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Suspension Ford's Dumbbell

  • Thread starter Thread starter joetrainer31
  • Start date Start date Apr 26, 2014

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
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Apr 26, 2014
#1
  • Apr 26, 2014
  • #1
The case could easily be made that I am on the slow side. However, it is a FACT that Ford has serious cognitive deficiencies at times. While this thread could be under a "weight reduction" heading if one existed, the following dumb fact does affect suspension to one degree or another.

94-95 vert guys, this one is for you. When Ford designed our cars they deemed it necessary to add a 25 pound weight to the front end of our car! Their reason was that this weight was supposed to reduce cowl shake over 70 or 90mph; I'm unclear as to which one.

In the passenger side front fender well there is an iron cylinder that literally weighs 25 pounds! It is attached by 2 bolts. Gentlemen, this is useless ballast. Please feel free to remove it with extreme prejudice. Although, be careful. Do not drop it on your head or extremities. This dumbbell literally says "caution 25lbs." It will cause a flesh wound upon impact.

You want a free weight reduction that in no way impacts the functionality of your daily driver and helps reduce sprung weight? Here it is. This may not be news to you, but it was to me.
 
Reactions: jozsefsz

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
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Apr 27, 2014
#2
  • Apr 27, 2014
  • #2
Or just don't buy a vert.

Kurt
 
Reactions: jetmech807

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
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Apr 27, 2014
#3
  • Apr 27, 2014
  • #3
revhead347 said:
Or just don't buy a vert.

Kurt
Click to expand...
Yes, they are heavier. This is my 1st vert in 7 total mustangs I've owned. I have to say, even in SoCal I do not drop the top that much. I like the car. I just think its silly to add cast iron weights throughout the car. Did you know about this 25 pounder, Kurt? Crazy.
 

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
9,288
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Acworth, GA
Apr 27, 2014
#4
  • Apr 27, 2014
  • #4
Yeah, there is a whole weight reduction thread that covers the dumbbell on this website somewhere.

Kurt
 
Reactions: joetrainer31

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
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Apr 28, 2014
#5
  • Apr 28, 2014
  • #5
revhead347 said:
Yeah, there is a whole weight reduction thread that covers the dumbbell on this website somewhere.

Kurt
Click to expand...
How do I search it?
 

Bullitt347

I have been doing it wrong this whole time
15 Year Member
Mar 23, 2007
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Middle of Maine
Apr 28, 2014
#6
  • Apr 28, 2014
  • #6
joetrainer31 said:
The case could easily be made that I am on the slow side. However, it is a FACT that Ford has serious cognitive deficiencies at times. While this thread could be under a "weight reduction" heading if one existed, the following dumb fact does affect suspension to one degree or another.

94-95 vert guys, this one is for you. When Ford designed our cars they deemed it necessary to add a 25 pound weight to the front end of our car! Their reason was that this weight was supposed to reduce cowl shake over 70 or 90mph; I'm unclear as to which one.

In the passenger side front fender well there is an iron cylinder that literally weighs 25 pounds! It is attached by 2 bolts. Gentlemen, this is useless ballast. Please feel free to remove it with extreme prejudice. Although, be careful. Do not drop it on your head or extremities. This dumbbell literally says "caution 25lbs." It will cause a flesh wound upon impact.

You want a free weight reduction that in no way impacts the functionality of your daily driver and helps reduce sprung weight? Here it is. This may not be news to you, but it was to me.
Click to expand...
This is OLD news. The 1968 Camaro convert had the same 25lb weights in the front corners of the car, just behind the head lamp bucket assemblies. It was over 50lbs of weight by the time you removed the weights and brackets.
 

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
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Apr 28, 2014
#7
  • Apr 28, 2014
  • #7
Bullitt347 said:
This is OLD news. The 1968 Camaro convert had the same 25lb weights in the front corners of the car, just behind the head lamp bucket assemblies. It was over 50lbs of weight by the time you removed the weights and brackets.
Click to expand...
It may be old news, but I'm new to verts. I've always had fox body coupes.
 
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Bullitt347

I have been doing it wrong this whole time
15 Year Member
Mar 23, 2007
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Middle of Maine
Apr 28, 2014
#8
  • Apr 28, 2014
  • #8
It seems that the easy way out for engineers is to have the Moto "if it shakes add weight"
 

jozsefsz

15 Year Member
Aug 11, 2013
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Apr 29, 2014
#9
  • Apr 29, 2014
  • #9
Upvoting my friend joe because he took the time to share something he found. Whether or not it's "old news" it's still sharing information, and it's news to someone. You'd think by now absolutely everything about a Classic's already been discussed and posted online and you'd probably be right, but cars change hands and new members join all the time. So rather than knock a guy for taking the time to post something informative, please do the same.
 
Reactions: 90lxwhite

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
869
364
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Apr 29, 2014
#10
  • Apr 29, 2014
  • #10
jozsefsz said:
Upvoting my friend joe because he took the time to share something he found. Whether or not it's "old news" it's still sharing information, and it's news to someone. You'd think by now absolutely everything about a Classic's already been discussed and posted online and you'd probably be right, but cars change hands and new members join all the time. So rather than knock a guy for taking the time to post something informative, please do the same.
Click to expand...
Thanks, man. As you observed, I'm just trying to help someone else out.
 

VibrantRedGT

"STANGNET'S PENGUIN SMACKER"
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
14,679
424
154
Boca Raton, Florida
May 1, 2014
#11
  • May 1, 2014
  • #11
This information is also in the 94-95 GT / GTS / Cobra Specific sticky at the top of this page.
 

flstang65

10 Year Member
Dec 6, 2007
1,484
135
94
SE Georgia
May 1, 2014
#12
  • May 1, 2014
  • #12
I thought he just wrote up the rant because he dropped it on himself. Haha, just kidding.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,166
17,860
224
Massachusetts
May 13, 2014
#13
  • May 13, 2014
  • #13
It's a damper. It has a purpose. It's simlilar to the dampers installed in some office high-rise buildings in asia to protect against earthquakes.
 

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
869
364
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May 13, 2014
#14
  • May 13, 2014
  • #14
Mustang5L5 said:
It's a damper. It has a purpose. It's simlilar to the dampers installed in some office high-rise buildings in asia to protect against earthquakes.
Click to expand...
I see. Well, its off the car and at my friend's shop. So far everything has been okay w/o it. Although I have not hit the 90mph that it usually comes into play (or is it 70?). I also have a fiberglass hood and sub frames so maybe the cowl isn't going to shake w/o the weight?
 

madspeed

Colonel Mustard
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
8,914
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a van down by the river
May 13, 2014
#15
  • May 13, 2014
  • #15
hopefully, no earthquake at said friends house
 
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