Air or coil overs?

Need a bit of advice as to which springs to put in my 1A2. Last year I put monroe severe service shocks up front, and have a pair of rears to go with them that I never got around to installing. After hauling it's new axle around in the back, its riding a bit low and want to help it handle loads now. My oiriginal idea was to pull the air shocks out of the rear of my 9C1 being that I will never use that for towing, and put them in the 1A2. The sticker on the hitch says they are Air Lifts, but I thought they only made bags, these are white air shocks.
And now I have another option. I picked up locally a set of 4 monroe coil overs for all 4 corners from a guy who had them on his OCC (which he sold and the buyer donked the crap out of it, so sad). They only have a few hundred miles on them. I was thinking of putting all 4 of these on the 1A2, but wonder which way to go is better.

Got any info on the coilovers? Part numbers, etc?

I'm interested.

The fronts are sensatrac load adjusters 58263

http://catalog.monroe.com/catalogPart/monroePartSearchFromECatalog.do?partKey=216460&partNumber=58263&catalogKey=313&methodName=initialiseMonroe&catalogCode=monroe&locale=EN&loadStatus=ACTIVE

The rears are sensatrac load adjusters 58574

http://catalog.monroe.com/catalogPart/monroePartSearchFromECatalog.do?partKey=216494&partNumber=58574&catalogKey=313&methodName=initialiseMonroe&catalogCode=monroe&locale=EN&loadStatus=ACTIVE

I knew the rear coil overs existed, never heard of the front ones until now.

I always thought the Sensa-Tracs give a really soft ride.


Hmmm....

Be careful putting coilovers on the front. There are only the bolts holding the shock to the arm from the bottom. If you put a lot of weight on them, they are liable to break/tear out of the arm. There was a thread on this topic on the ISSF.

I've heard bad things about those Monroe coil overs for the rear. I'd suggest the Gabriel ones:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Gabriel-Load-Carrier-Shock-Strut-Rear/1993-Chevrolet-Caprice/_/N-izlezZ8oxxx?counter=7&itemIdentifier=101022_77458_7413_

We use them in our '96 Fleetwood hearse when the air compressor gave up the ghost and GM quoted us like $1250 to replace it.

Then again, I'd also just say the Moog cargo coils and regular shocks, that got my ride up about 1.5 inches in the back and made it nice and firm, but still soft on bumps.

Any body ever thought about the next generation self leveling shocks?
just wondering,.

I'm only asking about these because I have them and they were cheap. I went with Gabriels in my RMW and love them. Maybe I should just throw these in my OCC as its air shocks are leaking, and stick the air ones in my 1A2.

phantom 309 wrote:

Any body ever thought about the next generation self leveling shocks?
just wondering,.

Have any info on these?

95BRMW wrote:

phantom 309 wrote:

Any body ever thought about the next generation self leveling shocks?
just wondering,.

Have any info on these?

I have them on this minivan we just got,. interesting,..


http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/Article/48215/nivomat_shock_absorbers_selfleveling_monotube_ride_control_units.aspx

Nick

phantom 309 wrote:

95BRMW wrote:

phantom 309 wrote:

Any body ever thought about the next generation self leveling shocks?
just wondering,.

Have any info on these?

I have them on this minivan we just got,. interesting,..


http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/Article/48215/nivomat_shock_absorbers_selfleveling_monotube_ride_control_units.aspx

Nick

Nice, I also have those on my van (same as yours). For the last 5 years I've had it, I've NEVER seen it sit low, and I've put some really heavy stuff in that van; lawn tractors, lumber, cement, 8 people, etc. So I would say that the newer self-leveling type shocks are definitely robust, and maintain a very level ride. If these exist for our wagons, It'd be a good option.