MFE method WILL NOT WORK

[Mustang_Punk]

yeah, nobody will compress and band springs around here, its California and everybody is afraid of getting sued for everything

I have a guy from californiafords.com coming over later to help me out, he says he has gotten them in with a compressor before, here's hoping!

I think if it dosen't work I might just have to cut the stockers till they fit and limp to a shop that will install the 4cyl springs for me

 

[Shakerhood]

yeah, nobody will compress and band springs around here, its California and everybody is afraid of getting sued for everything

I have a guy from californiafords.com coming over later to help me out, he says he has gotten them in with a compressor before, here's hoping!

I think if it dosen't work I might just have to cut the stockers till they fit and limp to a shop that will install the 4cyl springs for me

If he has the right style Ford Compressor, it is a piece of cake!

 

[iwashmycar]

i found a spring compressor at Pep Boys when i did mine. I didn't take out the A-arm bolts tho. The compressor i finally found actually fit through the hole in the A-arm. i just had to disassemble it inside the spring and take all 3 pieces out through that bottom hole lol

 

[Mustang_Punk]

3 pieces? the one I broke only had two, one was longer than the other and they would never sit quite right

 

[stang&2Birds]

Here is the Ford/OTC tool:
(It's the one to the left of the FCA)
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/tmp/stang-fcs-12-06-tn.jpg

 

[jrichker]

Here is the Ford/OTC tool:
(It's the one to the left of the FCA)
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/tmp/stang-fcs-12-06-tn.jpg

here's a better picture - at $250-$350, its a tool that you would probably choose to rent rather than own.

 

[Shakerhood]

I paid about $220 for mine, its always nice to have in my toolbox for whatever I work on in the future, one can never have "enough" tools, LOL!

 

[Mustang_Punk]

WOOOOOOO!

I got em in using the MFE method, but MAN was it tough, I had to use 3 jacks, a crowbar and a BFH but they are in.

Wow it feels like a caddy with the 4cyl springs and Strange struts set on full soft, I LOVE it!

 

[stang&2Birds]

Wow it feels like a caddy with the 4cyl springs and Strange struts set on full soft, I LOVE it!

Congrats!
A comfy ride in a Stang? Heresy!

I should get my 95 Cobra *R* racing springs (700lbs/in vs 425lbs/in stock) next week. People should get them while they can, Ford may discontinue them after this batch is sold!

 

[HISSIN50]

S&2B's - after hearing of your spring ordeal so far, I wish you luck.

MP, next time will go smoother. If I get lucky, I can do R/R in 15 minutes per side with the MFE method (I have to nail the LCA to K alignment in the first or second try).

 

[Snikt89GT]

WOOOOOOO!

I got em in using the MFE method, but MAN was it tough, I had to use 3 jacks, a crowbar and a BFH but they are in.

Wow it feels like a caddy with the 4cyl springs and Strange struts set on full soft, I LOVE it!

Yep, that sounds about like my experience with that. Next time i'm going coil overs

 

[stang&2Birds]

S&2B's - after hearing of your spring ordeal so far, I wish you luck.

Ha, ha, ha. It's gotten worse. I now have NINE sets of springs. :O LOOONG story.

It's mild here in New England this weekend. I had the choice of:
o Keep my new way too low FRPP "B" springs.
o 15" tall 400lbs/in new parts-store springs
o very rusty 94 GT springs (425/530)
o 98 V6 springs (400lbs/in).
o 03 Mach
o 01 Bullit
o Eibach (were suppose to be stock 98 springs)
o cut Fox springs
o *super* rusty Fox springs (I don't trust them for the long term)

o OR, wait for my 95 Cobra R race springs that just got back in stock. (I've had a paid order in for a while)

I'm also in the process of buying some 01+ *stock* springs from someone on the forums.


I've swapped springs/a-arms at least 3 times so far. I was going to go with the tall "replacement" springs (at least they're MOOG). But, I had standing order in for the 95 Cobra R springs. They shipped on Friday. I'll see how tall they are, do a bunch of calculations, and then decide.

The "basic" force on the spring required to get the fender & tire to "touch" is similar for a number of my current options (within ~15%). BUT, the softer taller springs would be "safer" because of the additional force also required to compress the struts the addition ~3/4" of an inch (compared to the sitting height of the other springs). I'm hoping the 95 Cobra R springs will sit at least ~1/4" taller than the Mach spring would have. The 95 Cobra R springs are also 15% stiffer than any of the other springs.

