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Air struts/shocks instead of coilovers

68EFIvert

68EFIvert

Well-Known Member
I am thinking about switching over from Coilovers (Ron Morris Front suspension and TCP g-Bar rear) to an air ride setup. The rear is pretty basic. Swap out the shocks for longer air shocks. The front is where I get a little confused. The manufactures that make the air/aftermarket front kits (TCP) use short shocks that mount to stock upper A arm locations for their Air Ride kits. Their traditional coilover kit and my RM kit mounts the spring on the lower control arm.

Does anyone know if you could use the longer shocks designed for the rear suspension on the front of an aftermarket coilover kit. I like the idea of mounting the shock on the lower control arm. I also think it would make the swap a little easier since I would not have to weld tabs on the upper A arms to mount the shorter air struts.
 
Do NOT use air shocks on the rear. The upper shock mount is not designed to take any significant portion of the car's weight.
 
The TCP G bar rear setup has it's own cross member that the coil overs are already attached too. He wants to replace the coil over shocks with the air ride shock which should be just fine since it does not use the original shock mounts. Regarding the front, chances are that you could find a suitable shock, but the diameter of the air bag is probably going to be too large to fit within the frame of the upper a-arm.

Is the Ron Morris kit the one that when you jack up the front end the spring clome out of the pocket and you have to be careful to reset it when you lower the car back down?
 
The RM kit does come out of the seat when the car is jacked up. I am hoping the rear shocks will be skinny enough to use up front. I have seen some that are rated at 1500 lb per axle so they may be a little soft for a front end. The rear would be fine since they are lighter. I'll have to see what is available that is thin. I don't think I can use one that is much larger in diameter than the standard coilover. I am not sure the diameter but it must be close to 4-5". I'll have to check that out.

Starfury, Stangg is right about the use of G-bar. It does not mount the shocks to the traditional shock location. I have always contemplated using air ride because of the ride quality and handling characteristics. I have never ridden in a car with a performance air suspension so I don't have any idea if it is that much superior to the standard coilovers.
 
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