Lowering Springs 2001 Mustang

jodyh

Member

Jul 9, 2014

9

1

13

Defiance, Ohio

Jul 9, 2014

#1

• Jul 9, 2014

• #1

what is the easiest way to change the front coil springs without disconnecting everything seems as though the a-arm doesnt drop enough with spring compressed and strut bolts taken out?

 

84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

5 Year Member

Jul 2, 2009

5,222

3,254

204

South Jersey

Jul 9, 2014

#2

• Jul 9, 2014

• #2

I ALWAYS remove the coil springs from the engine side of the control arms. With the car properly supported on jack stands you can remove the sway bar end links from the control arm and carefully remove the two bolts that fasten it to the K member (The back of the control arm needs to be supported by a floor jack) Once the bolts are removed you can slowly lower the control arm down and remove the spring. Reverse the process to reinstall. You will need some sort of drift pin and pry bar to align the bolt holes as you jack the control arm back into place. This is by far the safest method in my opinion and does not require any special tools. Using this method the start to finish project of installing lowering springs on all four corners of a car such as yours takes less than an hour in our shop. Best of luck and please don't hesitate to ask any other questions that you may have.

 

jodyh

Member

Jul 9, 2014

9

1

13

Defiance, Ohio

Jul 9, 2014

#3

• Jul 9, 2014

• #3

ok i may try this i did come close once on the front drivers side had the coil compressed enough to come out but the coil spring tools were too long and wouldn't clear the A-arms so i through it back together and took it to get aligned again

 

1987stangman

Member

Jul 12, 2006

684

24

19

Jul 10, 2014

#4

• Jul 10, 2014

• #4

Yep, you should have been provided a decent set of instructions with the kit that would have helped, unless you bought them from CL or EBAY, they prob not. Just do as jodyh described and you will be fine. I can have a set of front springs out in no time. Sounds like you didn't remove the sway bar end links and I even disconnect the tie rod ends too. Loosen up the a-arm bolts you that should give you the room you need. Just make sure you have a jack under the control arm and slowly let it down. If you installing aftermarket springs that lower the car you will not need any tool to install them. Just make sure you align the bottom part of the spring with the two holes in the control arm so the car will sit level when your done.

 

jodyh

Member

Jul 9, 2014

9

1

13

Defiance, Ohio

Jul 10, 2014

#5

• Jul 10, 2014

• #5

i get free alignments so that shouldn't be an issue but i didn't get a caster camber kit will the stop setup have enough adjustment to align it correctly? also mine is not a Gt is there a difference

 

84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

5 Year Member

Jul 2, 2009

5,222

3,254

204

South Jersey

Jul 10, 2014

#6

• Jul 10, 2014

• #6

Depending on how much you are lowering the car you may or may not need the caster camber plates. My vote is for caster/camber plates on every lowered Mustang. The aftermarket plates make aligning the car much easier and you will ultimately wind up with better results

 

jodyh

Member

Jul 9, 2014

9

1

13

Defiance, Ohio

Jul 10, 2014

#7

• Jul 10, 2014

• #7

Thanks for the input and the help to all, with any hopes ill have this done today or tomorrow

 

D

Deleted member 38176

Jul 11, 2014

#8

• Jul 11, 2014

• #8

Lowered 2" WITHOUT CC plates here. The front wheels tilt in just slightly (unnoticeable to the untrained eye). No handling issues whatsoever, even with 420rwhp.

 

restomod66

Active Member

Apr 15, 2003

136

20

29

San Jose, CA

Jul 11, 2014

#9

• Jul 11, 2014

• #9

I'm running H & R SS springs with a 2" drop without CC plates and the alignment shop was able to get it to within spec. So far I'm not seeing any irregular tire wear. Be careful though, because I've known some who had issues by not using the CC plates and noticed faster than usual tire wear.

 

84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

5 Year Member

Jul 2, 2009

5,222

3,254

204

South Jersey

Jul 11, 2014

#10

• Jul 11, 2014

• #10

Nightfire said:

Lowered 2" WITHOUT CC plates here. The front wheels tilt in just slightly (unnoticeable to the untrained eye). No handling issues whatsoever, even with 420rwhp.

Click to expand...

Were you able to get the alignment where it needs to be with the stock plates?

 

flstang65

10 Year Member

Dec 6, 2007

1,484

135

94

SE Georgia

Jul 11, 2014

#11

• Jul 11, 2014

• #11

When I need to use a spring compressor I use one of these styles:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/121141722522

You can run it up the inside of the spring so that you have no issues with control arm clearance.

 

D

Deleted member 38176

Jul 11, 2014

#12

• Jul 11, 2014

• #12

84Ttop said:

Were you able to get the alignment where it needs to be with the stock plates?

Click to expand...

Not quite but good enough

 

1987stangman

Member

Jul 12, 2006

684

24

19

Jul 20, 2014

#13

• Jul 20, 2014

• #13

I had to get use CC plates on my old 87' GT but not with my 96'. Same springs, go figure.

 

jodyh

Member

Jul 9, 2014

9

1

13

Defiance, Ohio

Jul 20, 2014

#14

• Jul 20, 2014

• #14

i still havent put mine in yet but i got my ghost lights 1/2 in the wiring sucks on these mustangs im finding out fast. the 460 system wiring makes no sense either i put some 6.5 fosgate component speakers in the doors and doesn't matter what way i put the wires it sounds like the polarity is reversed i turn the stereo up to about 15 and the bass crackles and sound bad anyone have an answer?

 

1987stangman

Member

Jul 12, 2006

684

24

19

Jul 26, 2014

#15

• Jul 26, 2014

• #15

Well, I'm no car stereo expert but the stock 460 amps don't play well with component speakers stock replacements are best. I've got serious work to do on my 2000 because I have been lazy and just upgraded the speakers and added an amp for a sub. In my old 96' GT I removed the stock amps added my own and ran new wire to all the speakers with a multi media head unit. Sounded really good.