1984 Mustang Rear Shocks

[mercury-man]

I have a very original 1984 5.0 LX coupe.

I am unfamiliar with "quad shocks" so I am wondering if that is what I am seeing on my Mustang.

I see what looks like a long vertical shock and also a shorter longitudinal shock.

What I'm seeing appears to be original and I can see seepage, especially on the left side.

I think my car would probably greatly benefit from replacing the rear shocks.

Where would I find replacements like the ones that are on my car? And what should it cost to have the replacement shocks installed?

Many thanks for any help.

Here is a picture of the right rear:

 

[Chythar]

Yup, the shorter longitudinal shock in the top of your photo is a quad shock. The stock rear suspension was kinda soft for comfort, but that softness let the axle move around too much and created wheel hop. The quad shock was supposed to slow down that extra movement to reduce that wheel hop. A Google search for "mustang quad shock" will find several results. Not sure what a shop would charge for installation, I've been replacing my own for many years. It's something you can do yourself if you want to give it a try.

 

[mercury-man]

Thanks.

I think this must be the shorter quad shock.

https://lmr.com/item/KYB-KG4521/84-04-Mustang-Kyb-Gas-A-Just-Rear-Quad-Shock

Is the longer vertical shock just a standard rear shock?

 

[mercury-man]

I think this must be the standard rear shock that is needed along with the above quad shock:

https://lmr.com/item/KYB-KG5551/79-93-Mustang-Kyb-Gas-A-Just-Rear-Shock?utm_source=yotpo&utm_medium=general&utm_campaign=general

 

[Noobz347]

This page shows the OEM replacements available:

Gabriel | Light Vehicle Year/Make/Model Search

gabriel.com

If you're putting together a spirited street cruiser, I'd stick pretty close to stock for the best ride/performance. "Upgrades" start getting harsh in a hurry.

 

[mercury-man]

This page shows the OEM replacements available:

Gabriel | Light Vehicle Year/Make/Model Search

gabriel.com

If you're putting together a spirited street cruiser, I'd stick pretty close to stock for the best ride/performance. "Upgrades" start getting harsh in a hurry.

My car is almost 100% original, including the rear shocks. I’m just thinking about replacing the rear shocks in order to get a smoother ride.

The shop I use has highly recommends KYB over Monroe. They say that KYB will give a much smoother and better ride.

 

[limp]

My car is almost 100% original, including the rear shocks. I’m just thinking about replacing the rear shocks in order to get a smoother ride.

The shop I use has highly recommends KYB over Monroe. They say that KYB will give a much smoother and better ride.

Last shock I will ever use again is a KYB... a VERY HARSH riding shock...
Google real life reviews with KYB and see for your self....
Nice stock street car? Use Monroe's or Gabriel..... All you will need......

 

[Mustang5L5]

You don't need anything fancy for the quad shocks. They don't really affect ride, and their purpose is to dampen forward and aft movement of the axle....aka axle wrap. Most folks use a set of Gabriel 14039's and call it a day...provided they don't remove them completely. On a stockish car, i'd leave them. In fact on my car with $$$ in max motorsports high end suspension parts, i still run a set of Gabriel 14039's.

Amazon product ASIN B001AM5P48View: https://www.amazon.com/Gabriel-14039-Steering-Dampers/dp/B001AM5P48

 

[mercury-man]

Last shock I will ever use again is a KYB... a VERY HARSH riding shock...
Google real life reviews with KYB and see for your self....
Nice stock street car? Use Monroe's or Gabriel..... All you will need......

Thanks. I was going on what the owner of a large shop had told me:

"You do not want to buy the blue Monroe series. They Ride terrible. You want to look for KYB excel-g series. "

 

[mercury-man]

You don't need anything fancy for the quad shocks. They don't really affect ride, and their purpose is to dampen forward and aft movement of the axle....aka axle wrap. Most folks use a set of Gabriel 14039's and call it a day...provided they don't remove them completely. On a stockish car, i'd leave them. In fact on my car with $$$ in max motorsports high end suspension parts, i still run a set of Gabriel 14039's.

Amazon product ASIN B001AM5P48View: https://www.amazon.com/Gabriel-14039-Steering-Dampers/dp/B001AM5P48

Thanks much for the Gabriel link.

As previously stated, my car is very original so I want to keep it as nearly as possible as

it came from the factory.

 

[mercury-man]

You don't need anything fancy for the quad shocks. They don't really affect ride, and their purpose is to dampen forward and aft movement of the axle....aka axle wrap. Most folks use a set of Gabriel 14039's and call it a day...provided they don't remove them completely. On a stockish car, i'd leave them. In fact on my car with $$$ in max motorsports high end suspension parts, i still run a set of Gabriel 14039's.

