Anybody use air shocks to lift yer back end up?

[buzzard]

My concern is that if I bring the back of the '58 down as low as I want, I won't be able to get in and out of the garage. My driveway slopes up and kind of peaks at the garage. Plus, it would be nice to be able to lift it 2-3 inches to get into some parking lots.

So, has anyone done this? Gabriel makes Hi Jackers to lift trucks back up when they are towing something. Even have a little kit to put a switch under the dash. Is this a poor man's air bag? Would it work with my coil springs? I don't need to set it on the ground like airbags. Just lift it a couple of inches every time I leave the house.

[BELLM]

I don't see why this wouldn't work. Somewhere in my junk I have a little compressor came off a 70s or 80s Cadillac that had the ride levelling shocks, if I remember correctly Cadillac used this to compensate for extra passenger weight etc to maintain level ride. Good luck!

[CruZer]

I used them for this same purpose on my'40 Ford with parallel leaf springs.After I had the springs de-arched and put in lowering blocks,I needed about an inch more clearance to make some driveways,so I installed them.Make sure you keep the cheezy plastic lines away from the exhause pipes.

[old beet]

I have them on the rear of the Merc. Raises it about three inches if needed...............OLDBEET

[Rolf]

Yup, got them on my truck. Works great when you need them.

Not the best shocks, but works OK. Just make sure you leave a little pressure in them at all times, otherwise they tend to make noise.

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">The 41 has a set of them in the back for when I'm hauling ass in the backseat instead of on the street.

They are the shortest I could find, off a vette.

I keep the minimum load of 20 pounds in them just to help stiffen the ride also.

Monroe (http://www.monroe.com/catalog_lookup/ocl_miscappinfo.asp) has all the info you will need. </font>

[buzzard]

There are a couple of rock star cars around here that use 'em. (Vaughn and Sexton) But I was wondering if coils vs. leaf springs would make a difference. Doesn't seem like it should.

Are ya'll using the Hi Jackers, or something similar? There's not an application listed for '58, so I guess I just have to measure the ones I have and go look through some boxes at Autozone?

As far as pressure. I figure I'll have 'em about half way at normal ride height. What is the total travel, from empty to full pressure?

[mikes51]

I had the monroe shocks with an on-board air compressor. I measured my stock shock, then found the matching air version according to the measurements in the shock catalog. I could raise the car about an 1" and a half (max pressure near 100#, 51 merc with a few leafs removed). Others say they can raise them about 3", maybe the hi jackers have more range. Still not a bad setup.

You got to think ahead though, it takes a while for that the on board compressor to build up pressure in the shocks.

[4t64rd]

I have some on the back of my little S-10 so I can tow without bottoming out the hitch, without any weight in the back, I can raise it about 4", but the ride get's stiff when they are over 80lbs without a trailer.

I had a 66 Riviera back in the 80's, got some GM Pickup air shocks for the back and put them on for a few days. We put 100lbs in them and the rear suspension would be nonexistant, bounced around like 4x4, corners were interesting. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[porknbeaner]

Buzzard
I haven't used highjackers for that purpose but there is no reason that it wouldn't work.
If ya got coils there is another option, Air-Ride makes bags to go inside the coils. Same principal as the shocks but you retain the original shocks. Makes for a cheaper repair on the road.
Just a thought.

[Capt. Zorro]

I've got them on my '47, air bags in front. Haven't got to try them out yet tho. I heard that an air compressor off a Lincoln MKVlll was one of the best to use out of a junkyard if you can find one. I've got a MKVll but don't think it will be enough for the air bags and shocks. It might be OK just for shocks.
I took the shocks from the Chassis Engineering rear end kit to the auto parts and matched them up to a set of air shocks.

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">Buzz,

I was posting the same time you were.

You don't want them to fit your application if you are lowering the car.

Go back to the last reply you made, then look up above it and follow the link I put in there.

All your questions will be answered!

RASHY </font>

[Bob K]

Yep, I've got em on my 52. Monroe's lift's it up about 2 inches when it is fully loaded for a long trip. Love em.

B http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif B

[KIRK!]

This came up a few months ago. I'm doing exactly what you are asking, on my '47. I'm also adding a mini compressor I got from JC Whitney. There were some people on here who whined about the ride I'd have but I'm not shelling out the dough for airbags.

[DIRTYT]

i ran into a problem trying to do this on my old 85 fleetwood lowrider. u need to make sure u have spring tension to help them lift. in my caddy i didnt run rear springs (i was 17 and very dumb) i went out and got one of those 12v compressors that plug into the lighter and wired a switch. the whole thing fit under my seat. had to put it there so i had a way to let the air out from inside the car. worked great. then i wanted it lower hence the removel of the springs so make sure u have enough spring to help it come up http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[glassguy]

i have air shocks in the back of my merc(ghetto bags) and a small compressor in the trunk,the kind that plugs into a cig lighter..just but plumbed and wired to a swith let the air out and it sits on the ground. i even tow with it never a prob..i think i used chevy truck then welded the studs into the car

[J'st Wandering]

Only thing I could say was a drawback for me is the ride gets pretty soft when the air is low. The back of the car bounces for a while after hitting a bump. No big deal for me since putting them on was a cheap way of adjusting the height. Neal

[rickkane]

I used Monroes on my 50 Ford to pick up the back end about 2 inches. I put a set of L78's in back and I needed some clearance when driving. I keep them at 100 psi all the time. They work fine as far as height goes, but the handling is like a hog on ice. I've got a set of Hurst cheaters coming from Marty at Northwest some time next week, and they are about 1 1/2 inches lower than my current tires so I'll be letting some air out.

[Tim]

you also might want to make sure your shock mounts are beefy enough to take holding the entire car on them, id imagine in an aplication like your talking about it would put more strees on them then in a stock configuration.

just a thought.

oh, and with coils mybe you could use those in coil air bags that are used for the front of trucks with snow plows on them to level em' out. not sure if thats what every one else was talking about or not. i was just paging threw a summit catalog a while back and noticed all kinds of stuff for leveling an ect with bags and shocks and thought you could probably adapt some of that to a low riding car.





tim

[monsterflake]

total lift will absolutely depend on the shock used, longer shock TRAVEL, higher lifting ability. it will also depend on the mounted angle, the more severe, the less overall lift available.

if you're wondering why this wouldn't work on the FRONT, there's no reason it won't, it'll just have ride quality issues, which are minimized by maintaining at least 25 psi. you may have to make sure there's clearance at the frame and control arms, but if they can fit big-ass airbags in there, a fatter shock shouldn't be much trouble. mf

[repoguy]

Air shocks, Trans Ams, Mullets, and "Freedom Rock".

4 great tastes that taste great together! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[monsterflake]

yeah, if you run airshocks, you gotta put the decals on! disco sucks! mf

[HotRodHon]

Had them on the 39 and they worked great.
Be sure that the minimum compressed length is acceptable though, or you will shear off the shock mounts.

Craig http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[BLAKE]

I use Monroes on the Buick with the rear coils - no problems.

[HotRodHon]

I heard Fuel Pump used air shocks to hold his rear end up once.
When his suspenders broke . http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

couldn't help myself . . .
Craig http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Crestliner]

I've had them on the back of my crestliner for years and no problems. Would be hard to do without them now.