Well, got my car all put back together and took it for its maiden voyage today, only to realize that my leaf springs are just slap wore out. I knew they were tired...but i liked the way the car was sitting, i lowered the front to match, but unfortunately when I crossed a bridge or hit a big enough pothole i heard "scrape" of the tires bumping the wheel wells. Now I have two options that I would like advice on. First i know I ultimately need to put new leafs under the car, so any suggestions? I am only going to drive this car, so comfort over performance please. Also for a "bandaid" I thought about putting on some good old air shocks till I have the time and facilities to replace the leafs, good or bad idea? (I have the air shocks already, took them off the car when I was restoring it) Comments, suggestions? Thanks
Oh the falling leaves....springs
- Thread starter robbz28
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JonK
Member
Agree with 2+2GT, I put air shocks in the back of my '70 20yrs. ago and they ripped the upper sheet metal and I had to have it welded. Shocks are not meant to support the wt. of the car.
2+2GT, your member link is mixed with 2002GT, even if you search for you as a member it leads to 2002GT...
Jon
2+2GT, your member link is mixed with 2002GT, even if you search for you as a member it leads to 2002GT...
Jon
S-Car-Go
Member
+1 for what 2+2GT said.
If you are on the cheap, KYB GR2 shocks. If you want the best ride (and great handling), Bilstiein street valved shocks. Street o Track and Maier Racing sells them. They are hard to find.
If you are on the cheap, KYB GR2 shocks. If you want the best ride (and great handling), Bilstiein street valved shocks. Street o Track and Maier Racing sells them. They are hard to find.
Thanks, I guess I will get me some springs on order this week. Thought about some grab-a-trak mid eye 4.5 leafs, that ought to get me back up to where i need to be. I took the rear wheels off this afternoon and peeked up under the wheel wells and found the wheels were scraping the inside lip of the wheel opening, ever so slightly, so i took a sanding wheel on a grinder and shaved off about 1/8 of an inch...on the side that the spring is a little higher than the other i ended the tire rub, the other side is probably half an inch lower and it still scrapes ever so slightly. I have some pretty wide 17" tires under the back, but want to keep them, so new springs are a must. Thanks for the info.
Well i took a little bit of a gamble, CJPP has a 10% off sale going on right now, got some brand new 4 leaf mid eye springs coming, with shackles and bushings and all hardware to do the install for 230 bucks with free shipping....also picked up a couple of other little odds and ends to round the order up to 300, but anyway, we shall see how the work out. The drivers side is really really low, the wheel well covers up the top of the tire its so worn out.
I didnt think that was bad seeing how every other place i priced grab-a-traks for were 240 for just the springs alone...plus another 30-50 for the mounting hardware...plus shipping. Anyway i have ordered a lot of stuff from CJPP and MU, i will get my order by wednesday from CJ, had i ordered from MU i would get the order next day usually (they're just down I-20 from me). And yeah, CJ always has "free shipping" but their prices are usually a little higher on some items, MU wanted to add 15 dollar "freight" shipping for the leaf springs on top of its standard shipping fee. I figured i could wait another day or two for the "free" shipping. Im not knocking any mustang parts houses, i just know who im comfortable with, you mentioned Glazier/Nolan, thats cool, but I just like the guys down the road...id say 90% of my stuff comes from MU. I tried Dallas Mustang once, but I was very unhappy with their shipping prices....very high and they are only 3 hours down the interstate from me, oh well. I just hope the parts fix my problem so i can get out and drive some more!
Well not that it really matters, but i got my email from CJPP today confirming my order and everything was on BACKORDER....grrrrr, so I called and canceled that order, called up MU and placed the same order, but changed to 4 and a half leaf springs....cost me a little more, but they were in stock and will probably show up tomorrow afternoon.
Hack
15 Year Member
One bit of advice I'd give is to hang on to the old springs. If the new ones leave the car too high, you can take them apart and rebuild them to get exactly the height you want. The directions have been posted on here a few times. Having the old springs will help with options to adjust the height.
