Drop Springs + UCA Drop = still too high. any recommendations before I cut my coils?

[Snail50]

Okay, like it says, I've put in 620# lowering coils and GW Neg Roll UCAs (which mounts approx 1.25" below stock location).

With my 17x8" rims & 235 45 17 Nittos, there is still a gap of about 1.5" between the fender lip and the tire; my 4.5 leaf mideye rears put the tire perfectly up inside the fender. I want the front to match the rear.

The front seems to have settled as much as it's going to.

Any suggestions as far as adjusting/tweaking the front end which might deliver even more of a drop before I go hacksaw-crazy on the front coils? (I've already searched all the "coil cutting" threads)

Also, I don't know how important this is, but I haven't re-aligned it since I put in the UCAs and the steering rebuild, but I did eyeball-align it enough to where it looks okay and tracks straight enough to get me to the alignment shop. (I don't want to align it, then cut the coils, then have to align it again.)

Thanks in advance....

 

[Snail50]

also, while reading the "coil cutting" threads in the archives, I saw that a few others found that lowering springs & A-Arm drop didn't lower the front enough. what I didn't see was whether or not there was anything else to try before cutting coils.

 

[NorCal66]

Damn, I lowered mine 1" drop and 1" from the 620#s and it's sittin with JUST enough clearance to turn the wheel fully. I can't think of anything else with the exception of putting more weight up front or just cuttin em. I don't know how much this would change things, but where is your battery located?

 

[BAD67FUN]

Cut a half coil off the springs... that'll set you right.

At least it did for me.

 

[DarkBuddha]

Don't do anything unless you've already replaced the rear leafs and setup the rear suspension. If that is done, cutting your coils is an option. Start with half a coil and then reinstall and check the height again after a short drive. If its still not low enough, cut the coils in half coil increments until its "right".

But as I said, make sure you've done your rear suspension first. Leaf springs can sag a lot, which is why most mustangs have that too-good-for-you nose up in the air look.

Hope this helps.

 

[Snail50]

man, you guys are quick.

NorCal: the battery is in the stock location. what size tires are you running? my 235 45 17's are smaller overall diameter than the donuts I had on my 14" rims. Before I put my disc brakes on, the 14" rim & tire combo filled the fender up fairly well.

Jason: LOL...I checked your site before I posted this question to see what YOU had done. BTW, if you got my email regarding disc brake installation, you can disregard because the job is finished...although if you have some pics of how you mounted your proportioning valve, I'd appreciate them.

 

[Snail50]

DB: the rear suspension is all new. I was planning to cut off 1/2 coil, like Jason recommended.

BTW Jason, are your coil spring isolators installed? the ones I have in are fairly thick, and could give me about 1/4" of drop if I took them out.

 

[NorCal66]

I've got 225/60/15s up front.
Ah, that coil spring insulator could be something to look into. I remember they offered two sizes, one would keep the car stock height (cancel out the 1" from the springs), and one would let it drop the full inch. Might want to try going with the skinnier one?

 

[Snail50]

I don't think removing my insulator would give me more than 1/4", but it might help AFTER I've cut the coils if I need to drop it a little bit more.

 

[triostang]

i have the same problem with the front sitting to high, i was going to cut the coil however much i would thought the right height was, but then a friend told me that the bottom front tires would lean inward with the top outward ( i dont know how much but just the thought of it scared me)

Is there some other way of lowering other than cutting the coils?

 

[Snail50]

i have the same problem with the front sitting to high, i was going to cut the coil however much i would thought the right height was, but then a friend told me that the bottom front tires would lean inward with the top outward ( i dont know how much but just the thought of it scared me)

Is there some other way of lowering other than cutting the coils?

I've never heard of that, but if that happens, I think you could just dial in more negative camber at the LCA. I have the negative camber UCAs anyway, and there's a spacer I could remove to give me more neg. camber if needed.

 

[BobV]

With the GW arms, you don't set ride height by tire vs fender opening.

Your ride height should be with the lower control arm level, as measured from the CL of the inner pivot and the bottom of the spindle... Read the directions!

And yes, they recommend cutting the springs 1/4 coil at a time until it's level. Also, be sure to roll the car back and forth a couple car lengths each time you put it back on the ground.

 

[302 coupe]

I have 620 coils, KYB's, stock control arm location, and I can barely get my finger between the tire(225/60/15) and fender. I'm using a stock thickness insulator but its polyurethane instead of rubber. Have you rolled the car around or driven it any? If I have mine jacked up and let it down it sits high, but after I back it out of the garage it goes down.

 

[triostang]

when you say they recommend cutting the coil does that count for the 620 1'' drop coil springs?

 

[302 coupe]

cutting coils off of a 620 would make for a stiff ride.......

 

[Snail50]

With the GW arms, you don't set ride height by tire vs fender opening.

Your ride height should be with the lower control arm level, as measured from the CL of the inner pivot and the bottom of the spindle... Read the directions!

And yes, they recommend cutting the springs 1/4 coil at a time until it's level. Also, be sure to roll the car back and forth a couple car lengths each time you put it back on the ground.

Thanks BobV.

I don't have the directions in front of me, but do you mean that the END RESULT of any adjustments or coil-cutting is that the LCA sits parallel to the ground, with the Inner Pivot and Spindle End equidistant from the ground?? i.e., do I keep cutting the coils until teh LCA is parallel to the ground?

 

[Snail50]

I have 620 coils, KYB's, stock control arm location, and I can barely get my finger between the tire(225/60/15) and fender. I'm using a stock thickness insulator but its polyurethane instead of rubber. Have you rolled the car around or driven it any? If I have mine jacked up and let it down it sits high, but after I back it out of the garage it goes down.

I think your tire/rim combo has a larger overall diameter than mine, which is why it fills the fender out.

Yes, I've driven the car since I installed the UCAs.

 

[302 coupe]

I think your tire/rim combo has a larger overall diameter than mine, which is why it fills the fender out.

Yes, I've driven the car since I installed the UCAs.

not really, diameters are within a fraction of each other. 225/60/15's are 25.6 tall, 235/45/17's are 25.3 tall. Sounds like a sweet setup you've got, maybe the springs were mis-labeled or something
Post some pics when you get 'er done

 

[Opentracker]

I can't tell you how long it took me to get this car to sit right. I cut springs, rebuild rear leaf springs, anything it takes to get it to sit right.

This is a 38lb battery on a rubber spring perch. Binding is a bad thing.


The bushing in the spring perch can cause the car to not sit right. If your perches are made of rubber they can be part of the problem. Greased poly bushings will work or some type of bushing/bearing. For the coil springs I also cut 1/4 coil off at a time till it's right. It does take a lot of time bit it's worth it. I make my own rear leafs out of two old sets of springs. Cheap and easy. I have never got the car to sit right the first time.

I rebuilt the rear leafs on our '66 coup 4 times before it looked right.


John



(edit - spelling)

 

[BAD67FUN]

Yes, my insulators are installed. The valve install is nothing special. Just cut the line and screwd it to the floor pan back there. It's only temporary until I redo the whole system.