Im looking for a good set of rear shocks i can use with out having to buy airbags. Proboably gonna tow an occasional car every once in a while. But also its going to be a primary ride as well. I see alot of guys run the aftermarkets WITH airbags. Does that mean theres not much of a choice when going without airbags?

There are lots of quality shocks available. A shock will not give you a level ride with a lot of tongue weight on your hitch unless you use an air shock that you can pump up when you add a load.

whats a good brand of air shocks to install. I have heard monroe a few times but is there anything better?

anyone anyone..bueller..bueller.

I think any of the name brands will offer a decent air shock, I've used Monroe in the past with good results.

Do yourself a favor and use airbags instead of air shocks. Ride quality and handling will be better and hauling loads of variable sizes will be better over the long haul. I base my opinion on experience. I've used both.

I'll second that, go with air bags. It doesn't have to be a fancy system. Airlift makes a set that will fit inside your existing coil springs that act simply as overloads. They can be filled with a normal tire valve at any gas station, or you can install a compressor and have it all at the flick of a switch.

Devin

looks good..i always thought airbags were ultra expensive..but thats not too bad a price.

anyone have pics of there airbags?

Give the el camino store a ring-I just got a new bags/1 in drop springs for the rear. The also give you a discount for being a member here.. :-)

i use kyb shocks in the rear.......they're not bad, but no ride height adjustment

I was looking at a set of airbags by a compayny called airlift the set im looking at are called..airbag 2600 300psi extreme air suspension. would those work ?

I use AirLift 1000's. $60.00 approx. Follow the link to my gallery.

awesome looks like im sold on the airbags..Now just have to decide on the right sort of shocks to stick back there. I had quite a few brands i use to mess with when i had my vette. I think the concept is different when it comes to this elco though. I kinda like bilsteins my offroad buddies run the kybs...whats a good set for the rearends of elcaminos with airbags.

It tends to be very much up to the individual and intended use, but I can pass along some guidelines. Your air bags will likely call for a minimum of 10 psi, which will stiffen the unloaded ride a little bit. If you simply use it for driving around town, I might go a little soft on the rear shocks. If you're trying to enhance handling with a load, go heavy duty, KYBs or equivalent.

Devin

The air bags are the way to go. The only disadvantage of air bags is that they can make your Elky feel like a pogo stick in the rear if you have cheap shocks. I went with the Bilstiens and I have not regretted it at all. A friend went with cheap shocks for his Elky and his wife will not ride with him anymore since he installed the air bags.

Go one small step further. It does not cost anything extra except time. Run the pressure lines separately. That way if you need to add height to one side or the other it is easy.

i plan on towing a car or two ever once in a while. But for the most part it will be a daily driver. I will always have that occasional can you help me with something becuse you have atruck sort of thing. SO i just want to be ready all around. I want to be as close as i can to having the best of both worlds. Nice easy ride unloaded..but stability when loaded..

the guy selling these on ebay says they would work on an elcamino too just curious to know what you all thing.

ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3APIC&viewitem=&item=330039615219&rd=1,1)

From what I understand these are not what you're looking for. They replace the springs in a full air suspension. If I understand correctly you're looking for a stock ride, with heavy duty capabilty on occasion. If so, stick with your stock springs, a stock type shock and AirLift bags inside your springs. This I believe will give you what you are after, inexpensively.

That perticular air bag is used on cement trucks which I sell for $85.00 each.

Here is the pt# for the airlift one i have 60733 and the phone number is 1-800-248-0892 or www.airliftcompany.com . Mine work great.

just ordered the airlift airbags 60733..do any of you run the kit that goes with it or do you just fill it up with a regular air compressor like at the gas station.

Do the airbags just slip between the coils?

Just fill them from a any compressor, like at a gas station. Yes they just slip through the coils and end up trapped inside the spring, easy install.

do any of you run the kit that comes with the gauges and compressor that fills the airbags?

No, too expensive for the few times a year that I inflate or deflate my bags, besides if I need to inflate them out on the road the cheap little 12volt tire inflator I carry in the smuggler's box does a good job.

cool..thanks for the info. What sort of shocks do you run mama mayhem

Right now I'm running KYB Gas-a-Just on all four corners, but I'll probably change to QA1 Stocker Star ALs as they're more adaptable to the drag racing that I do.

I Just Bought The Monroe Air Shocks. Not Even Think'n Of The Air Bags! Can You Run Both? (Air Shocks & Air Bags)

Yes, but why?

Mrapii P:I'm A Carpenter And Somtimes I Gotta Put A Leavy Load In The Back

Yes, but why? Reason being is if you run both, and they're both pressurized, it'll feel like your butt is riding on a rock. Run the airbags, (they're better than airshocks) and since you already have new airshocks installed just run minimal if any air in them. I've never been a fan of airshocks. Keep in mind that even though an Elky is considered a truck, it's built on a car frame, and overloading the frame can cause the car to buckle in the center. An Elky does not have the load capacity anywhere near that of even a half ton pickup truck. I not sure of what the max capacity is (and I wouldn't want to find out the hard way on my Elky) but I would guesstimate that 650lbs is close, and that's not a whole lot of lumber. If your in a business that requires you to carry heavy loads often, I suggest you not use your Elky and look for a used 3/4 or 1 ton pickup. I'm lucky enough to have a small (Elky), medium (Z-71) and large truck (GMC 6000 dumptruck). My parents didn't buy me enough Tonka toys when I was a kid, (no I didn't play with dolls either) and my psychiatrist says now I'm making up for my childhood inadequacies. :lol:

Mrapii, No I'm Not Talk'n About That Kind Of Weight. The Most Iv'e Put In It Is My Bike 550lbs Maybe, As For Work Maybe 3-4 Hundred Lbs. And That Sounds Like A Good Idea, To Run Both. I Can Always Put Air In The Shocks When Needed!

I Can Always Put Air In The Shocks When Needed!If you need that much it'll be like riding on no suspension in the back. Install the airbags, inflate them with 10-15 psi at first to see how they effect height, adjust accordingly. Bleed the airshocks off and just use them as regular shocks to control the dampening effects of the road. No need to inflate both, it'll never be needed and you sure won't like the ride...way too stiff!

Also Got Body Mounts Problem. Order'd Them.Will Get Them Any Day Now.Any Knowlege Of Them. I Think I Got A Couple Of Broken Bolts. Do You Need To Go Through The Floor Pan To Get At Them? :?