1970s Replacement Shocks for ALS '72 Eldorado

[72EldoRagtop]

Hate to ask a dumb question but I assume you removed the skirts?

LOL


One side at a time. why didn't i think of that ?!?

Yes, jack was on the middle of the axle.

Makes sense now.

Anyways. Thanks you guys.

It's ridin' high now.

And i can finnaly fill the tank - all 27 gallons.
Which should get me about, what,250 miles?

91 octane...

[72EldoRagtop]

I believe the 235 tires are slightly wider than the originals

Now I'll have to go and look up the stock tire size...
If not P235 75, then, What?

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I am running 235 x 75R x 15 by Maxxis under my '72, and no problems.

The next size down is 225, but these will change the rolling circumference.

Bruce.

PS.  It will be impossible to remove the tyres and wheels if the car is lifted by the centre of the axle, even if the tyres are deflated.

PPS.   I carry a small 12 Volt Compressor as I have a Space-saver as my Spare on the Continental Kit.

[72EldoRagtop]

I am running 235 x 75R x 15 by Maxxis under my '72, and no problems.

The next size down is 225, but these will change the rolling circumference.

Bruce.

PS.  It will be impossible to remove the tyres and wheels if the car is lifted by the centre of the axle, even if the tyres are deflated.

PPS.   I carry a small 12 Volt Compressor as I have a Space-saver as my Spare on the Continental Kit.

The lift was removed from the center axle, and sitting on the jack stands. Jack stands were placed on the frame rail - just forward of the rear wheels.

Is the conclusion/solution to remove the jack stands, and then jack just one side of the car?

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The lift was removed from the center axle, and sitting on the jack stands. Jack stands were placed on the frame rail - just forward of the rear wheels.

Is the conclusion/solution to remove the jack stands, and then jack just one side of the car?

Yes.  You have to only jack up one side of the car, allowing that side of the rear end to sag to the extent of the Shocker.  The opposite side is pressed up into the body.

This "angling" of the axle allows the wheel to be removed whilst fully inflated.

The cars were designed for the Bumper Jack, and if properly placed, according to the Owners Manual, there will be no damage to the bumper bar.  What i do is to slightly angle the upright of the jack to the rear at the high point.  This way, as the car lifts up, the jack shaft will move towards the vertical.

It is imperative that you chock the diagonally opposite wheel to stop any possibility of vehicle movement.  If the Factory chock has been lost, any rock will do.

Pictured is mine jacked up showing no distortion of the Bumper Bar.   Sorry about the poor quality of the picture, and the unfinished Continental Kit, but I weas in the process of constructing the kit.   Plus, I used the piece of wool to protect the chrome.   That piece of wool is a pocket that my loving wife made for me to hold the small jacking pieces when sitting inside the trunk.   One day, when I have my next flat tyre, I will take a better picture.

Bruce.

[TJ Hopland]

Now I'll have to go and look up the stock tire size... If not P235 75, then, What?

I believe 71-74 stock tire was L78-15.  There isn't a perfect cross to the metric sizing that we started using in the mid 70's.

Diameter in inches:
L78 29.3
235 28.88
225 28.29

Width in inches:
L78 8.85
235 9.25
225 8.8

So the 235 is roughly 1/2" wider and 1/2" smaller diameter.  With the 225's being an inch smaller diameter the speedometer will read 1 MPH higher than actual at 55 so really not a big deal.

I have usually ended up with 225's.  I had one eldo that had a rubbing issue and a later non removable skirt car that was a tight squeeze on the rear.  At times the 225 was easier to find with a white wall since that was more of a 'car' tire and the 235's tended to be 'truck' tires with the white letters but 15" truck and car tires ended in the earlier 90's so 30 years later its a whole different game that seems to change every time you look for new tires.     

[72EldoRagtop]

Yes.  You have to only jack up one side of the car, allowing that side of the rear end to sag to the extent of the Shocker.  The opposite side is pressed up into the body.

This "angling" of the axle allows the wheel to be removed whilst fully inflated.

The cars were designed for the Bumper Jack, and if properly placed, according to the Owners Manual, there will be no damage to the bumper bar.  What i do is to slightly angle the upright of the jack to the rear at the high point.  This way, as the car lifts up, the jack shaft will move towards the vertical.

It is imperative that you chock the diagonally opposite wheel to stop any possibility of vehicle movement.  If the Factory chock has been lost, any rock will do.

Pictured is mine jacked up showing no distortion of the Bumper Bar.   Sorry about the poor quality of the picture, and the unfinished Continental Kit, but I weas in the process of constructing the kit.   Plus, I used the piece of wool to protect the chrome.   That piece of wool is a pocket that my loving wife made for me to hold the small jacking pieces when sitting inside the trunk.   One day, when I have my next flat tyre, I will take a better picture.

Bruce.

Thanks, Knowing that things work correctly as long as you lift the car correctly  - is very helpful. But I'm sure my mechanic is going to scratch his head when I try to explain this to him...

Because, according to him, the limitation is the length of the shock. So how would putting the jack on the bumper on one side, allow the shock to lengthen another 1"-2"??



Bought this 72 Eldo last January. No spare. and No JACK included.
Have any ideas how to get enough clearance in the wheel well - using a hydrolic floor jack? Where to place the lift arm?

[72EldoRagtop]

So the 235 is roughly 1/2" wider and 1/2" smaller diameter.  With the 225's being an inch smaller diameter the speedometer will read 1 MPH higher than actual at 55 so really not a big deal.

Thanks. The other option; get new 225's.
Maybe next time. Car came with 4 NEW 235s. (No spare)

[Big Fins]

Place the floor jack right in front of the rear wheel to be worked on. Be sure it's on the frame rail.

