I'm considering one of these two setups to boost the rear a bit. Was just curious if anyone had any insight into either option. There doesn't appear to be a whole lot of reviews out there.
What are the pros and cons for each system?
Monroe MA700 Max-Air Air Shocks
http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-MA700-Max-Air-Shock-Absorber/dp/B000C55SZK
Monroe 58510 Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shocks
http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-58510-Sensa-Trac-Adjusting-Absorber/dp/B000C59M5M
Thanks!
I installed the coil overs on mine and it didn't lift the rear as much as I wanted. The air shocks will let you adjust the height.
I installed the coil overs on mine also. I think they raised it 1" to an 1-1/4". I definitely need some new leaf springs.
Quote from: vangremlin on February 27, 2012, 10:49:18 PM
I definitely need some new leaf springs.
That was my train of thought with the coilovers...I figured if they don't lift it as much as I wanted I could get an add-a-leaf or try to find some leafs off an XJ from a yard.
Leaves are better
Quote from: Prafeston on February 27, 2012, 10:52:05 PM
That was my train of thought with the coilovers...I figured if they don't lift it as much as I wanted I could get an add-a-leaf or try to find some leafs off an XJ from a yard.
I'm going to go for some brand new leaf springs. I'm going to have this car for a long time, I don't want put on something that's almost as tired as what's on there.
In the "For what it's worth dept.", mine has helper springs on the rear. It is lifted by them, but rides rough.
Air shocks are bit rougher ride too.
I installed the Sensa Trac coil overs in the front and back on my 84. I don't believe that the coil overs are going to do much in the way of lift for the car. Certainly nothing more than any new shock would give over tired old ones. The coils come into play more when there is a heavier load in the car. My old shocks would bottom out coming out of the driveway. Since installing the Sensa Tracs, I have had over 1200lbs of scrap steel plus me in the car on trips to the recyclers. The brakes are a might bit soft, but the new shocks with the coil over definitely boosted the total carrying capacity of the car. With just me in the car the ride is a bit more bouncy (like a pick up truck). Here is a pick of the coil overs in the front.
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/Bird-o-Prey/84%20Limited%20wagon/IMAG0162.jpg)
This is a close up of how I had to mount them to the control arm. The hole spacing on the shock is a match for the hole spacing on the control arm. I used 3/8" x 3 1/2" grade 8 bolts and flat steel body washers to take up the space. I left a 1/4" gap below the shock and the control arm and I used the stock rubber washers as well.
Stoopid Kompuuters!!! Here are a couple of the pics I was trying for in the last post.
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/Bird-o-Prey/84%20Limited%20wagon/IMAG0157.jpg)
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/Bird-o-Prey/84%20Limited%20wagon/IMAG0158.jpg)
These are the back installed (from under the car). The backs went in in about 1/2 hour. The fronts took a couple of hours with tire removal and farting around and tire replacement.
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/Bird-o-Prey/84%20Limited%20wagon/IMAG0152.jpg)
I really can't comment on the air shocks, but I have heard good and bad about them. No personal experience with them.
Cheers
Wow that's a great idea with the coilovers in the front. I like that alot. Its well worth eggs from me, thanks!
It looks like an XJ rear shock to have the right top and bottom on it. Do you remember which shock you used?
The only problem with it is (and many people don't understand this) shocks are NOT for carrying loads (although the coil would make it seem like it is) but for returning vehicles to original ride height. It puts greater stress on the mounting points (the upper in the front and back tend to punch through after many heavy loads and rough roads and the studs on the bottom in the back will shear off) Been there, done that. Ruined perfectly good cars doing it.
I did an add-a-leaf on the Eagle after new springs didn't give me back ride height. If I were to do it again, I'd have gotten a Cherokee pack and rebuilt the old spring pack. It's still low in the back.
I ran air shocks on a old s-10 i had they were great if you put a load in it and you filled them up to bring it back to level. when i gave them more air to lift it with out anything in the back they were stiff! bad stiff! and if i was ever to use them again i would go all out and get the self leaveling kit. it's a pain in the :censored: to adjust them all the time and they are no good if the pressure isn't right.
I used he air shocks on two Eagles, well satisified with them. I bought a smallcompressor to air up tires, think I will mount it under the hood, plumb it to the air line on the shocks with a check valve in it.
Eddie
Mine has the factory air ride setup
Not sure yet. It has a switch under the hood.
Quote from: carnuck on March 17, 2012, 10:19:19 PM
Not sure yet. It has a switch under the hood.
I read that it is controlled by the airpump.
The compressor under the hood had a switch on it and a place to hook up an air hose which you could get to reach all 4 tires on your vehicle. You would flip to switch to one of three positions. One for automatic load-leveling(used a switch that was connected to your rear axle by a rod very similar to your throttle linkage), off, and on(used for the hose to fill tires).
