[Steve Barcak]

My 78 Y88 TA is fun to drive but , the rear is sagging and it bottoms out when I hit bumps and dips at freeway speeds. I've raised the mufflers to just touching the floors so, that made it better but, still does it.
What have you guys done? what is the simplest, easiest way to raise it a few inches so it sits more level and bottoms out less?
I realize most of you probably do not drive yours much. Does anyone else use one for primary transportation as I do?
I do not want to go to the trouble of changing springs, etc.
It seems air shocks are the answer but, thought I would ask others here.
Coil spring cars, like my GTOs, are so much easier to raise and lower compared to these leaf spring set ups. I can swap rear spring in my GTO in minutes. not the same for leaf set ups.
thanks

[bhill86]

I think the only other option than what you mentioned would be longer shackles but there would be a limit to how long you could go. And since you said raise “a few inches”, you may not get the height you want. Remember a 1” longer shackle would only raise the car 1/2”. 2” would raise 1” but I’m not even sure if such a thing exists. Maybe someone else does.

[JSchmitz]

I would avoid air shocks. They are wheel hop generators. Might try these:

https://www.amazon.com/Monroe-58551-...ntiac+Firebird

[Scarebird]

No substitute for proper springs here.

[ponyakr]

I always used longer shackles on my low budget bracket cars, to make more room for taller tires. Didn't look good but worked great.

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-13-4...0029K202&psc=1

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/60873/10002/-1

Also used slapper bars. I assume that if you adjust the slappers to where the rubber snubbers are in contact with the spring eye, that should keep the body from coming down as far. That might help avoid some of the road contact.

http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/traction-bars.html

Then some have just clamped a short section of a leaf spring onto the front section of the Bird spring, to stiffen that section.

Seems that I've even seen "helper springs" for leaf spring cars. I'll see if I can find any of those, still on the market.

[ta6point6]

Go with the air shocks they will work just fine. I had air shocks on my 79 TA and switched to sensi-trac from monroe in the rear. I credit the air shocks on my TA for keeping proper ride height through all these years. When I switched to monroe shocks the ride was noticeably rougher in the rear. When I have time I am switching back to air shocks. My Chevy Avalanche has air ride suspension from the factory and rides nice and smooth. Unless you are inflating the rear air shocks to maximum psi they will work just fine. In the future you should probably change the rear leaf springs but air shocks will be just fine. I think air shocks have gotten a bad reputation through the years. Now you see a lot of high end cars and custom builders putting some type of air ride suspension on vehicles.

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by JSchmitz

I would avoid air shocks. They are wheel hop generators. Might try these:

https://www.amazon.com/Monroe-58551-...ntiac+Firebird

Appreciate the reply and link. am not drag racing the TA just driving it so, not concerned with wheel hop.
I looked up the overloads. hmm am sure they would help reduce bottoming but, would they raise it much? have you, or others here, tried them? would like to know if they raised the back like I am looking for

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

No substitute for proper springs here.

perhaps true for long term but, am just looking for a simple way to raise the back and it seems air shocks are the way to go

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by ta6point6

Go with the air shocks they will work just fine. I had air shocks on my 79 TA and switched to sensi-trac from monroe in the rear. I credit the air shocks on my TA for keeping proper ride height through all these years. When I switched to monroe shocks the ride was noticeably rougher in the rear. When I have time I am switching back to air shocks. My Chevy Avalanche has air ride suspension from the factory and rides nice and smooth. Unless you are inflating the rear air shocks to maximum psi they will work just fine. In the future you should probably change the rear leaf springs but air shocks will be just fine. I think air shocks have gotten a bad reputation through the years. Now you see a lot of high end cars and custom builders putting some type of air ride suspension on vehicles.

I tend to agree with you and your post on this. Air shocks seem to be a simplest, quickest way to solve the issue. when I have more time and desire, will replace the rear springs. probably will go with the air shocks. Hoping they do not reduce my tire sidewall room but, probably will

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by Steve Barcak

Appreciate the reply and link. am not drag racing the TA just driving it so, not concerned with wheel hop.
I looked up the overloads. hmm am sure they would help reduce bottoming but, would they raise it much? have you, or others here, tried them? would like to know if they raised the back like I am looking for

Many years ago I put them on my '65 Chevelle. I didn't have the money for new springs. They raised it quite a bit. Worked great. Give them a shot. They're cheap. I'd do those before air shocks personally. If your leaf springs are really shot, spring or air shocks are gonna put a lot of load on the shock mounts. Changing the leaf springs is the right way to fix it.

