Suspension Kudos To Those...

Kudos to those who have done front lowering springs, and said it was easy! LOL It was... by far not easy for me. I put on some Eibach lowering springs, on just the front, and putting them back in was not so easy. Ok, putting them in was easy, but getting them to align perfectly in the perch, was not. It was actually impossible lol. The bottom coil didn't sit in the perch where it was suppose to, and I couldn't turn the coil at all. I had to also install with no isolators, which isn't a problem, as I have not heard any noise, and don't think I will.

Is there a trick to get these to go in right? Compressors, there just isn't enough room for them, and I tried a toe strap... no luck. I know, stupid, but I was willing to try anything. The outcome though... I still love it lol.

From this...
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To this...
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Easiest way is to leave the strut and tie rod attached, and remove the A-arm bolts, then lower it down with the jack. Then raise the new one up the same way, nice and straight. The hardest part is getting the A-arm bolt holes to line back up so the bolts can be reinstalled.
 
maybe its just me but i always pull the arm down line up the spring in the perch with a long pry bar and then push up. once it pops in i jack the arm up and rebolt the shock. ive done hundreds this way and never had an issue.
 
I dropped the strut itself, and did it that way. As this seemed like the logical thing to do at the point, and from what I have read on write-ups.

I thought about putting it all back together, and dropping dropping it by the A-Arms, but I didn't want to go through all that, and have an issue or aligning it back up. This generally not an issue?

With the springs not sitting like they should in the perch, should that be an issue at all?
 
I just did my front A Arms and front lowering springs (Eibach Pro Kit), a couple weekends ago. After trying a bunch of different ways, the way that worked for me was this:
1.) drop A arm by removing ball joint castle nut (in my case I replaced each arm)
2.) Compress spring as much as possible with spring compressor
(watch which part of the coil you put the spring compressor on, meaning.. try to leave 2 coils above the tool ,if you compress it too much you will have a fun time getting the compressor tool out, I learned the hard way)
3.) wrap the s**t out of the spring with aluminum/steel bailing wire
I did 4-5 separate wraps on one spring, each with 10(ish) loops
4.) put compressed spring into the correct position and use a jack to jack the A arm into place
5.) put ball joint assem back together to torque specs
6.) cut bailing wire and remove it
7.) now put everything back together, dust shield, rotor, brakes, etc etc

That's what worked for me, everyone has their preference.
I was told this method by someone else on the forum. It worked.
 
Kudos to those who have done front lowering springs, and said it was easy! LOL It was... by far not easy for me. I put on some Eibach lowering springs, on just the front, and putting them back in was not so easy. Ok, putting them in was easy, but getting them to align perfectly in the perch, was not. It was actually impossible lol. The bottom coil didn't sit in the perch where it was suppose to, and I couldn't turn the coil at all. I had to also install with no isolators, which isn't a problem, as I have not heard any noise, and don't think I will.

Is there a trick to get these to go in right? Compressors, there just isn't enough room for them, and I tried a toe strap... no luck. I know, stupid, but I was willing to try anything. The outcome though... I still love it lol.

Long term, I think not having the Isolators in there will begin to wear-in and produce noise. (Metal to Metal) There is a reason Ford Installed them as OEM. IMO, I would rather have them in on a daily driver.

I'll be going thru this same headache soon....:doh:

BTW, it does look nice!
 
It does look real nice.

I hope mine will look just like yours, assuming we have the same Eibach set, once I get a set of 17s on it and put the rear springs in.

I don't remember what Eibachs I have, yellow in color, but they are 1.5" drop springs. I love them. The front isn't bouncy, but I do rub on my inner fender wells. I would just remove them, and undercoat my fenders, but I am going to be tucking my wires one of these weekends, and would like to keep as much water/dirt out of there as possible lol.

If/when they start to make any noise, I will just add the iso's :) and thanks 1200gt. It came out as I hoped it was going to.
 
Car looks good. How does it ride now with so little spring up front?
Quite surprisingly, it rides very well. No bounciness at all, feels more firm than the OEM springs, but I do have the occasional rub when I hit a dip. I am not hitting the fender, so I figure its because I am running 245's up front on a 9" wheel, and its hitting the inner lining of the fender well.
 
Was that a 4x4 mustang you started with? :p

Car looks great lowered! I have never used isolators and never ever ever had a problem with noise. I always change the springs like MFE92, usually 15-20 minutes a side and the whole car front and back in about an hour ;)
 
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Was that a 4x4 mustang you started with? :p

Car looks great lowered! I have never used isolators and never ever ever had a problem with noise. I always change the springs like MFE92, usually 15-20 minutes a side and the whole car front and back in about an hour ;)

Thanks man, really appreciate it!
It was pretty much a tonka truck before lol. ALWAYS irritated me, and I wasn't going to lower it this year, but I found a guy selling a slightly used set of Eibachs for $100. I offered $70 and he took it. I couldn't beat that at all.

You disconnect at the A-Arm, leaving the ball joint and strut assembled as well?

I am not sure why there are more writeups the other way around, if disconnecting the A-Arm is the easier route.
 
You disconnect at the A-Arm, leaving the ball joint and strut assembled as well?

I am not sure why there are more writeups the other way around, if disconnecting the A-Arm is the easier route.

There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, everyone has there own way to do anything but that is by far the easiest and safest way for me to do them. I have lost count on the number or mustangs i've put lowering springs in at this point. The only ones I'll refuse to do are the moroso trick springs. I saw one go half way into a block wall one time and that was enough for me. Those trick springs are dangerous. lol
 
You disconnect at the A-Arm, leaving the ball joint and strut assembled as well?

I am not sure why there are more writeups the other way around, if disconnecting the A-Arm is the easier route.

Welcome to the internet. Just because it's said the most doesn't make it the best ;) Most people don't think to do it this way, but that doesn't make it inferior.
 
Just an update, but I am now having NO rubbing problems! Lifted the front of my car up this weekend to change out my thermostat, and say that a part of my fender lip was bent down. Every bump I hit, it would rub against it. Well, I bent the lip back in place, and now I can hit a (small) dip and have no contact! Woot! lol