all after a few days. The car and its weight seem to be not too friendly with the coil setup in my opinion. The car rolls over to either side depending on which turn you take. And the bounce is more noticeable when going over speed bumps in parking lot. In my opinion, with a coil conversion, the stability is totally gone without the air bags.

At least I know now that a coil conversion is not a interest to me no more.
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Welcome back to the world of air. Now me and you have the same rear shocks lol
 
NoLimit95 said:
Welcome back to the world of air. Now me and you have the same rear shocks lol
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Are you talking about the SensaTracs or the air bags being the same? I did leave the SensaTracs on with the air bags, found no difference with the SensaTracs vs the stockers, at least as of today, may find a difference in a few days though because of dampening of the shock, but it seems just fine though.
 
Air FTFW (for the fighting win) I've been out from under my car for awhile with air *knock on wood*
:)
 
Raped Ape said:
Are you talking about the SensaTracs or the air bags being the same? I did leave the SensaTracs on with the air bags, found no difference with the SensaTracs vs the stockers, at least as of today, may find a difference in a few days though because of dampening of the shock, but it seems just fine though.
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Yes, I have SensaTracs and that dampening thing really turned into being something it wasn't. 93's and early early 94's had them and then they stopped putting them on. Mine just had bad bushings and was annoying the hell out of me. By the time I got down the road to the store or anywhere, I was pissed off from listening to that noise. I put them on a while back and they are still doing good. Nice and quiet.
 
Raped Ape said:
Well I went back to my air bags today and took the coil conversion off. I did not care for the coil conversion at all after a few days. The car and its weight seem to be not too friendly with the coil setup in my opinion. The car rolls over to either side depending on which turn you take. And the bounce is more noticeable when going over speed bumps in parking lot. In my opinion, with a coil conversion, the stability is totally gone without the air bags.

At least I know now that a coil conversion is not a interest to me no more.
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i beg to differ, a stock coil replacement kit sucks, if i let you drive my sprung car you would have a boner. my kit is a strut masters set of front cartridges, but the front and rear coils are vogtland springs with kyb shocks in the rear, if you dont know what vogtland is, google it. no mark VIII i have ever been in, air or springs even came close to the feel of my car, i have zero body roll, my car is tight and stiff, so if the soft mushy feel is what you like, you wouldnt like my car, if firm, tight, stick to the road like glue is what you like, you would love mine. it took me alot to get used to it, but i wouldnt trade it for air ever, no way.
 
BAD97LSC said:
if firm, tight, stick to the road like glue is what you like, you would love mine. it took me allot to get used to it, but i wouldn't trade it for air ever, no way.
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Actually Jaime, that is my preference, but the coil set-up I have now is a stocker from Strut Masters, and the spring rate is weak on it in my opinion. not a stiff spring by any imagination. If you could PM me your set-up, ie. I would try that route. I have had many corner carvers with my past Mustangs and the like, but we are talking about a different beast though between the two. But if I had that capability, I would love to go that route. My car in my long term vision would not be a senior car, but a performance look, stance, with capability car. I just do not care for the deep lean and loss of stability with the current coils, unlike the air bags that would not allow the car to roll thru turns. Let me know, thanks Jamie.
 
Im curious what the spring rates are on those conversion kits. Ive heard pretty much the same complaints. However I thought your conversion looked to sit lower than most I have seen before.

Im wondering if the springs are similar/same as a V8 tbird spring?? If so it would explain the lame handling results in comparison to something that is controled like the Markviii air ride. Like Jamie said, Vogtland makes a nice spring as does Eibach and some others. I think Vogtland and Eibach are both Progressive springs. If you want a more agressive spring then Suspension Techniques (STRacing) and some others use Linear spring rates which are much stiffer and consistant.

Brad
 
I find that my car handle better with the coils I have, in both scenarios the coil cars have driven better g1 and g2. Maybe I have had kits with good springs, idk.
 
BAD97LSC said:
i beg to differ, a stock coil replacement kit sucks, if i let you drive my sprung car you would have a boner. my kit is a strut masters set of front cartridges, but the front and rear coils are vogtland springs with kyb shocks in the rear, if you dont know what vogtland is, google it. no mark VIII i have ever been in, air or springs even came close to the feel of my car, i have zero body roll, my car is tight and stiff, so if the soft mushy feel is what you like, you wouldnt like my car, if firm, tight, stick to the road like glue is what you like, you would love mine. it took me alot to get used to it, but i wouldnt trade it for air ever, no way.
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That's the problem.
Most convert to the stock coil replacement kit, because its cheaper.

Your car, on the other hand was upgraded.


Not every coil replacement kit is the same.


Some kits as Raped Ape's experiment shows just are not as good as the stock air ride when it has been maintained.

Great thread Raped Ape, its awesome you took the time to do this.

Just voted for Mike :)
 
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So my experience is:
XXXXX brand lowering springs with Monroes: Was ok but car bounced a little and expansion joints sucked. Hnadled OK. Did not like.
XXXXX brand lowering springs with Tokico Blues: Ride was ok but some bumps made the car act like a boat on semi rough water. Handling was pretty decient. Kinda liked.
Eibach Sportlines with generic shocks: Ride sucked handling sucked. Did not like.
Eibach Sportlines with Tokico blues: Ride still was below par, handling was OK. Did not like.
Strutmasters standard height kit: Rode kinda nice. Handled like chit. Did not want.
Ebay kit: Car bounces like crazy. Does not recover from bumps. Handles like crap. Do not want!
Complete stock air ride: Excellent ride. Handling ok but lots of roll.
Air ride with braces and larger sway bars: Excellent ride, excellent controll, no body roll, no bouncing. Want! Want very much!
 
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