I just installed a set of adjustable height air shocks from the local advance auto parts. I wanted to say that I am extremely impressed by the performance of them, and the installation couldn't have been easier.

Price : $80.00 a pair

Real Value when Crossing railroad tracks?

Priceless

 

Your impressment will end in a couple of days when they punch the sheet metal of the floor pan out around their top mount. The more you go over railroad tracks, the quicker it'll happen.

 

yup....it'll happen. In the late 80's I put helper springs around my shocks (not sure they even make them anymore). It took about 2 months but it busted out all the metal where the top of the shock mounts.

 

They shouldn't be that bad unless you run like over 100psi in them. They come in handy when you want to haul something also.

 

Well, maybe not.... but they ARE that bad.

That place on the car gets punched out by the normal action of the shock absorbers just absorbing shocks. It is totally inadequate for holding up the car's weight.

 

Also, air shocks add to rear body roll. The air lines are teed together. When you go around a corner, air is forced out of one shock and into the other. You must have had some really nasty sacked V6 rear springs to have air shocks improve the ride. Regular WS6 springs should be more than anyone needs for comfortable street handling.

 

It is totally inadequate for holding up the car's weight.

Lol, I didn't know is was that bad.

 

Nah, it's not really that bad.

Actually, it's worse.

Seriously, those are a VERY BAD idea. Not only because they'll break your car; but also, because they cost MORE than the RIGHT solution to the problem; which is, new springs. A set of those (CC635) is about $60.

 

is was that bad

IT.

 

Well I'm not having any problems yet, and also, i don't run any more than 50psi.

On a side note, the stock shocks were mounted in the same place, and did the same job with a little more resistance, why would that mounting point not be safe?

Also, I have no noticeable body roll, honestly, I can take 90 degree turns at 35-40mph and not have any roll.

Maybe its the wide cragars? lol

 

I have a pair on my elk and like them pretty good right now. My springs are so soft and weak its terrible. But they helped out alot.

 

Because it's WEAK. All it is, is a hole in the sheet metal of the floor pan; no reinforcement of any kind.Right; and eventually they'll break the floor pan too; mine already did, with just STOCK shocks (and various replacement ones over the years), just like ALOT of other people's.No, they didn't. Air shocks LIFT THE CAR. They take weight OFF THE SPRINGS and put it ON THE SHOCKS. That adds to the stress on that floor pan place. Kind of like putting a floor jack under your car body somewhere and lifting it, rather than jacking the frame. They apply force to the wrong place; to a place that ISN'T DESIGNED to take the weight of the vehicle.Doesn't matter. An El Camino has a frame. The shocks don't go to the floor pan. What one kind of car does, doesn't always translate very well to some other kind of car.

 

Like In said up there, sofakingdom, they do the same job with more resistance. More pressure on the body to hold the rear down and the unibody up. I guess the real important thing here is what bushings you use. It would seem better, stronger bushings would save your car longer.

 

Bushings won't help.

The problem is, THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT IS JUST A HOLE PUNCHED IN THE SHEET METAL OF THE FLOOR PAN. That's all it is. Even just the flexing back and forth stress that shock absorbers put on it, breaks it out over a period time. Using that flimsy sheet metal to hold up the car's weight with air shocks puts EVEN MORE stress on the sheet metal, and just punches it out faster.

No, air shocks DO NOT "do the same job". They do TWO jobs, only ONE of which is the same as real shock absorbers (which they are actually quite a bit less effective at doing than good non-air shocks are). Air shocks act both as shocks, and as springs (they lift the car). In their spring-like behavior, they add to the stress on the already inadequate metal.

If you think those things made an improvement to your car, you ought to try doing the job right sometime. You won't believe it's the same car. Go get a set of Moog CC635 springs and a pair of good-quality shocks (NOT Gabriel or el cheeeepo; Monroe at the bare minimum, and hopefully something better). You'll kick yourself for being deluded that air shocks were any good at all.

 

All a shock absorber does is control the spring, not support the load any measurable amount nothing more nothing less. Air shocks are LOAD LEVELERS. Air shocks suck big time. they beat you to death cause there is not a lot of true suspension built into them, not to mention jump on the gas one time and let the tail get out fom under you and you will be impressed how loud a bang 50PSI or more can make when the air bladder explodes.

draco I am happy you like them. You do what you want, just take what we are saying for future use. GL

 

"What one kind of car does, doesn't always translate very well to some other kind of car."

I know. Just saying that they worked ok on mine because my springs are junk and so were the shocks. So it was a temp fix till i get new springs. And will the CC635 work on the elk also? I have read that the front springs will work.

 

I don't think so; wrong end type at the body end of the spring, IIRC. Also the wrong length.

The fronts WILL work. The beauty of mass production!! In fact, I have a set of one of the IROC replacement numbers in my El Camino; it's not the super-stiff ones like I have in my Z28 (700 lbs/in or so), but it's some one of them. Around 500 lbs/in IIRC.

 

Nice. I was seriously thinking about getting a pair of stiff ones for a Z28. Cause i think the rating on factory front for the the elk is 420. And so the 700 or so should stiffen it up a nice bit. Or would it be to much?

 

Well thanks for all the input and advice fellas....

Even if it was a little harsh (cough cough sofakingdom cough cough)

I understand that it wasn't the best solution, but it beats bottoming out with a car load of paintball gear.

Comments//Remarks aside...

This is my first suspension job, I did it myself, with my own tools, and my own bare hands. It worked right the first time, So i am happy......

thank you

 

Form a heavy gage piece of sheet metal to fit the area where the top of the shock mounts, then weld it in. That will solve the problem everyone is warning of. It is better to do it before the shocks break out the sheet metal than after.

Lon

 

Sometimes reality can be even harsher than ME... May not seem possible, but it's true...

Next time, come ask BEFORE you buy something, about what's KNOWN to work well and what's KNOWN to be a mistake, and what's the least-cost way to get your car to what you want it to be. The combined experience of the people on here can possibly save you a bunch of $$$ and trouble. We'll be glad to help.

 

I suppose the important part is you have gained some knowledge and experience. So when someone ask about air shocks you will be able to give some intelligent input.

 

Airshocks were cool back in the 70's. you know what else was cool, 15x10 cragars sticking out past rear quarters on camaros. Thank god I didn't have a car then. It is cool you are working on the car yourself. You can learn so much and what you don't know you can come here for. I know a decent amount but anytime I am unsure or need different opinions I come here. You guys are great and I wanted to say thanks.

 

hahaha, whips89RS, my cragars are 15x8's :-p

 

It's ok as long as they dont stick out. Sorry man, I had to on that one.

 

No they look good, they pretty much fall in line with the wheel well lip