Write-Up: Rear Self-leveling Air Shocks

71stagegs wrote:

I just lost one of my delco shocks is the best way to go the monroe ma822 they work with stock pump/Thanks Steve

I have to disagree with the prior post. The E-body Riviera had the same basic Level Ride system in it, and I replaced my shocks with Delco's.
GM (of course) uses a different, but very easy, leak-proof quick-connector compared to the rest of the world, and it's just not worth hacking
the plumbing to save a few bucks. Especially considering how infrequently one has to replace the rear shocks. Hell, look what we have to
spend on parts & labor for the damned front struts! I really miss the old torsion bars and conventional front shocks that that took all of
10 minutes apiece to change... The trick is to find an independent parts store that carries Delco products, instead of the dealer.
This was about 8 years ago, but I think I paid $75 for the pair versus $55 for aftermarket.

Now there is one other factor here... My E-body had nice, soft springs that used the Level Ride system all the time. but it seems to me that
the springs in our G-body Rivieras are, like the rest of the chassis, very taught and firm. I haven't actually disconnected the compressor to prove
it yet, but I hardly ever hear the the system run in my car, and even when I load the trunk with a bunch of soda, tools, or whatever with the key off, it
barely sinks in the back. (This is one of my pet peeves about the dash designers: There is one unused warning light spot on the dash, and an
extra Low Washer Fluid spot, but they didn't use the spaces for Level Ride and Trunk Ajar lights!)

This means that you may just want to seal off the air system, unplug the pump, and depending on your taste, put regular Monroe Sensatrac or
KYB's in the back...

I don't recall the part number, but the monroes I installed in the rear of my '98 had the exact same air fitting as the OEMs, so there was no line hacking involved. Whatever part number Monroe listed for my car...

the monroe ma822 are direct replacements for all the late gen riv years. The fittings work fine with the stock leveling system, or if you don't like the stock leveling system you can get the AK29 kit, which basically cuts out the leveling system and adds a little tire stem that you can put wherever, and put whatever PSI into your shocks.

Just installed the Ma822s in my Riv. Extremely easy shock install. Easier than changing spark plugs. I'll add to the group of people who say they're a little firmer than stock , but still ride nice. Handling is a nice improvement over the 87k mile leaking stockers. Car stays much flatter in the corners.

And the pair I got were black. Anyone know any reason why they might be different colors?

(mine were black too)

it might be that they changed the design slightly. or maybe the 95/96 shocks are black and 97+ are white? (seems to be a year difference trend)

tony, did you keep the air ride or did you go self fill?

Mr.Riviera wrote:

or maybe the 95/96 shocks are black and 97+ are white? (seems to be a year difference trend)

rockauto has the ma822 as for all years of the riv, so im guessing they just changed things a little

Mr.Riviera wrote:

it might be that they changed the design slightly. or maybe the 95/96 shocks are black and 97+ are white? (seems to be a year difference trend)

tony, did you keep the air ride or did you go self fill?

I kept the air ride. Saw no need to eliminate it since it still works.

weight reduction
...that was my reason. that and so i wouldnt have to take it out later when it finally did go out.

so when do you get the KYB's in?

Haven't ordered the KYBs yet. I'm still debating on whether or not i want to lower the car , especially now with the new rims , so if i lower it there isn't much reason to go with the preassembled ones since i'll have to take it apart anyway.

come down here and see mine, i'll show you how well these fbodys decelerate, then you can decide if it's worth the $1000 upgrade.

My shocks were black.

Well I was thinking more along the lines of custom springs , however with the 17s now the front brakes look a tad small. I'm done with school now for the summer so i probably will head down there in a few weeks.

maggot wrote:

stock springs, i went the cheap route and used a permanent spring clamp and compressed 2 coils completely together on all four springs, the rear dropped much lower than the front, so i cut a half coil off the front and there fairly even now and much much stiffer

I'm also interested in pics and more info...

