Poll
Question: Cut or Not?
So I had the bird out in the yard earlier to make room for changing oil in my Mustang. I put the new non-adjustable CHE LCA's in a couple of weeks ago along with TC-spec Moog springs.
I have been hoping that the springs will settle some but so far they have not. I think it is sitting too high in the rear and now am contemplating cutting the springs some to get it lowered down. I'm just afraid to cut and then the springs end up settling and being too low!
So what do you guys think? Leave 'em alone, cut them, let them settle, or what?
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF3050.jpg)
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF3051.jpg)
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF3049.jpg)
I like it...I'm old school though
They would've settled by now. Cut.
if they won't settle, cut........the stance is almost there.....front looks perfect to me.
I voted leave as is. I think the front is a bit low, but I like to hit speed bumps and dips at 15mph too. Always bugged me how eas the bird would hit the gas tank on bumps.
^^^What he said!^^^ I guess the rear could come down just a hair, the front is perfect. Throw some ballast in the trunk, lol:punchballs:
thats a sweet looking bird
i think you should cut em just not alot
I'd use spring locks on the rear before I'd cut them. At least, if it does settle too much you can remove them and bring it back up.
ive herd that spring locks are bad for the car?
In my view the rear is to high. I would do this in a heart beat. This will get you app 1-1 1/4" drop. That in my view is what you need. Just MY $.02
(http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt88/tomrenzo/Kitties244.jpg)
Stance is killer! Don't cut!!
I like a little rake to a car. I think it looks fine that way, but I think the low profile sidewall tires make the gap look too large.
I agree mcb82gt.
I'd start with only cutting 1/2 a round though but no more than what Tom posted in his pic.
I say cut them a little bit.
Thanks for all the opinions guys. I think I may start out by cutting 1/2 coil and see how it goes. I like the front stance but the back is just not doing it for me, lol. I measured and IIRC the rear is about 1 1/2" higher. I do want the rear end just a tad bit higher than the front.
I agree if I had taller rear tires to fill up the gap, it may not look that bad.
Nope, start with 1/4 of the coil at a time. When you cut a spring, the rates change big time and 1/2 at a time is too much...
Just for the record the first 1/2 will drop the car APP 1/2-3/4" at best . If he wants to drop 1-1 1/2 he has to cut app 3/4 of a coil. But no more that is the limit of a stock spring CUT. A 1/4 cut will not do very much in my experience. But start small to be on the safe side. Rear springs are easy enough to remove!!
He speaks the truth, I learned the hard way not to cut too much at once, it's real easy to get carried away and ruin a spring. Gotta agree with Tom and do half a coil first, then 1/4 from there if adjustment is needed
Cut them !!!!!!!!!!!!
but isnt it true that springs have different rates? therefor its unclear how much you take off vs how much it will drop.
That's why you start at half a coil, then 1/4 coil from there.
I have to comment, I love those chrome wheels on your car.
Get some bigger tires in the back, that'll fill up the wheel wells. :evilgrin:
It'll handle and brake better if you even out the rake.
If you're not using an adjustable brake prop valve, your brake bias is out of whack now with it sitting ass-high like that.
Well thank you sir. I am growing quite fond of them myself. Hard to keep shiny though with the hard water we have where I live. They tend to waterspot badly.
Yeah I need a drag setup...big 'n littles. Maybe some 33" slicks on the back? Lol I don't think I have enough power to justify that though!
Don't worry Chuck, the springs are going under the knife this coming week. I actually have noticed that the rear wants to "roll" more around corners.
I do have an adj prop valve, btw.
You've altered the roll axis, so you may feel it coming up and over the center point in the rear. Ick.
Good you have the adj prop valve. If you left it as is, you might've wanted to dial down the rear brake bias, seeing as the balance of the car has been shifted to the front.
Just for giggles and to experiment on getting the height I want (before spending money on springs), how do the stock springs react to some tpuppies??
What size tires are you running? I have TC rear springs w/ stock arms, but I'm running 255-50-17 tires.
You're running stock rear control arms correct? If so that could be why yours sits better.
Yepper, that is correctamundo. :)
why do the CHE LCA make is sit higher?
I was wondering the same thing, the spring mount must be higher or something!!???
I should read before I reply :mullet:.
Well I was hoping the non-adjustable CHE's were the same as stock LCA's as far as spring perch height or whatever. Apparently they are different enough to make the car sit noticeably higher. My tires are 245/45/17.