It will lift it the same height as the bumper jack.

[TJ Hopland]

If you are lifting or supporting the car from the axle the weight of the car is basically the same as if the wheels are on the ground so the shocks are compressed and no where near their fully extended limits. 

IF you jack the car from anywhere else the axle will hang down to the point where the shocks are the limiting factor and then yes in your case 2" less than before but this should be many inches lower than ride height so plenty of clearance to get the wheels out with the skirts off.

Finding a good way to jack these cars up road side is tricky because of things like the rear clearance.  Can't jack from the axle for the reasons you note.   If you try to jack from the frame between the frame flex and how far the suspension has to sag you need a lot of travel in the jack and you can't get that out of a bottle jack unless its a 2 stage telescoping one.   I'm carrying a jack out of I think an 80's car which is sort of a scissors design but instead of a screw it uses the ratchet track sort of thing like the bumper jacks used so its got a decent amount of travel.  The 80's cars had a little pocket in the frame that these jacks fit into.   

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Thanks, Knowing that things work correctly as long as you lift the car correctly  - is very helpful. But I'm sure my mechanic is going to scratch his head when I try to explain this to him...     

There is worse left to come.   Try taking an Eldorado wheel with tyre to a tyre shop for a replacement tyre.

The "tyre Fitter" will in most cases give up because they cannot get the tyre from the rim.

These tyres have to be removed when the rim is placed backwards on the tyre removing machine.   Just like the 1957 Chevrolets.

I was able to supply a fellow Eldorado Owner with 4 replacement rims after the originals were bent out of shape by a stupid tyre fitter.

I had a similar thing happen to me in Connecticut, but happily, they stopped before destroying the rim.   When I came back to the shop, they explained that they couldn't fit my new tyres, as they couldn't get the old tyres off.   So I showed them how to do it.   The hardest part was getting permission to go behind the barrier and into their work-space to operate their tools.   Once in, it was a learning session for the employees.

Bruce.

[Big Fins]

You aren't the only one to do that. For that same reason, I had to buy an entire set of rims.

[TJ Hopland]

How are the new shocks working out shock damping wise?  I leaned on the rear of my car yesterday and it didn't seem like there was a lot of damping going on.  I wasn't curious enough to lay on the ground and look to see if there were signs of oil leakage.  Its also possible I just have not leaned on an old soft car for a while, only more modern stiff stuff. 

[72EldoRagtop]

So, The car rides beautifully with the new shocks. The old ones may have been dampening but they were 100% deflated. So with a person in the back seat, and/ or 1/2 tank of fuel it was hanging low. Not a good look at all. And it would bottom out on the bottom of my driveway - I think that was probably a little scrape of the chrome-tipped, downturned tip of the tailpipe. Very unsettling. Embarrassing. I once had to ask coupe people to not get in the back until the car was out of the driveway and on the road.

It would also bottom out going over certain bums, speed bumps, etc. with passengers in the backseat. Found out that is was the muffler when I was under the car. Lucky I didn't ruin my exhaust.

The ride is a lot tighter on the highway. But still a very smooth and normally floaty '72 Eldo ride. I run the tires at 30PSI front and back. And I know tire PSI is a hot debate. So I'm still experimenting.

As for pushing down on the rear quarters, I'm 180 lbs. With nearly all my weight i can depress it a few inches. Then it comes right back up, then back down about 1" to it's resting level with 80PSI in them. And I put 20 gallons of fuel in the tank. 1/2 & 1/2 Hi-test/Regular.

Thanks for all of you guys on here. Really helped giving me the confidence do it in my driveway, using the right parts, and getting everything right. LOL... The tire not going back on was a headscratcher. First I was like: NO FN Way. I need to put the tires on BEFORE the shocks? Then it occurred to me to deflate the tires. And of course now I know to jack one side at a time. 

Next 2 big jobs on this car are

1. Heater Core (it was disconnected when I bought it so I'll test it - but I'm not expecting it to be working.)

2. A/C. It has factory A/C but the lines going to the rear of the compressor have been disconnected.

I remember reading somewhere that the A/C will not work if the heater is not working (?).
Any way I'll start a new thread. And I'll start out asking for opinions on a quality heater core the $36 or the $86 or in between.

[TJ Hopland]

So when you push it down and let go you get like a single half a bounce?  I feel like that would be normal.  I feel like I'm getting more like a 2nd full bounce then maybe the 3rd seems to dampen.   

[72EldoRagtop]

More like just one tiny bounce.

I remember hearing once that when you see a car on the highway at 60mph+
And looking at the tire/wheel straight on from the side... A bad shock will
cause the tire/wheel to rapidly jump up and down, though the driver/passengers
may not notice it at all. I've seen it.

Is this accurate?
True?

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I have seen it and witnessed it personally.

I was driving my 1959 Ford Ranch Wagon on a rough dirt road, and nothing out of the ordinary.

But, when hitting the sealed surface, my wagon was all over the place.   I stopped, and one of the rear tyres was totally shredded.

The thing about front and rear suspensions is that the front going bad, the driver immediately feels it as the steering wheel id directly connected to the wheels, whereas the rear wheels are totally isolated.   

I also had a rear tyre delaminating on my Eldorado, and only felt it when I heard the rubber strip hitting the inner fender.  Pictured is the bad tyre, and the witness mark caused by the loose flap, well after the start of the tread separation.   (Plus, I had 3 passengers in the back, and the top down.)   Whereas when the front tyre started to tread separate, I immediately felt it.

Bruce.