Rear Shock Conversion

[Black Pearl]

The time is coming to replace my rear shocks. I was looking on Rockauto and saw they had a conversion kit. Has anyone converted their rear air shocks with non-air shocks?

Here is a pic of the conversion shocks..



Opinions on the conversion would be great

[00Beast]

The Monroe's are cheap and keep the car level no matter the load. If you had rotted lines, a bad compressor and bad shocks, then you might want to consider that. Throw in the Monroe's and fogeddaboutit. That's my $.02 on the matter.

[spidey3479]

The Monroe's are cheap and keep the car level no matter the load. If you had rotted lines, a bad compressor and bad shocks, then you might want to consider that. Throw in the Monroe's and fogeddaboutit. That's my $.02 on the matter.

I totally agree, my 88 SSE was a bear to get all of the compressor junk out of the way, but the install was very easy. I realize the install may be a little more complicated on yours, but you'll like the ride.

[00Beast]

Install is super easy. Unbolt from the top, bottom, unhook the air line, remove, reverse process. Hour and a half max, in your driveway with a jack and stands.

[01bonneSC]

Youll lose your real-time suspension if your compressor etc is working. Cushy for cruising and it pumps up for hard/fast cornering.

[SLEking]

i dont mean to hijack this thread guys but where would you get shocks like these? i know places like auto zone wouldnt sell these right?

[00Beast]

Those shocks? Or shocks for your car?

Those shocks are on RockAuto. It would've been nice if BP had posted the link, tho.

A set of shocks for your car can either be bought at AutoZone or any other parts retailer, or RockAuto.

[SLEking]

those monroes

[Black Pearl]

They are Monroes. Here is the link to them.

[00Beast]

Not worth double the price, unless your car is like I said before, shot compressor, rotted lines, etc. Just get the Max-Airs and enjoy auto leveling.

MONROE Part # 90007 for anyone who wants to look them up.

[robjr69]

I just replaced my air shocks last weekend with monroe air shocks from O'reillys..I got them for $58.00 for the pair since my neighbor owns a shop. I was quoted $74.99 which still isnt bad. The dealer wanted to charge me $260.00 each!!! I was done in over an hour and didnt even have to take the wheels off.

[00Beast]

Yup. The hardest part on mine was getting the crap out of my trunk and getting my fat butt in there, lol.

[carl]

Ok I got a very good deal awhile back on the Strutmaster's version of this same shock kit...this one (but nowhere near those prices)

http://www.strutmasters.com/buick-lesab ... n-s/71.htm

Suncore also has the same at a hefty price tag:

http://www.suncoreindustries.com/buick- ... ension.php


I had high hopes but they did not work well. The light duty coil-over shock cartridge is not designed well to work as a replacement with the stock coils and they will bottom out... and bottom out bad they did. The complete kit with the coils at Strutmasters may work, but just replacing the shocks will be a no-go (mark my words). And even with the replacement coil spring, the design of the shock dampener itself seems very 'light in the loafers' (so's to speak) with a much different travel. And the Monroe version appears to the same a direct copy of it.

I did alot of work with this a few years back and even modified a set of red Rancho shocks to replace the air shocks. Fail-boatttttttt...they fit perfect, but road like a jeep.


Save yourself alot of time and frustration and forget about it... at least until a better design arrives, if it does...

[harofreak00]

Yup. The hardest part on mine was getting the crap out of my trunk and getting my fat butt in there, lol.

You had to get in the trunk? Its pretty easy to just reach into the trunk with a 13mm socket.

[00Beast]

Reaching in there. I also had to undo the mount, but I just remember it being a relative pain for me. Like I said, that was the hardest part, and that wasn't that bad, lol.

[SLEking]

i am just making sure beore i buy these guys. these monroe shocks are NOT air shocks, but full spring only right? i do not want air shocks ever again. i've replaced my driver rear shock 8 times so far. this will be my 9th and last if i get these monroes. as long as they are not air i'm good

[willwren]

The air suspension is a calculated and designed part of the handling of the car, not just load-bearing. Your car will not handle correctly if you delete the air function.

The vast majority of cars here with FE2 suspension do not have problems with it, and when they do, it's an easy fix. I suggest not using the struts you posted, and turn this topic towards repairing your issues properly.

[Jrs3800]

I agree... The air shocks are part of the calculated system.... Without them if you loaded the car down the back end would sag... If you loaded the Trunk with groceries and the back end sank, the ELC would inflate the shocks to bring the ride back to level... Imagine if you didn't have that feature and then you added to people to the back seat... You'd really be on the ground...

Replacement is Monroe Max Air MA-822

If you have replaced air shocks that many times, then you are either doing something wrong, or there is something seriously wrong altogether...


The van in my Sig also has ELC, and it would not survive without it.... It also has Monroe Max Airs...

[SLEking]

i was told it was the junky auto zone shocks i've been buying causing this problem. i dont doubt my mechanic skills. I take my time and take all necessary precautions when working on vehicles. Are there any shocks out there that are not auto zone or oreilly's brand.. i was really hoping for a performance shock like for example edelbrock.

[00Beast]

There aren't any "performance" shocks. Get the Monroe's. Worked great on both of my SSEi's so far.