coil conversions

$600 for 4? Wow, that's pretty cheap. For my application in Europe, they were approx 300 each for the fronts and approx $500 each for the rears! (back in 2002) Lol. Had to replace the rears too, at my expense, due to the adjuster mechanisms snapping inside.
 
OUCH....lol, the rears bolt on, the fronts are inserts, you gotta get a T-Bird shock and put the insert in it, not hard............
 
Hummm well then we're getting into the fact that old marks probably need new control arms and so fourth...

I mean, sticking with air ride is convincing...

I have some new sensa-tracs for the rear waiting to be installed...

I guess my problem is I came out yesterday to find my mark on a tilt - the passenger side bags deflated while the drivers side were fine.

WTF is that?

My Focus is my DD - my mark is a work in progress.
 
I will let you know soon when I change out my front air struts for coils
 
Well lets do a cost benefit analysis here:

New bags: $516
New Coil setup: $469 (lowered)

Not to mention the cost difference between legit MK8 upper CAs and T-bird CAs & the fact that I have no idea if my compressor is going to last, let alone the solenoids.

I don't know much about the air ride, and while it's a novel and probably better solution, it hurts in the pocketbook quite a bit.

Now I was doing this comparison probably unfairly. I probably need new front bags because they're quite old so ok... lets just get new front bags:

$348

Doesn't seem so bad now.
 
wood_e said:
Well lets do a cost benefit analysis here:

New bags: $516
New Coil setup: $469 (lowered)

Not to mention the cost difference between legit MK8 upper CAs and T-bird CAs & the fact that I have no idea if my compressor is going to last, let alone the solenoids.

I don't know much about the air ride, and while it's a novel and probably better solution, it hurts in the pocketbook quite a bit.

Now I was doing this comparison probably unfairly. I probably need new front bags because they're quite old so ok... lets just get new front bags:

$348

Doesn't seem so bad now.
Click to expand...

that's a fair comparison... and the difference is "what"?
a couple of tanks of gas?

IMHO it's not worth the cost savings.
 
But who's buying a Mark VIII for resale? Buy, Drive, Part out... for parts on the new Mark we bought because they are cheap...

I want these cars cheap.. saves on car payments. Gen II are coming down nicely. Cool. Two more years of Mark VIII for us...

So if anyone is in need of front air bags I have 4 of them that are going up for sale.

XLRVIII said:
agree'd and since it's over asked, here is another detail that is often overlooked.

Our car already have the worst resale on the planet..

Everytime I see a Mark 8 for sale and they mention coil springs..
I automatically deduct 1K from the offering price.

The cost to retrofit and figure out "what was hacked apart" is often 1K worth of parts and labor and troubleshooting.

it's my personal opinion that once converted, many of the owners lose their appeal for the car. Hell most might not even know "why" they dont like the car anymore..
*shruggs*
Click to expand...
 
mespock said:
But who's buying a Mark VIII for resale?
Click to expand...


NOBODY SHOULD be, but they do pop up for sale from time to time....
and the person selling the car always gets "offended" when they "cant get what they want out of the car".

no one in their right mind is buying them for "resale"....

but the fact of the matter is, they DO RESALE THEM...often AFTER putting coil springs on them.
Then they want to "act" like they've made some groundbreaking improvement to the car...when in fact they have "downgraded" the suspenstion, not upgraded it.
 
But this is what I like... I drive them until they are dead. I don't want anyone to sell them hi so I can get them cheap... LOL... Sorry guys..

If you want resale by a new car.. oop they drop too...

How much resale can you get from a $2000 car?

XLRVIII said:
NOBODY SHOULD be, but they do pop up for sale from time to time....
and the person selling the car always gets "offended" when they "cant get what they want out of the car".

no one in their right mind is buying them for "resale"....

but the fact of the matter is, they DO RESALE THEM...often AFTER putting coil springs on them.
Then they want to "act" like they've made some groundbreaking improvement to the car...when in fact they have "downgraded" the suspenstion, not upgraded it.
Click to expand...
 
buying ANY car for re-sale is difficult unless you get a super sweet deal on it.
 
