Newbie Here! Need some help with lowering springs and tinting...

[mjaggy]

Hey all, it's great to finally post here after checking this place out for a while. Hope to meet all of you, have some good times, and learn alot.

So first off, I have some cash to spend this X-mas and have been looking into lowering springs and possibly tinting my windows.

I was all ready to buy lowering springs til I read on one site that you need camber plates and spring insulation crap for them that makes the price like $100+ more than they already were. So can someone simplify here - do I need to buy anything other than the lowering springs themselves, and if so, what and how much? And will I be able to install them or must I get them professionally installed? I have 0 experience with cars and installing things in cars except for changing tires.

And I was also looking into getting my windows tinted! Is there some kind of limit of laws in Pennsylvania to how much you can get them tinted, even if it is a limit of looks? And is Ziebart a good place to get them tinted? It's the only place I know. Will having a convertible affect if I can get them tinted or not?

Thanks alot, everyone, I appreciate it.

 

[COramprat]

Camber plates only if you are dropping more than 2 inches. If it is lees then you don't really need it.

 

[91BlckGT]

mjaggy, glad to have you here.

For lowering springs, no you don't need c/c plates. They are a very good idea for all mustangs though, since the stock fairmont unibody pretty much sucks for any sort of handling.

For springs, there are many different kinds to go with, but you'll find that most are actually made by eibach. Figure that the limit for how much you "should" drop the car is about 1.5" in the front, and 1" in the rear. Most springs give close to that, with most being around 1.25" in the front (mine are).

I went with progressive rate springs, which use different size coils, so gradually increase the spring tension in a turn, which allows the car to ride smoother while flat, but still corner like a higher-rate spring.

Anyway, the spring isolators are not necessary, but they are a very good idea. They cut down on NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness), and keep down the wear and tear on your spring perches (not that you're going to wear them out, but they'll rust where the spring grinds into them).

From your explanation of what you've done, I'd recommend you have a professional put the springs on. The front springs are under extreme tension,and failure to properly release the tension could cause injury or death should you screw something up. That, and you generally need an impact wrench or breaker bar to pry everything apart. You'll also need a quality torque wrench to put it back together.

We can walk you through the whole process should you decide to do it yourself, but again, I'd pay somebody, maybe a mechanic friend who works for beer or something.

As for tinting, check with your local DMV to see what the maximum allowable tint is. Cops will, and do, pull over us mustang guys to check the tint, and it sucks getting a ticket for it.

 

[mdziedzic]

great advice

 

[1of3901SpringGT]

I have the eibach pro kit springs and I got just the springs. Ride is a little rougher but not to bad and looks way better. If you are short ona cash the springs alone will more than do.

And if tint is illegal in your state as in mine just have your eye doctor type you out a note on his letterhead saying you have light sensitive eyes and it is a medical necissity that your windows are tinted. Works for me, got pulled over the other day and got off.

 

[marvinmycat]

You'll need caster camber plates if you lower the car more than 1.5", which is less than 2" as previously stated.

You can reuse your isolators if they aren't in crappy shape.

It is also a good idea to go with new shocks/struts when lowering your car as the stockers won't last too long before they start to fail. I went with Tokico non-adjustables which suit me just fine. Ask around for aother brands.

You can replace your own springs without killing yourself. There are two ways to do it. The safe way and the risky way.

The risky way:

Jack up the car, use another jack under the lca to hold it in place. Unbolt the bottom of your shock/strut. Lower the lca down until you can wiggle the original spring out. Put in the new lowering spring, raise the lca, bolt the shock/strut back up.

Safe way:

Raise car, and jack up the lca. Use a spring compressor from AutoZone and lock the spring down while compressed. Lower the lca, and remove the spring without threat of it shooting out and going through your chest or head. Put in new spring, raise lca, bolt everything back up.

After either way, go get an alignment. You don't need to wait days before you get one as the springs will settle within 20 minutes of the car sitting on them. Every one posts here to wait a few days, or even 500 miles before getting an alignmet. Trust me, you don't need to wait. Waiting only beats the crap out of your tires.

 

[olbob]

Take a drive in Tinted window car and see if you like living in the dark... Bah-Humbug, I'll take sunshine... I basically sold my Mk V111 because of the dark windows.. Just check it out first, you may like it..
Bob

 

[decoy562]

How much does it cost for parts and labor for lowering a car, and what exactly do I need? Just springs and shocks if I'm not lowering it more than 1.5 inches? Thanks

 

[mjaggy]

Wow...I thought this thread was dead...thanks for the interest and helpful replies, everybody.

 

[austinGT]

I tinted my windows myself....did stripes myself too, first time id ever done anything like that.
10 bucks for tinting ehehe

If you decide to try tint yourself be very liberal with the soapy spray, seems to help alot in keeping dust and other particles from settling under the tint cause you'll squeegie most of it out. I wasnt all that liberal with the stripe spraying because I didnt want them to slide out of line.

I had the springs installed by someone else tho for 200 bucks for the springs and C/c install. Cost me about 350 or something for the cc and springs.

 

[johnt785]

I tinted my windows 5%. And it's awwwwesome. I love when people stare into my windows at stop lights trying to see in. Then I give them the finger just to see no reaction on their faces. Haha.

I too am going to lower my car, probably 1 1/2''. Can you find springs and shocks together by the same company?

 

[decoy562]

Wow, this thread was revived again?!?