Who has used air shocks at one time or another?

[696pack]

Don't know how old you are but by the sounds of it, you're up there with me and I'm 60. Do you remember the Gabrial High Jackers commercials? They still have them and advertise them as adding up to an additional 1100 lbs for the pair. I never had any of those but had Monroe shocks. Not sure but maybe they rode better than the Grabrials did? I beat on all my cars but we have pretty good roads down here. I've seen people do some pretty crazy stuff to cars and I was/am one of them but man, for some reason, mine stayed together lol

Yeah, born 9/11/50. as seen in my signature I sold Dodges and AMCs NEW from 1968-1974.

As stated in the other thread about this, why would anyone want to use them? If you are trying to raise the rear of the car just re-arch or replace the springs with heavier ones. There really isn't much of a price and the car will handle better. Why take the chance of blowing a shock and dropping on the tire and tearing it up or worse causing an accident?

About the only thing they are good for (other than what I stated above) is for a TEMPORARY lift for hauling something heavy in the trunk. Hellwig also make helper springs for that purpose that only come into contact when the factory springs begin to flaten out.

As you can see I have absolutely no use for them.

 

[shag766]

i have a pair on my 70 chovel. i only put air in for the track with slicks on and not sure how much pressure. i just eye it to clear. about 2-3 times at track, 1/8 mile, each summer. now with the big horse 572 and new 9" moser rear going in i will address the rear suspension issue at that time. never had no problems.

 

[72 Charger SE]

My car had them when I got it from my parents, who put them on to help level the car while pulling a small camp trailer. I played with them a little bit moving the back end up and down, but it just looked funny jacked up. Plus handling sucked. Never could figure out why anyone would go out of their way to jack up the back of the car like that, unless getting rid of weight over the rear was the only way they could get their underpowered car to spin the tires. I never had any problems with them, but I took them off when I replaced the rear springs.

 

[roadrunnerman]

had a pair on my 66 belair to help the coil suspension back in the late 70's and also had some on a 63 belair, then turned mopar and put them on my 74 RR. i used the gabriel high jackers,loved them.heck,i was an 18 year old kid back then. would probably buy a pair still to this day.the only problem i had with them was the air lines would always pinch and get a hole and lose air.

 

[Meep-Meep]

My 68 RR had air shocks when I got it in 1982 and I ran around with them for a long time. Nothing bad happened to MY car because I never had air in them, but the shock mount cross member broke off on my buddies 69 RR. Incidentally, you must have some air in the air shocks at all times or you will tear the air bladders thus rendering the air shocks useless.

My old buddies 69 RR is now mine and the old crude repair job is still in place. I got so wrapped up with other aspects of the restoration I forgot to fix it right. I still have an opportunity to correct it, which I will do before it hits the road.

 

[moparstuart]

i have had air shocks on my 69 runner since 84 when i bought it
great ride no problems

 

[moparstuart]

on my 70 birdible i have super tall gas shocks they work even better then the air shocks but you cant adjust the ride height

 

[YY1]

Almost every one of my older cars had them when I got them. Never had any problems, but never had them "all the way up", except on the Torino, because it REALLY rode low in the back. It was also the only one with dual lines, and it needed them as it one spring was worn worse than the other. It had pulled a trailer for pretty much it's entire life before I got it. I did have a few times where the fittings either came off or the line got brittle and broke. used to cary a $2 pack of o rings and fittings in the glove box, just in case.

 

[godfatherofchry]

Thats all we used back in the early 70's. I believe mine were gabriel air shocks. i needed them so my L60-15's would clear my wheelwells.
but after spinninfg the tires at the track weekend after weekend , i realized i had to go to 50/50's in the rear. it took me 3 years to realize that airshocks suck for the strip.

