Semantics maybe but air shocks were intended to raise the rear end...but
intended to raise it back to normal ride height when a heavy load was being
carried and not intended (as I'm sure you meant) to jack up the rear of the
car or as a compensation for weak rear springs. Rear air shocks were
standard equipment on 67 El Caminos and may have been standard
equipment on other years as well.
Even
using longer or stiffer rear springs to alter the ride height will alter other
geometry just as air shocks will. As you say, the engineers design cars to
ride at a very specific height. Two apparently identical Chevelles, one
with A/C and one without would more than likely have different front springs as
well...to compensate for the added weight of the A/C unit...but, again, the
objective is the engineered ride height.
The
Air-Lift type air bags that fit inside the springs are not intended to raise the
ride height under normal circumstances. As stated earlier, they're
designed to *stiffen* the spring rate to compensate for load. In the case
of racers, they allow for the individual stiffening of rear coils to compensate
for normal reaction to engine torque - that of driving the right rear of the car
down.
Dale
hey Steve good luck with the restore, first off i been though your situation a few time, me personally i would not use the air bags, and second air shocks are not intended to raise the rear end, if you want it high, use a set of springs, designed for what you want, secondly the people that design the car in the first place are far more intelligent they what most people give them credit for, when you change from original equipment you change a lot more then just looks and functions, you change the very idea of the engineers who built the car, so keep it stock you'll go farther in the end, jim
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2004 10:52 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Chevelle-list] Rear Air Bags and other options
