Hello, Does anyone know if air shocks can be used to level uneven leaf springs on the Bird ? I can't afford new leaf springs right now and already have air shocks on the back. It seems I have a slight lean on one side, I was wondering if I split the air shocks air supply, could I just put more pressure in the one side to lift it up so the back is even ? Or maybe just put sand bags on the one side that is higher? Any ideas appreciated. Thanks !

i used air shocks on a 69 bird i owned back in the late 70s . i used seperate tubeing & air schrader valves for each air shock. it should work for you , you will just need to leavel it out. hope that will help you.

That will level it but the spring rate of the air shock will be different than the leaf spring. The spring rate of a leaf or coil spring is typically linear but the air shock will be progressive. Most people wouldn't feel the difference though.

thanks for the info.. I realize its not the best solution but for now, it sounds like it will work... I haven't had the car on the road in 15 years and just want to cruise down the road looking level until one day I get some money and can do it right.

Depending on how bad the spring is, I wouldn't compensate for it with a stiffer shock.

You could end up with a squirrely setup and lose control. Chances slim, but possible. My 67 had that problem and I had air shocks. Tried to take a curve a little faster than usual and lost it in the ditch.

Awe shucks, go down yonder to the hardware store and get ya self a couple sacks of concrete, outta fix er right up...

Tom, the shock rate won't change when the air pressure is increased. It was likely the progressive spring rate change that messed up your handling; a higher rate as when the air shock is compressed will reduce the traction on that tire just like a rear sway bar that is too big, with the same result. I don't recommend doing any serious cornering with air in the shocks ("now he tells me").

Better fixes for the ride height issue are to install a spacer block or get the spring re-arced.

No the rate will not change, but you have an increase in ride height with little to no give whereas the spring will.

When you corner to the left and the air shock is compensating on the right, will there be more, less or the same give in the rear?

The mono spring broke...thus I used the air to drive around on.

There will be less give on the right corner when turning left but more give when turning right, just like having a sway bar that has one loose end. When the air space that functions as the spring in the air shock is compressed because of body roll, the effective spring rate goes up quite quickly, not like a leaf spring that has essentially the same rate throughout its travel. That means that you will likely get oversteer to the left and understeer to the right; the back end swings out in a left turn, then hooks up nicely when you're pointing at the ditch and off you go!

It can be quite an unbalanced response over bumps as well, imparting a corkscrew motion to the car.

You are also stressing the upper shock mount. Just something to think about. I had mine re-arched years ago. Worked well and was way easier on the budget than new springs.

Tom