Advice on airshocks and leafs on my styleline

Hi im currently getting ideas for my styleline, ideally id like to bag the rear but for now im going to run the airshocks and standard leafs that it has fitted. I have two buttons on the dash that say up and down but the compressor isnt connected up at the moment so i have never used it, my question is how does it work, will it raise and lower on the airshocks with the leaf springs or does it just stiffen up the rear end, also ive read that you can remove a few leaves from the springs, how does this work and how many should i remove, does it allow the car to raise and lower more with less leaves in the springs, how about if i connect an air tank into the system, would this help matters as the shocks seem to be connected directly to the compressor via the buttons on dash.

sorry to sound thick just very new to the whole air shock thing lol, heres a couple of pics of what i have under the car at the moment,

 

Personally, I really hate air shocks. They will raise the car a little bit, but the shock mounting locations are not designed to hold the weight of the car, and it will be very stiff raised.

I would definitely run an air tank, filling them straight from the compressor has got to be very slow and hard on the compressor.

If your springs are stock, they should have 7 leaves, on a new set of springs I removed 4 of them (every other one) and it sits pretty low. I haven't had any issues, but you are asking the remaining leaves to take on more of the vehicle's weight. It's up to your judgement whether you trust the old springs with leaves removed or not. You just remove the spring from the vehicle, clamp them tightly at several spots, remove the center bolt, then slowly take off the clamps. Remove several leaves, clamp back together until you can get the bolt in and tighten it down. You will probably have to do it several times to get the right height/ride by experimenting with different leaf combinations.

 

Thankyou indychus, yes I have 7 leaves I may drop a couple of leaves out but as they are probably original maybe not as many as you have on new ones.

 

I usually leave the 3 longest ones and a 3" block on my own mercs just to sit them low. I just keep a air tank in the trunk if I need to raise it..the ride has always been nice