[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by simon94 some basturd outbid me on h&r race springs thanks, but now i'm thinking to go with used oem mach 1 springs i think they should drop .75front and rear. so how much? where? should i cut mach 1 springs, to get a 1.5" drop up front and a 1-1.25" in back? thanks simon any input from others please

If you're gonna cut springs, there's very much a right and wrong way to do it. If you don't *know* you can do it the right way, don't. Mustang springs are cheap enough that there's little reason to cut them (unlike my Celica, where the only set of drop springs I can find are $700).

[simon94]

i read that one should not cut oem springs, only springs that have a dead coil like ford racing springs, but i was guessing that oem 03 mach 1 springs are actually a type of ford racing spring since they are linear 600lbs-front 250lbs-rear,-- inbetween spring rate from ford racing B and C springs---and that it might be ok to cut the mach's? any thoughts?

[simon94]

are these specs correct?
H&R Sport 490-575 250-285 1.60 1.50
H&R Super Sport 700-760 275-300 1.75 1.60
H&R Race 750-850 260-280 1.25 1.00
H&R Super Race 950-1050 260-300 1.25 1.25

[ModMustang97GT]

The general rule with cutting your springs is. Only cutt dead coils. Also. never cutt more than 1.5 coils off the spring. And do it in 1/4 increments. That way you see what it looks like each time, and you are not cutting into the design of the spring. Most after market springs have "dead Coils" on the bottom. These are the springs that uncompressed are touching eachother already. They are there for height and bottom out protection. If you need to cutt off more than that 1.5 coils. You should look into buying a new set of springs, as you are potetially ruining the ability of the spring to work correctly if you cutt off anymore. Cutting springs is kind of a redneck / voodoo science, people generally avoid it unless they are really cheap and or don't care. Personally Id rather buy a spring designed for what I want.

[simon94]

unless they are really cheap and or don't care--- u forgot to add experimenting its fun, i geuss u missed the episode when chip foose cut springs on overhauling to get the lowered stance he wanted, custom shops, rodders have been chopping springs, roofs, body lines etc to see how things look for who knows how long.

[Jazzer The Cat]

^ sure, you can do it that way and will learn TONS

Hell, I learned much of what I know that way, but is expensive and PITA. You will learn WHY not to do things a certain way, that is for sure

Jazzer

[ModMustang97GT]

Yeah, that is the point I am trying to make and the trouble I am trying to save people by creating this thread. If you really want to, you can ignore me and build your own stuff with rebar and bushings and whatever you want. But when you are done spending lots of money for sub par results, you can look up what the pro's are doing and do all the research to make a truley well rounded car. Once you have done that you can get some experience and talk to the pro's about the options and how and why the certain combinations work.

or.

You can ask me, and I'll save you alot of time so you can spend less time and money screwing up, and get corner carving or wheel standing alot sooner.

[HBK_2007]

so i was watching muscle car last weekend and they made thier own phb and 3 link. seemed pretty easy. is there any advantage of a 3link vs TA?

[ModMustang97GT]

A torque arm set up is what is considered a 3 link design. 3 arms. And then you have a PHB or watts link to keep the axle aligned laterally. A true 3 link is designed to have the 3 arms equal length, so that the axle is always parallel to the ground, and will have 0 bind. In the Torque arm set up, instead of having the 3rd link coming from above the pumpkin, you have it coming from belowe, and is longer than the other 2 arms, in this case the LCA's. The Torque arm is stronger and has an arguably better pumpkin angle to the drive shaft as compared to the true 3 link.

This is a 3 link.


This is a torque arm.


You can see the difference in the 2. The 3 link has joints at each end of the arm. Torqu arms are fixed on the axle end, This makes for better drive shaft to differential angle. The torque arm is also a larger stronger longer arm, compared to the 3rd link in a 3 link where they are all the same size and share all the forces, where the torque arm adds alot more strength than the LCA's. Also, the Torque arm moves the location the force from the tires is applied to the car. The torque arm generally give better acceleration as well as better braking, while having the force applied more directly to the center of mass.

[simon94]

yah hbk i saw that too on the cuda, u gatta know your stuff to do what they do, everything has to be perfectly squared and perpendicular plus shows are all edited so they make things look real easy and they have unlimited budget or they get free stuff from sponsers to help sell their products.

Ounce upon a time their was no after market parts, little old hot rodders before they were known as hot rodders or car builders starting cutting, chopping rebuilding. same thing with choppers. Humble beginings my friends.

