Air Shocks Or Not

I am going to replace my air shocks and i was wondering if i should just put reg. gas filled shocks on and maybe lift the rear buy adding a leaf or two or buy a new set of air shocks.
What do you think? And also what kind of shocks are you using air and gas filled
bud 1

Unless your hauling loads, I would lose the air shocks. Air shocks are usually a band aid on a weak spring problem. I used them to help correct the ride height on my sagging monos and I hated them. I replaced the old leafs and all is good now. IMHO.

I personally like my monroe air shocks, my springs are just fine but I like the ability to "jack" the back end up or not as I see fit. :cool:

I know a lot of people don't like them but I guess they aren't me. ;)

NO AIR SHOCKS PLEASE!:D
I had air shocks back in the day so I could fit a bigger tire on my ride and looking back on it I see how retarted it looked. Jacking the rear up via air shocks, or whatever means looks like crap IMO.

Not only does it look 1975, but it rides like garbage.

I say gas shocks man.

I'd go gas...
if your springs are sagging that much, and the air-shocks are being used as a band-aid to get back to regular ride height, your springs are SHOT.

Buy some new springs and some decent shocks and realize how much better your car rides/handles ;)

i have them on my 77 and i love them but mainly cause i use Gabriel hijackers
with 80 pounds of air cause i like the stiff ride with some bounce to it. but i have it level not jacked up in back. but the whole car up some.

but i also think that they were one of the main causes to my wreck cause it was to stiff and the roads were wet going at high speed and i applied the brakes going around a turn and it just didn't have enough roll so the rear slide out.
if i run them on my 75 it will not be to fix a sag but to accommodate weight or to give it a stiff ride (on clear days) or jack the back up if im in the mood:D
but if the weather is bad im gonna keep them low on air:D
the 77 is a good reminder.
but that's a reason i love these cars cause i smacked a semi doing about 55 and can still drive the car:D

Skip the air shocks...replace the worn-out springs instead.

I put 73 hatchback springs in my car. It raises the ride height without using air shocks. If you are going to change springs.

I personally like my monroe air shocks, my springs are just fine but I like the ability to "jack" the back end up or not as I see fit. :cool:

I know a lot of people don't like them but I guess they aren't me. ;)

Same here. My springs are great, but I like to use air shocks now and then. I don't always use them, but I've gotten tons of compliments when I did, and I've never once heard any complaints.

Airshocks are a band aid to weak worn out springs. I have them, they ride hard and the back end is all over the place. The sooner I get new leafs the better.

I am going to replace my air shocks and i was wondering if i should just put reg. gas filled shocks on and maybe lift the rear buy adding a leaf or two or buy a new set of air shocks.
What do you think? And also what kind of shocks are you using air and gas filled
bud 1

from a person who had the same gabriels on from 1974 to 2005, i would not put air shocks on again. if the springs are weak, they are easy and cheap to change out with new ones. and no, the air shocks were not worn out even though that is hard to believe and they didn't leak. they just are not needed and the ride, if you put much air in them, gets rough very quickly. best of luck.

Funny thing is the air shocks in my car saved it from being damaged in a minor accident today,cause the back is up higher then it should be the truck bumper hit the Novas bumper!

I am actually looking for a "band aid" to get me to the winter when I will be replacing my springs and rear end so if you want to get rid of yours PM me.

Taz, what happened, did you get in a wreck?

Later

No some doh head backed into my Nova today and then tried to drive off not knowing I was watching the whole thing.I couldn't believe he didn't see or hear the BB when I parked behind him in another spot.His pickup got the worst of it,I got a little scatch on the bumper.

I am putting mine in for a new spring kits tomorrow..I should have done this first before trying to install wide tires ...it was just too frustrating !... So in it goes if that doesn't do it ..I might just reverse the shackels.. lol...
Seroiusly I can't believe a car with 46 k would have weak springs already ...but I guess over the years something has too give .

Airshocks are a band aid to weak worn out springs. I have them, they ride hard and the back end is all over the place. The sooner I get new leafs the better.

Yeah, I have air shocks too, my springs are worn out and the ride quality SUCKS. I've been in cars with new leaf springs and air shocks and they ride great!

Keep in mind that the main streets in my city are ROUGH and they make anyones suspension cry. My car is fine on the highway and smoother roads.

But hey, if you wanna get the girls, you have to make some compromises! haha :D

__________________

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p183/car_087/bottom6.jpg

I am actually looking for a "band aid" to get me to the winter when I will be replacing my springs and rear end so if you want to get rid of yours PM me.

Taz, what happened, did you get in a wreck?

Later


go to oreilly and get some of those long shackles if you want a band-aid.
i put shackles and air shocks on the 77 for a bandaid then when i wrecked it i moved the shackles to the 75 cause it needed them and it rides better than the air shocks and puts it up higher than them. (i know cause i left the shocks on the 77 and put them up to 80 which is about max. height and the shackles are taller.)
plus it rides better with the shackles you dont get all the bounce and wobble.
cause put 80 or more psi in the shocks and bounce the back end the only thing that bounces is the tires.
not only that but the shocks are 60 bucks and the shackles are 20

go to oreilly and get some of those long shackles if you want a band-aid.

The problem with those shackles is they introduce a whole new problem, swaying of the rear end. Dramatically worse if you've got soft/worn bushings.

I tried the whole "shackle it up" fix when I first got my '72 on the road...the rear end would walk WAYYYY wide on a hard corner. You could push on the side of the rear bumper and the rear of the car would wobbly a good 3 inches from side to side. My tires would rub on a hard corner (but while sitting, I had at least 1.5" clearance all around).
Going in a straight line, you could wobble the steering wheel back and forth and insead of a little bit of body roll you would get the rear end to sway side to side.
Needless to say I promptly removed the extended shackles and bought NEW springs. The car handles MUCH better afterwards.

If I had to choose, I'd go for air shocks over shackles.
Just keep in mind with air shocks at high PSI you are putting the weight of the car on the shocks, not the springs...so you should seriously consider strengthening the mounting points of the air shocks....otherwise, you could be looking at a pretty nasty disaster when a mounting bolt or similar shears.

Then again, good air shocks are at least $60...plus the time and hassle of installation and running the air lines and valve(s)....for $150 you could get new springs and be done with it...and have better handing, weight transfer, and ride quality.

The thing with air shocks is you need to adjust them for what you're doing, you don't just slam 80 psi in em and go.

If I'm cruising I'll run about 45 or 50, people in the backseat add 10 psi, wanna make it rake on Saturday nite do 80 or 90.

The springs in my Hatchback are in great shape, and I really like my air shocks. She handles fine cornering with 45 or 50 psi.

Think I'll keep em! :D

The problem with those shackles is they introduce a whole new problem, swaying of the rear end. Dramatically worse if you've got soft/worn bushings.

Then again, good air shocks are at least $60...plus the time and hassle of installation and running the air lines and valve(s)....for $150 you could get new springs and be done with it...and have better handing, weight transfer, and ride quality.


i agree with that if you are going back stock height it would be better to just get new springs. but im going to lift my whole car and the springs i am getting are 260 a pair my springs arent very bad so i dont hardly notice the long shackles i just put them to lift till i can lift it right. if you arent nascar cornering it should be fine with shackles. and my 8 inch wide tires dont rub.
i like the shackles cause they are a third of the price as air shocks. which means they are like disposable.

Could someone tell me the stock ride height on a 72 rally nova i have a 235/70/15 tire on the rear

As Muscle Dreams said NO Air Shocks Please.:mad:

I have never had them with good springs so I can't comment on that.

i have them on my 77 and i love them but mainly cause i use Gabriel hijackers
with 80 pounds of air cause i like the stiff ride with some bounce to it. but i have it level not jacked up in back. but the whole car up some.

but i also think that they were one of the main causes to my wreck cause it was to stiff and the roads were wet going at high speed and i applied the brakes going around a turn and it just didn't have enough roll so the rear slide out.
if i run them on my 75 it will not be to fix a sag but to accommodate weight or to give it a stiff ride (on clear days) or jack the back up if im in the mood:D
but if the weather is bad im gonna keep them low on air:D
the 77 is a good reminder.
but that's a reason i love these cars cause i smacked a semi doing about 55 and can still drive the car:D

nice, gotta love that american muscle that can take a punch.
I have gabrial hijackers as well. and they are not a bandaid to my car, i have replaced both of the leaf set's for brand new one's. freakin love em. but ive never tried gas shocks so i wouldnt know if they are better.

Just my 2 cents..

nice, gotta love that american muscle that can take a punch.
..

youd really be saying that if i added the part that it was a semi i hit and i was doin 55. the car still runs and drives to:D . but it pulls alittle do to the control arm being bent.:D :D

I am actually looking for a "band aid" to get me to the winter when I will be replacing my springs and rear end so if you want to get rid of yours PM me.

Taz, what happened, did you get in a wreck?

Later

i have a set of air shocks id like to get rid of. they are gabriel hijackers and my car is a 71.

i used the air shocks when i would take the car to shows i would just let all the air out of the shocks so it squated way low. too low for the tires not to rub in daily driving conditions. then when i was ready to leave air em up a little cruise around.

i personally didnt use them as a bandaid, i got some low pound monoleafs and air shocks on purpose (kinda like a cheapo air ride).

im now ditching all of it to do my qa1 double adjustable coil over ladder bar with a narrowed nine inch setup. :)

Bad thing about air shocks is they don't keep the tire in contact with the road very well. :(

Air shocks will wheel hop pretty bad when you drive "spirited" or at the track.

And as we all know, if the tire isn't in contact with the road, neither is the car's power!

Lose the air shocks, your car will thank you for it! :)

Scott

I ran air shocks with ladder bars on a 69 nova with 4speed and ls6 454 for years. I liked being able to mess with the air pressure at the track. Pulled driver side front off the ground and never had wheel hop with slicks. I also drove it on the road. I didn't like the bump sound when you hit bumps but other than that they were fine. Kyle (I ran at south mountain about 18 years ago.)

If you're springs are sagging, go for new springs. If you're just looking for that just right rake look, get a set of Gabriel HiJacker air shocks. That's what I have just so I can get that rake look. Otherwise my springs are fine.. They don't need more then 60 - 70lbs of air and the shock section works great. Not a hard ride and the shock works as it should..

If you're springs are sagging, go for new springs. If you're just looking for that just right rake look, get a set of Gabriel HiJacker air shocks. That's what I have just so I can get that rake look. Otherwise my springs are fine.. They don't need more then 60 - 70lbs of air and the shock section works great. Not a hard ride and the shock works as it should..

i dont know on mine anything over 50 was pretty stiff and 80 nothing moved at all.
id keep it under 50 unless it is a really good driving conditions.

I guess it depends what your looking for. Myself, airshocks are a no no. I think cars that have the ***** end all jacked up look like crap. I pretty much only see then on cars with the diff covers painted flouresent orange and the axles painted red. Not a good luck, but hey! To each there own.:):rolleyes: