Rear suspension...what to do?

[Nathan123]

I have a 89 BII eddie bauer, auto trans. The springs are spongy and it has air shocks (on it when i got it). The shocks leak so I have to air them up about every 3 days (120 PSI). If I dont air them up the back end sags so much that the driveshaft compresses so much it actually pushes on the tail end of the t case. So I am swapping to explorer leaves in the back. My question is what shocks should I run with the explorer springs? Cheepies, heavy duties, or air shocks?

 

[Boggin]

i didnt think shocks would effect the ride hight that much, i thought it would just be the leafs that effected that but i guess if you air up the shocks every 3 days and it works you must be right

 

[adsm08]

KYB. Nice ride, durable, readily available from many sources, and most importantly....



Affordable.

 

[adsm08]

i didnt think shocks would effect the ride hight that much, i thought it would just be the leafs that effected that but i guess if you air up the shocks every 3 days and it works you must be right

I think he is confusing air shocks and air springs (a common mis-usage). Unless they are far too short or long a shock won't affect ride height. A set of leaky air springs and shot leaves will so just what he is saying.

 

[Boggin]

makes sense

 

[Nathan123]

no they're really air shocks they mount one end on the axle and the other end on the shock bracket. They definitley affect ride height. You can tell a differece in the seat and just looking at it. Why cant you get the KYB monomax shocks for anything before 2/89...mine happens to be made in january(1/89)? I thinking about gabriel ultras? any opinions?

 

[adsm08]

Wow, you really really need new shocks and springs in the rear. I can see those shocks letting it ride too low if the air pressure bleeds down too far though.

As for the monomax shocks, dunno. You can get the Gas-a-just shocks for $60 + shipping/pair from LMC though. Probably get them about the same less shipping from Fisher.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fr/full.aspx?Page=45

 

[Nathan123]

sweet thanks a lot man!

 

[adsm08]

No prob man.

I'd get those rear springs done ASAP though. If they are bad enough that pumping up your shocks can affect ride height, that's just bad bad bad.

Let me know if you want some help when you go to replace them. I'm about an hour and a half away, but I run down near you on the other side of the river a lot. I can usually make that trip quick.

 

[Nathan123]

Thanks for the offer but I'm planning on workin on it next week monday tuesday and wdnesday. I gotta drop the gas tank, take the springs off, patch the frame at one of the spring shackles, put a new shackle on, put the springs back on change the shocks, and change out the last 4 body mounts under the gas tank while its out, plus paint everything while im down there. I'm just plannin on takin my time and hopin i get it done in 3 or 4 days.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, and I'll be at work pretty much the whole time.

 

[necessaryevil]

i run GABRIEL RED RYDER GAS SHOCKS and i love them, nice and smooth on the street, and nice response on gravel roads and rough terrain

 

[hoofnit]

I have 4 leaf explorer springs on the rear of mine...sits about 1.5" higher than the stock front, Rancho shocks, it's stiffer than the mushy stock springs but it works good in the woods. I also removed the rear sway bar with the stiffer springs, I can't tell the difference but it has more flex off road...

 

[The_Dealer]

if u want to go cheap and semi easy, go with an add a leaf, that will help, and keep the ass from squating when u have a load in the rear or are towing, can get some for about 50 bux. also check your leaves first to make sure u dont have a broken leaf

 

[Nathan123]

The leaves arn't broken. I plan on tearnin stuf out next week so I'll post some pictures maybe in the build thread. It looks to me like the eyes of the springs are actually opened up or uncurled a lot but it might be my imagination.