Anyone on here swipe the airbags off a 90's Lincoln or other bagged car and put it on their vintage car? I searched around a bit and did not see anything. I'd think it would not be too bad to get the compressor and other components. IF the bags were good, it should be fine? Just pondering possible projects....
bloody hell....just wondering if you could simplify it. I thought it might be a good way for a bucks down guy to collect parts for a bagged ride
Im sure you could figure out how to use the bags and compressor, but the rest of the plumbing and wiring might have to be homegrown. Im no expert and someone may have done it. But the last time I price check a town cars bags they were close to 2g's to replace the system! The customer just bought another car...
i NEVER seen a good set,maybe a good front set but the backs are all crapped out,maybe take 2 front sets & rework em? hell there was a complete set up on the Denver C/list with all the stuff like the compressor,lines,switches, limit switches,about a month back super cheap,
Bags are rubber, aren't they? So it would be kind of like running 20 year old tires... kind of a crap shoot either way.
That shit didn't even work on the Lincolns. Everytime you see one running around it's draggin' the assend on the ground.
Those are the people who don't know how to reset them after they've changed out a flat. The wires, sensors, levelers and related computer hardware would make this both a time and labor inducing nightmare. Heck, even if he got all the stuff for free, it would be a nightmare. It could be done, but why?
agreed..x2! It would be wayyy easier and safer to buy aftermarket stuff...trust me....worked at a ford dealer once...the cars were in and out of the service dept like crazy for susp problems. Also..i wouldn't trust a 20 year old bag ....dry rot.
Just keep checkin around and the right deal on an air-ride will come up. Kids buy these all the time and cant figure out how to install them... way better off in the long run. Good thought though....
lol,,,perfect timing as a good set of airbags on one of those lincolns is rare as..just yesterday afternoon we were cruising around nashville...and there was this young lady( pretty red head) in this 90's lincoln with its bags blown,,,we were on the freeway and she was bouncing to every break in the concrete while talking on her cell with her baby seat in back,,,my wife was with me and after i slowed down to watch her bouncing at every break in the concrete bouncing up and down she slugged me in the arm!
For what it's worth. I just got a set of rear airbags off of a 2005 or 6 olds bravada. The compressor took a dump and cost a crapload to replace, so we replaced the air bags with springs! Took the old bags home with me! he he.... took an old bag home, he he
I had a '79 Cadillac with the air assisted shocks on the back to level the ride. The car would correct the ride height after putting alot of weight in the trunk. When I scrapped the car, I kept some of the parts, thinking I could adapt some of them. Fast forward to today, Rod and Custom mag shows a new air ride system that uses sensors you can program different ride heights. The sensors look ALOT like the sensor off my Cadillac. I do agree that the Lincoln system broke alot. You might be able to adapt some though.
Hey, if anything this is a good talking point. I mean I see guys do TBI swaps all the time and I started to wonder about other swaps..
I remember reading years back about a mid 50s Ford pickup that had a Lincoln air ride system adapted to it front and rear. The picture showed sleeve type bags in the rear, mounted up to the rear end from the Lincoln. You could buy good aftermarket air bags just as cheap. My Slam Specialties RE7s were $75 each with free shipping. I also seem to remember reading that I believe the accuair system uses Ford air ride sensors for their self adjusting kits. Sent from my iPhone using TJJ
Might wanna look for a setup off of a Range Rover, they have a lot more travel. But, uhh, plan on using replacement bags.. I seem to remember seeing em online for reasonable money.
I've changed out several sets of the lincoln air bags with the front strut assemblies off of a mid-90's taurus so the dang things wouldn't look like a dog with worms... To answer the OP's question, I'm sure you could but I'm not real sure that I would utilize the lincoln system. But to each their own; that's what makes us all different and the world interesting
i drive a 95 lincoln towncar everyday and never has my ass been draggin in the 4 years and 90,000 miles i have owned it. the bags are easy to remove but as for the compressor and such i would go full manual or after market. dont even deal with the electronic bull.
theres a guy here in town that made up his own airbag set up out of old bits and pieces. he used an A/C compressor for a pump, an old LPG tank as the tank and a set of truck air brake bellows for bags. however i don't know how well it works because everytime i see the car it's draggin on the ground
My local pick a part has bagged trucks come in all the time. If you are quick you can normally get the bags, mounts and c notch's at a good price. I would stay away from the oem stuff, too expensive to repair that's why you see a lot of kits n the market to convert them back to standard shocks.
There are websites and vendors dedicated to converting those crappy old systems to springs. It's called "Sinkin' Lincoln Syndrome." The best thing about it is that often you can buy a good running, good condition Linc with SLS ultra cheap, buy a conversion kit for $500, and be into a nice daily cheap. And I'm with the guy above who said, "What, springs don't break often enough?"
Kustombuilder here on the H.A.M.B. sells airbag setups and parts really reasonable, you'll be better off doing it that way.
Guy around here utilizes the complete independent rear end out of the lincolns and I believe t-birds. He has put them on 41-46 chevy trucks and late forties ford trucks. The trucks get low.