Why air Ride ?

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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by defrang »

Air suspension is awesome for changes in loads. When I used to mountain bike a lot with my friends, I would have 4-5 bikes on the back connected to a tow hitch plus a car full of people. So the shocks and springs were not taking it well. Then I added air shocks to the rear of that 65 sedan which I pumped up right before use and then deflated if I was riding in the car alone. Worked very well.

But the use of air suspension in 60s Lincolns now is about laying the car down on its rails. It looks good but it doesn't ride as well as leafs, springs, shocks. At least that's what I hear from virtually all that do it.

I put new leafs and springs in from Eaton along with new shocks. Thats as close to original as I could get and I think it is spectacular. That was on my last 65 sedan. I have not done that to my 65 convertible yet. But its on the list. Maybe when the kids are through college.
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by TonyC »

In Europe and Asia many cars have a diesel. Even small cheap cars.
Well, can't speak for Asia—they're not all that emission-conscious, anyway—or for most of Europe; but I know in Germany diesel cars are not all that common...probably even less so since that Volkswagen scandal several years ago. I also know that there isn't much demand there for cars that are more than 10, maybe 15, years old; they just don't have the appreciation for oldtimers that we have. Funny, they appreciate antique everything-else, but not cars. There are a few who do, but they are far fewer there than here, even on a proportional scale.

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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by stevedrums »

There is, of course, only one reason for air ride in our Lincolns: cosmetics
minimal wheel gap is a common thing to desire in a car, aesthetically. realistically, it's hard to achieve in our cars without airbags because of scraping due to the wheelbase
it allows you to lower the car to an extreme level while raising as necessary for obstacles.
airbags will ride better than shorter, stiffer lowering springs
if you don't like it, you don't have to say anything. it's not your car
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by JimA »

Got to allow pro and con discussion but it can be done without insulting the cars or owners. Some like original; some like customized. It's all good, in my opinion, if people are enjoying their old Lincolns.
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by LithiumCobalt »

I’m all for people doing what they want with their cars. In my experience, though, usually customizers get butthurt when they find out that someone doesn’t like their choice of style. My car is the way it is because it’s the way I like it, not because of what anyone else approves of. I own it, so all that matters is that I like it. If others like it, great. If others dislike it, that’s OK too. Just because someone doesn’t like someones else’s car doesn’t mean they are banned from having an opinion. If someone asks, I'll give them an honest answer. That doesn't mean one has permission to be an asshole about their opinion, though. I probably crossed the line when I said I think slammed cars belong in junkyards. In a lot of cases, societal norms have shifted to protect people from being offended by suppressing free speech. I'll never support that position. My two cents.
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by stevedrums »

au contraire, it is usually the purists that get butthurt. it's even in some people's forum signatures ;)

a subtle dig at our forum admin pls dont ban me
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by LithiumCobalt »

I wouldn’t exactly call his signature butt-hurt, but OK.
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by TonyC »

That makes two of us, Nick! :character-beavisbutthead:

In the end, I think it's only a matter of preference, not really because of one configuration being superior to the other. I've already posted my personal preference. Other owners have the liberty to do with their cars as they please. But, when it comes to selling those cars as most would do in the end anyway, that could have an impact on the value/selling price, depending on the preferences of the prospective customers.

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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by papawayne »

Lucy! You got a lottta 'splainin' to do...What the heck is butthurt, or whatever you guys are talking about? Am I that old? Wayne
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by LithiumCobalt »

Here you go, Wayne:
74A0D68D-91BD-496C-9C81-371293196F70.jpeg
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by George W »

I didn't realize that air ride was such a controversial subject. I was mainly curious if those folks who have added air ride to their cars did it for an improvement in ride quality, load leveling, for the look of a lower riding height or just for the slammed look.
I would think that the best ride quality, irrespective of suspension design would be when the car is at the designed in ride height where the suspension has an equal amount of up and down travel. I had an 86 Mark VII LSC that I bought brand new. It rode comfortably but on the firm side. I now have as a daily driver a Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit with the air suspension. It rides nice but I don't really find that it rides any differently than a buddy with a similar Jeep GC that has the standard spring suspension.
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by papawayne »

Thanks, Nick, that's a new one on me...maybe I am that old. Wayne
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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by rick »

I'm learning new things here all the time. Butt-Hurt!

We never see air-ride customs up here in Eastern Canada. I do see them in movies though. I kind of thought air- suspension cars, cruising around in a lowered position was mainly a USA west coast phenomenon. Am I very far off base??

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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by action »

Likely why there are not many in Northern States
Snow and pot holes

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Re: Why air Ride ?

Post by LithiumCobalt »

Glad to be able to decipher some modern slangity-speak for you guys. :)
Last edited by LithiumCobalt on Sun Apr 19, 2020 8:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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