front suspension help

[jlangholzj]

Soooo...since I'm a bit short on funds...the $800 to redo the rear carier will have to wait but I'm gonna do a (almost!!) free mod.

I can find the details for the shelby drop..thats no issue...lower the UCA bolt holes an inch...etc......

the other thing is I'm gonna take 1/4-3/4 of a coil off the front springs...shouldn't stiffen it to the point of being uncomfortable....sicne the stocks are squishy anywho

my REAL question is...what specs should i give the allignment tech when i do take it to get re-alligned?? I remember a specific (old fart ) on here giving some advice and how they'll think your nuts...but to set it that far anyway. so what values for camber, caster, toe etc am i looking at??

Its not a track car...its driven on the street...but why not make it handle the best it can right?!

thanks guys

-J

 

[Rusty67]

Why are you going to cut the stock coils ? Those springs are provably old and sagging. Front springs are relatively inexpensive. I would just buy a good pair for 540 springs, maybe a 1 inch drop if you want. Also, if you are relocating the upper arms you might want to do that and check ride height before you go cutting the coils.

 

[Opentracker]

We run these settings on all of our street cars.

0 - camber

2deg. positive caster

1/8" toe-in

The camber and caster should be the same on both sides and we do not set the cars for road crown.

 

[2+2GT]

I can find the details for the shelby drop..thats no issue...lower the UCA bolt holes an inch...etc......

http://site.cobranda.com/tech/aarms.pdf

the other thing is I'm gonna take 1/4-3/4 of a coil off the front springs...shouldn't stiffen it to the point of being uncomfortable....sicne the stocks are squishy anywho

Don't. The "drop" will lower the car 5/8", and the handling will get much better.

my REAL question is...what specs should i give the allignment tech when i do take it to get re-alligned?? I remember a specific (old fart ) on here giving some advice and how they'll think your nuts...but to set it that far anyway. so what values for camber, caster, toe etc am i looking at??

The specs are on the link I posted above.

 

[68RCodeConv]

3/4 of a coil might drop the car 1.5 - 2".

 

[rbohm]

We run these settings on all of our street cars.

0 - camber

2deg. positive caster

1/8" toe-in

The camber and caster should be the same on both sides and we do not set the cars for road crown.

about the only place opentracker and i differ is i like a little more caster than he does, closer to +3 degree. but if you follow these alignment specs you cant go wrong.

 

[tx65coupe]

I wouldn't cut the original springs, just get a pair of 1 inch lowering springs. I have 600 rate from Virginia Mustang. I think it rides fine. I don't have the Shelby drop though. I may do that later.

 

[Rusty67]

For a 302 600 is a too high a spring rate. Stick with a spring rate in the low 500s for a more comfortable ride.

 

[tx65coupe]

I have never seen any with a rate in the 500s. All the ones I have seen and what most people have are 620. Thats why I opted for the 600. It rides great not harsh at all. The rear is GT leafs and its stiffer than the front.

 

[Rusty67]

1965-1966 Mustang
560 lb - 1" lower
Price $80

1967-1973 Mustang
560 lbs - 1" lower
Price $80
Opentracker Racing Products - Front Coil Springs

 

[rbohm]

I have never seen any with a rate in the 500s. All the ones I have seen and what most people have are 620. Thats why I opted for the 600. It rides great not harsh at all. The rear is GT leafs and its stiffer than the front.

check out the national parts depot catalog page 78, they have 480 and 550lb springs listed. mustangs plus used to have 540lb springs listed along with 480lb springs, they probably still do somewhere.

 

[Opentracker]

Our GT front coil is a 480lb spring and work great on the early Falcons and early Mustangs. The 560lb spring is too stiff for a 65-66 street car IMO. I do think more than 2deg. of positive caster is better but on a manual steer car, it can make parking a pain. I advise 2deg+. positive for the manual steer cars and 3deg+. positive for the power steer cars. Factory settings call for up to 1deg. Set a car to factory settings and it won't drive well no matter what parts are on the car. I also think a 15" steering wheel is a must. The 13 and 14 inch steering wheels don't give enough leverage and take away the feel of the car IMO.

I also think moving the upper ball joint backward is a better way to go than pulling the lower arm forward to get more caster. Pulling the lower arm forward changes the location of the outer tie rod end and messes up the steering geometry. It also brings the tire closer to the fender. We offset upper arms often to get more caster.

Here is a photo of one roller set I did for a pro drag racing team that wanted 8deg. of caster. I offset the upper arm 1/4". You can offset the shaft kit in the stock arms since they are right hand threads on both sides. You end up with a right and left side upper arm. We have done that to our cars and it works great.

Heck, we run up to 5deg. pos. on the track. The more the better for high speed stability. Though, when you get over 5deg. pos. the cars do start to feel weird.

FYI, the 620 stands for .620" , the size of the coil. They test at 560lbs so we call it like we see it.