Lowering 89 GT

lgbnaf7 · Oct 16, 2007

Does anyone have experience in Lowering a fox body themselves. I am needing some tips on the front springs

MTMMAN · Oct 16, 2007

Heres a tip. Don't let the spring coming flying out and hit you when you remove it. It could hurt.

lgbnaf7 · Oct 16, 2007

Springs

Good advice

fiveohwblow · Oct 16, 2007

Its hard to give any one piece of advice. Guess I would suggest getting a friend to help you. Second, I would recommend getting a set of spring compressors/clamps to compress the springs before you lower the a arm. You can purchase them from places like harbor freight or rent them from some automotive places. When lowering it, do one side and utilize both clamps (assuming you got two) thus you will bind the spring compression. Once you get the compressors on and the a arm lowered I recommend using a wedge or rope attached to the spring, but also something to block the spring in the direction you are tugging it. This is where you have to be safe. Once removed from the car, release the compressors bit by bit to avoid binding it sideways again risking it unbinding itself.

Those are my starter tips, anyone else can build on that. Also, do a google search for lowing a fox body and you will find some great picture laced step by step guides. Good luck!

94gsl5.0 · Oct 16, 2007

Heres a tip. Don't let the spring coming flying out and hit you when you remove it. It could hurt.

LOL!

When we lowered my sn-95 (aka the overweight fox) we used spring compressors... You can rent them from Shucks.

haoleboy72 · Oct 16, 2007

I just did mine 2 weeks ago. Definitely recommend a buddy to help, didn't use any compressor (don't really need it). The compressor would actually be more help putting the new springs in than getting the old ones out. Just make sure when you jack up the car that you jack it high enough that you can let the arm release all the way down to get the old spring out. If you let the arm all the way down, most of the tension is out of the spring and it will just pop out if you pry it.

Scooby5.0Doo · Oct 16, 2007

i used a chain to hold my spring in when i was removing it so if/when it came flying out the chain would keep it in the fender area. i attached it to the sub frame.

99GTtony · Oct 16, 2007

MTMMAN said:
Heres a tip. Don't let the spring coming flying out and hit you when you remove it. It could hurt.

Juiced87Notch · Oct 16, 2007

MTMMAN said:
Heres a tip. Don't let the spring coming flying out and hit you when you remove it. It could hurt.

na... stang springs arent so bad... however a 7inch lifted diesel coil spring to the shoulder feels wonderful

NastyCoupe · Oct 17, 2007

I just lowered mine the other day ( ya ya I know cut springs... ) anyway did it by myself, no spring compressor or anything...My suggestions would be to get the car as high as you can so that you can let the control arm down as low as possible like haoltboy72 said but when you get it like that, then take the sway bar off to let it down the rest of the way, without taken the sway bar off you wont be able to get them out without a spring compressor. Once you have the control arm down and sway bar off you should be able to get them out with a nice crow bar really easy...took me about an hour for both sides... not hard at all.

Chris

Repostyle · Oct 19, 2007

Yeah, you can get spring compressors, or you can do it redneck style like the rest of us cheap bastards, and you know your cheap cause you did the job yourself instead of at a shop. Anyway, I just jacked my car up, then jacked up the suspension until it started to lift off the jackstands and used a motorcyle strap around the springs to keep them compressed and lowered my jack and they just fell out. Lowering springs are shorter than the suspension travel so there's plenty of room to put them back in and you don't need clamps or anything for those.

You are going to need an impact gun for your front struts since they will just spin with a regular wrench.

Good luck, it took me about 1.5 hours to do all four by myself.

352Ford2 · Oct 19, 2007

Repostyle said:
You are going to need an impact gun for your front struts since they will just spin with a regular wrench.

.

With two wrenches (one on the nut and one on the bolt) it will not spin…

fiveohwblow · Oct 19, 2007

Repostyle said:
Yeah, you can get spring compressors, or you can do it redneck style like the rest of us cheap bastards, and you know your cheap cause you did the job yourself instead of at a shop.

Honestly, I have only paid one shop to turn a wrench on my car and that was for rear end gears and trac lock.. Its a hobby for me and I love it. I have lowered around 6 to 7 of my friends cars as well including new beetles, vw's bmw's and the like. Its fun for me, not about the money. Cant deny the fact that saving yourself the dollars is an added bonus though!

YardSpecial · Oct 19, 2007

Mustangs are CAKE to lower, the better the tool the faster/easier it is.

For me front is under 1 hour and rear 25 minutes. I never use a spring compressor EVER, wastes too much time.

Secret is have a REAL jack and jack stands.

Best job I did was my 97 GT in my front yard using the sidewalk for the jack stands !!! LOL

Mustang78 · Oct 19, 2007

YardSpecial said:
Mustangs are CAKE to lower, the better the tool the faster/easier it is.

For me front is under 1 hour and rear 25 minutes. I never use a spring compressor EVER, wastes too much time.

Secret is have a REAL jack and jack stands.

Best job I did was my 97 GT in my front yard using the sidewalk for the jack stands !!! LOL

i agree if you're installing lowering springs, if you're putting stock or 4cyl springs in, you NEED a spring compressor..no way around it. I rented the one from schucks it was well worth it(after breaking two or my own and wasting a few hours in the process), i have never paid anyone to wrench on my car..including a full engine, T5, and rear end rebuild done by myself

Repostyle · Oct 20, 2007

352Ford2 said:
With two wrenches (one on the nut and one on the bolt) it will not spin…

I was talking about the top nut in the engine compartment. You don't actually need to completely remove the strut.

Lowering 89 GT

lgbnaf7

New Member

MTMMAN

New Member

lgbnaf7

New Member

fiveohwblow

Official Member

94gsl5.0

New Member

haoleboy72

Member

Scooby5.0Doo

That's the fastest $400 car out there

99GTtony

Member

Juiced87Notch

Member

NastyCoupe

New Member

Repostyle

Member

352Ford2

New Member

fiveohwblow

Official Member

YardSpecial

New Member

Mustang78

New Member

Repostyle

Member

Similar threads

Lowering 89 GT

New Member

New Member

New Member

Official Member

New Member

Member

That's the fastest $400 car out there

Member

Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Official Member

New Member

New Member

Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency