Front suspension ideas

Page 1 of 2 1, 2  Next

View previous topic View next topic Go down

Front suspension ideas

Post  blu69MachI on October 17th 2011, 3:31 pm

Gentlemen I'm new to the site and I have a 466 in a 69 mach I. Front end is stock and I'm not sure what spring is installed. Then front end sits faily low and I wanted to know if anyone has any ideas of how to lift the front end a few inches. The header flange is scraping quite a bit.

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  the Coug on October 17th 2011, 4:11 pm

order big block springs

the Coug

Posts: 2224
Join date: 2008-12-02

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  jcoxracing on October 17th 2011, 11:44 pm

Couple different quick fixes, new big block springs or a 1 inch coil isolator.
Justin

jcoxracing

Posts: 230
Join date: 2009-08-12

View user profile

Back to top Go down

thanks

Post  blu69MachI on October 18th 2011, 10:38 am

thanks guys I think I will try the big block springs I tried the spacer and when I got the car in the air, I sasw that it already had 2 spacers installed. So I will start with Big block springs and go from there.

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  jcoxracing on October 18th 2011, 6:41 pm

I know somebody that has a set of 67 mustang gt 390 springs Very Happy

jcoxracing

Posts: 230
Join date: 2009-08-12

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  blu69MachI on October 31st 2011, 8:27 am

I ordered some performance BBF springs and when I took out the old springs about 3 coils were cut. So these should help quite a bit.

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  blu69MachI on November 7th 2011, 9:35 am

got the new springs installed and now the car is sitting really high in the front. Back to the drawing board on this one.

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  the Coug on November 7th 2011, 10:27 am

if you are going to drive this thing on the streets I would lower the upper A arms to the shelby position and you will be thanking me for this, It drives like a dream when you do this....

the Coug

Posts: 2224
Join date: 2008-12-02

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  blu69MachI on November 7th 2011, 11:20 am

Yes, I have been seeing this mod everywhere, I think this weekend I'm going to go ahead and pull the springs out again and make it happen. The above pic is with the old springs but it started sitting at that level after having the suspension hang for about a week or more. Usually it is sitting lower. Right now the front end is sitting up and it reminds me of a GASSER. It needs to come down about 3-4 inches. I will go home tonight and take a picture and post it. I am in question if I installed the springs upside down too. Is the flat side suppose to be on the top or bottom? I put the flat side at the bottom, but it is making sense to me to reverse it. I don't think that would have an impact on the height though. Thinking I may need to cut the new spring.......

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  the Coug on November 7th 2011, 12:16 pm

don't cut the springs untill after you lower the A arms, it will bring it down a little....

the Coug

Posts: 2224
Join date: 2008-12-02

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  jcoxracing on November 7th 2011, 1:08 pm

They shelby drop will only lower the front end about a 1/4" maybe 1/2" max. If you go with a lighter front spring, it will drop the front atleast 2 1/2".
What is the intended purpose of this car?
Justin

jcoxracing

Posts: 230
Join date: 2009-08-12

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  blu69MachI on November 7th 2011, 2:23 pm

the car will be street driven on nice weekends mostly, and local auto shows. It will see the drag strip occassionally. Did some measurements from the ground to the lip of the well and the rear is 26" off the ground and the front is 28 1/4.

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  nickbay on November 7th 2011, 7:25 pm

blu69MachI wrote:Yes, I have been seeing this mod everywhere, I think this weekend I'm going to go ahead and pull the springs out again and make it happen. The above pic is with the old springs but it started sitting at that level after having the suspension hang for about a week or more. Usually it is sitting lower. Right now the front end is sitting up and it reminds me of a GASSER. It needs to come down about 3-4 inches. I will go home tonight and take a picture and post it. I am in question if I installed the springs upside down too. Is the flat side suppose to be on the top or bottom? I put the flat side at the bottom, but it is making sense to me to reverse it. I don't think that would have an impact on the height though. Thinking I may need to cut the new spring.......


The flat side of the spring goes on top, if you reversed it, you've got big problems, assuming you have stock suspension.
Look at the spring perch that sits on the upper control arm and you will see it has a spring locator tab. Rotate the spring until it is tight up against it.
You need to drive the car for quite a bit before the springs settle, don't just put them in let it down, bounce it up and down and think that's where it's going to sit, it needs to be driven for it to settle, sometimes it takes a few days even. A lot of aftermarket springs are too tall, I had to cut my springs a half a coil.
Post a pic of the spring in the car if you're unsure, but I bet it's in correctly, it'd be tough to put it in upsidedown.

It's tough to see see but in the upper right hand corner of the right hand spring perch, you can see a tab that locates the spring.
The end of the nonflat side goes up against that tab.
http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/rollerperch/


nickbay

Posts: 30
Join date: 2009-09-04

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  blu69MachI on November 7th 2011, 8:35 pm

Thank for the response, well I put the springs in so I KNOW they are in WRONG lol. And I thank you for clarifying that up for me because I was a little confused until I got one in and realize how much a fight it was to line up the top. I know the tab you speak of too, This weekend I will have at it again and do it correctly. I bought springs from CJPony "SCOTT DRAKE COIL SPRING PROGRESSIVE RATE PAIR BIG BLOCK 1967-1970" and now the front sits 2" higher than the rear. With the old cut springs I think I measured it at around 24 inches and the old cut spring is extremly shorter than this new spring. I figure I will probaly cut a 1/2 coil off because the car sits way to high in the front. then install the spring correctly and see what I get. Here is a pic as of this evening, sorry for the crappy quality. I really appreciate the input.

And

blu69MachI

Posts: 35
Join date: 2011-10-17
Age: 37
Location: Omaha, Nebraska

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Re: Front suspension ideas

Post  cool40 on November 7th 2011, 9:20 pm

sounds like you have a good plan.i'd say you'll end up with a coil off them.the best way i found to deal with springs on these cars is drop a chain down the top with the shock out and use half of a spring conpressor to hook the spring then use a engine hoist to compress it,unbolt the a-arm and let it down.worked good for me,and fast too.nice looken car too! Very Happy

cool40
BBF CONTRIBUTOR
BBF CONTRIBUTOR

Posts: 3282
Join date: 2009-08-31
Age: 41
Location: south of music city

View user profile

Back to top Go down

Page 1 of 2 1, 2  Next

View previous topic View next topic Back to top


Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum