H&R Race springs/Bilstein struts install...only half an inch drop in the front?!?!

88CougarMan

Founding Member
Jun 13, 2000
477
6
39
Flower Mound, TX
I ordered the Starter Box from Maximum Motorsports and so far I just finished up the front H&R springs with isolators, Bilstein struts and MM C/C plates. Although, I didn't take a before measurement, but after I was done I lowered down the front end off the jack stands and measured from the ground to the bottom of the fender fender and it measured 27 11/16's inches. I measured the rear (at stock ride height) and the the rear sits at 28 4/16's inches. A modest 9/16's drop or just over a half an inch. WTF?!?! I know I haven't done the back yet but it shouldn't really affect the front drop at all. What gives? If I messed up on putting the spacers for the strut shaft and put too many will that affect my drop? I'm mechanically inclined but not on the physics and mathamatics end of it. Is there domething I did wrong or something I need to do different?

It really doesn't look lowered at all in the front. Although I care more for handling, I still like a nice lowered look over the nasty 4x4 look. :bang:
 
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People always say that, but this will be the third car of mine that I have lowered, not to mention the numerous friend's cars that I have lowered for them and I really can't recall their springs settling and their ride height decreasing.
 
I'm sure if you've lowered 3 of your cars you have done everything correctly. I know MM is a very good company but maybe for some reason you were sent the wrong springs?? :shrug: , you didn't happen to check the static height of the spring first so you could contact MM with the info did you?

If you are happy with the springs handling and wanted to get a little more drop without removing the isolators you could intall the Steeda X2 ball joints and not use the spacers that are provided in their kit. I pretty sure doing that will be worth about another 1/2" in drop.
 
i thought the supersports were h&r's lowest drop spring (1.6 and 1.75) and the race being their smallest drop spring, if u know what i mean..kinda confusing

H&R Race Spring Set: Avg Low 1.0-1.75"F .75-1.25"R
h&r ss- 1.6 raer 1.7 front
thats kinda dumb how the race has an avg low, and not an actual number
 
the rance springs lower the LEAST of the entire HR line... talk to the MM guys and they will confirm this. if you want it lower then rip out the isolators, or go with supersports... the race are NOT meant to get your lower stance that scrapes.. just a light change to not affect suspension geometry like almost every other springs does.... hence why MM pushes them.

gotta make your choice, keeep a balanced geomerty with the race springs, or go lower and affect handeling. to put my 2c in my race springs with urethane isolators settled in 4 days to give me roughly 3/4 front and rear... around 27" from floor to wheel well center.

Torinalth
 
the h&r race lower no more than 1". the are designed that way to not negativly affect the roll center.

they are a function over looks time of spring. If you wanted to "lower" the car you should have not got the race spring.

short story long you did nothing wrong other than order the wrong spring if you want a big drop.
 
hognutz said:
the h&r race lower no more than 1". the are designed that way to not negativly affect the roll center.

they are a function over looks time of spring. If you wanted to "lower" the car you should have not got the race spring.

Long story short you did nothing wrong other than order the wrong spring if you want a big drop.

Fixt :D


I would just take out the isolators and see how much more that gives you before getting another set of springs, but that's just me
 
These RACE springs, Im assuming that means Road Race?

Does H&R offer a spring specifically for drag racing? I checked out their site and MMs and didnt see anything.

I have a set of brand new H&R Sports, but Im really getting into drag racing and I dont want to affect weight transfer too much. How much of an adverse affect would the Sports have opposed to the race springs, or stock springs for that matter?
 
depends on your LCAs... if you have a good set of arms the sports would see negligible loss of any over stocks. there are drag race springs, but i dont believe HR makes them... look to steeda springs (rebadged/retooled eibachs) for drag springs
 
Torinalth said:
depends on your LCAs... if you have a good set of arms the sports would see negligible loss of any over stocks. there are drag race springs, but i dont believe HR makes them... look to steeda springs (rebadged/retooled eibachs) for drag springs
Ive got MM LCA's, and Ive heard the HR Sports dont adversely affect weight transfer as much as other springs, so I'll probably just keep them and install em with some Lakewood Drag shocks/struts or Bilsteins. Thanks
 
490-575 250-285 are the rates for the sports.

I would not even look at bilsteins for drag racing. they are sweet shocks and struts but they are stiff and not ajustable.

I would look at cheaper springs for drag racing. mach 1, bullit, ford b, etc. they are less than the sports and will work just as well.

the sports will look better and handle better though so it may be a trade off you are willing to accept
 
I wasnt happy with the 1.5 inch drop the h&r/maximum motorsport street performance springs gave me, but the techs over there(max. motorsports) keep saying that if I go any lower it will affect my handling and have me riding around on the bumpstops. I trust their judgement, but almost everyone I see either runs sportlines or h&r super sports. I have never got to ride in a stang that runs either one of those springs so im not sure how they ride though, but I think they look the best.
 
EPIKGT said:
I trust their judgement, but almost everyone I see either runs sportlines or h&r super sports. I have never got to ride in a stang that runs either one of those springs so im not sure how they ride though, but I think they look the best.
it rides with alot more understeer