Hello, I have 87 TC springs in my 86 and it sits too high for me in the front. What do you guys suggest for front springs. I have read some about some of you using mustang springs. What years work the best and will it lower it? Thanks
Mine are from a '99 SN-95 Stang. Dropped the front between 1 1/2 and 2 inches.
Vinnie, are your springs '99 V6 or GT or Mach or Cobra springs?
Are SN95 springs plug&play? I've just found Eibach lowering springs for V8 Mustangs, do you think I could use them in my '87 V6 T-bird?
Yes, the SN-95 springs are a direct swap, although I'd say to get the front end re-aligned afterward.
mine are BBK from a fox body mustang... supposed to lower it 1.5in but I think it brought it down a little more. I wouldnt suggest them if you are running 17"s with tires bigger than rubberbands.
Have to get some king of spacer/thicker rubber thing that goes above the spring, because as it sits I really think one big bump and the tires will shred on the fenders.
passenger side (dont mind that big dent lol)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/303038_230539553665760_100001291504709_591966_1331325861_n.jpg)
Drivers side
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307598_230539540332428_100001291504709_591965_401444557_n.jpg)
'04Cobra front springs, stock TC springs in rear.
I'm running front springs off a '92 Steeda Mustang. I bought them used and have no idea of the specs. I can tell you that the ride is stiff, but not overwhelming...I am running 17x9 wheels and 245/45/17 tires with no rubbing at all.
I would NOT recommend using fox Mustang rear springs. They sag too much and ride very rough due to the additional weight of our cars. I bought a set of CHE adjustable LCA's to get rid of the sag, but I have to admit the rough ride is getting old. I have a set of Turbo Coupe springs and installed them, but then the car sit too high with the CHE control arms. The plan is to cut a coil and reinstall...hopefully it will sit the right height and ride better than my current setup.
The BBk's from the fox mustang dont sag in the rear, unless these cars are supposed to be higher in the back, because my 88 sits level...but I cant say anything about the ride quality because I havent gotten it on the road yet... Im kinda scared to see now, Im used to rangers, they ride nice...even my 95 when it was lowered in the back it still rode nice.
I have a set of 1 1/2" HR lowering springs for a fox mustang. couldn't use them as they were WAY too short. With the axle fully compressed, they still rattled in the perches. That was of course when I had the MK VII rear.
This is when I had the Cobra front springs and 2000 GT springs in the rear. Car rode good and didn't sag in the rear. I just wanted a kinda old school look so I eventually went with TC rear springs to give it a little rake.
I too like a little rake. Your car was definately too low in the rear with the '00 GT springs....me likey much better now.
Thanks!! Gotta have me some old school rake....lol.
Hey cougarman, that looks almost the same as mine in height? Are those 17"s in the second pic? And did you have any rubbing on turns and/or large dips?
Yes those are 17s, I never drove those springs with those wheels. I didn't like how it looked lower in the back, so I changed the rear to TC springs.
What about the front? My back isnt quite tucking like yours... but my front is right there with yours...where I can barely fit my hand flat in between the fender and the tire... Im kind of worried that the first big dip I hit (there are a lot in the city and on the highway) my fenders are going to shred my tires.
I have about 2 fingers of room on the front. 8 get a very slight rub if I hit and large bumps at speed, but in normal driving it's ok.
Yeah, I dont want to risk it...Think Im just going to get some spring spacer things... My friend apparently knows where to find them. A slight rub is too close to a slashed tire to me...especially since Ive got brand new tires going on it before I drive it.
Funny thing is with the 18s, I don't get any rub at all...lol. The 17s on the front are 25" tall, and the 18s are only 22" tall.
Tire size would be my first guess... Total demensions...Were your 18"s wrapped in rubberbands? Because I like meat on my tires... These Oklahoma roads are too easy to bend rims on low pros... I dont know how people ride bikes at night, especially sport bikes...70mph+pot hole= sad panda.
I'm really not sure what size tires are on the 18s, they are my son's wheels he let me use them until I get a new Mach 1 wheel. I like a little meat on my tires also....lol.
Is there any difference between the 83-86 cars and the 87-88 cars with regards to the springs? I know I tried a set of Fox lowering springs on my 83 and the fenders almost sat on the tires. I would assume that the rear springs on the Fox T-Birds are longer as the shocks on the Mustangs are shorter hence the reason Chuck makes the adapters to use the Fox Mustang shocks on our cars. Anyhow, food for thought.
Darren
There is a difference between them, but I never got any info about what that was. I know for the old FMS kits, 83-86 were the D's and 87-88 were the E's. Of course no one had any info when I tried to find out. It probably had a bit to do with the load rating, and not so much with spring rates. I just gave up on it once I figured out that the spring and load ratings were on the old tags on the springs, so I just messed around with the avail stock SN-95 Mustang stuff (at least for the rears).
(http://www.turbochuck.com/webimages/projects/83%20TBird/10_17_09_3.jpg)
Ford C-Kit fronts with poly isolators. I had a 1/8" to 1/4" of spacer on the top when the car was a 5.0/AOD. I pulled those out when I went to the 2.3T/T5. Rears are 94-98 Cobra Convertible, with the RLCA pick-up point @ the axle lowered 3/4". After finding the load rating of the rear TBird/Cougar springs, I was able to compare that to info I had on the Mustang springs. The SN-95 stuff was close, but still less than that of the TBird stuff. At one time, I had 3 sets of the 4 possible rear spring pairs for the 94-98 Mustangs.
Anyway, for a stock-type spring, the C-Kit is hands down my fave for the front of the Fox cars. The rears get tricky, but there are options. As been mentioned around the site, some folks like the Bullitt/Mach 1 set-up, which works out OK for our cars.
I put the machs on the front of mine,with a half " spacer on the left,it rubs the well on really bad dips. I took the mooges 8600 out for them, didn't gain much more lowering with the machs,but never rubbed with them. I don't think the mach springs are the best fit. Maybe on a 2.3?