Air shocks on 210?

[metalmonkey47]

So out of sheer luck, at work tonight I ran across a set of adjustable air shocks on the shelf at Autozone. They appear to have identical mounts, although I haven't measured and confirmed yet. They are Gabriel 49205. I was going to make measurements and try them out. I figured, for $64 for the set why not?

 

Now, I am kind of skeptical. My dad told me a story about his Cuda he had back in the day that he installed air shocks on and ended up ripping out the top mount several times because it rode super stiff and ended up having to have a shop weld in a steel brace because it was destroying the body.

 

Do you guys see that as being an issue here? Or would it be safe to use these, assuming they mount up okay and clear the body.

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2011 by metalmonkey47

[ggzilla]

Well seeing as how the standard Gabriel B210 gas shocks are too stiff for a B210... these will be good for carrying heavy loads where they will be useful. But for normal load I guess you can remove the air pressure.

[Master-O-Turbonics]

Maybe throw some extra washers on the top and bottom mounts to spread the load if you are really worried about the chassis... I don't know your rust situation on your B310.... rust and stiff suspension don't mix too well. Learned that the hard way on my Z car.

[metalmonkey47]

My car is actually nearly ZERO on the rust, although washers may help. I would like to have an adjustable suspension on the rear, but I'm not sure if I want to compromise the body for that one benefit.

[Radim]

Depends on the PSI in the struts, I keep mine at 25 when cruising around town, and air it up to 125 when hauling stuff,

 

When it's at 25 it's soft, when it's at 125 they are pretty damn stiff.

 

(On a 620)

[78B210GTX]

I had got some air shocks for free from a datsun 720 pickup I bought for $100 bucks. still have them and this sounds like a good idea to stiffen the rear. Im pretty sure the ones i have will fit too! I was also thinking about mounting so coil over springs in the rear just above the leaf springs for extra strength?

[metalmonkey47]

Well, my biggest reason for using them is to get an adjustable rear suspension on the car.

 

I'm gonna go ahead and spend the money on the Ground Control kit in the next few weeks, but I need to be able to adjust the rear ride height along with the front.

 

Not sure how easy rear coilovers would be.

[78B210GTX]

Rear Leaf springs creat slop and sway.

My idea to make the rear suspension stiffer. Weld a spring seat and a round tube to the underside of the body in order to hold a spring to the body. Then weld a spring seat and a round tube to the U bolts and or use the factory bump stop if its strong enough instead of round tubing? Then zip tie the spring to the tubes loosely to give slack for suspension, however keeping the springs attached. Its either that or cutting out the whole rear floor and suspension and put a 79 founr link floor and suspension in it!?! I might as well try to fab up the four link leaf idea when I go to lower it here in the next week or two! :D :D