Replace air suspension with standard suspension

[bobdaman98]

With all the problems I've been experiencing with my 95 Ford Windstar's air ride system I would like to know if I could replace it with the standard coiled suspension and not the air bags. Could I go to a junk yard and get the none air bag coils and shocks off the same year and model and would it fit without any retrofitting in my air bag system.

[bdahl385]

I have heard and read great things about this "American company" Strutmasters... Their main product is a domestic engineered and manufacturer of "air to non-air suspension" conversion kits. Looks like they have a set for the 95 Winnie too!

http://www.strutmasters.com/ford-win...nsion-s/79.htm

Disclaimer - I have no experience with this company nor have I ever used their products but have read good things about them... Call and chat with them, their tech staff is supposed to be top notch.

[Ron AKA]

I replaced mine with a kit from this company:

Suncore Industries

It worked good, except the springs are a bit too short. If you take the vehicle into a shop to have the tires changed or rotated, and the jack the whole vehicle up from the frame, one or both of the springs can come out of place.

The company below also sells them. You may want to check with both and go with the ones that are longer.

Arnott Inc.

[Gobowiec]

Did anybody found place where you can buy air suspension bags? Alternative is to buy coil springs and then airlift kit part# 60799 with air bags inside air coil spring.

[Ron AKA]

That would be an interesting solution. However, in my case it would require replacing the compressor as well. It seems as if the air bags fail first, and then the compressor runs until it dies trying to keep air in the leaky air bags.

[Gobowiec]

I heard about liquid tire sealer used to "fix" problem with loosing air from air springs. For one car it help for 2 months only, but the second one is driving already 4 months and has no problems. If there are any cons for doing this please let me know. On Saturday I'll try it out on my air spring.

PS. instead of new post I'll add it here.
I used liquid tire sealer and it's not loosing air any more. I know this isn't for ever, but new air springs are much above acceptable price. Now I can look around for second hand without rush. I hope not geting back to this post to write how long this solution worked for me.

PS2 Just came to my mind. Is it possible to replace air springs with coil springs and replace ordinary shock absorbers with air adjustable absorbers? air adjustable shock absorbers are much more common than air springs and this should solve the problem with autoleveling the car.

PS3 I found Gabrile pneumatic shock absorber, but only in Polish.
http://www.usa.istore.pl/sklep,2602,...,702141,0.html
Maybe somebody will have time to check out is it possible to make such change as written above...