OOOOdamit that brings back some memores LOL.hell I think every one ran them back in the late 60s & 70s MAN if we only new then what we no now.....Artie

 

[Jonnyuma]

I've got Gabriels on the back of my 76 Cordoba for a kind of other-side-of-the-same-coin reason; I wanted the rear lowered. The idea really came from an AirRide tech who told me that with their basic setup the bags control the ride height (duh) and the leaf springs only serve to locate the axle. They cease to serve any suspension function at all. Even the basic system was too spendy for me but by-God I could afford a pair o' HiJackers (funny Rabbit stickers no longer included. Bummer).
It's not exactly plan A, but I haven't had any of the problems that people are talking about here. A few passes down the strip might require me to amend that statement.
That said, I will be keeping an eye on the upper studs and crossmember from now on...

 

[YY1]

That's a mighty clean and straight Cordoba. What's the deal with the place where the trunk lock goes? Shavin it?

 

[Jonnyuma]

Thanks. The guy I bought it from didnt have a trunk key. I butchered it pretty badly trying to get it open so I just cut a rectangular hole to make it easier to patch....which I will surely do....someday.:toothy10:

 

[72 Charger SE]

I've got Gabriels on the back of my 76 Cordoba for a kind of other-side-of-the-same-coin reason; I wanted the rear lowered. The idea really came from an AirRide tech who told me that with their basic setup the bags control the ride height (duh) and the leaf springs only serve to locate the axle. They cease to serve any suspension function at all. Even the basic system was too spendy for me but by-God I could afford a pair o' HiJackers (funny Rabbit stickers no longer included. Bummer).
It's not exactly plan A, but I haven't had any of the problems that people are talking about here. A few passes down the strip might require me to amend that statement.
That said, I will be keeping an eye on the upper studs and crossmember from now on...

I don't mean to sound like a smartass, but couldn't you have done the same thing just putting regular shocks on? Shock absorbers don't affect ride height unless they are air shocks with air in them or coil overs, both of which will raise the ride height.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Thats true. The car sat up too high for me so I lowered it to my liking by removing leafs. Hell, there were 6 per side so I figured it could stand to lose a couple. When I had it at an acceptable height I ripped an inch and a quarter off some 3" blocks I had around and lowered it a bit more. Now I add air to get the height I wanted. It's basically the same setup as AirRide's Shockwave, which bolts in place of your regular shocks while the leaf springs do nothing but locate the axle. With the Shockwaves you remove ALL but the main spring. I didn't go that far cuz Im using just plain ol' airshocks.
I can't say it's an optimum setup, would probably suck and then tear the *** out of my car if I added power and went to the track. But this isn't a race car, it's just a driver. On a good day I might call it a mild custom, on a bad day I might call it a beater. Kids and dudes dig it, chicks hate it.
Cranky originally asked who has used these things. If he'd asked "Whos installed a Cherry Bomb with muffler tape?" Or "Whos checked their pickup to pan clearance with a brick of cream cheese?", I would have raised my hand for that too. It doesn't mean it's optimum or the preferred method, it just IS.
This winter when I have my rear end out for a gear swap I plan to change some things with the rear suspension, I kept the leaves I took out, or I may buy new ones. I'll figure that out when the time comes.

 

[Ron 73]

I've got Gabriels on the back of my 76 Cordoba for a kind of other-side-of-the-same-coin reason; I wanted the rear lowered. The idea really came from an AirRide tech who told me that with their basic setup the bags control the ride height (duh) and the leaf springs only serve to locate the axle. They cease to serve any suspension function at all. Even the basic system was too spendy for me but by-God I could afford a pair o' HiJackers (funny Rabbit stickers no longer included. Bummer).
It's not exactly plan A, but I haven't had any of the problems that people are talking about here. A few passes down the strip might require me to amend that statement.
That said, I will be keeping an eye on the upper studs and crossmember from now on...

Very nice Cordoba you have.

 

[ramairthree]

How about air bags? I currently use a pair.
I don't mean with off set psi's for the strip.

But I have a 69 GTO with original coil springs.
With fast speeds and big bumps and passengers I would bottom out 275/60r15s in the rear.

