air suspension problems

[LincolnGirl]

I recently purchased a 1991 TC. About a week after I bought it the air suspension light came on after 45 seconds of being on. Slowly but surely the drivers side rear went down, but now I'm noticing the drivers side front looks like it is going down too. My poor car leans to one side. Is this just because the rear is down? Or is there a problem with the whole drivers side? I was planning on replacing the rear drivers side bag this coming weekend but any info would be a big help!

[Towncar]

The air springs are only in the rear, so fixing the rear will bring her back up to normal all the way around...


Do yourself a favor and replace both springs at the same time.. the other one will be going soon too.. if it's not already new

[junk yard doggie]

Hello Lincolngirl

Steve is right the leaking rear bag is making your whole car lean to one side. Also those front springs were known to sag over time. Ford made a shim kit to correct this problem. When you get your rear bag fixed take some measurements all the way around the car and see if there is any serious sag present. If it's not bad I wouldn't wory about it. Let me know if you need any used components for the rear air suspension. I have a few of those parts for the early lincolns, including the spring conversion kit. [email protected]
Thanks and good luck

Mike

[taillight]

I have done a few of the spring convertions and they seem to work better and last longer.

[LincolnGirl]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking about replacing both sides anyways. I'm pretty sure the other side isn't new since it sat for over a year till I bought it. I've had a oil change, tune up, brakes done, and a complete diagnostic done on it ... but that was before the air suspension went out on it.

[Towncar]

Sounds like you really know how to take care of your cars

While this Town Car is "sunken", open the trunk, find the suspension switch on the passenger side, turn it off so that the compressor isn't trying to pump a dead bag. Turn it back on when it's repaired.

Mine's a 1996, still riding on the original springs You'll get lot's of good years out of your new air springs.

[Bearfoot]

"You'll get lot's of good years out of your new air springs."

Steven, what is "lot's" and do you have a 'ballpark' figure on the cost of the springs?

[Towncar]

Originally Posted by Bearfoot

Steven, what is "lot's" and do you have a 'ballpark' figure on the cost of the springs?

10~15 years, 100k +/- miles

Arnott sells a pair for around $170 Others are higher, and lower. Many hardcore Town Car DIY's insist on Goodyear for that softer ride.

Conversion kits are MUCH cheaper

[bwbitt]

Lincoln girl:
I am Boone Doggie, I am just in the middle of a spring change.
My 1993 Lincoln TC. dropped to the ground last yr, leaving me without
a ride. I fixed the airpump, then only a short time later the whole air
suspention let me down again.

I thought about it and decided to replace the air bags with coil springs.
I bought coil springs to replace the bags with at my local parts store for
62 dollars for both springs, I installed the coil springs in about 2 or 3 hours
and Of course that solved the problem of air let down.

this past weekend a lady I know is having the same problem, she has a
1986 lincoln tc. I found coil springs for her car and autozone for $61.50
she is going to look into repairing the airpump, and or replacing the
air bags with coil springs.

you can reach me at [email protected] if you need more help.
The best to you though. I guess it is better to keep the air bags
working if you can and you can afford it, but I just wanted rid of
the air bag problem so I replaced them with the coil springs.

Later
Your friend
Boone Doggie

[Jagwar]

Originally Posted by bwbitt

I bought coil springs to replace the bags with at my local parts store for
62 dollars for both springs, I installed the coil springs in about 2 or 3 hours
and Of course that solved the problem of air let down.

Before I read this I had first gone out and found StrutMasters' and SunCore's spring conversion kits on the web, at $169 and $99 respectively.

http://www.strutmasters.com/catalog.php?cat=2
http://www.suncoreindustries.com/Pro...?ProductID=325

After seeing you mention the "local parts store" I called my local O'Reillys Auto Parts and asked if he's got anything like this and he says, "yes, it's $168 made by StrutMasters ."

So, I'm guessing you bought what amounts to generic coil springs and they work ok? Can you name the place you got them, please?

[LincolnGirl]

I paid $52.99 For Duralast coil springs at Autozone.

[bubba4life]

i was wondering how does converting the air springs to regular springs in early 90's towncar change the handling of the car. mine are the original air springs on mine with 121,000 miles, i don't think thay have much life left in them.

[LincolnGirl]

I honestly don't feel a difference, but some people say it is a more smoother ride with the air suspension.

[jfp1948]

Feels like the air suspension system on my 90 town car just went. The warning light was on for several months. Is it safe to drive?

[Towncar]

Originally Posted by jfp1948

Feels like the air suspension system on my 90 town car just went. The warning light was on for several months. Is it safe to drive?

Why would you want to drive it with the ass end on the ground?

Anyway - the safe question;

With the springs collapsed, the rear end sits on bumpers that are NOT designed to hold the weight of the car. The bumpers flatten and tear, then the collapsed shocks take weight of the car, they get destroyed too.

Two things happened when that "check suspension" lamp lit up...
- the ear air springs began leaking.
- the air compressor began working overtime trying to hold the car up.
The result is most likely blown air springs (you knew that) and now a burnt compressor. If you read the previous posts in this thread, you'll see LincolnGirl found a solution for $53 bucks.