86 Fleetwood FWD rear shock ?

[JoeBleed]

Ok. I have been given a 86 fleetwook FWD and am going through some repairs before i start driving it. starting from the rear and working my way foward so...
In looking for replacement shock/struts i have found most places (local stores) don't have the ones for the Air leveling system. now i was wondering if i should try converting it to reguler shocks or would it sag? I am also looking for some recomendations for stiff, if possible, rear shocks with the Air leveling ability.

Recomendations and retailers for all front and rear suspension parts that are either oem equal replacements or better would be helpfull.

Thanks.

[Max2001]

Originally Posted by JoeBleed

Ok. I have been given a 86 fleetwook FWD and am going through some repairs before i start driving it. starting from the rear and working my way foward so...
In looking for replacement shock/struts i have found most places (local stores) don't have the ones for the Air leveling system. now i was wondering if i should try converting it to reguler shocks or would it sag? I am also looking for some recomendations for stiff, if possible, rear shocks with the Air leveling ability.

Recomendations and retailers for all front and rear suspension parts that are either oem equal replacements or better would be helpfull.

Thanks.

I would contact your local Cadillac parts department & ask them for advice first off. I know that they (the manufacture) are only required (by law) to carry parts for a certain model of vehicle for 10 years. Next I would ask them to suggest your best alternitive should they not carry the load leveling shocks (ie:Monroe sensetrack, regular shocks or heavy duty). If your not satisifed, go to some auto parts stores such as Autozone, Pep Boys etc & find out what they recommend or if you have a regular mechanic, ask his advice or replacement suggestions. Hope this helps.

[Katshot]

To be honest, if the car sags with non-airshocks, you should replace the springs anyway. The airshocks SHOULD NOT be carrying the car. They are only there for when you increase the load substantially.

[JoeBleed]

Ok. well it has been a while and i have found a solution. just didn't post back to say it. took about 4 days to find though. autozone and advance auto don't have the air leveling shocks. nor do they seem to be able to get them. don't have a pep boys near here. but do have a napa. they pulled thourgh. I got the regal ride (made by monroe) for 43 apeice. oh, and oddly enough they came with new strut mount bushings as well. something advance charges 22 something apeice. i have also bought all new busshings and rear tire rod ends and ball joints for the rear as well. what sucks is i bought a front end rebuild kit from PST alot cheaper than i picked up the parts for the rear. and i have not yet compared the parts to see if they are the same but all the local parts stores list different parts from the front and the rear. now i get to throw it all together. (i am my own mechanic)

If any one else has sugestions or coments please feel free to post. i will try and keep up.
thanks.
oh. does anyone know the length of the rear springs when they are uncompresed (no weight on them) mine are 15" i don't even rember if the car saged or not before. i have had it off the ground for a while waiting on parts. i am going to be ticked if i get it all done and then need to replace the springs later.

[Astroman]

If you have finished this, could you please let me know how the car rides with the new air shocks, and how difficult the change was? I have a girlfriend with an '86 sedan Deville which has a problem with the air system, donno anything about it but I'm trying to figure out a solution..

Thanks.

[JoeBleed]

No Havent finished this one yet. but i have done it before on my 2door Deville about 5 years ago.. to just replace the rear shocks isn't too hard. After you get the wheel off it is only 2 bolts that hold the botom to the back of the drumb assembly and 2 bolts at the top that you have to get to from with in the trunk. you may or may not have to remove the rear speakers to make it easy. you don't need to remove them to do it just makes it easy. make sure you are able to put a jack under the control arm after you jack the car up and start removing bolts from the shock. It will keep the spring from slamming the control arm down when the last bolt is removed. Also the shocks o got were the regal ride version from NAPA autoparts that came with a new mount for the top. with that you may or may not have to redrill the top mounting holes for the bigger studs to fit. I have already done this on the curent care and that was easy. the instructions that came with the shoks tell you exactly what sie bit to use.
The NAPA part number for the shoks i used is 201961 this is the one for air suspension. NAPA was the only local place here i could find that actualy could get some. Oh. just so you know the NAPA regal ride i have look just like Monroe shoks. the box even looks exactly like Monroe so you can get eatehr one. the regal ride, if i rember right, only cost me $53 apice were as the Monroe named ones were $80 something apiece.

Hope this helped. If you have any more questions let me know. I am curently slowly replacing all busshings and wearable parts that are on the suspinsion and that is partly what is taking so long.

Originally Posted by Astroman

If you have finished this, could you please let me know how the car rides with the new air shocks, and how difficult the change was? I have a girlfriend with an '86 sedan Deville which has a problem with the air system, donno anything about it but I'm trying to figure out a solution..

Thanks.