Amazon product ASIN B001AM5P48View: https://www.amazon.com/Gabriel-14039-Steering-Dampers/dp/B001AM5P48

P.S. What do you suggest for the regular vertical rear shock?

 

[ebone84]

I would suggest new struts and shocks .....the same model and brand

 

[limp]

Thanks. I was going on what the owner of a large shop had told me:

"You do not want to buy the blue Monroe series. They Ride terrible. You want to look for KYB excel-g series. "

This is just my opinion as I have had KYB's on 2 different cars... NEVER again....
LOL.. Ever notice KYB's are usually the best priced or there is a deal on them??

 

[Noobz347]

This is just my opinion as I have had KYB's on 2 different cars... NEVER again....
LOL.. Ever notice KYB's are usually the best priced or there is a deal on them??

I had a set many moons ago that I wasn't very impressed with. It's been a minute so I couldn't say what they're like today. The Gabriel and Monroe though... They're just about the same as they've always been. I do like them for their predictability.

 

[Noobz347]

Thanks much for the Gabriel link.

As previously stated, my car is very original so I want to keep it as nearly as possible as

it came from the factory.

Super nice 84! @95steedamustang is starting a restoration of one that's very close to this year.

 

[mercury-man]

This is just my opinion as I have had KYB's on 2 different cars... NEVER again....
LOL.. Ever notice KYB's are usually the best priced or there is a deal on them??

Definitely appreciate your thoughts.

I‘m thinking now about just doing the rear shocks. They are obviously original and are leaking.

The front suspension on my car seems tight So I’m not sure how much benefit I would get from replacing the front struts. Any thoughts on this approach?

 

[2000xp8]

Your car year puts you in a bit of a predicament since most high end struts are for cars with newer spindles 87+.

Since it sounds like you like original style, i'd just go on rock auto and get monroes.
Then do the gabriels for the quad shocks.
Do them all at once and get an alignment.
Unless you can date the front struts, you want all 4.

I've had alot shocks, mornoe formula gp (don't think you can get these anymore). Bilstein which i blamed for a bad ride, but it was more of a spring issue, koni adjustable, qa1 adjustable and kyb quads, which are the dumbest quad shock ever, why did they need a full body? They can't be flipped to fix clearance issues. May not affect you, but they looked dumb too (you can see through the spokes on my wheels).

 

[mercury-man]

Your car year puts you in a bit of a predicament since most high end struts are for cars with newer spindles 87+.

Since it sounds like you like original style, i'd just go on rock auto and get monroes.
Then do the gabriels for the quad shocks.
Do them all at once and get an alignment.
Unless you can date the front struts, you want all 4.

I've had alot shocks, mornoe formula gp (don't think you can get these anymore). Bilstein which i blamed for a bad ride, but it was more of a spring issue, koni adjustable, qa1 adjustable and kyb quads, which are the dumbest quad shock ever, why did they need a full body? They can't be flipped to fix clearance issues. May not affect you, but they looked dumb too (you can see through the spokes on my wheels).

I am an 86 year old duffer of a mechanic so help and suggestions (and education) are most appreciated.

Can you explain exactly what all the shock and suspension components are on a Mustang like mine? My car was a fairly late in the 1984 model year build so it came from the factory with quad shocks. My understanding is that the quad shocks were a mid year change for 1984 5.0 Mustangs.

In the rear, I think I need two quad shocks and two standard shocks. Is this correct?

In the front, do I just need two struts or is there more to it than that? I think I see coil springs surrounding what I think must be the struts???

I still wonder if I would see improvement just from doing my rear shocks, all of which are leaking pretty badly.

My shop guy is telling me that installation for the rear shocks is relatively inexpensive but that the front struts installation would be about $500.

My front seems tight and my car tracks perfectly straight.

 

[FoxChasis]

The 'Quadra-Shock rear suspension' include all four dampners, not just the horizontal axle dampners.

 

[2000xp8]

The quads sit horizontal on the back, they prevent wheel hop for most of us. Some people do away with them, but there isn't really a point in that, though in your case i bet you wouldn't know they were missing.

So yea, you need 2 quads and 2 regular shocks.
The front coil springs are separate, so all 6 (2 quads, 2 shocks and 2 struts) are fairly easy to swap.

At the same time i'd have your mechanic check your ball joints and tie rods.

If your backs look as bad as those pics, i would not be considering just the rears. I'd do the fronts for sure.