I was looking into my front end squeeking problem and found my front left spring was broken in 2 places! The car still sits level. Should I replace the broken one with a used one from Mustang Parts Specialists.com ?
I had the same broken spring on my 95, i got the tokico non-adjustable springs, struts, shocks all the way around. Not dropped to the ground but still dropped if that makes any sense. Anyway, it looks good!
I vote for Steeda Sport springs. They will lowerer the car a bit and make it look SO MUCH better. They also will help with cornering. And they also provide, IMHO, the perfect amount of drop. If you are replacing the springs anyway, and can afford new ones, go for it!
H&R Race Springs........though they have a higher spring rate, still comfortable for daily driving. Definitely need quality shocks/struts or you'll be sorry with the stockers. Preferably shocks/struts that are made to work with higher spring rates.
My drop is right an inch and looks pretty even front and rear.
No reason to do the work to replace it with a stock spring. Get some lower ing springs you'll be happy you did. I've got Ford racing C springs and they dropped the car just enough. about 1 and half in the front and an inch in the rear. Plus the car handles MUCH better.
Well, with 112,000 miles on the car, my struts are probably on their way out..... looks like the tokico shock/strut/spring kit is about $429. How long would those last? I would like to run the car for another 60,000 miles, would they make it?
How is the ride different with new shocks/struts/springs? I drive back country roads in Michigan, so I bottom out, bump steer, you name it, I do it and don't want a gocart. did that once with my 67 fastback, 720lb/in springs in front, turned the frame into the spring, ripped a lot of sheetmetal that way.
Good aftermarket springs should last almost forever. However, shocks/struts generally do have a limited lifetime, though you can usually count on 50K+ miles.
What do I need to unbolt to replace the coil springs? The Haynes manual gets crazy talking about tie rod ends, sway bar, steering bolts, lower A arm.... Can I just do it with a spring compressor?
IIRC, you need to disconnect the tie rod end at the spindle, and remove the caliper and loosen the ABS wire. Have the car up high on jackstands and have a jack under the control arm near the ball joint. Then disconnect the top of the strut. Then slowly lower the jack. You'll need to compress (by hand) the strut to get it out under the fender lip as you lower the jack. Everyone says watch out for a flying spring, but mine had to be pryied out. To be safe, you can chain it into the car - run a length of chain thru the spring and spring perch and connect it. I went ahead and got new isolators, as mine were pretty shot.
You don't need to remove the spindle from the balljoint, nor the control arm from the K-member. If you are replacing the struts at the same time, I think that it may be easier to remove the strut, before lowering the jack to remove the spring. Make sure you have the jack supporting the spring force before disconnection the strut.