Melbourne area stangs

Glenn88lx said:
If the strut body is the same length then the piston rod is what is longer. If that is the case you could use the C/C plate spacers to pull the rod up the difference in length and not lose any jounce travel.
I've read about being able to use spacers to give the strut more travel. I think the problem is you might have to clearance the hood. [EDIT] It looks like it will work fine since I'll be at stock ride height. People run into trouble when they lower their car with stock spindles and use the SN95 struts. Now the question is whether the valving is radically different between SN95s and Fox bodies. The SN95s are heavier up front so the springs must be different. Think the dampening will be off? [/EDIT]

I bought the C/C plates from the guy but I still have to find that place that was offering the takeoff struts and shocks for 25 bucks. I think it was somewhere in California.
 
tooler said:
I've read about being able to use spacers to give the strut more travel. I think the problem is you might have to clearance the hood.

That's exactly what the spacers are for. You use as few as possible under the spherical bearing to get as much bump travel as possible. Ideally this would be none of them. However, the hood must be taken into affect and so a few spacers may need to be used to lower the top of the strut into the wheel well. You want to give the hood just enough room to close and nothing more.
 
baglock1 said:
That's exactly what the spacers are for. You use as few as possible under the spherical bearing to get as much bump travel as possible. Ideally this would be none of them. However, the hood must be taken into affect and so a few spacers may need to be used to lower the top of the strut into the wheel well. You want to give the hood just enough room to close and nothing more.
I guess I'm having trouble visualizing the effects of the spacers and how it changes things. But since I'll already be in there to install the c/c plates, for $20 it's worth a try.
 
tooler said:
I guess I'm having trouble visualizing the effects of the spacers and how it changes things. But since I'll already be in there to install the c/c plates, for $20 it's worth a try.

I'm borrowing a digital camera today. While I'm tinkering with it, I'll bust out my CC plates and give you a visual of the affects that the spacers have.
 
OrLackThereof said:
I throw a gauge on it and I'm only pulling 10-12 hg's. That's REALLY poor. All the hoses are intact...so now I have to do a vacuum leak hunt. Probably just gonna bring it back and say "you put the motor in, you find out what you missed!" :bang:

What is your idle set at? You should put it up around 900rpms now. My convertible produces 15in of vacuum at idle and I have my idle set at 950rpms. My cam is not that radical either, I run big lift but the duration @.050 on intake is only 218, on exhaust side it is up there with 228.
Might want to check where the timing is at also.
 
new pic of car

Hey all, just thought I'd post a new pic of the car after I had waxed it and cleaned it up good.
 

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OrLackThereof said:
I throw a gauge on it and I'm only pulling 10-12 hg's. That's REALLY poor. All the hoses are intact...so now I have to do a vacuum leak hunt. Probably just gonna bring it back and say "you put the motor in, you find out what you missed!" :bang:

You might ask the installer if he checked and adjusted the lifter pre-load. To much pre-load can cause poor vacuum at idle. Also, 5.0's 4 ever is right about setting your idle up higher. FWIW my coupe idles @900 and only has 11-12"hg too. I'm running 222/228 duration @.050" plus a set of 1.7 rockers so it has a bit of overlap.
 
dg28182 said:
Hey all, just thought I'd post a new pic of the car after I had waxed it and cleaned it up good.
Looks really good Dave. I used to have tribars on mine too. Got tired of buying tires every year or so. So now I have the ugly '99 flat ponies.:rolleyes:

:OT: But do any of you guys use chemical wheel cleaners? I'm looking for something that actually works and won't harm painted wheels with a polished lip. Mustang wheels are easy to take care of, but the Merc has Lincoln's version of BBS style wheels. It's almost impossible to get into every nook and cranny with a brush.
 
baglock1 said:
I'm borrowing a digital camera today. While I'm tinkering with it, I'll bust out my CC plates and give you a visual of the affects that the spacers have.

Allright Tim, I lied. I have the camera but not the time to do it. Let me try to explain it and if I don't clear it up, I'll get the pics taken tomorrow.

The distance between the wheel and the fender well reamins unchanged, regardless of the CC plate spacers. The only thing that will change this measurement at static is a spring change. If the strut shaft is placed farther down in the strut housing at rest through the use of multiple spacers UNDER the CC plate spherical bearing, it will have less distance to travel in bounce before bottoming out.

By removing the spacers from underneith the cc plate, the strut shaft is allowed to sit farther up at rest and will therefore have a greater amount of travel before bottoming out. Typically, the spacers are put above the CC plate only because the threads on the strut aren't long enough. The spacers are placed there in order to allow the nut to tighten down against something without running out of thread.

Ideally, you would want zero spacers under the cc plate in our situations because we want to keep as much bump travel as possible. Bottoming out the front end of a mustang can cause extensive damage to the plates or fenderwells. Unfortunately, the hood usually presents a problem and so we must lower the strut top slightly to allow it to close properly.
 
baglock1 said:
Ugly!?! Ugly?!? :mad: ;)
I use simple green and a sponge. It may not be recommended as I've never bothered to check, but it works exceptionally well.

Perhaps ugly wasn't the proper term. Beauty challenged?:shrug: :D You do know I meant the '99 base GT model 16" flat ponies aka '00 v6 ponies? You too can score a set w/ like new BFG tires for $395.00 at Stangparts.com ;) I guess I could try to fix up those waffles I have in the garage.

I don't know why I didn't think of Simple Green, thanks Guys. :doh: I'll have to check the bottle.