I vote cut or get some SN95 springs. I just put SN95s in on Friday. I had to lower my fronts a little to match, but here's the result. vvv
(http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu352/bryan163photobucket/2012-05-12_13-06-41_406.jpg)
V6 or V8 SN-95 springs?? Or are they the same??
They are the same. I have them on the Sport.
I cut my springs last night. Ended up taking off a total of 1 1/2 coils to get it to look right! It may be just a tad bit too low, but it looks pretty good IMO. My uncle wanted to cut more and then cut the fronts too, lol. He's all about tucking tire!
No pics?
py cell phone pic:
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/photo.jpg)
Looks like . Put it back the way it was.
Just kidding. Looks great. Free mod, looks cool, and how does the ride feel? Any different?
Oh.......it would be good to have wider tires out back. Wat size are those? I have 275 40 17's out back, and would still like them a wee bit wider.
Okay, I was wrong. Looks much better "tucked".
The ride is really not much different than before. There was also a clunking noise coming from the springs before which now is gone. I have no idea why, lol.
Yes, I do need wider rear meats. These are 245/45/17 but I really need 275's to make it look right. What is the limit on 17x8.5 wheels? 275?
You know after looking at side profile pics of my car, I am really thinking about ditching the tailpipes and going with axle dumps. I just don't think stainless or chrome tailpipes go with the rest of the car. Maybe its just me?
Dumps get really old after a while with the drone. I have seen people angle them both inward and down, to help cancel each other out, but, I think tail pipes are the way to go. My own opinion of course, and, you gotta do it the way that makes you alone happy.
As far as what will fit those wheels, not sure. My rear wheels are 17x10, so, They may hold a little more tire than an 8 inch wheel.
Grab a pair of 17x10 chrome Cobras. Easy.
I like the exhaust pipes and agree with Vinnie that you may wish you hadn't gone to dumps.
Stance looks nice.
Looks much better with the rear height like that. The ass-high look does not fit these cars.
As far as the tailpipes go, one option could be that you tuck the bit after the rear wheel up a bit more, and then just use turndowns right at the rear bumper. That should hide most of it. You could also just have them exit right after the rear wheel, turned off to the side/out a little bit.
I think you should try spring locks or at least research them. Seems easier to remove if u don't like them. by the way...I love your bird!!lol
x2, not a good idea at all.
Thanks. I gave it a tune up last night too: autolite 25's, Ford Racing 9mm plug wires, new MSD blaster coil, MSD cap/rotor. Runs great now! I think my coil was bad because I was experiencing a miss under WOT and that's all gone now. Took it up to 5K last night and it ran smooth as silk.
Bad thing was a bird pooped on my trunk lid. I noticed it and cleaned it off (couldn't have been on the car more than 2 hrs). The darn poo had already left a blemish in my paint!! I tried rubbing compound, wax, etc and nothing seems to touch it. I am not a happy camper.
You need this: http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g17216-ultimate-compound/
and this:http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g19216-ultimate-polish/
It is awesome stuff.
It looks great :). I need to lower mine a bit. I can stick my fist between the tire and fender lip.
Lol, I could too on the rear before cutting the springs. Thanks for the links on the Mequiars stuff, I really do need to get some and polish the entire car.
Looks nice, evened out like it is. Did the ride quality change very much after cutting the springs?
I honestly didn't notice much difference.
He's actually probably better off with this:
http://3mcollision.com/3m-perfect-it-3000-extra-cut-rubbing-compound-06060-1-quart-us-946-ml.html
It's meant for a wheel, but you can use it for a hand compound on bad spots (do NOT do the whole car) and follow it up with a GOOD polish afterward. I've gotten quite good with the stuff. You'd be amazed what it took out on my wife's truck.
im late,
i would have used u-bolts x 2 per side to pull two coils closer together.
my case is the opposite on the coug, too low in the rear, fortunatly there up on the first coil up top is a cubby that allows you to hammer a 1'' chunk of red oak 6'' x 6'' shim.
had to jack up the rear to get the spring opened up.
once in you lower your car and the block is in a bind.
I think cougs got a lower quality spring or something,, all mine sagged in the tail. I have only fixed my 20th so far.
Using spring locks or u bolts to adjust ride height is never a good idea. At least that's what I've always been told. Of course cutting is not my 1st choice either, but finding springs that give you the right stance for these cars is nearly impossible.