Can shocks with springs affect ride height?

polarnj

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My car sits a bit too high in the back (at least for me :) )

It has these shocks with coil springs attached to them, would the ride height change if I put regular shocks in there instead?

Here a pic, I know it's a bit hard to see

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IMG_4902.jpeg
 
Those look like Monroe's. If they are.. you can jack up the car a bit and then get underneath. Push up and twist the bottom of the spring. It will take bottom plate off its keepers releasing the spring tension. You can then see if the ride height has lowered. You can remove the bottom nut and then remove the spring if you wish or simply reinstall it as it was. I doubt it will lower it but you can give it a shot.
 
Cool didn't know that can be done. Are those springs under any pressure, like you need a spring compressor ?

Also does the rest of the spring area look factory stock, or does it look like something's been added ?
 
Once you jack it up a bit, the tension will come off rather quickly. No compressor needed.. Just a little strength.. same for going back on. Push and twist.

Can't answer second question. Maybe take better pics and one of the resident experts can chime in. What's the leaf count on both sides?
 
Once you jack it up a bit, the tension will come off rather quickly. No compressor needed.. Just a little strength.. same for going back on. Push and twist.

Can't answer second question. Maybe take better pics and one of the resident experts can chime in. What's the leaf count on both sides?

pretty cool, So once you do that it will just be a normal Monroe shock?
 
I would assume yes but I am not an expert. I only know the spring comes out as I had a ride height issue and was doing some troubleshooting. I don't think the height will change without the spring. Good luck
 
Those shocks were probably installed because the leaf springs are worn out or the previous owner got tired of the rear of the car scraping the ground all the time. Or, because he frequently carried extra weight in the car. Regardless, installing ordinary shocks will lower it.
 
My 74 NY came from the factory with them being a government car to prevent bouncing when a politician had his secretary along.
 
Those shocks were probably installed because the leaf springs are worn out or the previous owner got tired of the rear of the car scraping the ground all the time. Or, because he frequently carried extra weight in the car. Regardless, installing ordinary shocks will lower it.

Thx, should be an easy swap
 
As mentioned, the generic name (which was also the Monroe trade name) was "Load Leveler" shocks. If you look, the coils in the middle are closer together than at the ends. This results in not a lot of spring tension in the normal "ride range", but added stiffness when there is additional weight in the back.

When I got my '70 DH43N car, it had them on the back, as did my '67 Newport CE23. The '70 had been used to pull a travel trailer with, so the rear springs were tired, but the rear end of the car sat lower anyway. So, the answer to the question is "No, not designed to raise the rear ride height, just keep it more normal with a load."

I bought the car in '75, so no spring shops were known to me at that time and Chrysler had discontinued the OEM parts springs, so the best option I had to raise the rear end was
Gabriel Hi-Jacker air shocks. They have served me well, although others in here hate them. BUT all I did was raise the rear end enough to level things up! NOT elevate the rear end to clear some L60-15 tires for "stance of the times". Not being in a state where road salt was used in the winter, no issues in that respect, either (as to the crossmember where the upper shock mounts are).

ONE advantage to the air shocks is that their core is a larger piston bore diameter, as HD shocks had back then, so a more controlled ride. The LL shocks have the base 1" piston diameter, so nothing HD in that respect.

I was not aware of any adjustability, as to spring pre-load on the LL shocks. Never did worry about it, though. Is that something new?

To determine IF the rear springs have "sagged", FIRST get the front suspension adjusted to the specs in the factory service manual. You'll need a BIG socket, socked extension, and break-over bar for best results. Seems like the distance between the lower control arm bumper and its contact point was basically my index and two adjacent fingers wide? Or nearly that wide.

Then, park the car on a level surface and look at it from the side. If you take the gap between the rocker panel and lower door, then extend it forward and rearward, notice where it crosses the wheel cover. It should cross the front and rear wheel covers in the SAME PLACE on the covers. If it is lower on the rear covers, the rear springs are weak from age/use. That "line" should be parallel with the flat road surface at factory wide height.

When you look at the factory distance specs in the FSM, the dimension for the larger spec is for the factory HD suspension, which has more leaves in the rear springs. So that additional height (at the rear end) results in the larger distance spec for the front suspension. To keep the rocker panel parallel and at the correct ride height.

Just my experiences and observations,
CBODY67
 
I think the PO said he replaced the rear springs, which is probably why it sticks up in the back. But changing those shocks probably couldn't hurt

IMG_4161.jpeg
 
I've tried them with saggy rear springs and it didn't change the height at all. None
 
We had them on our '71 Mercury Marquis. It raised the rear some. Maybe 1/2 inch. Not much, but noticeable. I thought they improved the ride as well, especially when it was all loaded up. If those leaf springs are not original then maybe that's got more to do with the ride height than the load levelers.
 
I think the PO said he replaced the rear springs, which is probably why it sticks up in the back. But changing those shocks probably couldn't hurt

View attachment 702323
Yes, the rear end might be .25" too high at the rear wheel well, BUT the front end is too low, which makes it look even higher.
 
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