[78w72]

air shocks & the helper spring shocks are a band aid but can work in a pinch. new springs are the best way to do it & are not difficult to change out if you have a floor jack & some jack stands, i replaced the leafs in my 78 in about 2 hours by simply jacking & supporting the rear end at the axles then undoing the bolts & shackles of one side at a time.

i used to run air shocks on a 78 t/a i had back in the late 80's through mid 90's, if they are aired up less than half way they arent too bad & didnt cause any wheel hop on hundreds of burnouts & street racing launches over the years. but the rear didnt really sag too much so the springs were still ok... i later changed to normal monroe shocks & the ride improved a lot as far as how it took bumps or handled around corners, it did not get stiffer at all, just the opposite actually.

the helper spring shocks will raise the ride height too, how much depends on how bad the current leafs are & how much the rear is sagging. you can also try some of the front coil spring spacers to raise the middle & front a bit too if its sagging, the front plays a role too in how high/low the middle of the car sits, raising both a little might be all thats needed.

[ta6point6]

Originally Posted by Steve Barcak

I tend to agree with you and your post on this. Air shocks seem to be a simplest, quickest way to solve the issue. when I have more time and desire, will replace the rear springs. probably will go with the air shocks. Hoping they do not reduce my tire sidewall room but, probably will

Air shocks have been around for years and all these horror stories you hear about air shocks tearing through the top shock mounts, I dont believe. A large majority of 2nd gen TAs sagged in the rear with stock gas shocks. I have 15x8 ws6 snowflakes with 255/60/15 tires. I do not remember shocks rubbing on tires.
If air shocks are good enough for Cadillacs then they are good enough for a Trans Am

['ol Pinion head]

Air shocks are as close to junk as one can get. Twice a year at our monster swappers, I got rid of recent partscar pull air shocks, 1850 Holleys, holley pattern P4b's, dented 3 tube headers... the young guys loved that stuff.

Stiffer rear springs are way to go. If you have some nice clean WS6 rear leafs, I'd have them re-arched. On a 2nd Gen, it wouldn't be that hard to duplicate a pair of Herb Adams shackles, they are 1" longer center to center. Ran a pair for several years in the mid 80's on my modified '80 Turbo car. Even with low miles on the '80, the rear settled down some with the extra weight of the torque-starter battery & big 20lb nitrous bottle on opposite trunk ledges. Managed to run a pair of 265-60r15 NCT's, no rub & they lasted lasted twice a long as the 255 Eagles I kept going through.

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by ta6point6

Air shocks have been around for years and all these horror stories you hear about air shocks tearing through the top shock mounts, I dont believe. A large majority of 2nd gen TAs sagged in the rear with stock gas shocks. I have 15x8 ws6 snowflakes with 255/60/15 tires. I do not remember shocks rubbing on tires.
If air shocks are good enough for Cadillacs then they are good enough for a Trans Am

I've always like lots of rubber. 265/50s on front and 295/50s on back with the WS6 8" snowflakes. They only rub now are very hard and long corners.

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

Air shocks are as close to junk as one can get. Twice a year at our monster swappers, I got rid of recent partscar pull air shocks, 1850 Holleys, holley pattern P4b's, dented 3 tube headers... the young guys loved that stuff.

Stiffer rear springs are way to go. If you have some nice clean WS6 rear leafs, I'd have them re-arched. On a 2nd Gen, it wouldn't be that hard to duplicate a pair of Herb Adams shackles, they are 1" longer center to center. Ran a pair for several years in the mid 80's on my modified '80 Turbo car. Even with low miles on the '80, the rear settled down some with the extra weight of the torque-starter battery & big 20lb nitrous bottle on opposite trunk ledges. Managed to run a pair of 265-60r15 NCT's, no rub & they lasted lasted twice a long as the 255 Eagles I kept going through.

thanks for contributing but, please relook at the title to thread. 'simple' easy', etc
thanks

[Skip Fix]

If there is a truck spring shop around they could re arch your current springs.

[Gator67]

I used Dunbar Springs on Jefferson St to de-arch the leaf springs on my TA…quick and inexpensive. I bet they can re-arch yours.

[form74]

Try these I have these on the back of my car, I race with them and car barely drops when I launch

https://www.amazon.com/Monroe-58654-...a-571000985464

[Formulabruce]

Another vote for air shocks ( 2 lines, not joined) at 10-15 psi will do the trick..

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by form74

Try these I have these on the back of my car, I race with them and car barely drops when I launch
]

He ISN'T "Launching" ....