Been looking around on the concept of clamping coils, and it seems to be generally not a good or safe thing to do. According to most of the forums and stuff i found:
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149774
http://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento/160508-coil-spring-clamps-not-good-cheap-way-lowering.html
http://www.mx6.com/forums/australia-new-zealand/148507-coil-spring-clamps-do-they-work.html

Thanks to all put monroe ma822 in worked great $ 68.00 for the pair.Steve

71stagegs wrote:

Thanks to all put monroe ma822 in worked great $ 68.00 for the pair.Steve

That's great to know for the future. I would never have bet that the factory & aftermarket started using the same fittings...

I've heard that the Monroe's may even be beefier than the Delco's - What did you think?

Yeah they seem to be a bit flatter in cornering than the delcos. They ride pretty nice as well. For the price they are a very good shock IMO.

TonySmooth89 wrote:

Yeah they seem to be a bit flatter in cornering than the delcos. They ride pretty nice as well. For the price they are a very good shock IMO.

Had them in for a few days now they are great, ride better a little stiffer but not hard thanks for all the help.Steve

71stagegs wrote:

TonySmooth89 wrote:

Yeah they seem to be a bit flatter in cornering than the delcos. They ride pretty nice as well. For the price they are a very good shock IMO.

Had them in for a few days now they are great, ride better a little stiffer but not hard thanks for all the help.Steve

When you had them side-by-side, did the Monroe's appear to be physically larger, or perhaps heavier, than stock?

Eldo wrote:

71stagegs wrote:

TonySmooth89 wrote:

Yeah they seem to be a bit flatter in cornering than the delcos. They ride pretty nice as well. For the price they are a very good shock IMO.

Had them in for a few days now they are great, ride better a little stiffer but not hard thanks for all the help.Steve

When you had them side-by-side, did the Monroe's appear to be physically larger, or perhaps heavier, than stock?

I didn't compare them side by side , but they did appear to be slightly larger than stock.

I didn't compare them side by side , but they did appear to be slightly larger than stock.[/quote]

Danke Schoen!

Eldo wrote:

I didn't compare them side by side , but they did appear to be slightly larger than stock.

Danke Schoen![/quote]
they are a lot thicker like 50* bigger

71stagegs wrote:

[
they are a lot thicker like 50* bigger

Ah-hahhhh... Thank you, too.

Karma wrote:

maggot wrote:

stock springs, i went the cheap route and used a permanent spring clamp and compressed 2 coils completely together on all four springs, the rear dropped much lower than the front, so i cut a half coil off the front and there fairly even now and much much stiffer

I'm also interested in pics and more info...

Been looking around on the concept of clamping coils, and it seems to be generally not a good or safe thing to do. According to most of the forums and stuff i found:
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149774
http://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento/160508-coil-spring-clamps-not-good-cheap-way-lowering.html
http://www.mx6.com/forums/australia-new-zealand/148507-coil-spring-clamps-do-they-work.html

hey karma, i posted a few pics in the show room https://rivperformance.editboard.com/showroom-f3/chris-95-riv-t1653.htm. I dont have any pics yet of the underside of the car. Based on the three websites you showed me (i read most all of them) i agree and disagree with some of what they are saying. First, you should know that the kits i bought were included with Grade 8 bolts, make sure you have these when u do this. they are the strongest. they are rated for like 150 ksi tensile strength. I did clamp them on each side so two springs would be completely clamped together. Also if one were to break i believe the other would hold on temporarily so you could remove it or add another. Before you do this you should know that i added new struts up front and did a custom job adding rear 1975 camaro shocks in the rear and the ride is very stiff, which i like, mostly due to the spring compressors. oh and also, i took a can of white lithium grease and sprayed the crap out of it b/c it squeaked when i used the clamps

oh and the handling is much much better. i have a cloverleaf exchange near my house (http://nonwac.walkerart.org/worldsaway/uploads/Images/Cloverleaf.jpg) that i tested turning speeds. I gain about 15mph around the turns before the tires would try to break loose( i was going about 60mph) before only about 45.