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Replacement Shock Absorbers???

Started by Jeff Wilk, May 03, 2012, 06:21:38 PM

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Jeff Wilk

Really confused here by all of the choices for replacement shocks for our 59 Fleetwood Sixty Special.  I am not going for that 100pt show car approach, and do plan on a nice driver.  Looking for a high quality replacement set of shocks.  Any recommendations?  I've looked at Kanter, USA, RockAuto, OPGI, and AutoParts Warehouse, and they all have selections which is the problem.........want a nice controlled ride.....not a firm today's kind of car ride.......nor a floaty floaty mushy kind of ride.  Don't want to cheap out, nor pay up for something too harsh that we will regret with every NJ pot hole!!!!   ;D

Advice?

Jeff & Noah
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

Dave Shepherd

Any high quality gas shock like KYB should do.

R Schroeder

I ordered Gabriels from Amazon.com. Free shipping , with me ,anyway. They were cheaper there than in the stores around here.
They are gas shocks, and ride very nice. Air load leveler's on the rear. I have automatic level control system.  Caddys will ride nice with any new shock. New cars have struts, and they are lighter, so they ride hard.
Roy

waterzap

#3
Just installed some Monroe Sensa-Track Load Adjusting Shocks in the back of my Eldorado. My Seville has them all around. Front and back.

So far so good. Dont have to worry about compressor or air shocks leaking anymore. Ride is not much harsher, maybe bit tighter, but overall feels pretty much the same. But most importantly, droopy butt syndrome is gone. They are a bit bigger than the air shocks, so bit of a pain to install. Car is nice and level now though. Unfortunately I cannot get them in the front for the Eldorado, or would have done it too.

They have extra springs around the shocks, so they make up for springs that are a bit softer with age. Cost a bit more than regular shocks, but I like them.
Leesburg, AL

78_Eldorado

Does anybody have a picture of the leveling compressor for the 78 Eldorado?
Sam E.

waterzap

78 Eldorado Compressor
Leesburg, AL

78_Eldorado

I haven't had a chance to carefully look under the hood as I got the car yesterday, but I figured that it was on the driver side front corner. My car has 11k original miles, and I did notice that the rubber boots on the rear shocks were collapsed. Is there an easy (quick) method of checking the pump?
Sam E.

R Schroeder

#7
There are two electrical plugs on the unit. The one that has the single plug is the wire to run the pump. The double wire plug is to release the air from the system.
So, if you run a wire from your POS terminal to the single plug it should run. If it doesn't add a ground wire to the pump and back to the battery on the NEG side. It might have a bad ground, and this would show you if the pump is good , and if it has a bad ground.
Do not run it for more than 10 to 15 seconds ,because the pump doesn't have oil in it. They only run for a few seconds to bring the car up, because the air line is so small.

What turns the pump on is the switch at the rear axle. When the relay to turn it on is grounded it closes the relay and pump comes on.
To discharge the air is the same. If car is to high it grounds the relief valve and it opens.
Pretty simple system, but it has to be air tight or the pump would run all the time if the car was low.
There is a time delay at the rear switch too, so it doesn't come on with every bump in the road.
Any questions ,you can email me. Email is in my profile.
Roy

I did buy some Gabriel shocks with the air bags in them. I also bought the adapter so they can be hooked up to the original air line.

Gene Beaird

Roy, was that adapter kit a Gabriel item, too?  I'm still trying to decide what direction I want to go with my Seville.  I think the compressor is working, as the light on the dash lights and I hear it every once in a while, but I'm still not 100% convinced I will keep all that gear on the car, and keep it running.  Decisions, decisions. 

But knowing where to get that adapter kit would be nice to know. 

Gene Beaird,
1968 Calais
1979 Seville
Pearland, Texas
CLC Member No. 29873

R Schroeder

#9
Gene, yes it is a Gabriel part. I'm looking it up for Sam right now. I'll post the part when I locate the receipt.
Roy


OK, I got the part number that was for my car. I assume it will work on any system with the 1/8 inch air line. You only need the two brass fittings out of the whole set. One of the fittings has a valve stem in it, that would have to be removed so you could hook up the air line from the car.

This is the part number from Amazon. Gabriel Strut Mount kit 141248. Cost about 15 bucks.
I also bought the Gabriel Hijackers Air shocks. The number for my car was 49131.
I have the 78 DeVille
Roy

R Schroeder

#10
This is what you get in the kit. All you use is the two brass fittings.
Of coarse you need the small o-rings too.

curly

Jeff.
I replaced the shocks in my 59 last month, along with the sway bar bushings.  I checked around, and was able to find shocks from O'reillys auto parts.  They fit fine and the car rides fine.  It did feel different, but the last time I replaced the shocks was in the early 90's.  I got gas charged shocks that fit right and all 4 cost right around $125.

T Lewis

jeffreymcfincze512

#12
thanks for the info

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