Suspension Foxbody ride height change after installing new control arms

[Mhalc1]

I'm still in the camp of not bothering with this without the right tires. Both of those are still incorrect sizes, with coil overs you are still going to need to adjust them again, so however it sits is going to be wrong anyway.
I'm also wondering if expectations are too high. I wouldn't consider 3/8 off on one side to be all that bad. These cars were all banged up and beaten many without subframe connectors.

I may be splitting hairs with the 3/8 difference, but I am gauging off how the car sat before the install of the control arms... Although I do understand the importance of having the correct tires before setting my final ride height... I'm not understanding how the correct tires would lower my ride height (outside of the tire size itself) wouldn't I still have the same problem just with the correct tires? I am suspecting suspension bind which I would like to address before getting tires and an alignment.

 

[Rdub6]

I'm also wondering if expectations are too high. I wouldn't consider 3/8 off on one side to be all that bad. These cars were all banged up and beaten many without subframe connectors.

Agree…… this is exactly why I bought the adjustable rear control arms from MM. With them both adjusted the same, and springs orientated properly, after a few rides the rear was a hair lower on one side. That stuff sticks out like a sore thumb to me, so had to be able to get it perfectly level.
@Mhalc1 I hope you get this sorted out….. definitely let us know what it was, when it’s fixed.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Correct me if I’m wrong, the only change at the back was the control arms right? And the rear lifted after that?

 

[Mhalc1]

Correct me if I’m wrong, the only change at the back was the control arms right? And the rear lifted after that?

That is correct I swapped my lowers for Global West's control arms and my uppers with stock uppers that had newer arm to frame bushings.... I did not replace the axle to arm bushings

 

[Mustang5L5]

Can you snap a pic of the install? Control arm spring, isos etc? Just to see if something stands out.

 

[Mhalc1]

Yes.. It may take a few days for me to jack the car up and take pictures in the light but I will do so asap. Thanks everyone for replying!

 

[Mhalc1]

Sorry for the delay but It took a while for me to get the time to get under the car again… I tried disconnecting the shocks and quad shocks to rule them out as a possible culprit. The ride height did not change at all. Looking at my old UCA’s the passenger side bushing was bulging out and the driver side metal piece was also pushed out… I’m thinking these bushings could have had my car sitting lower than intended in the rear before the fresher bushings installed. I warranted to take out my spring isolators to drop the rear an extra 3/8” or so… I raised my front to get rid of the rake to an acceptable level for me…. Below are some pics of everything let me know if y’all see anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Mustang5L5]

The bushings done look the best but they shouldn’t affect the height. If anything as they tear and rip, they bind less so the suspension should be looser that typical.

You could pull the upper isolators. Will only give you about 1/4”-1/2” though.

 

[AeroCoupe]

So the best example of a stock ride height I have come across is 26.5" in the front and 27" in the rear. This if from the ground up to the fender lip with new tires (stock dimensions) at the recommended pressure and stock springs on a very low mile 93 car that is garage kept. Stock tires on the 93 GT were 225/55/16's which are 25.63" tall so that tells you the gap between the top of the tire and the fender lip would be roughly 7/8" on the front and 1-3/8" in the rear which seems about right.

The 225/45R16 is around 23.9" tall and the 225/50R16 is about 25.0" tall. What are your ground to fender lip measurements right now?

 

[91AOD5.0LX]

To compliment the above post and provide a plus/minus point of reference that may be helpful I will provide my ride height although I wish it were more like the above example.

The car is a stock 1991 LX 5.0 Hatch with stock replacement front and rear springs, struts, shocks and quads from 2 years ago and driven about 1,000 miles on said parts. The tires are all stock size, 225/55/16 and all driven approx 1,000 miles. PSI is 31 on all 4.

My height is 27.5 all around from the ground up to the fender lip and approx 15.5 from the center of the caps to the fender lip.

 

[Mhalc1]

@91AOD5.0LX I took these measurements before I left for work and didn't see your pictures. A fender to center of wheel would have been a great measurement to get but for now here are the measurements from fender to ground.

25 7/8” rear driver
25 7/8” rear passenger
24” front passenger
24 1/8” front drivers

 

[AeroCoupe]

Measurements and tire data my Coupe:
275/40R17 at 25-3/4" in the rear (coil overs)
245/40R17 at 25" in the front (coil overs)

If go any lower than that the exhaust and torque arm have issues in driveways and over speed bumps.

I would suggest you get the wheels and tires on the car that you want and then spend the money on coil overs for the rear as running those springs with no idolaters with transmit some noise and possibly some squeaks later down the road. I realize this does not solve the mystery of why the car is higher but I still say you need to measure the stock arms and compare that to the current ones like I mentioned in Post #17 as there could very well be a difference in them. If that is the case you may be able to return them to GW (call and explain what is going one and provide the measurement differences between the OEM control arms and theirs) and get some of the adjustable height units from Maximum Motorsports.

 

[Mhalc1]

I remember you mentioning that, and I was so excited to get under the car over the weekend I forgot to start with the easiest things first... I will measure that difference next... I will also get some proper tires and an alignment once I get a chance, I am planning on going with 245's.

 

[Mstng93SSP]

I will be honest, I didn't read alllll of this so if this was asked, sorry. Did you tighten the lower control arms with the rear end/suspension hanging? Or was it jacked up to ride height and tightened? If hanging, it could be your issue.

 

[Mhalc1]

I will be honest, I didn't read alllll of this so if this was asked, sorry. Did you tighten the lower control arms with the rear end/suspension hanging? Or was it jacked up to ride height and tightened? If hanging, it could be your issue.

I torqued everything down with the axle under load.

 

[Noobz347]

I will be honest, I didn't read alllll of this so if this was asked, sorry. Did you tighten the lower control arms with the rear end/suspension hanging? Or was it jacked up to ride height and tightened? If hanging, it could be your issue.

Yeah, that was covered but it [is] the usual cause of such a thing.