Air ride delete?

[Motorhead350]

I need another air compressor and a shop told me today the air bags can come out and springs can go in in 20 minutes. As in bags out in 20 min, new springs and place within 20 min.

Also I could put in brand new Crown Vic ones and they would be $60 for a pair.

Personally, I would rather do this than deal with the air ride every few years.

Is this possible or did the guy not know what he was talking about?

If so, who here has done it and how has it been?

Thanks!

[rauder88]

There are kits to swap springs in from Arnott and Suncore
Personal preference, I like the air springs.

[fastblackmerc]

Switching to springs takes away some of the uniqueness of the Marauder.

[stevengerard]

yes it can be done and has been done.

[lji372]

They work just fine imho

[Motorhead350]

Thanks everyone.

[CrownVictorious]

If you do choose to keep it lincolnsonline has a wealth of info

[RF Overlord]

Dom, the air springs in the Marauder are sourced from the Town Car Limo and are a significant part of the ride and handling. If you choose to install CV coil springs you will downgrade the ride and handling, plus lose the self-levelling function. If none of that matters to you, at least leave the rest of the system intact so either you or a future owner can restore it.

[Motorhead350]

If none of that matters to you, at least leave the rest of the system intact so either you or a future owner can restore it.

There will be no other owner.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

Plus if you carry any weight in the trunk it will affect your ride and height.

[stevengerard]

There will be no other owner.

never say never

[marauder410]

i have done so with the heavy duty springs, cant remember what company out of suncore or arnold but it was one of those 2 and i can say i couldnt tell much of a difference in handling and feel..

not a huge significant difference but that's just my own personal opinion...

i have done dealing with it.. so slapped heavy duty springs and dont have to worry about it anymore :beer:

[Motorhead350]

never say never

I didn't ;)

[ctrlraven]

Bought the Suncore compressor and air spring kit, $360, took me two hours replace everything. Two year warranty on the compressor and limited lifetime warranty on the air springs. I know you're set on the regular springs but just a thought for down the road to return to the RAS setup.

[EMAS]

I just purchased my 7th Panther and as such I've had all of the different suspensions. Base steel springs in my 93 and 01 GMs, 03 and 05 P71, 92 CV and MM with the HPP air springs and 92 CV with air springs. I far and away prefer the air springs preferably the HPP version but I'll take the standard air spring over either of the steel versions.

I especially like the fact that the ride and handling is not really affected by how much or how little weight is in the car. The handling of the steel spring GM's drops of dramatically when they were loaded up with passengers or junk in the trunk. The P71s are stiffer than I would like when it is lightly loaded, and can get a little skittish on rough roads with just me in it.

I also have to wonder why it is that you keep having problems with the compressor and/or springs. My 92 CV with 200K has all of it is OE components and it works just fine and I've overloaded it many times and it is seriously lowered. My other 92 also never had a single issue in over 200k.

[MarauderCyclone]

I just purchased my 7th Panther and as such I've had all of the different suspensions. Base steel springs in my 93 and 01 GMs, 03 and 05 P71, 92 CV and MM with the HPP air springs and 92 CV with air springs. I far and away prefer the air springs preferably the HPP version but I'll take the standard air spring over either of the steel versions.

I especially like the fact that the ride and handling is not really affected by how much or how little weight is in the car. The handling of the steel spring GM's drops of dramatically when they were loaded up with passengers or junk in the trunk. The P71s are stiffer than I would like when it is lightly loaded, and can get a little skittish on rough roads with just me in it.

I also have to wonder why it is that you keep having problems with the compressor and/or springs. My 92 CV with 200K has all of it is OE components and it works just fine and I've overloaded it many times and it is seriously lowered. My other 92 also never had a single issue in over 200k.

It just goes to show that you can find winners and lemons in anything.
My 2003 Marauder with 36k on it needed the Air Compressor replaced the day after I bought it...like all the others that have replaced them , it was corroided from poor drainage..or lack there of.

My dad has a 1997 Crown Vic HPP with 74k on it...at the 50k mark his Air Bags sheet the bed but the Compressor ran like a top. He got an outrageous quote from Ford to fix it while I was working out of state and he Opted for P71 Springs rather than retaining the fun bags. I drove the car last week and can't tell any difference.

My 2000 Crown Vic HPP with 84k has never had a problem in reference to a the Air Ride...at 15 years old , I consider that an accomplishment for the rubberized parts alone.

I am mindful to tell the State Inspectors or Tire Installers to disable the Air Ride in the trunk prior to lifting the car. I've caught a few whom did not know that it can damage that system and stopped them before they did lift it up.

[Motorhead350]

I have 236,000 miles and replaced it once about 4 years ago from a junkyard find.

[lifespeed]

I have 236,000 miles and replaced it once about 4 years ago from a junkyard find.

Hey you! Stay out of the junkyard! Isn't it Rock 'n Roll Damnation?

[fastblackmerc]

I have 236,000 miles and replaced it once about 4 years ago from a junkyard find.

Dom... the way you "are" with cars..... once every 4 years isn't bad.

[EMAS]

I have 236,000 miles and replaced it once about 4 years ago from a junkyard find.

