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1961 Cadillac. Ride seems harsh in rear.


danleblanc

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So, I took the Fleetwood out for a little drive Saturday night. I found the ride in the rear to be a little harsh for a Cadillac.

The car has just a hair over 19,000 miles. Still sitting on the original shocks and springs. The suspension doesn't seem to be bottoming out going over frost heaves with four teenage girls in the back but it sure seems to go over them some hard.

I'm running bias ply tires at 24 psi.

Ride height seems fine (a little higher than some other 61s I've seen).

Tried the bounce test on the back of the car and there's no bounce.

Is it just that there is much suspension travel in these cars that I'm not used to it, or should I be leaning towards a shock or spring replacement. I've got a NOS set of Pleasurizers in the box for the rear. I've been holding off on changing them for two reasons. First, they're NOS so I'm wondering if they're still good. Second, wondering if springs are the problem instead.

The girls riding in the back said "it feels like the car is on hydraulics back here."

Thoughts?

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Original equipment shocks are only good for 20,000 or 25,000 miles. They may not be leaking, they may seem to be functioning ok but they don't have the creamy ride they did when they were new.

A good set of shocks, like the Pleasurizers, should do wonders. There is no reason they won't work. Before you install them, stand them upright and pull them all the way out and push them all the way in 2 or 3 times. This is to get the oil to run down to the bottom where it should be, when they lay on their side on the shelf the oil can run to the top where it shouldn't be.

You could also check the rubber suspension bushings for cracking or wear but , with that low miles they should be ok. I would go with the shocks first.

If the new shocks help, don't forget to replace the front ones.

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That is the way they are supposed to work. When you hit a bump you want the spring to soak up the bump , then the shock absorber kills the rebound. You won't notice much difference when pushing them by hand. When you put them on the car it will make a difference. This "working" the shock absorber I got from the instruction sheet that came with a set of new shocks. Basically it said when the shock lays on the shelf all the oil runs to the top, you have to work the shock to get it to go back to the bottom. I suppose on the car, it will work its way down after a while.

I got the tip about the short life of OEM shocks from Tom McCahill's column in Mechanix Illustrated. It came to mind when my father bought a new Pontiac Parisienne Brougham sedan in 1980. After a couple of years he complained that it just did not ride as nice as it did when new. He was thinking of trading it in even though he liked the car. I suggested new shocks, he had a set of Monroe shocks put on and it rode like a new car. This saved him about $10,000.

In 1976 I bought a big 72 Mercury station wagon. It had 85,000 hard miles before I got it but I fixed it up a bit with new shocks and new tires among other things. At the same time, a friend of mine had a nearly identical 72 Mercury, full size 2 door hardtop. Actually it was his wife's car, it only had 25,000 miles on it and she babied it every inch of the way. He was surprised how much nicer my car rode than hers did, I was surprised too, so I told him about the shock absorbers. He got a new set of shocks and it rode like a new car again.

Those are just 2 examples. I have friends in the old car hobby who asked me about a complete front suspension swap on some fifties cars. I told them to get all worn parts replaced, a good front end alignment, and new shock absorbers all around. Every one who took my advice was pleased and impressed with how easy their car steered, how nice it handled, and how much nicer it rode.

I suspect it may not be the shock absorbers, it may just be the rubber bushings at the ends that have hardened, worn, or taken a set. But new shocks are so cheap, I never took the trouble to just change the bushings and find out.

Edited by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)
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Thanks for the lesson. That makes perfect sense the way you explain it. I thought it had to be stiff in both directions.

Sounds like these pleasurizers have life left in them yet.

Now of only I could find a pair for the front. I've been looking since November without success.

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With only 19 K on the car, and you have the original shocks do you think the shocks are stuck? I have seen cars do this when they are not used. You say you tried a bounce test and there was little or no bounce. I would get a floor jack and lift the car on the rear portion of the frame and see how much travel you have in the rear suspension. More often than not when the shocks are stuck they will break free by the weight of the differential assy. when the car is jacked off the ground. In any case do the above and remove the shocks and check for compressibility and release of the shocks and also the rear suspension travel without the shocks installed.

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It's a Fleetwood Series 60

The bounce test I'm referring to is knee on the bumper, get the suspension moving, then see if it stops when you do. There is no bounce and everything moves freely. With that said, I took another look underneath last night. The shocks seem to be leaking.

The Delco Pleasurizers seem to be ok now that I've worked them a bit by hand. I think I'll try them out. If I like them, I'll keep them. If not, I'll put on a new set.

I'm down to either Gabriel Classic ($89 for four) or $392 for a HD set from Rare Parts if the pleasurizers don't pan out. $392 for a set of shocks seems like a lot but I also question what I'm getting for $89.

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Get the Gabriel Classic. For that price you can afford new shocks. I have used different brands and frankly, for general use, there is not much difference between one and the other. I don't know how Rare Parts justifies their price.

I like KYB and Koni too. Or, whatever the OEM brand is. In your case, Delco. But even cheap, no name, store brand shocks will give a better ride than worn out leaky shocks.

The gas shocks from KYB or Koni may stiffen the handling and ride a bit. In your case, for a Cadillac, where the creamy smooth ride is the main thing I would chose Gabriel or Monroe. I haven't bought new shocks in a few years now, and I am no expert, but I do know new shocks make a difference even when the old ones seem ok.

Maybe some shock absorber expert could chime in. In the meantime I am sure a set of new shocks, of whatever brand, will work an improvement.

You should also inspect the front and rear suspension for worn parts especially perished rubber. Replace worn parts and get an alignment if necessary.

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It is funny how seldom people think about shock absorbers. Funny story concerning the 72 Mercury wagon mentioned above.

I was out for a ride with a mechanic friend when he commented on how quiet the car was and how smooth it rode. I told him I put on new shocks and he went "Really? Why?".

I told him they get worn out and ineffective even if they are not leaking and seem ok. He didn't get it. He could not see why I wasted money on shocks when I did not need them.

Meanwhile he was the one who asked how I got my car to ride so nice ha ha ha ha ha.

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Regular shock absorbers for old cars are cheap. It's the struts they use on newer cars that are expensive, over $100 apiece even for low priced cars.

I assume the $89 price is some special or half off sale. I paid full list for a set of 4 shocks 20 years ago and they were about that.

Later. ..................

I checked Rockauto and they list Monroe Matic shocks for a 61 Cadillac at $14.75. This is why I am surprised that people are so resistant to putting new shocks on their cars. They are not expensive or hard to install but nobody ever buys new ones until the old ones rot right off the car.

Edited by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)
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Ha ha now you know what the trouble is. One is leaking oil, the other is not, because the oil all leaked out when Jimmy Carter was President.

You may even want to be a high roller and spend another $40 bucks on front shocks. What's that about 1/4 tank of gas?

Wait till your girl friends fannys get a load of the real Cadillac ride, with shock absorbers.

Edited by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)
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  • 3 weeks later...

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