Octane: Pic - Rear airbag mod

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I know the saying is "A picture is worth 1000 words" but in this case that is not so.

What was done? What parts were used? Why would a T-Bird owner care?
 
This is an awesome idea. Combine it with the front shock mod, and you're rolling 1" lower with stock characteristics. Props !
 
Thanks for the props m maker.
I'm kinda new to posting pics so.......Thanks ford nut for uploading the pics.
As for the preface; It's just a title and does not imply some sort of northerly shortcomings. It's just a title like... Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back! and so it goes..
Thanks SATURN5 for bringing this topics up for discussion.



The goal in doing this mod is to increase the psi in the bag if you have your Mark sensor lowered. This will give you back the factory ride you lost when you airdown (sensor lower) the bladder so you could still ride around without bouncing all over the place.


In the first pic, you see the rear airbladder assembly in its stock form. This is before trimming began. The bottom portion was trimmed about an inch using a Porter Cable rotary trimmer with a guide attachment. You can use any trimming method you are comfortable with if you want to do this mod.

FREE; now thats a nice word. You really don't spend anything
or add parts to this mod. This mod will save you money by not having to purchase more exotic shock absorbers to compensate the increased oscillation when you lower your gen1 or gen2 Mark.

The second and third pic shows both bladders after they were trimmed and sanded smooth. On one, it shows the bottom centering tube trimmed
to about a quarter inch and next to it was before the tube got trimmed. I didn't want the centering tube poking below the LCA as to avoid hitting any road debris and breaking off.

The third pic shows just how far up I could trim the bottom ring portion without going past the bulb section. I made sure that the ring would not be cut shorter than the bulb section to ensure the weight is distributed to the ring. This would maintain the original contact patch against the LCA.

MN-12 crowd might be interested in the other mod I did to the upper portion of the bladder but that is for another topic.
 
LaserSVT said:
I know the saying is "A picture is worth 1000 words" but in this case that is not so.

What was done? What parts were used? Why would a T-Bird owner care?
Click to expand...

It is a simple procedure of cutting the bottom portion or trimming as he states of the base of the bag, allowing the bag to be a normal ride height when you sensor lower it.

And this has nothing to do with a T-Bird at all, a Conti maybe.

But damn if you have a leaking bag that seeps at nite. Then your car would sit on the tire for sure. May be a great idea, but I think I will pass on cutting my bags down to maximize air bag pressure and what little stability you think you may get from it.
 
^^^^ I agree!! Great stuff! I will absolutely be doing this. Question what is the front strut mod you speak of?
 
Raped Ape said:
It is a simple procedure of cutting the bottom portion or trimming as he states of the base of the bag, allowing the bag to be a normal ride height when you sensor lower it.

And this has nothing to do with a T-Bird at all, a Conti maybe.

But damn if you have a leaking bag that seeps at nite. Then your car would sit on the tire for sure. May be a great idea, but I think I will pass on cutting my bags down to maximize air bag pressure and what little stability you think you may get from it.
Click to expand...

the car has bump stops the rear of the car wouldnt fall any further with a stock rear bag or this trimmed idea!! you can take the rear air bag completely out of the car and it will still only fall so far!
 
Very interesting...

You should start a progress thread for octane, keep all this good stuff in one place.
 
cadillackman said:
Is this where you drill new lower mounting holes? As far as I can tell it only gives about a 1/4 inch.
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I would like to know as well....I looked at this and figured it wasnt really worth the re drilling.

I thought of taking a spare lower control arm and having a fab shop build me one with a 2'' lower mounting position where the shock mounting goes.

btw,I would love to do this rear mod to get the stock ride comfort and still be low. I installed the 1989 T-Bird shocks from o'riellys and now my car lays on the ground. :D
 
At least the rear lays on the ground. I hate that the front is higher,so I usually don't lay it all the way out.
 
My bilsteins keep my rear from going all the way down. Car used to set 1/2" lower in the back, maybe a little more. They are not on their bump stops but they are so firem the car gives up trying to drop any more. :(
 
cadillackman said:
Is this where you drill new lower mounting holes? As far as I can tell it only gives about a 1/4 inch.
Click to expand...

he might mean the part where you take the whole front assembly apart and replace the stock shock with a koni shock cartridge..?
 
To those who have disassembled a front shock can you trim the bottom of the shock tube by the lower mount? I'm thinking about cutting the welds on the lower mounting bracket and sliding it up an inch and rewelding. But think I would have to trim the bottom of the tube. But maybe not. I'm gonna look at it when I get home. Any thoughts?
 
The front strut assembly can be modified to lower your Mark without sensor modification and without altering the factory predetermined front suspension airpressure.

As you sensor lower your Mark, the air in the bag will actually be lower the further you go down. By how much? I cannot tell you. You experience that bouncy ride with less air pressure in there. You all know what I am talking about.

By relocating the LCA to Strut attachment point higher up on the lower strut mount, you drop the front suspension at approximately 250mm. This mod can be applied to coil sprung Marks also.

If you still ride on air and desire an even lower front stance, combine this mod with the sensor lowering mod and you will be astonished by your Marks new performance. You will have a much firmer ride rather than just reliying solely on the softer, sensor mod. How else can you firm up the front without having to spend alot on inserts?





Here are some pictures I took before and after I installed my modified replacement struts. Careful measurments were taken to get the final results. There is a 0.20mm clearance between the Lower Control Arm and the lower Strut tube.


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The picture below shows the clearance a little better with backlighting. Overall, just like the rear air suspension mod, I am extremely pleased at my Mark ride quality. She has a nice lowered stance now but she rides like shes still at factory ride height.
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There have neven been any issues, noise or binding problems, whatsoever, ever since I completed this mod on my car.

I can post a short build write-up if anyone is interested. And as suggested earlier, I plan on starting a progress / build thread for Octane soon.

Since joining LVC, I have enjoyed reading everyones build thread and I would always look forward seeing what everyone is doing as soon after I finish watching Most Expensive Rides, Car Science, Motorweek, Inside West Coast Customs, Hot Rod TV, Rides, Ultimate Factories, MuscleCar, Pinks and PassTime!
 
97 Octane said:
By relocating the LCA to Strut attachment point higher up on the lower strut mount, you drop the front suspension at approximately 250mm. This mod can be applied to coil sprung Marks also.
Click to expand...

Umm... I believe you mean 25MM.... 250 is almost 10 inches! :D
 
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