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Load leveler problems; 1975 Fleetwood Brougham

Started by Richard Paley #1066, March 01, 2005, 11:21:29 AM

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Richard Paley #1066

I rather not restore the failed load leveling system but try other means to get the car back to its proper rear height off the ground.  Im thinking of purchasing Deville rear coil springs specified for sedans without load leveler, and instlling deville gas shocks as well.  Does anyone know if this would work - or have other suggestions (would 75 Deville rear springs fit the 75 Fleetwood Brougham)?  Thanks for your help.
Richard Paley
vassi@optonline.net

Steve Preston #16375

Not sure exactly what component has failed you but we can probably help you repair it. With that said, heres how I dealt with my 76 Eldo leveler problems:

When i purchased it, an original owner had removed the vacuum operated compressor and installed an electric compressor which didnt work. I tired to repair it to no avail and a replacement was a couple of hundred $$$. There was an auxiliary air tank installed under my windshield washer bottle for the electric pump so I didnt need to locate one (the original compressors have their own tank).

I had installed air shocks on my 68 convertible and a manual compressor setup from a guy on EBay. His setup is a vacuum compressor, a gage & control dial, tubing & fittings. Just install the compressor under the hood, hook up vacuum to it, hook up the compressed air discharge to the gage/controller & from it to the shocks. You dial in the pressure setting you want on the dial and it sets the shocks. Whenever you need to raise or lower the shock height you just change the setting. It works great.

So..I installed the compressor in my Eldo, hooked up the vacuum & its discharge to the storage tank & from the tank to the leveler. Eldo now controls the ride height automatically.

The guy goes by ALCFX on EBay. At the moment he doesnt have any of these setups on EBay but if you contact him, hell probably sell you one. Its about $69.95 called JAC PAC, heres a recent auction for one that just ended: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4524669446&category=34200 TARGET=_blank>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4524669446&category=34200

Oh yeah, give me a plug & tell him that Steve Preston sent you to him. Hes a real helpful guy and a Caddy man.

Bob Dziewit

I agree those mid-seventies load leveling systems are more trouble than they are worth.  I have replaced the rear springs on both my 74 Coupe deVille with non-leveling suspension and my 76 Fleetwood which has the self-leveling suspension and Im nearly certain those springs would interchange.  However, as an alternative I would recommend a set of conventional air shocks with the Schrader valve discreetly mounted in the trunk rather than the spring change you are considering.  The DeVille springs might not lift the heavier Fleetwood body as much as you would like and the air shocks are easily adjustable and they cost less than new springs.  The gas charged shocks do not have sufficient gas pressure to change the ride height.  I use about 45 psi in the air shocks on the Fleetwood.  I also found out the hard way that new Fleetwood springs will not correct the ride height if the self-leveling system is not working.  I can also tell you that removing these springs is not as straight forward as it might seem.  The rear suspension does not have enough travel to let the spring decompress by simply disconnecting the shocks.  You have to disconnect the drive shaft, the upper suspension arms and the brake hose fron the axle in order to drop the axle far enough to let the spring out.  Be carefull with how much you lower the axle and you wont have to diconnect the brake hose from the brake lines.  All this sounds worse than it is, so dont be disscouraged.

Richard Paley #1066

Thanks for responding,Bob. I was trying to avoid air shocks as I understood they were hard riding and tend to fail after a short period of time.  Have you had that experience with yours?

Richard Paley #1066

Thanks for responding, Steve.  Im going to follow your advice not to change the springs and utilize conventional gas shocks. But rather than the dial-up system you mentioned, I may go with conventional shocks - unless I can repair the original load leveler.

Mike #19861


 The stock Fleetwood springs will not hold up the back of the car on their own, they need the assist from the air shocks. deVille springs will fit in, but again, may not be strong enough to keep ride height, particularly in loaded situations.

 Really, the only alternative is to keep the air shocks and install a valve so you can manually fill them, if you do not want to keep the ALC compressor functional. I agree that they can be a bit problematic, and parts are no longer available for them.

 Another alternative is to mount an electric compressor under the hood with a manual control switch under the dash. This way you can adjust your ride height on the run. Systems like this used to be available about 20 years ago as a complete bolt in system, but I would imagine you would be hard pressed to find something like that today.

  Mike

David #19063

In my experience, air shocks are only hard riding when you have them pumped way up high.  I put a set from Sears on my 71 GS350 in 80.  Ran them at 35 psi driving, a tad above level.  I could pump them up to 120 psi max which cgave me about 3 more, but it road like a jeep and handled poorly, but looked cool cruising the strip slowly in Minnesota back then.  They still worked when I sold the car in 2000.

Never had any trouble on the set on my 68 Fleetwood Brougham and they had been on 5 years.  My 94 Brougham has them and they work fine.

All have T-connections and I never had a problem.

David

Jerry Goclan

I have converted many 70s cads, from air shocks, by using Moog(brand name) cargo coils, which is a progresive wound spring, with good results.  This was done on a hoist, with tall screw jacks to angle the diff. housing,  sometimes another heavy weight mechanic was needed to hang on the brake drum for added clearence, and also a little nodge with a pry bar to work the spring out and back in. Hope this helps.  Jerry Goclan

Dave MacGregor #18998

Hi,

Ive found that its really not that difficult to get an original ALC system from the 70s working from first hand experience.  It only took me a morning and my 77 Eldo was up and running fine.  Please read my reply to your thread as posted in duplicate in the other forum.

http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/cgi-bin/user/forum.cgi?select=2Fclc2Fclcgenl2F615582F61703 TARGET=_blank>http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/cgi-bin/user/forum.cgi?select=2Fclc2Fclcgenl2F615582F61703

I would also like to add to my post that unless it becomes impossible to redo something as original as possible, I personally prefer to stay as close as possible to the way the car came out of the factory.  I got great satisfaction in knowing that I not only got my ALC system working (rebuilt compressor, shocks, etc.), but to have actually indirectly helped to get another system working on a friends 73 Eldorado just as reliably!

Just try to give your original ALC system a chance first.  From what Ive been reading on your threads, some of the suggestions Ive been reading sound more costly in labor and/or time and/or money than I know I spent to get mine and another one up and running.  Coil Springs, electric compressor, wiring, Air Bags, Leaves, etc.  Sure, I agree that most of those suggestions from others might be more reliable in the long run, but from first hand experience I cant beat that I know that there are two 70s Eldos that have been running reliably with their fixed ALCs now for the past two to three years to date.

Dave

Mike #19861


 I also have a functioning ALC system on my 70 Fleetwood. It has given me a measure of satisfaction to be able to repair and keep it running.

 They really are not that difficult to repair. The compressors are pretty simple, as is the levelling valve. The problem lies with parts. They are no longer available. Period. Other than robbing other units to keep yours running, there really are no alternatives.

 The diaphragms have the highest failure rate. I think I bought the last kit in captivity back in 96. Derek and I have attempted to have them reproduced, but the cost proved to be prohibitive. I am still on the watch for a more economical solution, though.

 But for now, the manual valve is the easiest solution. The newer ELC systems can be retrofitted, but they require wiring harnesses and bracket fabrications. They are also very costly to repair. The level sensor has the highest failure rate here, and are non repairable. They cost in the region of $250 to replace.

  Mike