rear airbags Vs springs?

[cougar9150]

I was wondering about swapping my rear airbags for a spring kit. My question is a little input on the pro's and con's of this. I know this will effect my ARC and all but I'm more curious now that I've seen the Sean Hyland Kit and was wondering how this would be coupled with a set of performance shocks. I'm not a big fan of KYB but they seem to be my only option without going the Naake route. I just feel that the setup is expensive , and I have never enjoyed the ride from coilovers. This is my daily driver right now so comfort is nearly as important as handling. I plan on adding the front and rear sway bars soon so I know this will help to stiffen up everything.
Thanks for the help.

[fastblackmerc]

I was wondering about swapping my rear airbags for a spring kit. My question is a little input on the pro's and con's of this. I know this will effect my ARC and all but I'm more curious now that I've seen the Sean Hyland Kit and was wondering how this would be coupled with a set of performance shocks. I'm not a big fan of KYB but they seem to be my only option without going the Naake route. I just feel that the setup is expensive , and I have never enjoyed the ride from coilovers. This is my daily driver right now so comfort is nearly as important as handling. I plan on adding the front and rear sway bars soon so I know this will help to stiffen up everything.
Thanks for the help.

Most owners that have gone the coilover route have been very happy with the results.

[RCSignals]

Sean Hyland offers a rear spring kit? how different is it from Police Interceptor rear springs, or is he just repackaging them?

[cougar9150]

Not sure if they are his own set or repackaged. The web site says that they lower the car 30mm in the front and back. I couldn't find any Marauder parts off of his main page but if you copy and paste this link onto your web browser it will take you the page. www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/marauder.shtml (http://www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/marauder.shtml)
I haven't called or emailed anyone over at SHM to get any info on the set yet but I may go w/just the front spring kit. Still unsure though because Dennis Reinhart doesn't recommend lowering the car at all because it takes it out of alignment spec. It would be interesting to see a comparision of the SHM springs vs the Eibach kit vs the stock and see how ride quality is. I still have to mull this over since I would like to lower the car but I don't want to ruin my ride or eat up tires at a faster rate than my foot already makes me now.

[FordNut]

Do Not put in the Eibachs.

[Taemian]

Not sure if they are his own set or repackaged. The web site says that they lower the car 30mm in the front and back. I couldn't find any Marauder parts off of his main page but if you copy and paste this link onto your web browser it will take you the page. www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/marauder.shtml (http://www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/marauder.shtml)
I haven't called or emailed anyone over at SHM to get any info on the set yet but I may go w/just the front spring kit. Still unsure though because Dennis Reinhart doesn't recommend lowering the car at all because it takes it out of alignment spec. It would be interesting to see a comparision of the SHM springs vs the Eibach kit vs the stock and see how ride quality is. I still have to mull this over since I would like to lower the car but I don't want to ruin my ride or eat up tires at a faster rate than my foot already makes me now.

Ummm...if it takes the car out of alignment spec, just adjust accordingly! Life with mods is not always a "plug and play" experience. One inch isn't going to make such a difference that the variables in adjustment can't adjust for. We had armoured P71s in our DPS (Dignitary Protection Service) that did just fine with altered specs. It's just a matter of some work, and you can believe that the were "lowered", and not always by design. I have a Dennis Reinhart chip in my old take-home P71, but I'd consider talking to a few suspension folks before making a final desicion based on one source. Any speed shop that does road racers' work would be one to call.
I've heard alot of negative (and even a few positive) remarks about Eibachs, but have never experienced them firsthand, so I can't comment on them. Same with Naake, though I do plan on getting the front coil overs.

If my understanding is correct (and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)...so long as both ends are adjusted to equal proportions, only length of travel for the dampeners is affected. Ackerman geometry and all else remains the same with the exception of bumpsteer, and if you're getting toe-in changes due to bumpsteer, you've got bigger problems that need to be looked at outside of adjusting alignment specs. The MM isn't designed to carve corners like a Miata on a tight, short autocross circut. Be realistic in your expectations, and you'll find that the MM can do much more than it should, with only a few good mods.:)

[Peace2Peep]

Naake is incredible. I highly recommend it. Many options out there but none of them have the thoughtfulness and quality level of the Naake kit. I dont see it as expensive(compared to other upgrades that have no real bearing on our performance. This is an upgrade you will enjoy EVERY mile and smile that you drive...choose carefully young padawan!

Naake kit is actually cheaper than factory replacements!

