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Air shocks

Mustanglvr

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
3,258
I have air shocks on my GT/CS. I can put air into them and 6 hours later the air has leaked out. It has been that way since I got it. I put air in them 4 days ago and it has`nt leaked out. It has done this before. The temperature here in Minnesota has been pretty much the same so I don`t think that would do it, so why do they hold air sometimes and sometimes they don`t? Is there anyway to repair the leak? Can a person put "Fix a Flat" in them? I know it might sound like a dumb idea but I had to ask. Rhonda
 

nfrntau

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
1,020
Location
Rosharon, Texas
Rhonda,
My 67 had air shocks, never had a problem like that.

My only recommendation would be to check the pressure when you fill them. When you know they are leaking again, get a spray bottle of soapy water and spray all the fittings and seals from the valve stems along the tubing to the shocks. If you have a small leak it will make bubbles. Spray inside the end of the stem also.
A little freshwater from your hose will quickly clean any left over soap.
Same as you would do to check you gas system in your home. (just wouldn't use the hose to clean it up.. lol)
 

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
True, air shocks are a PITA and they usually ride like a truck but they offer one thing that no one has been able to duplicate. They let you easily adjust the height of the rear of the car to achieve the perfect stance. Not too high, and not too low, just right. Even if you have a couple 250 pound drinking buddies in the back seat you can just add some air the shocks and you're still looking good. 8)
 

390cs68rcode

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
[quote author=Mosesatm link=board=1;threadid=1665;start=0#msg10260 date=1115583410]
True, air shocks are a PITA and they usually ride like a truck but they offer one thing that no one has been able to duplicate. They let you easily adjust the height of the rear of the car to achieve the perfect stance. Not too high, and not too low, just right. Even if you have a couple 250 pound drinking buddies in the back seat you can just add some air the shocks and you're still looking good. 8)
[/quote]

here is the bad part of your scenario:

With 2 Bubba's in the back and the air lets go on the freeway you will have horrible tire rubbing. This should shread your rear tires and maybe even do some damage to the quarter panel. Been there done that(without the 2 Bubbas)............once.
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
I wouldn't put fix a flat in but the soap and water trick will work. The offending leak is probably in one of the fittings. I'd make sure they are all tight first. By the way, are you using one air valve or two? If using one with a "T" to both shocks, the air will move from your low side shock to the high side in a corner, accentuating body roll. Put in another valve and the air will stay put and if one is leaking, you've eliminated half the stuff to check.
Steve
 
P

PNewitt

Guest
I had air shocks, too from about 1977-82. What a pain! Speed bumps are killer!

One time my car "fell" down in the back, 'cause the exhaust burned through the neoprene hose!! AAHH!! I think they make air shock replacement hose kits?? THe soap idea is a great one. Try it.

I know why you used them--like me--to get the ride height back up to a fairly normal position. Stock (or KYB, etc.,) shocks won't help.

The bottom line (no pun) is to get some replacement rear leaf springs. It's an all-afternoon job, but well worth it. Worn springs are kinda dangerous, because it makes the car drive funny, like a three-legged dog.

The extended rear shackle idea isn't any better, and I find it looking kinda tacky.

my two bits.

Paul N.
 

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
I'm certainly not saying the air shocks are perfect. Shoot we've listed a number of problems with them in the earlier posts. And I will not have them on any of my future cars, but they have their place in the world. For a 17 year old high school kid with a beat up old California Special, very little cash, and a friend with a 18' ski boat, they were the perfect solution. Hoop up the boat, add some air, some ice, and some, refreshments and we were set for the weekend. A yellow and white ski boat hooked up to a Highland Green GT/CS is a pretty picture. But I digress......

And, yet I had problems with them just like everyone else has problems with them. The first day out I lost air (tail pipe) and sliced both brand new tires. An hour rolling the inner edges of the wheel arches took cars of any future air losses, but of course that was like closing the barn door after horse got out because I never lost air again for the next 10 years.