Lux said:
A few reasons.

First and foremost, ride quality. I like the fact of how smooth the lincolns handle and ride on the road. What do you drive everday, your mark VIII? How long has it been since you daily driven something with worn out springs? ICK, they ride like shyt. Coil springs wear out as well, something to keep in mind just as air springs do. If you have forgotten what other cars feel like - Go hop in a mustang or camaro, tbird, etc....youll be dying for that air suspension ride...im so spoiled with how smooth my car is, i dont like riding in anyone elses car.

want to convert because of the Lowering kits?

Pffft, just get new bags and sensor lower, same thing and cooler...you can slam it all the way with the air springs anyway.

Another big one for me is - Air suspension hooks up and transfers weight better at the track.

Keep in mind, i am just one guy and these are just my opinions. Its just To me - the cost vs the quality and longevity of either system just doesnt justify taking out what makes this car so unique.I ve looked at so many cars before i bought mine and i turned down many because there were converted. Nice cars, but i passed.

As i've said i've owned mustangs, mark vii's and mark viii's and ive owned the lincolns both ways on each and i've installed both kinds on both and even installed and driven a lowering kit (coil springs) on the VIII and there is no way i'd ever go back to coil springs.

Air suspension is the sickness- between my extreme spider valve, ray switch, and oem air suspension with 60k miles on it... i couldnt be happier.
Click to expand...

I agree with every part of this statement. There are reasons you have this type of car and I bet the air ride is one of them. All you people that converted to coils had every right to. I just think you're crazy and destroyed a markVIII.;) Get a tbird.:rolleyes: When your cd changer dies you can always throw a boom box in the back seat. That'll save you a lot of money and agrivation too.:drunk:
 
Warden said:
I just think you're crazy and destroyed a markVIII.;) Get a tbird.:rolleyes:
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:rolleyes:

Destroyed a Mark VIII? Lol... It's a totally reversible change!

Mark VIII is a totally different car to a T-Bird, even with coils.
 
I have the 1.5" lowered American air conversion kit and the car is alot
smoother and handles slot better. One of the front air shocks were bad but the kit is definitly worth it and all of your arigant replys about how your destroying the car is friggin rediculus. The air suspension is fun to play around with for a while and it really doesn't cost that much more money to replace the air suspension but the air suspension is not what makes the car.
 
Savagecat27 said:
I have the 1.5" lowered American air conversion kit and the car is alot
smoother and handles slot better. One of the front air shocks were bad but the kit is definitly worth it and all of your arigant replys about how your destroying the car is friggin rediculus. The air suspension is fun to play around with for a while and it really doesn't cost that much more money to replace the air suspension but the air suspension is not what makes the car.
Click to expand...

Air is one of the reason the car is great I've driven a mark all 3 ways and by far is the way to go.
These cars are expensive we get them for the love cheap parts are for honda civics.
 
I converted my old 94 to stock height springs, they did the job, the car rode and handled fine. On my new 93, the previous owner replaced the front bags shortly before I bought the car. These cars ride better on air than on coils, period. Well, unless you're comparing 100k blown air struts to new coils...

Throw an ASHAM 8 or Module 8 into the equation and there's no comparison.
 
Warden said:
I agree with every part of this statement. There are reasons you have this type of car and I bet the air ride is one of them. All you people that converted to coils had every right to. I just think you're crazy and destroyed a markVIII.;) Get a tbird.:rolleyes: When your cd changer dies you can always throw a boom box in the back seat. That'll save you a lot of money and agrivation too.:drunk:
Click to expand...

Sorry but as Martin said there is a lot of diff between a Mark VIII and a T-bird and it's not the air ride.

When the CD changer dies... get something else... unless you need to have your car remain stock so you can get top resale for it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
mespock said:
Sorry but as Martin said there is a lot of diff between a Mark VIII and a T-bird and it's not the air ride.

When the CD changer dies... get something else... unless you need to have your car remain stock so you can get top resale for it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Sarcasm people. Work with me here.:drunk:
 
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