I used load leveling shocks on a Durango years ago and they were nice for towing a trailer or putting heavier loads in the back. No real lift to the truck, just helped keep it from squatting. Add a leaf is definately better for lift but it makes a stiffer ride.
I wonder if add-a-leaf with some new springs/air shocks would help with the stiffness..
I think anytime you add to the leaf springs to stiffen them, you can't take that back out unless you remove a leaf. The shocks are just there to absorb big bumps in the road and keep your rear from bouncing up and down.
Oh boy, I hope that sounded ok.
I wonder how those lift shackles effect handling...and ride quality?
if yow switch to jeep springs you can order what they call soft ride springs witch give you lift but less of the Log truck ride. then add the coil over shocks for that extra load
Does anyone have a part number for the monroe air shocks? MA700 is only the line (I think.) Thanks :amc:
Quote from: mechanic80 on April 05, 2012, 03:58:52 PM
Does anyone have a part number for the monroe air shocks? MA700 is only the line (I think.) Thanks :amc:
That's the only number I know of. http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-MA700-Max-Air-Shock-Absorber/dp/B000C55SZK
Thanks for the info. I was mistaken. MA700 is the correct #. :amc:
I went back to this thread to see how this was done. I don't know what part number or vehicle application was used for the front Sensa Trac coil overs. Do you remember Bird-o-prey? I'd like to do this to one of my current project vehicles to try to get some more life out of the old front coils. The Eagle and XJ ones are obviously too long, and I don't see a published list from Monroe of all the different lengths available.
Quote from: Bird-o-Prey on March 16, 2012, 12:34:52 AM
I installed the Sensa Trac coil overs in the front and back on my 84. I don't believe that the coil overs are going to do much in the way of lift for the car. Certainly nothing more than any new shock would give over tired old ones. The coils come into play more when there is a heavier load in the car. My old shocks would bottom out coming out of the driveway. Since installing the Sensa Tracs, I have had over 1200lbs of scrap steel plus me in the car on trips to the recyclers. The brakes are a might bit soft, but the new shocks with the coil over definitely boosted the total carrying capacity of the car. With just me in the car the ride is a bit more bouncy (like a pick up truck). Here is a pick of the coil overs in the front.
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/Bird-o-Prey/84%20Limited%20wagon/IMAG0162.jpg)
This is a close up of how I had to mount them to the control arm. The hole spacing on the shock is a match for the hole spacing on the control arm. I used 3/8" x 3 1/2" grade 8 bolts and flat steel body washers to take up the space. I left a 1/4" gap below the shock and the control arm and I used the stock rubber washers as well.
I put the sensa-trac on the rears, don't think I've ever seen the numbers for what fits on the front.
The Eagle rear shocks are obviously way too big. I have those on all my Eagles. He must have found a very tiny car application that has a very small shock to fit in the 15 inch space available. I thought about plugging in a bunch of random vehicles into Rockauto, but I figure that's a waste of time when someone has already figured it out before.
Monroe Air
On my 82 Limited I was fortunate in that it has the factory towing package (under the hood compressor etc). Only problem I have is one of the airbags squeak. I believe I have read some where that this is a common problem.
If anyone has a solution for this squeak, please let me know.
dkoug
Capt, so the link I provided to Sensa-tracs wouldn't work? It was a long time ago, but I thought that was the ones listed for Eagles.
Vangremlin, and Bird-O-Prey, what application did you use?
I found that my air-ride has a rear level sensor similar to the one I had stock in my Comanche for the rear brakes except it's electric and not hydraulic. When the shocks leaked out the compressor came on (unless I switched it to off) and eventually drained the battery. (not anymore. No air shocks going back in since the XJ axle swap)
Here's the sensor
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/carnuck/AMC%20Eagle/photo-3-1.jpg)
Just installed the softride 2" add a leaf then Went to Napa to get the coil over shocks but Monroe shows them as no longer available according to the guy behind the counter.
Quote from: Prafeston on February 19, 2014, 01:27:52 PM
Capt, so the link I provided to Sensa-tracs wouldn't work? It was a long time ago, but I thought that was the ones listed for Eagles.
Vangremlin, and Bird-O-Prey, what application did you use?
Sorry I missed this before, they are available at RockAuto
MONROE Part # 58510
I've gotten Monroe Sensa-Track coil over shocks for the front. While installing them I found that it is tricky. They are the correct length and they match up without too much hassle, but there are two big catches. The bottom mounting holes are a little too wide and you need a smaller set of bolts and some nuts to space with. that's not too bad. The next problem was that the bottom shock mount is just barely too big to fit through the hole at the top of the shock housing. It needs a very small amount removed with a grinder to enlarge the hole. It is not a big deal since it is covered by the mounting bracket, but at the same time most people won't want to make a permaneant change like that.
Monroe Sensa-trak 58510 for Rear Eagle coil shocks, $59.79 last time I got them from Rockauto
Monroe Sensa-trak 58270 for front. $47.79 from Rockauto last time. Shipping was $8.87.