I like the raked look and was woundering if anyone out there can tell me what mustang to get the front springs for a slight lower ride and what rear springs to sighty raise the rear.
I have ben told the 83-88 mustangs shocks are to long but the 89-95 i think would work but im not sure on the springs to use to get the rake i want.
This is a wrecking yard bird full of wrekcing yard parts
Do a search and it will come up several times. What year is your car as that will help quite a bit.
Darren
Any mustang springs in the rear will lower it.
And make it ride like a hay-wagon with three tons of elephant shiznit.
Depends on the year of your car, as Aero mentioned, and it also depends on how low you want to go in the front. Keep in mind, if you slam the front, and raise the rear, you're going to have bump steer issues that will drive you bat-shiznit crazy.
Fox springs will lower an '87-88 tbird or cougar, but the ride will also suffer as their rating isn't as much, and they will now be in a heavier car.
If you must have a rake, I'd simply put air shocks in the back, and run some '97-'00 V6 or GT springs up front. This applies mostly to an '87 '88 car...the older years might be able to get away with using an older front spring, not sure.
You might also be able to drop the front using 3.8 Tbird/Cougar springs, if you have an all iron 5.0 under the hood...
Well i like the look but if it makes it ride like ill steer away from it. Its a 85 tbird with the 5.0. the shocks are blown and the springs are i have just ben trying to find a good junk yard car to get some parts from. I dont want to slam it i like around the way it sits but right now the rear is pretty much on the ground the shocks and springs are so bad.
Thank's
New shocks make a world of differance. i plan on going with air shocks since i plan on utilizing the trailer hitch on the bird.
my 86 cougar has new rear shocks and it sits a full 2" higher then my 87 bird. my bird didn't drag its ass till i spent a lot of time out of town in it with a couple hundred pounds of work tools in the trunk.
I used the bird for Grocerys loaded the car with way to much over and over it did not do to well (i do the shopping for my moms daycare)
id like to get new parts but i just cant right now. so i have ben going to the local wrecking yards with no luck.
I used to be able to find tons of tbirds/cougers. But they are all gone now there is a couple of 90s birds i can find and one 94 mustang but the mustang has a bent shock
I'd probably spring (pun intended) for new shocks, but the springs from the 94 Stang will be ok, and give you a comfy ride, and not make it look like a 4x4.
I've had my share of junkyard shocks and struts...it simply isn't worth it, if you're like me and 3 hours there 'n back from the places where these cars tend to collect at the end of their roads.
More often than not, in a wrecked car, they're damaged, or they've sat for so long that they're bad anyway.
If this thing is an every day grocery fetcher and kid hauler, put good stuff under it, not questionable junkyard bits. ;)
(the voice of experience has spoken)
http://m.autozone.com/autozone-mobile/en/parts/Gabriel-Guardian-Shock-Strut-Rear/_/N-iilgfZ8oxxx?id=410225
$20.99 with a "lifetime" warranty vs $7.99 each for junkyard peices. id drop the extra.$15 per side and call it a day personally.
i though my shocks were bad with 300-500lbs of tools. either you really do some serious shopping, or your shocks are completely gone. i carry a 4 ton floor jack, two jack stands, a 301 peice tool kit, several large hammers and another large tool box full of tools plus my ropes, pulleys, climbing gear AND basic hand tools.
In an '85 car I would suggest that you use the Springs from the newest GT Mustang (1994 to 2004) that you can get your hands on in a salvage yard. The front struts from a 94-98 GT Mustang will work on the front of your car so again look for the newest one or lowest mile with no liquid leak. The rear shocks will require Chuck's adapters so you might as well just buy T-Bird specific units from a psrts store like Gabriel or KYB units as overall they will be cheaper.
RockAuto has the struts and shocks super cheap so that would be a starting place for new and then just pair them up with the used Mustang springs.
Darren
IIRC, we used SN95 lowering springs all around on my 87, lowered it 3 inches in front and 2 in the rear so it has a nice rake. The ride definitely stiffened up, but it's still fairly comfortable even on long trips, and the stiffer springs and new shocks sure help in the handling department.
You can also flip the rear shock bracket to give you 1" higher mounting, and use any mustang shock...
I did that and it does not work as well as Chuck W's mounts. For me flipping the stock mounts only gave me about an inch more in height where Chucks are more like 2".
Stock shock mounts with Mustang rear shocks:
(http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy142/dbrune_83/IMG_0058_zps206b17f9.jpg) (http://s786.photobucket.com/user/dbrune_83/media/IMG_0058_zps206b17f9.jpg.html)
Chuck W rear shock mounts with Mustang rear shocks:
(http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy142/dbrune_83/IMG_0064_zpsae5902c7.jpg) (http://s786.photobucket.com/user/dbrune_83/media/IMG_0064_zpsae5902c7.jpg.html)
I looked through all my pictures when I did the install and evidently I did not take one with the mounts flipped. Flipping them I had about a #2 pencil or less of gap between the top of the tire an the fender lip. This is with a 275/35/17 for the rear tires which is a 24.6" tall tire.
Darren
Good to know, thanks.
I also use ChuckW shock mounts and Stang shocks in the rear, and SN-95 springs all around.
My front struts are for a Thunderbird.
Thank's for all the replys i have ben really bussy and have not ben on the computer in a while
The car sat for 10 years befor i got my hands on it. The shock where probably shot beforhand i just did not help it by loading tuns of stuff in the back
It is not my daily driver right now (got me a suburban) Ill just end up buying the parts new i used to have a pretty good hookup at my local but they sold out and most of the parts are cheaper new now
Just found out a couple days ago the trans is pretty much shot. Its spewing trans fluid that looks like metal flake red paint so i have more on my plate to get done so..
Thank's
I flipped the shock mounts and mine bottom out on full extension. I want the chuck mounts, as soon as I get the funds. Im tired of the nast clunk on bumps.
Hope Chuck is still making them??????