Ouch, the horse analogy brings up a painful memory. My old GT/CS and I had a close encounter of the big brown horse kind once. Dark road, dark brown horse, weak old Mustang headlights. The horse was smack dab in the center of the road. Swerved left but not quite far enough. Broke the windshield, tore off the drivers side mirror and the scoop, and wrinkled the whole left side of the car. The horse just walked away.

Found the horse and the horse's owner the next day. The horse's owner just built a new fence the day before and he couldn't figure out how the horse broke through it so easily. He nailed the horizontal boards to the OUTSIDE of the posts instead of the inside.
 

nfrntau

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
1,020
Location
Rosharon, Texas
I never had any problems with the air shocks on my Mustang. That was back in 77. Mine had separate hoses also.
Using technology of today, my opinion is also go with some nice KYB or similar shocks and use new springs to adjust your ride hieght.
I have been looking at the Edelbrock IAS series shocks.
The jury is still out as to me using the original springs or not. They did not appear to be bad and the car sat level (side to side) and did not sag.
 

jc68gtcs

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
77
Rhonda, do us all a favor and go into your garage and gather up all the fix-a-flat that you have and take it directly to the trash can.. They really shouldn't sell that stuff and it certainly doesn't belong inside of a tire, let alone air shocks.. Hope I didn't offend anyone, god that was fun...
 

jc68gtcs

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
77
I should be ashamed, but I'll bite.. What is LMAO.. Geez, I'm a computer guy, I oughta be up on these acronyms...
 

hookedtrout

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
1,929
Location
Idaho
[quote author=jc68gtcs link=board=1;threadid=1665;start=0#msg10318 date=1115694234]
Rhonda, do us all a favor and go into your garage and gather up all the fix-a-flat that you have and take it directly to the trash can.. They really shouldn't sell that stuff and it certainly doesn't belong inside of a tire, let alone air shocks.. Hope I didn't offend anyone, god that was fun...
[/quote]

No offense taken but I have several cans around and I'm keeping them. Both my ATV's have cans in the soft bags (don't want to be stranded in the Rockies) and after taking my riding lawnmower tire in to be repaired 3 times at the local tire store and finding it flat again the next time I went to mow I filled it up with Fix a Flat and it hasn't been flat now for 2 years. The stuff has its place, however air shocks isn't one of them. And tires stores hate it if they have to take apart a Fix a Flat tire...oh well, fix it right the first time and I won't fill it with Fix a Flat. ::)

Hook
 

jc68gtcs

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
77
My mistake, Rhonda, whatever you do, don't throw that out, please send all of your fix a flat to hook... LMAO big time...
 

PB gtcs

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2003
Messages
161
Here are my two cents worth on Air Shocks. The rear shock towers (not the correct term, but where the shocks hook to the rear underside of the body) on our car were badly cracked and broken when we began our restore. To the point we had to rebuild them completely with fabricated material. We spoke to previous owner who said he had air shocks to raise up the rear so he could put wide tires on the car. He hit some really big bumps and broke the area where the shocks connect. He said that today, he would not do that afraid those air shocks would come up through the rear floor.

As you know, that is just under the rear seat. Now, no one here said they were going to really jack the car up, but we would be very concerned putting air shocks on a car with age that may have some rust or cracks where the shocks attach to the car. My advice is to be careful and not put too much air in the shocks that would not allow them to have some travel. Otherwise, dont put anyone you really care about in the back seat. They may be wearing an air shock in an area where the sun dont shine if an unsuspecting speed bump were to present itself.

Sorry for the long post.

Brian
 
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OP
Mustanglvr

Mustanglvr

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
3,258
Wow, thanks for the information Brian. Sounds like it could make for a serious problem. The air finally went out of my shocks last night after 6 days and driving it in the rain yesterday. If I don`t keep air in them it sounds like it is bottoming out. They are a pain. I`m gonna have them yanked out of there first chance I get. I`m getting tired of people thinking I`m crazy when I pull up to the gas station air hose and crawl under the back end to put air in them. Its right under the back bumper by the tail pipe. I guess being a female they think I don`t know where to put air in the tires. I had some guy try to tell me I was putting air in the wrong place for the tires, Geez. Rhonda
 

390cs68rcode

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
I had some guy try to tell me I was putting air in the wrong place for the tires,


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