So you want to change to steel because you've had to replace the compressor once and the junkyard one that probably already had a lot of miles and years on it when you put it failed. Why not head to the wrecking yard and find another used compressor. It is not that hard to replace and at least at the self serve wrecking yards around here they are only ~$40.

[justbob]

^^^ this. I bought a used one off a member because mine was getting loud. Worked perfect. Never a single issue otherwise. I would never resort to springs!


Builder Of Badassery

[cheaneyt]

Strutmasters.com has conversion kits .http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/23/13bf543c7ed78f72d994e36b4f3685 91.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/23/c723fa7d3d896377cf5263558c2ab6 fd.jpg

Sent while thinking of new mods for my 96 TC, using Tapatalk.

[Gerry24]

If you delete the the air springs, would the light (air susp)on the cluster come on???

[larryo340]

If you delete the the air springs, would the light (air susp)on the cluster come on???

Yes, but there should be a way to kill the light.....at least there was a way in the older MGM and LTC.

[justbob]

Remove the bulb..


Builder Of Badassery

[Motorhead350]

I got another compressor from a yard and it still will not kick on. Not sure if I got junk or if there is actually an issue with power getting to the unit. I'll play around for a little while, but the fuse that controls other things like backup lights is working.

We will see.

Thanks for the spring into guys.

[yjmud]

Diagnosis is your best friend

[Motorhead350]

Bad level sensor was the issue.

[fastblackmerc]

I got another compressor from a yard and it still will not kick on. Not sure if I got junk or if there is actually an issue with power getting to the unit. I'll play around for a little while, but the fuse that controls other things like backup lights is working.

We will see.

Thanks for the spring into guys.


Bad level sensor was the issue.

Problem Determination is a wonderful thing.

[Motorhead350]

At least I got the compressor for free. Helped a guy pull a hood and install it on his car at a yard. He paid for my compressor as my payment. Now I have a spare!

[J-MAN]

Bad level sensor was the issue.

Hope you got it at the scrap yard.

[fastblackmerc]

Hope you got it at the scrap yard.

That might be the only place to get one.

[tbone]

I was going to say ride height sensor but you already found it. I needed it done when my compressor went bad as well.

[MOTOWN]

My ride height sensor looks pretty bad , are these available at the dealer?

[loud2004marquis]

My ride height sensor looks pretty bad , are these available at the dealer?

Part number: 8W1Z-5359-A

[MOTOWN]

Part number: 8W1Z-5359-A

Thanks Brian!:beer:

[Motorhead350]

I have not looked for these yet. They cleaned it and the compressor started working again. Today I sagging again, time for a NEW sensor. Are these hard to come by or simple as a run to a local autopart store?

[Marauderjack]

Check the relay in the Power Box under the hood Dom.......mine played out 6 years ago!!:argue:

[Motorhead350]

Part number: 8W1Z-5359-A

This is for the while $300+ compressor BTW, not the sensor alone. Which is all I need.

Thanks though.

[MOTOWN]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR 0.TRC0.H0.Xford+8W1Z-5359-A.TRS2&_nkw=ford+8W1Z-5359-A&_sacat=0

[Motorhead350]

EDIT:
aXAU4MmMIMo

[Motorhead350]

MoTown is actually correct, I am wrong on this one.

[MOTOWN]

MoTown is actually correct, I am wrong on this one.

:eek::eek::eek:

[J-MAN]

Bargain priced too!

[RF Overlord]

They cleaned it and the compressor started working again. They who? And "cleaned" it how? It's a sealed unit.

Try the junkyards first...new ones are over $200. Any '98+ CV or GM will work.

[Motorhead350]

Apparently mine is rusty from years of non-use. By that I mean it's never had heavy loads in the trunk to make the air ride go up and down. So, it's pretty much locked into it's "usual" position. It took 4 dudes in the trunk to get the compressor to kick on, but it kicked on.

Wish I was there for the picture!

[fastblackmerc]

Maybe just take off the sensor, clean it up and reinstall it.

[Marauderjack]

Mine adjusts daily to compensate for temperature changes.......and minor load changes!!:beer:

[Motorhead350]

Maybe just take off the sensor, clean it up and reinstall it.

Yes that is the plan for now. I sprayed it with WD-40 and took a steal brush to it, but it needs to come off to get the job done right. PD-Blaster too. I have all supplies, now I need to make the time.

Thank you all.

[EMAS]

Apparently mine is rusty from years of non-use. By that I mean it's never had heavy loads in the trunk to make the air ride go up and down. So, it's pretty much locked into it's "usual" position. It took 4 dudes in the trunk to get the compressor to kick on, but it kicked on.

Wish I was there for the picture!

It moves every time you hit a bump so no it isn't rusty from years of non use unless the car hasn't been driven in that time. The computer averages the readings so it doesn't try to compensate for the normal movement of the suspension due to road irregularities.

[Motorhead350]

It moves every time you hit a bump so no it isn't rusty from years of non use unless the car hasn't been driven in that time. The computer averages the readings so it doesn't try to compensate for the normal movement of the suspension due to road irregularities.

Do you have a suggestion for a proper fix?

Or is a new sensor the only way to go?

[RF Overlord]

Dom, there is a very specific sequence of events that has to take place for the ride height to be changed...simply loading the truck won't change anything immediately.

Read this. (http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00061.html)