THe ones i ordered are mid-eye...which is generally an inch lower than stock height, so im thinking I will be ok....the reverse eye is 2" lower....my fear is with these wide tires going too low and having tire rub issues still. If it appears too tall still I can always add some lowering blocks.
horseballz
10 Year Member
Robbz28,
As long as those springs give you the height you want and cure your tire rub, I think you're gonna LOVE those 4 1/2 leaf units! I have 4 1/2 leaf Maier Racing springs on mine and I must say that they are kinda like "poor man's" traction bars. Absolutely no dreaded wheel hop!
Gene
As long as those springs give you the height you want and cure your tire rub, I think you're gonna LOVE those 4 1/2 leaf units! I have 4 1/2 leaf Maier Racing springs on mine and I must say that they are kinda like "poor man's" traction bars. Absolutely no dreaded wheel hop!
Gene
I wish wheel hop was an issue with me....that 289 is so weak i do good to even spin over the one wheel that does turn. It is a BONE STOCK 289 with an intake and headers....i didnt build the engine, the PO did, i just tore it down and inspected it. The bores looked great, it didnt smoke or leak, so i just put it back together with some fresh head gaskets and valve seals and am rolling until i cant stand it anymore and feel the "need for speed". That little 289 runs like a sewing machine. I have my T5 sitting in my garage with all the goodies, just need to find a good weekend to put it all in, that along with some gears to replace those 2.79's and i feel the car will definately pep up quite a bit. Maybe THEN I will have a traction problem =)
Alright, i have to vent...i thought about making a new thread and call it "Those sorry SOB's" but i thought better not, lol. But I ordered my springs and i called MU to order them (to make sure nothing was on backorder) I get my order in today and everything is here except a pair of shackles...I looked on the list and they only put one in the order. So i give them a call today and tell them, they say that it must have been a miscommunication....no problem i say, just get me another one here before this weekend. They say I probably wont get it until monday, so I ask for them to give me overnight shipping for ground price (seeing how they dropped the ball and didnt send me what i ordered). The guy tells me they can do that. GREAT...then I check online later and I see "UPS Ground" beside my order, call them back and they tell me they can't do overnight "I said CANT or WONT" and he said cant.....so i just said, well send it however and hung up.....this was about 5 min ago...im still a little p-o'd.....guess Dallas Mustang will get some orders from me for a while. A man spends thousands of dollars with a place and then get the runaround like that...
Well.....some folks are just Snake Bit....think thats what Im going to name my car....anyway, UPS has lost one of my leaf springs.....how do you lose a 4ft long 60 lb spring?? Anyway, I call MU up, the have to do an "investigation" and they cant send me a replacement part until that investigation is over with and that takes 7 to 10 business days...so i guess i won't be driving my car for another 2 freakin weeks! Anyway, just thought id share my woes.
Guess I will go to AutoZone and pick up a cheap pair of lift shackles and slap on there for the time being so I can at least drive into town to charge the battery up.
Guess I will go to AutoZone and pick up a cheap pair of lift shackles and slap on there for the time being so I can at least drive into town to charge the battery up.
horseballz
10 Year Member
Robbz28,
DUE-HUDE
My guess is the reason the unit got lost was due crappy packaging and/or labeling to go right along with their crappy customer service.
If it were me, it would be a cold day in hell before they ever got another penny of my business, not to mention, if within driving distance, the owner/manager would be darned lucky to not find their prized ride's gas tank "topped off" with some recycled Bud Light from me and a few pals!
The great thing is that you seem like a pretty cool guy who knows how to roll with the punches and make lemonade when life throws you lemons. Great virtue and good idea with those shackles.
My $.02,
Gene
DUE-HUDE
My guess is the reason the unit got lost was due crappy packaging and/or labeling to go right along with their crappy customer service. If it were me, it would be a cold day in hell before they ever got another penny of my business, not to mention, if within driving distance, the owner/manager would be darned lucky to not find their prized ride's gas tank "topped off" with some recycled Bud Light from me and a few pals! The great thing is that you seem like a pretty cool guy who knows how to roll with the punches and make lemonade when life throws you lemons. Great virtue and good idea with those shackles.My $.02,
Gene