With 5 to 10 pounds psi I don't bottom out.
Granted, air bags in coil springs don't raise your ride height,
just decrease how much height you can lose when coils compress.
And even given that, the car handles worse than without them.

As for air shocks,
yes, I have used them, but not since the 80s.
That's not a cheap shot, I just think different now.
Like on a beat 71 Javelin I rescued a year ago, with flat leaf springs. I put 255/60r15s on the rear that don't bottom out instead of 275s and air shocks. The inch difference in diameter was enough to not bottom out.

When the 255s are worn and I have new leaf springs, then I will go to 275s. I still like a little rear to front offset and big tires in the rear, but am slightly smarter about it.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Those are 265/60 16s on the back of the Cordoba. They're on 16x8 WheelVintiques steelies. There's no rubbing ever, but just to be safe I rolled the upper part of the fender lip. 275s would probably fit, but there might be issues.

Besides this car I haven't used air shocks since the 80s either, its just kinda where my budget led me this time around. If I was restoring an A-list car I probably would've gone a different route

Then again, maybe not......

 

[72 Charger SE]

Thats true. The car sat up too high for me so I lowered it to my liking by removing leafs. Hell, there were 6 per side so I figured it could stand to lose a couple. When I had it at an acceptable height I ripped an inch and a quarter off some 3" blocks I had around and lowered it a bit more. Now I add air to get the height I wanted. QUOTE]

Ok, that makes much more sense to me. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[1ol74charger4me]

Thats true. The car sat up too high for me so I lowered it to my liking by removing leafs. Hell, there were 6 per side so I figured it could stand to lose a couple. When I had it at an acceptable height I ripped an inch and a quarter off some 3" blocks I had around and lowered it a bit more. Now I add air to get the height I wanted. It's basically the same setup as AirRide's Shockwave, which bolts in place of your regular shocks while the leaf springs do nothing but locate the axle. With the Shockwaves you remove ALL but the main spring. I didn't go that far cuz Im using just plain ol' airshocks.
I can't say it's an optimum setup, would probably suck and then tear the *** out of my car if I added power and went to the track. But this isn't a race car, it's just a driver. On a good day I might call it a mild custom, on a bad day I might call it a beater. Kids and dudes dig it, chicks hate it.
Cranky originally asked who has used these things. If he'd asked "Whos installed a Cherry Bomb with muffler tape?" Or "Whos checked their pickup to pan clearance with a brick of cream cheese?", I would have raised my hand for that too. It doesn't mean it's optimum or the preferred method, it just IS.
This winter when I have my rear end out for a gear swap I plan to change some things with the rear suspension, I kept the leaves I took out, or I may buy new ones. I'll figure that out when the time comes.

Man, I applaud you efforts on 3 levels.1[ Your car is cool. Different and all you. 2]And it is one of the big funky mid 70s garish chrome, hood ornament wearing models I love. 3[You've done something by thinking, not just writing a check. To stay on topic, air shocks were a have to have in the day. It was the only thing that kept your fenders off your m50s when everybody piled in your car to go raise some hell! The little bunny stickers were a have to have. I remember keeping the parts store guy busy while my friend dug through another shock box to get the sticker so that he had one for each 1/4 glass. Nobody I knew ever died because of a blown air shock but 1 guys mom totaled out his 4 speed 69 grand prix because of it. I have them on my 74 Charger because they were there but man 5 pounds 2 much and it makes it drive like crap. Back in the day, we never had dual lines but I put them on mine to keep it from leaning so much in corners. I've never seen a Mopar with shock damage, but they sure did tear up alot of camaros and novas. Every nova I had had to be fixed. By the way I like that Cordoba.

 

[ramairthree]

"Whos installed
a Cherry Bomb with muffler tape?"

damn, you got me there. no matter how tight you get the clamps why is it a cherry bomb wants to have a leak you need to tape