I got a friend whos filthy rich he's got a tone of modified cars with aftermarket parts , but the one he loves and drives the most is his little old custom hot rod with no after market parts just used and refurbished mixed match parts from different old makes and models from salvage yards auto wreckers. i understand that it's hard to do that today with late model cars and the after market being was is today, but its still doable.

for example i wanted to get shaved door handles, i didn't know how to do that, so i went go to body shops that you'll work for free so they will teach me show me how. i found this guy who does paint/body work out of his house backyard carport garage! I helped him for a couple of months and not only did i learn how to do the shaved door handles but i re painted my whole freakin car! next up are lambo doors!

or u can drop 40 g's at wyotech, the choice is yours, if u wanna do something just fuckin do it, u don't know how to something just learn no excuses, research, books, internet,dvds,friends, hang out at your local body shops, help others and they will help u, what ever u do don't just stand around, participate ask questions etc

[HBK_2007]

thats exactly how i feel. no excuses, if u wanna do something, just do it. my biggest issue with aftermark parts (especially suspension parts) is can i make it better and cheaper myself. most of the time the answer is yes i can do it cheaper, but better, usually not

[simon94]

i found on ebay, but can't find spring rate & lowering specs 87-93 Ford Mustang Saleen Racecraft Springs .does anybody know? would these fit 97 gt ?
Racecraft 32/94 1125-90-00001
Racecraft 32/94 1125-90-00002
These springs were cut one coil length.

[Jazzer The Cat]

I am personally not a fan of cutting springs as too difficult to tell where the car will end up hight wise.

I also belive those are progressive springs and that poses an additional concern. I think that you should buy NEW parts as you know where they have, or rather HAVE NOT, been.

Jazzer

[ModMustang97GT]

Just a quick little tidbit. Saleen doesn't actually make anything. They just rebrand and assemble other parts. I am not sure what their springs are, I think they are eibach's or something like that. As for the measuring of the spring, uncompressed. Its not goign to help you that much. Some of the coils will be compressed together to be dead coils when they are actually in the car. Those are the ones you don't want to cut. However, some people do, and you can, you just have to do it right. You want to make sure you are matching your shocks to your spring cutt, and doing so can be tricky, especially if your springs are progressive rate springs. Its just kind of a voodoo science. Go for it if you want to, but the only advice I can really give is go little by little and try it out every time. Mount em up after you cutt off 1/4 of a coil and drive it around for a week. When you go to far and break something, I may say I told you so. If you get it just the way you want it and its perfect, I'll say good for you. But you have to take your time and do it right. Nothing worth doing should be done in a rush.

[simon94]

thanks guys, its from an ebay advertisement 1 coil has already been cut on rears but if your sure their eibachs then i won't buy them, i'll wait for h&R's

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by simon94 just to go off topic does anyone know about dss racing heads? i read that they are 55cc and should outflow the new trick flow heads? http://www.dssracing.com/ProductDeta...Code=PICNCFull 4.6/5.4L Romeo* PI 2V SOHC CNC Full ported cylinder heads with 1mm oversize stainless valves and Crower high pressure springs and steel retainers. We use only new castings direct from Ford Racing for the highest quality cylinder heads around. These new castings are thicker for better strength and use the spark plugs with longer threads - the only way to go for a power adder application! *REQUIRES 11-BOLT VALVE COVERS!

Wrong thread, man. If you want to ask about heads, ask somewhere else.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by ModMustang97GT The torque arm generally give better acceleration as well as better braking

Whoa there... better braking than what exactly? Better than the stock quadrabind? Absolutely. The UCAs fail at life, and just about any setup is better than the stock triangulated 4-link.

But torque arm braking better than a 3-link? Not so much. With a torque arm, the IC is fixed, and it's fixed in a position that is optimized for acceleration. However, under braking, that point is NOT the ideal position for the IC, and torque arm cars can wheel hop under hard braking because of this. With a three link, the IC is not fixed, and under suspension droop, moves to a much better place for braking. This was the advantage that the Steeda 5-link offered, as well.

This is where I was going to put a link to Evolution Motorsports site, and their tri-link setup, but it appears they've gone out of business!

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by simon94 Breaking Ground: EFI Intake for Two-Valve Modulars Reichard Racing pioneers the first aftermarket EFI intake for two-valve modulars Reichard Racing EFI Intake Two-Valve Modulars - 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords Magazine

Seriously man, this is a suspension thread. You've got the whole rest of the site to ask about power production.

[HBK_2007]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Whoa there... better braking than what exactly? Better than the stock quadrabind? Absolutely. The UCAs fail at life, and just about any setup is better than the stock triangulated 4-link. But torque arm braking better than a 3-link? Not so much. With a torque arm, the IC is fixed, and it's fixed in a position that is optimized for acceleration. However, under braking, that point is NOT the ideal position for the IC, and torque arm cars can wheel hop under hard braking because of this. With a three link, the IC is not fixed, and under suspension droop, moves to a much better place for braking. This was the advantage that the Steeda 5-link offered, as well. This is where I was going to put a link to Evolution Motorsports site, and their tri-link setup, but it appears they've gone out of business!

so whats the difference between a 3 and 5 link?

[ModMustang97GT]

Its essentially a 4 link plus a pan hard bar. The UCAs are moved so that they are parallel to the LCAs.