Lowering springs questions.

[portponies]

The next step on my project car is to lower it. I'm leaning towards a 2" drop, and would like to hear some feed-back on which springs I should consider.

Thanks in advance for your input. With all the help that I've been getting from you peeps, I should have it rolling by May. :beer:

[SuperSonic]

Hey Fritz,

A 2" drop is alot, especially if you want this car to go around corners. What happens is your front end geometry gets all out of whack when lowering it that much, you will get bumpsteer and the angles that the a-arms on on, along with the tie rods are too severe for the suspension to work the way it needs to work. I had Eibac Pro kit springs on my 91, and they dropped it a little over an inch which worked out great. That car handled like it was on rails. I can give you the exact suspension set up I had if you would like. There is also a great book out there that I followed, I think it was called "How to make your Mustang Handle", not sure, but I think I still have it and if I can find it I would be happy to drop it off. Lots of great info in it on Fox body suspensions.
Just for your info, my 91 ran a standing start time of 2:49 up at Road America during a Shelby Club event, and that's with about 240rwhp, not a powerhouse car but man did that thing go around corners.

Craig

[portponies]

Craig, that would be great!

I'm sure when the project is done I'll look back and see that I probably should have bought your car, but I think most of the fun for me is the building process.

[SuperSonic]

Sure Fritz, I will look for that book and all my alignment notes/specs/settings tonight, and then we can figure out a time so I can drop them off.
I know what you mean about the building process, that's why I started over with the Cobra....I'm still trying to figure out how to take about 700 pounds out of it, but that's all part of the fun...

[SuperSonic]

Ok Fritz, I found the book I was talking about, it's called "Mustang Performance Handbook 2". I can drop it off sometime, just PM me with your address and approximately where it is in Port, I live over by Allen Edmonds by the Interstate.

As far as the other information is concerned, I forgot I gave most of the sheets I had and all the manuals to the guy I sold the car to. But, I remember that car like the back of my hand so here goes.

The front end had the Eibach Pro springs, approx. 1" drop and the rate was about 750-950 variable rate. The A-arms had Energy Suspension poly bushings in them, the struts were Koni Sport Yellows(adjustable) and they were connected directly to the Maximum Motorsports caster/camber plates. I had the front alignment set at -2.5 degrees camber and +4.5 degrees caster. I had offset poly bushings in the steering rack to help with the bumpsteer, and the toe I would set to 0 degrees for the road track stuff like RA, and I would set it to 1/4" toe OUT for autocrossing. I had the alignment shop set it for 0, then I measured it on a flat slab with a toe gage and it ended up being one full turn on each tie rod to give me the toe out. So it was easy to change it depending on how I was driving it. The front sway bar was a Steeda unit, 1 3/8" tubular with all ploy bushings in it. The front also had a Kenny Brown K frame brace underneath and a Global West 2 point strut tower brace under the hood. The car had no subframe connectors, they were illegal in the class I ran in for autocrossing, so I had a 6 point roll bar from Maximum Motorsports, that stiffened the chassis up pretty good. The rear had the factory springs in it and I cut them down about 3/4 of an inch, the Eibachs were way to stiff with all the other stuff I had bolted to it, it also had Koni Sport Yellows(adjustable) shocks. It had a BBK panhard bar, stock sway bar, the upper control arms were factory stock right down to the bushings(poly were way too stiff) and the factory lower control arms were boxed in by myself with Energy Suspension Poly bushings. The rear also had a torque arm made by Global West called Trac Link, Ford Motorsport was selling it the last I knew of. The rear had a Detroit Locker with 31 spline Moser racing axles. The brakes were factory fronts with the SVO 73mm calipers with SS bushings and SS brake lines, the rear were SS Brakes rear disc conversion.

Wow, been typing a long time. Sorry for the long post, but once I get going....

This setup worked great, and took a lot of testing and tuning with lots of different parts going on and off. I stayed within the rules of the SCCA for autocrossing for the Street Prepared class. I love talking about suspensions and hope some of this info will help out.

Once again, PM me with your address and I will drop off that book, a lot of the stuff above came out of that book. It's pretty good reading.

Talk to ya soon and Happy Holidays!

Craig

[playpool]

my only opinion is that i hope you like to feel every bump in the road. when i got my stang i loved the stock ride..very comfortable compared to a lowered ride, but there is just some look to a lowered mustang that has a spot in my heart. just my opinion! nate

[portponies]

Craig, thanks again for the offer to loan me the book.

I just wanted to let you know that I picked up the "Mustang Performance Handbook 2". I got a really good deal on one thru Amazon.com, and I'm sure it'll be worn out by Springtime. I've been reading thru it, and it talks about details I hadn't even thought about yet.

I'm sure that I'll have more questions as the weeks go by.

Thanks again to everyone who chimed in with adavice. It helps to get everyone's opinion before going too far with some things.