Loss of advertised drop with H&R sport springs

T

travis_hsks

New Member
Aug 15, 2006
11
0
0
LV, KS
#1
First off, I want to tell you all how much I appreciated the past threads concerning springs, etc. I couldn't have done my install without the advanced search function.

Here's a question that I couldn't find the answer to.

Has anyone else experienced a loss of advertised drop with H&R sport springs? They say 1.6" front, and 1.5" rear.
With mine, and the Bilstein HD struts from Stangsuspension.com, my drop is only .8125 front. I'm missing over 3/4" drop front, and about the same in the rear. (Friday to Sunday, they settled 1/16"-3/16")

I did use the new isolators, but I didn't notice the new ones being thicker than stock. In fact, the bottom might have been smaller than stock.

Is there anyway that I could have screwed this up? I checked the part numbers and they match. Surely the isolators (Prothane) didn't eat up that much. Could the struts be responsible?

I might have well not bought anything, as my noise was not fixed by the new struts, my drop is barely evident, and with no drop, I don't need my caster/camber plates.

-Travis
2k GT
 
#5
travis_hsks said:
First off, I want to tell you all how much I appreciated the past threads concerning springs, etc. I couldn't have done my install without the advanced search function.

Here's a question that I couldn't find the answer to.

Has anyone else experienced a loss of advertised drop with H&R sport springs? They say 1.6" front, and 1.5" rear.
With mine, and the Bilstein HD struts from Stangsuspension.com, my drop is only .8125 front. I'm missing over 3/4" drop front, and about the same in the rear. (Friday to Sunday, they settled 1/16"-3/16")

I did use the new isolators, but I didn't notice the new ones being thicker than stock. In fact, the bottom might have been smaller than stock.

Is there anyway that I could have screwed this up? I checked the part numbers and they match. Surely the isolators (Prothane) didn't eat up that much. Could the struts be responsible?

I might have well not bought anything, as my noise was not fixed by the new struts, my drop is barely evident, and with no drop, I don't need my caster/camber plates.

-Travis
2k GT
Click to expand...
btw, what do you think about the Bilstein Shocks/Struts? stiff? how do they handle?
 
#9
its both isolators and time. my HR race (drops less then the SS) didnt get fully in till about 2k miles (week and a half) and dropped just over 3/4" (advertised was 1") the prothanes do NOT compress like the stock rubbers do... i could get more of a drop by removing them, or going back to stock isolators. i dont want it slammed, i wanted to harder spring so that works for me.. you want it slammed, then yank the isolators. remove the bottom ones first, and then the tops if you want more of a drop.

Derek, the bilsteins are arguably the best dampeners on the market... they have a nice valving and prevent oil seperation over long periods of abuse (track days) due to the larger single tube design. if i were to do it againi'd step up to the sport valving over the HD.. but i am getting much farther in my suspension then i thought i would.

Torinalth
 
#12
travis_hsks said:
First off, I want to tell you all how much I appreciated the past threads concerning springs, etc. I couldn't have done my install without the advanced search function.

Here's a question that I couldn't find the answer to.

Has anyone else experienced a loss of advertised drop with H&R sport springs? They say 1.6" front, and 1.5" rear.
With mine, and the Bilstein HD struts from Stangsuspension.com, my drop is only .8125 front. I'm missing over 3/4" drop front, and about the same in the rear. (Friday to Sunday, they settled 1/16"-3/16")

I did use the new isolators, but I didn't notice the new ones being thicker than stock. In fact, the bottom might have been smaller than stock.

Is there anyway that I could have screwed this up? I checked the part numbers and they match. Surely the isolators (Prothane) didn't eat up that much. Could the struts be responsible?

I might have well not bought anything, as my noise was not fixed by the new struts, my drop is barely evident, and with no drop, I don't need my caster/camber plates.

-Travis
2k GT
Click to expand...
About 4 years ago, I had the hr sport springs and didnt drop the front as much as Id thought, even after a month. I was upset about it at first, but I eventually just went to a drag type suspension which was way better. Gotta get the super sport for the best drop IMHO.
 
#14
I have H&R Sport. I put in new urethane isolator as well. Right after the install, the front was dropped 1.5 and the rear was 1.4; went to get an alignment a week later and I remeasured. 1.6 front and 1.5 rear. Exactly as advertised. H&R aren't suppose to settle, the extra .1 in drop that i got a week later was due to the urethane isolators settling down.

Lower quality springs will settle after two weeks because they are not manuafactured correctly/in the best possible manner. Those compnanies realize this and they just compansate for it by advertising with the anticipated settling of their spring.

One thing I could think of that is keeping you from the proper drop is maybe you didn't rotate the front springs correctly into the slot/groove on the front control arms.
 
#15
My Sports only gave me about a .8" drop. They never settled. People tell me, still to this day, that I should lower my car. I tell them I did. I had a slammed 5.0 and it got annoying. I don't like rubbing tires on my fenderwells, and scraping but I wish I had got the Super Sports. But I'm happy with my setup. The 18" rims helps a little too.
 
#16
DerekStangGT said:
btw, what do you think about the Bilstein Shocks/Struts? stiff? how do they handle?
Click to expand...

I haven't done the rear yet, due to the fact that the (wrong) diagnosis was the front struts. And I want to pay off the front half first.

But, I am quite pleased with the ride. It's not at all harsher than I was used to on my 100k stock suspension. (Could be different than new stock.) In fact, the stock rear feels out of control over parking lot bumps. If you're used to the Mustang suspension, then the Bilstein struts will not be a harsh surprise.

I'm fixing to dig through my trash to find my stock upper isolators. The drop is noticeable, but not what I waited 6 yrs for.



-Travis
2k GT
 

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#17
Follow up

GDawg said:
My urethane isolators took away 1/4" of the drop. H&Rs are not supposed to settle but I think they do. Give it a month and then let us know. H&Rs rock! :nice:
Click to expand...


I swapped out the urethane isolators for stock, but that didn't help much. I decided to cut them, but couldn't do it with my hacksaw, so the stock springs went back in for two days w/out any isolators. BTW, in two days time I did experience noise over RR tracks w/out isolators.

I measured the cut to give me exactly the drop advertised, but apparently w/progressive springs, it is not a 1:1 ratio. So I actually ended up with a 2" drop in the front instead of 1 5/8". It looks great, though.

Forgive the horrible pic quality, but here is the before and final cut installation pics.
 

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