[cougar9150]

I don't believe in factory replacements and I have just never enjoyed the ride of a coilover on any of my vehicles that have had it. I had the Eibach kit w/Bilstiens on my 91 Cougar (RIP) and I loved how it handled. I have heard to steer clear of the Eibach's on the Marauder though and will.
What I'm wondering though is the pro and cons or rear air spring to coil spring conversion. Has anybody done this and will the car benefit from it or would it screw up my ride? I have a rear air spring that has developed a leak and I was considering swapping to the SHM kit w/KYB's on the car. KYB's the only option beside the coilovers or Monroe's. :mad2:Plus I have never had a vehicle I did not lower some way. The SHM kit says it lowers the car 30mm front and back.

[cougar9150]

Or does anyone know a good vendor where I can find the airsprings, dryer, and what ever else I should replace at a decent price?

[FordNut]

As far as I know, we're all still running the rear airbags. I've had cars with air suspension for the past 17 years and would never change over to "regular" springs. There is a reputable vendor on ebay, just replace both airbags at the same time so you don't have to worry about a side-to-side tilt. Don't worry about the compressor and dryer, as long as it will raise the rear after you start the car, they're fine.

If you look at the OEM front springs, you'll see that they are made the same as the replacement coilovers, except they don't have the adjustments nor the performance damping.

[Master]

You had armoured P71s? How cool is that? Can you describe them?

[Drock96Marquis]

I would not remove the air springs in favor of coils, the load leveling feature is very useful if you carry extra passengers or cargo.

You can replace just the leaking air spring, or both. Replacing just one will not effect side to side height. I suggest installing new o-rings on the solenoid once removed from the air spring as well.
Make sure to spray everything down with soapy water to confirm the leaking component.


www.arnottindustries.com (http://www.arrnottindustries.com) sells replacement after market air springs reasonably priced. The air springs are interchangeable for the Town Car, Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Marauder, so don't worry that there is not a Marauder specific replacement listed. Arnott makes all their panther air springs with the 'HPP' spring rate, this is slightly stiffer than the 'base' rate used on non-HPP CV/GMs w/ RAS and Town Cars w/o Touring or Limo package. The Marauder uses the HPP rate air springs from the factory, so this is a direct replacement with the same performance.




If you want to lower the rear of the car, simply adjust the height sensor!

[cougar9150]

Another question then, I know alot of parts are interchangable from the CV and GM to the MM. Are the airbags the same, what about the dryer? How hard is it do do yourself? I do most of my work myself but just want a heads up on anything that I might keep my I out for when I'm doing it. I'm still considering the Naake kit, but like I said Dennis recommended not lowering the car (which I'm doing anyway) but he also said he didn't like the Naake kit. That is why I'm second guessing myself on its purchase.

[cougar9150]

Duh see above right :thanks:. Maybe I should keep reading before I reply. Okay I will keep the airbags because I was wondering how it would ride w/me and 3 buddies in my car w/all of our golf bags in the trunk w/the springs. Thanks for the help on that. I will still have to mull over the Naake kit. Since my airbag is leaky I don't have the same budget I did. If I go w/KYBs I can get the sway bar kit and new brakes and replace my air bags

[cougar9150]

Got both airbags($69 ea), o-rings($10 set), and and a dryer($30) for $200 plus tax from Suncore They charge a $25 core on the airbags. Airbags have a 2 year warranty, not as good as Arnott Industries theirs have a lifetime warranty just are $30 more each. Limited budget now since I wasn't expecting to have my airbags go.

[OneBADLsE]

I drove a members' car with coil overs...QA1's to be exact. LOVED IT!!!!!

[merc6]

Those with the kit, are you running single or double adj fronts? Wondering casue I need shocks and figured why not get single adj.

[99SVT]

Just FYI, I emailed SHM about a year ago and the only Marauder specific parts they still have are the sway bars.

[cougar9150]

Same reply I got and it only took them a month and a half. There are already certain vendors I will not use because of their lack of effort communicating, or extremely slow response.:mad2:I deal w/customers myself all the time, and I'm always willing to take the time to answer a few questions. There are more than enough vendors out there for me to get my stuff from and if some one doesn't have time to offer some advice or suggest an alternative to a product they say they don't like then I just won't deal w/them. :shake:
I already got my airbags and have them installed, I just ordered the full KYB front and rear shock setup(w/front mounts), and a set of slotted/cross drilled cryo-treated stock size rotors ($350 for both axles). If anyone is looking for a good set of slotted/cross drilled rotors that will last; PM me and I will forward the info of the guy I get these from.