Air Shocks! What to do?

[smokingunz]

Alright I know your gonna flip me chit but its what came on the ca r. At first I assumed it was something I would change right away, but....it rides pretty well and Im a little shocked about it. I havent tried really launching it so I dont know how that would go but its nice to have the adjustability. What do you think?

 

[smokingunz]

nothing?

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Air shocks are not what I would choose for a performance suspension. [They go in the same category as a snubber, IMO.]
1. They upset the spring rates.
2. They tend to "basketball' when you hit them w/ a hard launch.
3. Some are designed to fit in a restricted space, so the shock body diameter is reduced to make room for the air bag.
4. Some are hooked to a common fill hose. This allows the transfer of air pressure when the car is launched.

The best use for them, is to save your rear springs, when the 300# mother-in-law is in the back seat...[Or, better yet, in the trunk.]

 

[jhanson1750]

Air shock disaster I had!

Way back in highschool I had a 72 Elcamino. 327 on nitrous. Needed more room for tires so we threw some air shocks on it. Worked OK but I drove the crap outta thing. Well, being young and having a 1/4 mile track 30mins away. I raced a LOT.
Took it to the track one Friday and had just re-jetted the gas for a 200 shot.
Big smokey burmout, staged, left with the nitrous at full boogie. Front end was up and BANG, SCRAPE, HISS, crazy lane to lane move. When I got it stopped I jumped out looking for broken rear control arm or something and what I found was the top of the air shock sticking through the bed. During all the wheels up launches the shock would stop compressing and broke the upper shock mount. It broke through the mount and then the car sat down on the passanger side (one that broke) only to cut the tire.
Now that is kind of an extream case because we were young, dumb and bulletproof back then. But I will never forget trying to understand how that shock was fine but the top mount was shreaded. Those things get way stiff and don't let the spring take the load. I have seen several others with bent shock mounts (never another failure) running them.
Spring pearch=strong
Shock mounts=not so much.
Sorry for the long post. Damn we had fun back then!

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[smokingunz]

Air shocks are not what I would choose for a performance suspension. [They go in the same category as a snubber, IMO.]
1. They upset the spring rates.
2. They tend to "basketball' when you hit them w/ a hard launch.
3. Some are designed to fit in a restricted space, so the shock body diameter is reduced to make room for the air bag.
4. Some are hooked to a common fill hose. This allows the transfer of air pressure when the car is launched.

The best use for them, is to save your rear springs, when the 300# mother-in-law is in the back seat...[Or, better yet, in the trunk.]

Mother in law huh?...so your sayin I should keep em. lol

I agree with your assesment, and I really knew this stuff just nedded confirmation and was surprised how decent they ride. Thanks

 

[smokingunz]

Air shock disaster I had!

Way back in highschool I had a 72 Elcamino. 327 on nitrous. Needed more room for tires so we threw some air shocks on it. Worked OK but I drove the crap outta thing. Well, being young and having a 1/4 mile track 30mins away. I raced a LOT.
Took it to the track one Friday and had just re-jetted the gas for a 200 shot.
Big smokey burmout, staged, left with the nitrous at full boogie. Front end was up and BANG, SCRAPE, HISS, crazy lane to lane move. When I got it stopped I jumped out looking for broken rear control arm or something and what I found was the top of the air shock sticking through the bed. During all the wheels up launches the shock would stop compressing and broke the upper shock mount. It broke through the mount and then the car sat down on the passanger side (one that broke) only to cut the tire.
Now that is kind of an extream case because we were young, dumb and bulletproof back then. But I will never forget trying to understand how that shock was fine but the top mount was shreaded. Those things get way stiff and don't let the spring take the load. I have seen several others with bent shock mounts (never another failure) running them.
Spring pearch=strong
Shock mounts=not so much.
Sorry for the long post. Damn we had fun back then!

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

Oh man, havent we all had airshock failures but thats a reall winner! Guess I better get shock shopping