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EL Bottoming Out (Always has) 

 

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 Post subject: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:00 pm 
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Ride: Ford Falcon '96 EL

Location: Brisbane
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Hi,

I have a '96 EL Falcon Wagon.
Got it 2nd hand a few years ago.

It has always bottomed out since i got it.
Speed humps, Driveways, anything.
Even the smallest bump.

It has the standard 15" wheel/tyres on it.
I noticed most of the damage is occuring to the middle muffler.
I replaced this as it got a hole in it from all the damage,
but it just got damaged again.

I took it to a pro to get replaced the 2nd time,
and he replaced it and made some adjustments to make it so it doesn't sit so low.
This helped a little bit.

But it still kept bottoming out.
Now i need to replace it again as its damaged badly again.

It hasn't been lowered or anything like that.
Its all factory standard stuff.

I'm thinking maybe it needs work on the suspension.
As looking at it from the front,
the driver's side seems to sit lower.

Would this be fixed by replacing struts, springs, or ???

Is it difficult to do ?

I have no idea how high the car should sit from the ground,
so how can i test if which shocks/suspension is dead ?

If anyone has any other idea's,
Can you please let me know. :)

Thanks for your help.

:)
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 5:22 pm 
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New shocks and springs for sure by the sounds of it at the least. If you get that done by a pro you'll find out what else may be wrong, not that its difficult to do yourself though.

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:19 pm 
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Pics of the current car height may help us answer your questions.

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:39 pm 
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Quote:
I have no idea how high the car should sit from the ground,


If it helps, mine measures 245mm from the back of the front wheel arch to the ground and 250mm from the front of the rear wheel arch to the ground. And she's stock as a rock with no clearance issues.
My guess is soft as rear springs. What do you know of the history of the car? If it's had a life of hauling heavy loads the odds are pretty good the rear suspension is very tired.

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:08 pm 
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Ride: Ford Falcon '96 EL

Location: Brisbane
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krisisdog,
Thanks, you might be right.

MadMatt,
Will take some and post them tomorrow.

Esteven8,
Thanks for the precise info.
That realy helps.
I dont know the history of the car unfortunately. :(
Looking at it from the side, it looks to me like the rear sits high, and the front is low.
But i may be wrong. Maybe thats just the way its meant to be, or maybe it just looks like that if the back springs are ok and the front are gone causing it to tip at the front.

Either way, i will post pics and some measurments to help you's to help me.

thanks again everyone,
I realy want to get this fixed.
:)
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:34 pm 
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lox2k9 wrote:
Esteven8,
1.Thanks for the precise info.
That realy helps.
I dont know the history of the car unfortunately. :(
2.Looking at it from the side, it looks to me like the rear sits high, and the front is low.
But i may be wrong. Maybe thats just the way its meant to be, or maybe it just looks like that if the back springs are ok and the front are gone causing it to tip at the front.

Either way, i will post pics and some measurments to help you's to help me.

thanks again everyone,
I realy want to get this fixed.
:)

1. No worries :) . Always glad to help.
2. With stock suspension they all look like they sticking their a** in the air. ( Falcon wagons are the sl*ts of the Ford world!! :lol: )

 

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Cheap pads squeal like cheap hookers, and you can take that to the bank.


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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:40 pm 
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Might have to slow down man...
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:11 pm 
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Ride: Ford Falcon '96 EL

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87SIlude,

lol, nah man.
even at a snails pace. its stil the same, just instead of scrapting quick, it scrapes painfully slowly.
:(
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:24 pm 
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Ride: Ford Falcon '96 EL

Location: Brisbane
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Hey all,

Here are some pics:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image



And here are wheel arch pictures with measurements.
Image

Image

Image

Image

I hope these help.

Thanks.
:)
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:45 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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How soft is teh suspension if you push down on the front corners? Does it bounce back and stay there or keep bouncing?
I'd say you've got 10000% rooted shocks n springs considering how high your car is!

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 3:20 pm 
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Ride: Ford Falcon '96 EL

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hey krisisdog,

If i push down on the front (either side),
It comes back up, then back down a bit, then back up to it orginal position.
Then stops.
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 4:05 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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push real hard down, like bouce down on the front left or right, if it sort of, rolls around, the back moves aswell id go for shocks, hell by looking id say shocks are rooted, pics of the muffler mounting tho, might still be too low.
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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 1:34 am 
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Mate, that is bog stock factory standard (4WD) ride height.

If you are able to bottom that out, then you are either trying to go places you just shouldn't in a family car, or you need to alter the way you drive.

My Wagon Lowered doesn't bottom out on any speed bumps or awkward driveways, and it looks like this.
Image

BenJ

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:24 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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I've been in an EA that was std height but would bottom out, the shocks were gone and so were the springs. I dont know how but they were that soft you could sit on the boot and itd drop a full 3 odd inches, and itd scrub out hard pretty much anywhere.

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Bottoming Out (Always has)
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:56 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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How far can you push the car down when you bounce it? If, ( I think this has already been said ) she takes a while to return to position, rolls and wallows like a pig when you bounce it it's the shocks that have had it. But also if you can push the car down a fair bit, springs have had it too.
Looking at your pics your front is a good 50mm + lower than mine, I'd say that's why she's bottoming out. The back looks about the same as mine. So I'd be looking at getting the all the springs and shocks done. Good excuse to get it lowered all round!!
BenJ's is an awesome height :)

 

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dc_todd wrote:
Cheap pads squeal like cheap hookers, and you can take that to the bank.


Au Fairmont Ghia
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