alchemist Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 (edited) The Volvo shocks are probably not the same valving and I do not know much about them. The ones I start with are 1990 Buick regal rear struts, which are the same base struts as the Reatta, with different brackets welded on. Remove the brackets and then use a bolt on sway bar adapter and they bolt right in. East Coast Reatta Parts has new Monroe 71966 (exact fit for the Reatta) for $500 per pair. Edited September 21, 2023 by alchemist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 Check in on Marck Barker of East Coast Reatta Parts. East Coast Reatta Parts. He had Monroe reproduce a bunch of rear shocks for us Reatta guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 There is a guy who PM'd me about an extra pair I have. One is a GM Riv air strut and the other a Reatta strut made by Monroe. Both are new, and I bought them because I was afraid that I would not be able to find any more struts and I knew I could make this work. I now have another 3 pairs of struts and do not need these. I do have instructions [supplied by Alchemist] to remove the air bladder on the Riv strut to make it an exact Reatta strut. If he passes I will make them available to you. Price is $175.00 plus freight to you. And no I will not remove the bladder, but the directions are very straightforward and appear easy enough to do. Marck is charging $499.00 a pair plus freight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar_323 Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 If we want to modify our shock to accept the drop in kind, what are our option? i rather put my $500 toward a rebuildable shock than a cheaply made Monroe shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 20 minutes ago, ar_323 said: If we want to modify our shock to accept the drop in kind, what are our option? i rather put my $500 toward a rebuildable shock than a cheaply made Monroe shock. This thread contains all the pertinent information regarding dimensions and options to do just that as well as several other solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Incredible detailed and good info here, all 33 pages, good team work! I am here because here seems to be the best hands-on knowledge of my problem: looking for struts for a 1992 Eldorado. That is probably even tougher than to find ones for a Reatta. I am giving up hope to find the OEM ones( as You know MONROE 71801), so what is the second best option? 71966 is said to be basically the same as 71801, but without the air ride height adjustment. The problem is, I understood that ride height will be to low without the air"lift". So need a slightly longer strut? - what do You guys think, would the DIY 801831 work in this application(slightly longer than the 71801), and using the bolt on sway bar adapter there might be some room for adjustment? - the 71831 is also getting hard to find...is the MONROE 801831 Monro-Matic Plus as good/usable? - last question to those of You whom removed the air bladder from a 71801: are the removed parts in usable condition or destroyed? Here a potential buyer..... I do understand this is little out of the Reatta scope but there is nowhere else to go! Thanks in advance for any comments, highly appreciated! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Not knowing anything about the '92 Eldorado suspension it would be hard to answer your questions. Does it use a single transverse leaf spring in the rear like the Reatta? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 3 hours ago, Eldorado said: Incredible detailed and good info here, all 33 pages, good team work! I am here because here seems to be the best hands-on knowledge of my problem: looking for struts for a 1992 Eldorado. That is probably even tougher than to find ones for a Reatta. I am giving up hope to find the OEM ones( as You know MONROE 71801), so what is the second best option? 71966 is said to be basically the same as 71801, but without the air ride height adjustment. The problem is, I understood that ride height will be to low without the air"lift". So need a slightly longer strut? - what do You guys think, would the DIY 801831 work in this application(slightly longer than the 71801), and using the bolt on sway bar adapter there might be some room for adjustment? - the 71831 is also getting hard to find...is the MONROE 801831 Monro-Matic Plus as good/usable? - last question to those of You whom removed the air bladder from a 71801: are the removed parts in usable condition or destroyed? Here a potential buyer..... I do understand this is little out of the Reatta scope but there is nowhere else to go! Thanks in advance for any comments, highly appreciated! I have one GM air ride strut available for sale. I am on vacation returning on Tuesday. PM me if interested. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) 7 hours ago, Ronnie said: Not knowing anything about the '92 Eldorado suspension it would be hard to answer your questions. Does it use a single transverse leaf spring in the rear like the Reatta? Yes, it also use a single transverse leaf spring. Believe the suspensions are a very close design to each other, main difference is that the Eldorado is a bit heavier and uses the auto level/air bladder feature. Found on the net comments that they are identical, and quickly checking on online part diagrams it looks so, very much same parts, apart from the air bladders. Edited January 25 by Eldorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 If I were you, I would take Dave up on his off to sell you one. Eventually you will stumble across another one. For your Eldorado, I think that would be better than trying to use a modified strut. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 6 hours ago, Ronnie said: If I were you, I would take Dave up on his off to sell you one. Eventually you will stumble across another one. For your Eldorado, I think that would be better than trying to use a modified strut. Agree, that is worth considering, will check that option. However as there is no guarantee when will get a full set, maybe good to have a back up plan also. The Regal strut specs are almost identical to the OEM 71801, so should work reasonable well. The air bladder(ride height) system is kind of difficult to get a grip on...is it correct to say that it kind of extend /retract the strut body, sets the minimum distance between knuckle and strut mount? When its empty the minimum distance is about the same as the strut body, when it is filled with air, it act the same as it the strut body would be longer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 The strut cartridge itself acts as a shock absorber only, although it does have a structural function to act as an upper control arm. It has no function in the same way a spring does. The air bladder does add some load carrying as well as the leveling function, which I would guess is designed into the suspension capacity. The transverse leaf may be more compliant as a result, but that is only a guess? A longer strut will simply bottom out sooner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Every so often a rear strut or two show up on Rockauto. You may want to look there as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) On 1/24/2024 at 2:53 PM, Eldorado said: - last question to those of You whom removed the air bladder from a 