Add in a firm setting on my Tokicos, and I should be okay even with the MEGA potholes and *****-up roads in New England. Does anyone else live in a area that will shave ~3+" from a highway to resurface it, and then leave the sharp 3" rise at the end of the patch area? Initially, they put down a *short* patch of asphalt to the smooth the area. Yea, that lasts for a few days, then falls apart, then BANG as THOUSANDS of cars EVERY DAY hit that *sharp* transition screwing up tires, rims, alignments, suspension, etc.


However, I do NOT want a soft/comfy in my Stang. The reason for my going to the sn95 FCAs in the first place was for better handling!

 

[Mustang_Punk]

Congrats!
A comfy ride in a Stang? Heresy!

I should get my 95 Cobra *R* racing springs (700lbs/in vs 425lbs/in stock) next week. People should get them while they can, Ford may discontinue them after this batch is sold!

STIFFER springs? yikes

I LOVE the 4cy's so far, the front is 25in and the rear is 26.5 so they lowered it quite a bit which I don't really care for but they feel great and the front snaps up right quick, seems to have cured my wheelhop (full soft in front, position 4 in back)

Im not too big on handling, all I care about is if its stable on the highway

what is the rate on the 4cyls anyway? stock is 425?

 

[stang&2Birds]

STIFFER springs? yikes

I LOVE the 4cy's so far, the front is 25in and the rear is 26.5 so they lowered it quite a bit which I don't really care for but they feel great and the front snaps up right quick, seems to have cured my wheelhop (full soft in front, position 4 in back)

Im not too big on handling, all I care about is if its stable on the highway

what is the rate on the 4cyls anyway? stock is 425?

84-95 GTs have 425/530 progressive rate springs. The other 84-95 Stangs (4cyl or 6 cyl) have 400 linear/constant rate springs.

NO ONE makes stock *height* 425/530 replacement springs. And the springs in New England are rusty as ****. I've tried THREE times to get used stock springs from sunshine states. I now give up! I would have liked a 600/700lb stock *height* replacement spring.

I went with sn95 a-arms, so with my M2300K Cobra brake kit and 245/45/17's, my front tires are "close" to being lined up with the outside edge of the fender. That means that I can't rolling the fenders. Besides, IMHO, rolling the fenders is a BAD idea bad since the fold will collect water/snow/moisture, and eventually rust.

Coil-over are a whole different story. For $150, I could have went with coil-overs. I've read the threads, seem many very smart people tell their view on coil-overs, and so on. Sorry, for a *daily driver*, I see coil-overs as foolish. I have a "decent" idea how different bushings and other methods can absorb things like launches from rockets and from fighters. Even if the strut/tire saw 10Gs, I'd be *very* surprised if more than 2Gs (and damped over a longer time!) got to the strut towers in the *stock* configuration.

For bushings and isolation in "non commercial applications", I've seen a bunch of computer simulations, test data (often worse than real-life), and real-life flight data. With all due respect, the people that think that they can record or calculate impact data are, at best, doing a preliminary first pass gross estimate. Sorry, I'll trust the PhDs, NASA, DoD contractors, and state-of-the-art FEM simulations first on how much compliant bushings attenuate shock. If Ford didn't even spend the money for 5 lugs, do you *really* think the would design a strut tower for 10-20x the strength that's needed.

Last: YES, for circle track and quarter mile cars, coil-overs are the WAY TO GO!! For *many* reasons. But, coil-overs are NOT a good idea for a daily-driver on the the potholes connected with patches of asphalt that we call "roads" in New England.

Take my comments and views for what they're worth.

 

[Mustang_Punk]

im glad i live in California

 

[muttstang]

i am thinking of doing this aswell.
How far will the front end drop with the four cylinder springs?
I have Eibach drag springs in the rear but I couldn't put my fronts in As one was broken(USED set Free) so I have stockers in the front and my arse end sits lower than the front.

 

[muttstang]

im glad i live in California

You get sunshine I get freezin rain!!!

 

[Mustang_Punk]

the front is at 25in and the rear is at 26.5in so about an inch and a half, but i have MM poly isolators in front and I didn't measure it before the swap

 

[Mustang_Punk]

You get sunshine I get freezin rain!!!

NORTHERN california, its still really cold here, but nowhere near Canada temps im sure

 

[stang&2Birds]

Stock height on a Stang is ~27" to 27.25".

The height depends a LOT depends on the tire, the rim, the wear, the inflation, and so on. The tire diameter of a new 245/24/17 tire is ~25.7"
From: http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodye...45&aspectratio=45&rimdiameter=17&sidewall=BSL
Eagle VR/ZR
Goodyear's Gatorbacks: Also known as Goodyear Gatorbacks, Eagle VR-ZR
Outside Diameter: 25.7