97 exped with bouncing rear suspension
#1
06-11-2009, 07:17 PM
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97 exped with bouncing rear suspension
so heres the scoop. we got the 97 exp from the original owner years ago. it was our nice vehicle and as usual the wife got to drive it. i got it when she got a new car. well by that time we had a couple of kids and quite simply that car just gets abused. now im lookin at gettin a new or newer exp (KR or limited) but i want to keep the 97 for regular abuse. it has about 135k miles on it and runs like a charm. the only problem is the suspension. it is an eddie bauer with air suspension and it bounces like crazy. i was told by someone at the stealership that it would be big bucks to fix. another person told me to swap out the air suspension. I am not mechanically inclined. but i want to find a cheap solution. any suggestions??
#2
06-15-2009, 04:29 PM
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mine bounced bad... if it bounces, it seems like the shocks would be bad? does it sag?
if it does, id say the air system has a leak, either in the bag or the lines.
here is what i did: i lowered it. bought new springs and shocks all around. works great!
if lowered rigs are not your thing, here is what i would do. go to a salvage yard and pull the rear springs off a rig that is not air bag equipped. then go to auto zone and buy new shocks, then go to the stealership and buy rear coil spring isolators (little rubber pads that go between your frame and coil to reduce noise. you want these! trust me!), then go to your favorite shadetree mechanic and give him a case of beer and let him swap the stuff out. should cost about 50-150 for the rear springs, about 40 for the isolators and depending on what kind of shocks you get, cheap to expensive for those. oh yeah, and a case of beer!
heck, if you are in Mississippi, holler at me. i will help.
the rear of mine took about 2 hours to do. make sure you turn off the air compressor (switch should be on passenger side under dash). you will have a check suspension light on the dash come on which is annoying, but i havent figured out how to cut it out.
if you are set on keeping the air suspension, i have both bags i will send you (i think both are good, but i had a leak somewhere else, i think. but i KNOW one is good) for 50 bucks shipped if you are in the lower 48...
if it does, id say the air system has a leak, either in the bag or the lines.
here is what i did: i lowered it. bought new springs and shocks all around. works great!
if lowered rigs are not your thing, here is what i would do. go to a salvage yard and pull the rear springs off a rig that is not air bag equipped. then go to auto zone and buy new shocks, then go to the stealership and buy rear coil spring isolators (little rubber pads that go between your frame and coil to reduce noise. you want these! trust me!), then go to your favorite shadetree mechanic and give him a case of beer and let him swap the stuff out. should cost about 50-150 for the rear springs, about 40 for the isolators and depending on what kind of shocks you get, cheap to expensive for those. oh yeah, and a case of beer!
heck, if you are in Mississippi, holler at me. i will help.
the rear of mine took about 2 hours to do. make sure you turn off the air compressor (switch should be on passenger side under dash). you will have a check suspension light on the dash come on which is annoying, but i havent figured out how to cut it out.
if you are set on keeping the air suspension, i have both bags i will send you (i think both are good, but i had a leak somewhere else, i think. but i KNOW one is good) for 50 bucks shipped if you are in the lower 48...
Last edited by Joe S.; 06-15-2009 at 04:31 PM.
#3
06-15-2009, 08:59 PM
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Check out www.americanairsuspension.com. They can get you all fixed up! Eddie is great...a former ford tech.