Installed a set of H&R springs in the fox yesterday

mikemac58 · Oct 14, 2009

No. It was my Mom and Dad's car and they purcahsed it new so I know the history and it has some sentimental value! I have owned the Capri 5.0 since new so it is great to have a couple of Fox bodies that have family ties!

Mustank · Oct 15, 2009

mikemac58 said:
Well after paying a shop to do my Capri, I decided to do my Mustang on my own... a real PITA! I got one side apart easy enough by dropping the strut. The problem is I am just centimeters from getting the new Motorsport "B" springs back in to the top with my wife bouncing on the spindle... don't laugh she is 5'8" and 125 lbs. Maybe I need a bigger wife!

Anyway, seems like the tie rod is bottoming out on the rack and limiting the A arm travel. Do you think disconnecting the tie rod will let the A arm drop a little bit more? I do have the lower part of the inner spring secured ot the A arm saddle so it won't slip out as I push the upper part of the spring in.

Any other suggestions? I do have a hook and screw type inside spring compressor, but I am worried about it lining with the hole in the A arm once I have it all togther. Any other pointers from those that have done this?

Definitely disconnect the tie rod. You don't want to put too much pressure on it at that angle and it will let you drop the A arm a little farther.

I normally put the top of the spring in first (with the A arm hanging as low as possible and the jack in position underneath) then use a pry bar to pry the bottom onto the spring perch and hold it there while I jack up the A arm. You can stick the pry bar right into the hole of the spring perch to give you leverage.

It's much easier and safer if you have two people - one to hold the pry bar and another to jack up the A arm. It's not fun bending over with your head near the spring while trying to hold it in place and jack up the A arm at the same time....

mikemac58 · Oct 26, 2009

Done...

The fronts were a real PITA. I was doing it by myself and used a combination of things I picked up on this and other sites and lots of trial and error!

The original fronts came out fine. The replacment springs are Motorsport "B" springs which are progressive rate so they are about the same height as the factory springs unistalled. I used my spring compressor to draw the springs down a bit, then used four hose clamps to keep the spring compressed, and removed the spring compressor. The spring compressor would not fit through the hole in the lower A arm. I then chained the the spring so it would not pop out of the saddle area on the lower A arm and pryed the top in.

Backs were easy after all that! I used Prothane insulators fron and back.

fivespeedsteed · Oct 27, 2009

the stock springs are the only thing that requires compressors. once i got my c springs in ive had my struts/shocks springs out 4 or 5 times since then, i can just lower the ca down and they come out no problem. stock springs are 3 inches or so taller than any aftermarket springs, so once you do them there easy from then out. if you dont have spring compressors, compress the control arm up until the springs pretty good and compressed and then put 4 or 5 hose clamps on them, then when you lower it it will hold the spring compressed.

NIKwoaC · Oct 27, 2009

You guys are nuts with this hose clamp BS. If you unbolt and lower the control arm from the INSIDE (the two hinge bolts) while leaving the strut/spindle completely attached, the spring expands in a linear motion rather than an arc. Much safer and easier, IMHO, but you'll need a ratcheting strap to pull the control arm into position and realign the bolt holes when reinstalling the control arms.

mikemac58 · Oct 31, 2009

Hose Clamps

Not pretty and I certainly was concerned. but it worked! Now just waiting for the springs to "settle" before getting it aligned and sub frames conectors welded in.

Front has set a nice height... hoping the back will drop a bit more.

Mustang5L5 · Jul 12, 2017

NIKwoaC said:
Didn't this suggestion cause a huge, 7+ page commotion in tech a few months back?

I've never seen this done in person, but the pictures I did see scared me half to death. To each his own, I guess.

Sadly, I did the hose clamp method when installing my MAch 1 springs. I was scared less the entire time, but the 10 or so clamps I used held fine. No real issues.

Jersey Joe · Jul 12, 2017

I literally did Eibach pros this weekend, I hacked up a spring compressor so it was short enough to fit between the control arm and upper perch. Used the Maximum motorsports spring tool to hold the bottom of the spring from sliding out while raising the control arm, also installed MM cc plates. It was a HUGE pain in the ass but the other side went in very quickly after I shortened the spring compressor

Jersey Joe · Jul 12, 2017

Crap ! Is this a thread from 2009 ????

Mustang5L5 · Jul 12, 2017

NIKwoaC · Jul 12, 2017

Jersey Joe said:
Crap ! Is this a thread from 2009 ????

LOL... Yes.

Jersey Joe · Jul 12, 2017

Well that's what happens when your looking at stuff on your phone with my old ass eyes and cant't see nothing worth a damn, anyways I suppose it's a good read for someone contemplating some new springs.

Davedacarpainter · Jul 12, 2017

Jersey Joe said:
Crap ! Is this a thread from 2009 ????

Is that when you got your "Ten Years" banner?

Jersey Joe · Jul 12, 2017

Davedacarpainter said:
Is that when you got your "Ten Years" banner?

Haha no, but that would of been perfect.

Jersey Joe · Jul 12, 2017

Actually it seems it was the first post to include it though.

Installed a set of H&R springs in the fox yesterday

mikemac58

New Member

Mustank

mikemac58

New Member

fivespeedsteed

NIKwoaC

中國製造

mikemac58

New Member

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Jersey Joe

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

Jersey Joe

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

NIKwoaC

中國製造

Jersey Joe

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

Davedacarpainter

Chicks can make things hard if they’re inspired...

Jersey Joe

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

Jersey Joe

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

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Installed a set of H&R springs in the fox yesterday

New Member

New Member

中國製造

New Member

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

中國製造

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

Chicks can make things hard if they’re inspired...

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

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