71801: are the removed parts in usable condition or destroyed? Here a potential buyer..... Just before 71966's became available again, I cut the air bladders off the set of new 71801's I had, effectively turning them into 71966's. That is an irreversible action, and now I wish I hadn't done that as I also purchased a set of the Monroe 71966 when they were available at Rock Auto. The bladder is held in place by two heavy crimped rings, one on the strut body and one on the upper cap. I still have all of the parts, save the bladders which had to be cut for removal. The crimp rings are also cut, but in my scrap metal bin with the upper caps. If you are interested in the caps and the rings, PM me. I might also let the base struts be purchased as I have a new set of 71966's on the shelf. Edited January 26 by alchemist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 5 hours ago, alchemist said: Just before 71966's became available again, I cut the air bladders off the set of new 71801's I had, effectively turning them into 71966's. That is an irreversible action, and now I wish I hadn't done that as I also purchased a set of the Monroe 71966 when they were available at Rock Auto. The bladder is held in place by two heavy crimped rings, one on the strut body and one on the upper cap. I still have all of the parts, save the bladders which had to be cut for removal. The crimp rings are also cut, but in my scrap metal bin with the upper caps. If you are interested in the caps and the rings, PM me. I might also let the base struts be purchased as I have a new set of 71966's on the shelf. Thanks for the reply/comments to all of You! The parts might be useful! Will PM you little later. An important question is can i source a similar, or similar enough bladder from somewhere? The bladder You cut, is the shape a straight "pipe" or is the diameter different in various ends? In theory, if having the bladder caps and a 71966, with the help of a new bladder rubber, a 71801 can maybe be built? Attaching the bladder to the strut body might be a challenge without som special tools though. Have also been elaborating with the idea, can we modify a 71966 ( or a modified 71831 )to work somehow(on an Eldorado), even without the bladder? There always need to be som air in the bladder to have a proper ride height. How to achieve that without air? Option 1. What if we add a PU plastic shim/ring through the shaft, before we fasten the bladder cap to the shock shaft. Thus the caps would be on the same height( the shim would be between the cap and the shock body) as when inflated with a certain amount of air, but obviously not adjustable. Option 2. We add threads on the correct spot on the shock body, as also adding a corresponding nut. The lower end of the bladder cap will lean on the nut. In this case the ride height would be adjustable( somehow by turning the nut) in both examples, bottoming the shocks might be rougher than with the bladders...? Not sure this make any sense, pictures would be much better:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 As you can see by the amount of posts generated that a number of the guys put in a lot of work to get where we are. I think that Alchemist made you a generous offer and it is now up to you to finish what you need done. I also have one strut that you are looking for, which gets you have way there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) 2 hours ago, Eldorado said: Thanks for the reply/comments to all of You! The parts might be useful! Will PM you little later. An important question is can i source a similar, or similar enough bladder from somewhere? The bladder You cut, is the shape a straight "pipe" or is the diameter different in various ends? In theory, if having the bladder caps and a 71966, with the help of a new bladder rubber, a 71801 can maybe be built? Attaching the bladder to the strut body might be a challenge without som special tools though. Have also been elaborating with the idea, can we modify a 71966 ( or a modified 71831 )to work somehow(on an Eldorado), even without the bladder? There always need to be som air in the bladder to have a proper ride height. How to achieve that without air? Option 1. What if we add a PU plastic shim/ring through the shaft, before we fasten the bladder cap to the shock shaft. Thus the caps would be on the same height( the shim would be between the cap and the shock body) as when inflated with a certain amount of air, but obviously not adjustable. Option 2. We add threads on the correct spot on the shock body, as also adding a corresponding nut. The lower end of the bladder cap will lean on the nut. In this case the ride height would be adjustable( somehow by turning the nut) in both examples, bottoming the shocks might be rougher than with the bladders...? Not sure this make any sense, pictures would be much better:) Per Rock Auto, the 1992 Eldorado uses the 71801, which is the 71966 with the addition of the air spring, which consists of a sleeve, two crimp rings and one cap as shown in the picture. With the air spring components removed, the 71801 becomes a 71966 in every way, dimensions, stroke, threads, etc. so you could take a set of 71966 struts which are available through ECRP and bolt them right into your Eldorado. The only problem would be the lack of the air spring and self leveling. The bladder for the air spring was snug to the strut housing when I got them (see below), but with 50-100 PSI of air in them, they expand outward. Daves89 has an intact 71801 strut and you should take him up on the offer to purchase (if he ships from his northern warehouse I can arrange to get the caps in his hands). Monroe might be able to help you out with a piece of polymer for the bladder, but I would not hold your breath. Agreed, there would be some challenges with crimping new rings back onto the struts, but there are ways and that is a topic for the Eldorado forums (assuming they exist). Edited January 26 by alchemist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I originally had 3 air ride struts that the local Buick dealer found by using the GM locating service. The first two I got scalded on, but the dealer gave me a better price on the last one when I told himy friend was a mechanic at the dealership. I sold the first two to a guy in Illinois which is why I have this one left. I will sell the GM air strut and a Monroe 71966 for $125.00 plus freight. PM me if interested. East Coast Reatta is selling them for $500.00 a pair plus freight. Offer is open to anyone else as well. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 8 hours ago, DAVES89 said: I originally had 3 air ride struts that the local Buick dealer found by using the GM locating service. The first two I got scalded on, but the dealer gave me a better price on the last one when I told himy friend was a mechanic at the dealership. I sold the first two to a guy in Illinois which is why I have this one left. I will sell the GM air strut and a Monroe 71966 for $125.00 plus freight. PM me if interested. East Coast Reatta is selling them for $500.00 a pair plus freight. Offer is open to anyone else as well. Many thanks, sounds good, a great offer ! Will Pm You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 No pm yet. First come first served... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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