suspension trouble

Discussion in 'The Welcome Wagon' started by Saggin Wagon, Sep 27, 2011.

  1. Saggin Wagon

    Saggin Wagon New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I just got a '96 estate wagon that seems to have "setteled" a little. It scrapes going in and out of the driveway. Any ideas on how high it can be raised with air shocks, or some other way?

    Thanks
     
  2. thereverendbill

    thereverendbill New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2011
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Altoona, Pa
    air shocks will raise it but the ride will suffer and the car will be pretty stiff. The best thing to do is to just put new springs in the rear to correct the sag problem
     
  3. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

    Joined:
    May 18, 2011
    Messages:
    22,123
    Likes Received:
    1,440
    Trophy Points:
    808
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Central Illinois
    Saggin ? How many miles does that 96 wagon have on it? Seems like way to soon to need to replace the springs. First check the shocks on it.
     
  4. 1tireman

    1tireman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2011
    Messages:
    5,431
    Likes Received:
    278
    Trophy Points:
    238
    Wagon Garage:
    2
    Location:
    Slidell, Louisiana
    Welcome aboard
     
  5. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

    Joined:
    May 18, 2011
    Messages:
    22,123
    Likes Received:
    1,440
    Trophy Points:
    808
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Central Illinois
    :Welcome: I forgot to say that..........Welcome Sagginwagon. You really can't fix that saggin wagon now. You already have your name for here! Unless you can change it to unsagginwagon!:slap:
     
  6. fannie

    fannie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2010
    Messages:
    12,051
    Likes Received:
    1,315
    Trophy Points:
    698
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Guess I know how you came up with your forum name... :rofl:
    :Welcome: aboard...good luck with your drooping backend. :)
     
  7. BlueVista

    BlueVista Well-Known Member Charter Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    1,900
    Likes Received:
    141
    Trophy Points:
    170
    Location:
    Northeast Ohio
    I hate when my rear sags so I work out with my Buttmaster daily.:)
    x2 on new springs, new go from just over fifty to less than a hundred a pair at Rockauto depending on the brand.
    Does the car have the factory air leveling system on the rear and it's not working? It uses a small compressor mounted under the car hooked to air shocks to keep the rear at a set level.
    If you don't know you can look under the car and see if it's there but lots of guys take them off too so it may not be in place. To see if the car had it enter your VIN at Compnine and it will tell you what the car came equipped with originally.

    http://www.compnine.com/vid.php
     
  8. Saggin Wagon

    Saggin Wagon New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wow, that was some quick response time. Thanks.
    My driveway is kind of a rough dirt road, so if possible I would like to lift the car a bit for a little ground clearance. I'm not really looking to build a "monster truck", but I'm wondering how high I can go without causing problems with angles and stuff.

    Thanks again
     
  9. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2009
    Messages:
    16,780
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Read what BlueVista said. That is usually the problem. That is, IF you have the air leveling system in the rear.
     
  10. Saggin Wagon

    Saggin Wagon New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    suspension

    I havn't had time to get under the hood yet, but what I would like to know is, if I were to put a floor jack under the front and rear end, how high would the car go up, before the tires came off the ground.

    Thanks
     
  11. the Rev

    the Rev senior junior Charter Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    9,329
    Likes Received:
    54
    Trophy Points:
    232
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    BC,canada
    didnt those things come with optional 'airride'?

    id say do some snoopin at the 'wreckers'


    :Welcome: to our hangout
     
  12. HandyAndy

    HandyAndy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2007
    Messages:
    3,734
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Winterpeg
    Maybe the suspension was "modified" by the previous owner.

    Shop around for some Bilsteins.
    Or just go here for the best price http://www.eshocks.com/
     
  13. lowlow37

    lowlow37 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    Messages:
    404
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    75
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Sweden
    :Welcome:
    My wagon has the opposit problem.. Its waay to high:)

    Seriously, the springs can get exhausted by many reasons, as towing, dirtroads, dogs in the back etc.. The height of the car wont change with shocks, the only function they have is to "slow down" the suspension travelling.. That is, if you dont have air shocks, that will lift the body, releasing the bodys weight from the springs.
     
  14. gray07

    gray07 New Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2010
    Messages:
    563
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    michigan city, indiana
    Welcome to the site.
     
  15. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

    Joined:
    May 18, 2011
    Messages:
    22,123
    Likes Received:
    1,440
    Trophy Points:
    808
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Central Illinois
    ---------You must have some seriously dirty dirt roads.........and I've never seen many dogs that would sag springs............Oh wait, I dated one once!:jumping: Of all the vehicles I've had I only had to replace the springs in the '55 wagon because the old ones were broken. That was because some idiot removed most of the original leaves. -Sometimes one of those spring spacers will correct a sagging spring on one side.(y)
     

Share This Page