2017 EX 6MT - Crystal Black Pearl
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,620
From: Connecticut
Use MA777....
I had the AirLift air bags (universal fit) in my springs before my Ma811s years ago. I found the AirLift bags are very... underwhelming. In comparison, the MaxAir shocks were a revelation.
There's still an MaxAir shock you can use on your Fit (at least the GD... I have no experience experimenting with GE, GK, but I bet they're similar enough to work close enough.... no guarantees but might be worth rolling the dice and trying if you have an extra $120 and willing to take the risk of possibly not getting them to work in your car.)
I'm running Ma777 since summer 2023.
Since Ma811 and 809s are discontinued, I spent a good bit of time pouring over Monroe's MaxAir listings tech specs to find a MaxAir offering that would work for the upper and lower shock mounts. I recall there were a couple, and I rolled the dice on the 777.
Very tight fit and I remember the shock body diameter is very wide... I believe I needed to coerce the installation fitment, perhaps do some customizing to fit the shock and I think I have like a mm or two clearance between the shock and the car body. And I recall I needed to add some spacers/washers in the lower mount to fill in the lower mount space. But I've put maybe 45k miles on them so far. The 777 appears to have shorter travel... you can hear them "clunk", hitting full extension more often when the car has no load on it. I usually keep my shocks with 30 to 50 psi as I like the greater rear end stiffness for daily driving and as I'm often carrying my teenagers and stuff. To reduce the "clunk" frequency, I had to remove the Honda Insight springs (taller ride height and more load capacity) and run my oem Fit springs again. But the 777s performed as hoped at handling a load.
And it's time to replace the plastic 1/8" air lines, which this time I think I'll run inside wire loom to provide more protection from road debris.
https://a.co/d/0dxaJrpI
I had the AirLift air bags (universal fit) in my springs before my Ma811s years ago. I found the AirLift bags are very... underwhelming. In comparison, the MaxAir shocks were a revelation.
There's still an MaxAir shock you can use on your Fit (at least the GD... I have no experience experimenting with GE, GK, but I bet they're similar enough to work close enough.... no guarantees but might be worth rolling the dice and trying if you have an extra $120 and willing to take the risk of possibly not getting them to work in your car.)
I'm running Ma777 since summer 2023.
Since Ma811 and 809s are discontinued, I spent a good bit of time pouring over Monroe's MaxAir listings tech specs to find a MaxAir offering that would work for the upper and lower shock mounts. I recall there were a couple, and I rolled the dice on the 777.
Very tight fit and I remember the shock body diameter is very wide... I believe I needed to coerce the installation fitment, perhaps do some customizing to fit the shock and I think I have like a mm or two clearance between the shock and the car body. And I recall I needed to add some spacers/washers in the lower mount to fill in the lower mount space. But I've put maybe 45k miles on them so far. The 777 appears to have shorter travel... you can hear them "clunk", hitting full extension more often when the car has no load on it. I usually keep my shocks with 30 to 50 psi as I like the greater rear end stiffness for daily driving and as I'm often carrying my teenagers and stuff. To reduce the "clunk" frequency, I had to remove the Honda Insight springs (taller ride height and more load capacity) and run my oem Fit springs again. But the 777s performed as hoped at handling a load.
And it's time to replace the plastic 1/8" air lines, which this time I think I'll run inside wire loom to provide more protection from road debris.
https://a.co/d/0dxaJrpI
Nope, won't fit on the GK. It clunks against the inner wheel well. I tried that exact part# and returned it.
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Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,620
From: Connecticut
I'm glad that Airlift has something that will work, although I don't need them. How much is the tongue weight of your trailer? I rarely pull an old Skidoo flatbed trailer when I buy a full sheet of plywood, etc.
I had a set of Airlift bags on my 1965 Ford 427. I used to drive a car full of guys back to college - 2 1/2 hours - on the weekends. Those bags kept the car level.
I had a set of Airlift bags on my 1965 Ford 427. I used to drive a car full of guys back to college - 2 1/2 hours - on the weekends. Those bags kept the car level.
101lb tongue weight by way of my bathroom scale
~1750lbs of gross weight towing
tongue weight empty
Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,241
From: Shokan, NY
My tongue weight is very low, and when this 1969 trailer reaches end-of-life, I think I'll buy a Harbor Freight trailer. I looked at trailers like that at Lowe's, and they're tempting, but they're more than I need.
Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 81
From: Orlando, FL
I hear ya ... At first I was like, there's no way the 777s gonna fit. I have a somewhat ingenious and tenacious automotive tech however, and he and I did some light re-shaping of the inner wheel well to allow the 777 to (very barely) fit, kinda in the same spirit one would roll a fender to make an oversized wheel fit..
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,620
From: Connecticut
I hear ya ... At first I was like, there's no way the 777s gonna fit. I have a somewhat ingenious and tenacious automotive tech however, and he and I did some light re-shaping of the inner wheel well to allow the 777 to (very barely) fit, kinda in the same spirit one would roll a fender to make an oversized wheel fit..
Well so far the car performs fine with the airbags. Some minor noise from the bags bouncing inside the coil spring, but nothing lose or worn.
IMO it's only a matter of time before even the MA777s are discontinued. Monroe tech support said as time goes by and there are less of the model cars a particular part number fits, they eventually discontinue it.
I was put into contact with someone who does modified shocks who had NOS stock of MA809s, but he wanted so much crazy money, I got sticker shock and never called him back.
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bradbowl
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Apr 17, 2017 12:30 PM
