if i were to buy new air shocks for my 83 elky,would they coe with the mounting tabs (i'm not sure what to call them) or would i have to re-use mine?

If you are talking about the upper mounting tabs, yes, they will (should) come with the new ones already mounted in the bushing.

Instead of air shocks, you have want to consdier regular shocks with air lifts (bags/balloons) in the springs.

Yes the Air Lift bags are better. You are not limited in your shock selection, you can use any shock that fits.

If you do buy new air shocks, buy an extra line kit and run separate lines to each shock to dramatically reduce body roll and improve handling...believe me it works the better than the single line that allows air to shift from one shock to the other under hard turns :cool:

Yes Black Knight is absolutely right. Even with Air Lift bags it is better to run seperate air lines which is useful to preload the rear suspension.

the reason i was asking was because i got some new air shocks at a swap meet a while back and figured i could make them work. lets just say i thought wrong lol. so i went to the local boneyard and got some like new "regular" shocks off a regal. now my truck doesnt sit so crooked! :-D

Bags are the way to go.

If money is an issue, you'll probably find that air shocks are cheaper than air bags. I replaced my rear shock absorbers (1984 El Camino) with Monroe Max-air for something like $55. Plus since the car originally came with air shocks, I felt this replacing like-with-like was keeping it more true to its heritage.

Price of Air Lift bags are about the same. Since I like to drive my Elky I won't hesitate to make any modifications that make it perform better, look better, or be safer. I'm not too concerned with the way the General made it if I can improve on what they did. When my El Camino was made the technology to make rubber air bags was not as advanced as it is now. I wouldn't be surprised that if Chevy made a new El Camino today that needed an adjustable rear suspension that they wouldn't use some kind of airbag. I do know that Air Lift bags work better than air shocks because I have used both.

I had always run air shocks until about a year ago. I wished I had switched to bags long ago!

ok, so if you have a daily driver and you're not hauling anything, would you still advocate the air bags over just gas shocks and springs? is the handling of air bags just as good as a tight suspension set up of shocks and springs?

By gas shocks do you mean gas over performance shocks or air lift shocks? The air lift shocks are not a good performance choice. The gas over peformance shocks (KYB, Edelbrock, etc.) are a very good choice. The Air Lift bags are useful to adjust the rear suspension height for heavier loads and preloading the suspension for hard dragstrip launches, if you need neither go with the performance shocks and springs of your choice.

Well, I went air bags and KYB gas adjust shocks for improved launch but I'm here to tell ya, the stock air shock set up rides better and for most uses is just fine.

I've greatly improved my 60 ft times but I miss the Cadilac ride I used to have with the air shocks. You just can't have everything I guess :cool:

Yes it depends on what you're after. My Air Lift bags with Edelbrock IAS shocks and Eibach lowering springs ride ok and the handling is much improved over the stock setup.

Well, that's pretty much the answers I was looking for. In my case I'll be looking for performance improvement. Tthanks for the thoughts. :cool:

so what you all are saying is that if air bags are put on the ride is rough?
I just picked up some springs from a wagon and hope that will raise up the rear end...i was contemplating putting on air bags but i dont want a rough ride..i want a high riding look though...i have an 84 vette and the suspension on that handles great but its too rough..lol..i need a change i need smooth

Airlift airbags with KYB gas shocks is the way to go compared to airshocks.

Airlift airbags with KYB gas shocks is the way to go compared to airshocks.

Not if you want a smooth ride it isn't!

I run KYBs & airbags & I must say the ride is 10 times better than when I ran air shocks. With air shocks I run 30-35 psi all the time unless I had a load & the ride was always alittle rough. The KYBs are firm but very smooth & controled. Also handling is so much improved. I run 4-5 psi in the bags & you can't tell they are there. I run 10-15 in the bags for a heavy load & the run is still so much better than the air shocks. To me switching to bags over air shocks is a no brainer- just do it & you will see!

What kind of air pressure are you running in them? Are you using them to raise your Elky up in the back? Although they are used for a performance mod to help prevent body roll and/or to help launch the car better on takeoffs, if your using them to bring the backend up, then yes you will have a stiff ride. I'll be using the Airbags, KYB shocks, and springs out of a malibu wagon. Keep in mind that I haven't installed these yet, I belong to another board for 5th gen G-bodys (performance oriented), and of course a lot of the forums there parrallel the ones here on ECC. This setup is what seems to be working best for 5th gens. This would be the minimum, other mods like rear sway bar, boxed lower control arms and adjustable upper control arms would also increase performance and handling characteristics. The coil spring selection alone generates a lot of discussion...some guys want to lower there car, others want to raise it. Airshocks IMO are outdated from a technology standpoint. The way they're pressurized off one valve alone is wrong. When your vehicle leans into a turn, where does the pressure in the compressed shock go...into the other shock. If your going to use them set them up with separate lines. Keep in mind what works for some may not work for others. You've got to fine tune your suspension to fit your needs. What others have tried and been sucsessful or unsucsessful at, and then passing on that info to others is what this is all about and has definately helped me with what I do to my Elky, so I don't have to redo it later. 3 years ago I didn't know Jack poop about 5th gens...or give a rats butt about them either. Now I'm addicted, and spend way to much time on these boards. Time for me to go cut the lawn...well maybe in a lil while. :-D

You've got to fine tune your suspension to fit your needs. :-D


I've owned and driven 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen elkys many, many thousands of miles. And I can tell you the KYBs alone will make for a stiffer ride, air bags will also add stiffenes proportional to the inflation pressure. It's up to you to decide what you need.

There's a gozillion combinations of springs and shocks that will give different results. Be prepared to redo it, even by doing the research as you have done there's always variables that may make things different for you, so don't get frustrated and don't take what others say as gospel, find what works for you!!!

Basically, start with new bushings, whether rubber or poly, that's the most work to change and usually the most needed replacement, get that behind you and the other components are fairly easy to change and relatively cheap.

Good luck and have fun!!!

Anyone using airshocks is living in the past, people who use airshocks and say they make an El Camino ride like a Cadillac must mean a Cadillac with 4 flat tires! Performance springs, performance gas shocks (KYB, Edelbrock, etc.) and Air Lift bags are the onlu way to go.

people who use airshocks and say they make an El Camino ride like a Cadillac must mean a Cadillac with 4 flat tires!

BULL****!!!

Respectfully
Big James

OK Big James. I'm sorry you were offended.

:?

Respectfully,
Mr Apii

I am thinking about baggin my diablo i need no shocks anyways i figgure if i spend 10 times the amount of cas i will get something 10 times cooler right? well i priced out a lowering kit all around 2 inches for 700$can but im leaning towards the airbags i found a set for the g-body at this site http://www.ridetech.com/productinfo/coolride.asp full kits thought id share that with you guys the site is actually www.riderech.com but the g-body stuff is in that first one i put up

That's a nice setup, but I think what most of us are refering to when we say airbags, are the bags made by "Airlift" that run for around $80. I guess if you've got the money though, that Ride Tech system would be nice.

Yeah, those air suspensions are pretty nice but they shouldn't be confused with a performance suspension set up. They are definitely not the way to go if you want maximum performance.