Should I Lower My Car? Thinking about B Springs.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

IMO every Fox needs lowered unless you're running fats and skinnies. There are some cars, for whatever reason they can sit like a trunk and still look nasty. When i was a kid there was this guy with a Cutlass that sat up really high but it just looked mean as hell. If it's not lowered, it has to have a teeny bit of rake to it or it just looks silly, and most stock spring cars sag in the rear.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

I don't think my car sits as high as some other hatches do with stock springs. But I do want that slight raked look of the Bs and Cs. I'm just going nuts being laid off and trying to find a job so I can finish getting some parts.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

Well we installed the fronts today and the car rides awesome with the struts set at the third softest setting. The height is the same as before, so I'm hoping the new isolators settle. The driver's side spring had the last two coils broken off and was stuck in the a-arm!

 

[smokin joe]

What shocks and struts do you have?

 

[Bryan83taco]

Another fan of Steeda Sports and MM CC plates here. Save up and get shocks/springs/cc plates first then do the install. Nothing worse than taking **** apart 3 different times.

 

[Hawaiian5.0GT]

This is my GT with the B springs.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

Well my suspension stuff is done and I think the B springs didn't do squat for my car. And my LCAs made the NVH go up like crazy, I can't even hear my Dronemasters.

 

[1bad67sbf]

maybe pull the isos out of the front to bring it down some more

 

[stang&2Birds]

The driver's side spring had the last two coils broken off and was stuck in the a-arm!

Was the car always a KY car?

That's NOT uncommon in snow States. And, having the lower isolators being fully worn away is also NOT uncommon.

That's just one of the ZILLION issues involved when you read the FOR THE MOST PART TOTALLY WORTHLESS suspension threads/mods on the forums.

Today, I would say that you're lucky if 3% of the PURE CR*P you read in the suspension threads is even close to being accurate.

I've said the above over and over.

 

[stang&2Birds]

And my LCAs made the NVH go up like crazy, I can't even hear my Dronemasters.

As I've also said over and over - start with the basics:
1) WHAT ARE THE FENDER HEIGHTS?
2) What are the rims, tires, and tire pressure?


In your case, let's assume that your tires and rims stayed the same. Then, correctly putting on the POS B springs (even with new isolators) should result in a front fender height of ~25".

If that's not the case (with correct rims and tires), then you likely didn't tighten the FCAs and/or LCA when they were under FULL load. And, IMHO, that's one of the MANY issues in reading the BS results of people installing springs on their car.


Not using isolators will often add a lot to NVH. It varies a LOT! IMHO, it's a very bad idea for many reasons. For the top, it puts a point load on the K-frame, frame, spring. On the top & bottom, you get "metal/electron/etc migration" between the two different metals - and water/moisture greatly speed up that process. It also put a lot more stress on the ends of the springs - and as you saw, after 10+ years, the ends of the springs can break.


It's not very hard to change a Stang's suspension. The issue is the TON of incorrect, poor, BS info out there. It was like that many years ago. It got better for a while. And, it's gotten much worse in the past years.

The other HUGE issue is tolerances and how they vary from one POS Stang to another. Also, if the fender has ever been removed, then the opening will very likely be a little forward, back, and maybe high/low. That all adds into "what tires will fit".

I'm sorry you got misinformed. I had that same problem many many years ago.

Good Luck!
save

 

[5LiterWes]

I did a ton of research on suspension and ended up going with a MM coilover kit + Bilisteins. What did you do to the LCA's that added NVH?

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

I did a ton of research on suspension and ended up going with a MM coilover kit + Bilisteins. What did you do to the LCA's that added NVH?

My LCAs are MM extreme duty, so I'd imagine it's because of the firm bushings and only being on the chassis end. But this is something I've been wondering if driveshaft vibration can be a culprit. I pick up some vibration when my 3.73's were installed.

What bummed me out about the springs is that I didn't get the raked look. However, I changed back to Pony wheels when I finished did the rear. Maybe I'll get a different look when I put on my FR500s.

 

[5LiterWes]

Might need time for the setup to settle. Give it a month and remeasure. Also, did you follow the procedure for properly tightening the control arm bolts? I believe you're suppose to tighten them once the car is back on the ground with suspension loaded.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

I followed Maximum's instruction and torqued it in the air.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I have the same arms. I run springs with no isolators and my ride is pretty quiet and smooth. Howmbad is the nvh issue you are having?

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

The NHV is pretty bad. With the windows rolled up it's unbearable. It seems the arms are amplifying my gear wind, that's why I was wondering if a aluminum drive shaft would help. MM said that it takes 100-200 miles for the bearing to break in, the rear rides like a buckboard.

 

[smokin joe]

Strange question but do you still have the funky weight on your axle? From what I understand once you change gears it can be removed.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

Strange question but do you still have the funky weight on your axle? From what I understand once you change gears it can be removed.

The dog bone weight below the differential? Yes, I still have it.

 

[smokin joe]

Yes, that is what I meant.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I have some Strange shocks/struts on the way and I have been debating about installing lowering springs while I'm there. I sometimes think the height of my car looks OK, but sometimes It seems to have squat at the rear. I don't want a low look and to be scraping into parking lots, but I thought stiffer springs would be better handling. So I'm thinking about FRPP B springs, but I couldn't find much info on ride quality because I want my car to take the bumps nice and smooth.

Any suggestions would be great because I don't know too much about chassis stuff.

Old thread back from the dead!

I like my B springs. I had some big name Blue ones that were too low and rode like a slot car and jiggled out your fillings. But it also handled like a slot car. B springs are about half as harsh and look right. I can probably have a better handling and riding car with bigger sway bars and softer springs now. The only downside is I do still scrape something when I go in the driveway with the wheels at an angle. I need to see if it is the inner fender plastic or the A arm. Those will take different solutions.

If you want a nice ride, stay with stock springs and moderate shocks made for ride quality.