Negative Wedge Kits for 67?
- Thread starter Snail50
- Start date
66P51GT
New Member
66P51GT
New Member
The template alone is probably for the 1" Shelby drop. Most of this discussion is regarding the 1 3/4" drop that requires you to reangle the upper ball joint to keep it from binding and ripping out the suspension.66stangmeister said:
As for the e-bay templates. If you have to spend more than $10 it isn't worth it. Specs are availabe on the web and you can easily make one yourself if you have a drillpress and some metal. I did my first one with a paper template I and some precise measuring.
66stangmeister
New Member
oh, so is the 1 3/4" drop alot better than just the 1" shelby drop? cuz i'd like to do this one day, but don't want to spend a whole lot. Is the 1" drop good enough or is the 1 3/4" drop better for what its worth?
Please don't lower your upper a-arms without having modified upper a-arms.
with stock a-arms you'll bind the ball joints and can cause the a-arms to shear...it kinda ruins your day.
Global west a-arms are built damn well, my first stage was wedges, second was tcp now I have both for sale! please pull up globalwest.net and read their reasons for not having adjustable a-arms it makes sense
My tcp system binded up {on their behalf I didn't have my shocktower support panels on} and the right upper failed at the heim joints tcp replaced the heim joints on the right side.
I wish that someone smarter than I would make a system that would take some of the brake dive out of the car that would be a great step forward...JB
with stock a-arms you'll bind the ball joints and can cause the a-arms to shear...it kinda ruins your day.
Global west a-arms are built damn well, my first stage was wedges, second was tcp now I have both for sale! please pull up globalwest.net and read their reasons for not having adjustable a-arms it makes sense
My tcp system binded up {on their behalf I didn't have my shocktower support panels on} and the right upper failed at the heim joints tcp replaced the heim joints on the right side.
I wish that someone smarter than I would make a system that would take some of the brake dive out of the car that would be a great step forward...JB
DarkBuddha
Founding Member
Good enough??? Tough question... The 1" Shelby drop is an improvement and it is free (other than labor). But the 1 3/4" drop with negative wedge (or new/modified arms) is even more of an improvement, coming much closer to ideal, but it also costs $$$ as you'll need to buy the wedge kit or new arms. The 1 3/4" drop is better (my car definitely feels more stable and focused in turns), and I certainly think its cost effective if you need/want improved handling.66stangmeister said:
thehueypilot
Active Member
I still think that if the new (NPD item #3082-3G) upper control arms are shorter and the ball joints are angled down and in, that this would take the place of relocating the upper control arms from the stock location and still provide the negative wedge effect. I called NPD and as always no one their could verify this or who makes the new arms. Go figure?
Hack
15 Year Member
Does this apply to '65 and 66 only? I've heard that '67 and '68 have a different setup. Is 1 3/4" too much for them?DarkBuddha said:
How about '69 and '70? I'm going to do a drop on my '70, and I'd rather drill one new set of holes, rather than two. And I'm planning on modifying or having my upper arms modified. With the amount I get to drive the car, regular inspections shouldn't be a problem.
DarkBuddha
Founding Member
First, Pro-motorsports is probably the best place to contact with these questions, since they originated the negative wedge kit. That said, as far as I am aware, dropping the upper control arms is functional on all years. Again, the maximum amount of drop possible while avoiding balljoint binding is 1" (aka the Shelby drop). This is true with all years.Hack said:
The 1" drop will provide some improvement, but even more of a drop will provide even more improvement (near ideal from what I understand), which is why the negative wedge kit (as well as modified/re-engineered upper arms) was developed. The maximum drop possible with the negative wedge kit is different for different years. I believe the negative wedge allows for 1.5" drop on '65-'66, and 1.75" on '67-'70. For specifics, visit Pro-motorsport's site and get it directly from the source.
As for a '70, I did the 1.75" drop with the Pro-motorsports negative wedge (as the included directions and templates indicated). It is definitely best to only drill one set of holes. If you do the 1" first, you won't be able to drill the 1.75" holes later... not enough material.
huey, the arms you are talking about are global west products and yes the geometry is improved somewhat but you still have to drill new holes IIRC. might check out GW's website http://www.globalwest.net/mustang_1964 -73 catalog.htm#Tubular upper control arms
thehueypilot
Active Member
I am sooo confused! The arms I looked at in the NPD booth at the 40th and in the 2004 NPD catalog do not look like the Globel West arms at the end of your link. I also thought all Globel West products had their logo applied to their parts and these did not. NPD also said that these were made from a new company they are going to start using. It's a mystery I guess?
well the picture in their "online catalog" shows a GW arm or at least a very good copy of it, only diff i could see is that that part number is for a chrome arm and a all of the GW arms i've seen are black, i thought it might be a new option, anyway if it's not GW it's an almost exact copy, going by the pic in the catalog anyway
BobV
20+ Year Stangneter 
Be careful! NPD is selling knock-off tubular arms that are NOT Global West. They are made by Blue Moon instead. While they look very similar, the pivots are rubber, not the Del-a-lum (upper) or uniball (lower). 
thehueypilot
Active Member
Thanks BobV for clearing up this issue. I thought I was loosing my mind. I did call NPD and they are trying to pass these arms off as Globel West products.
After much research, I went with the Global West Negative Roll UCAs from Mustangs Unlimited. It seems that the Shelby Drop and Negative Wedge kits, while very effective, don't really introduce true negative camber; rather they reduce overall positive camber due to the length of the stock UCA, and still do not produce "optimum" supension geometry. If I'm wrong in my interpretation, please let me know...although the order is already placed 
~
I should have them within a week, at which time I will also install my M+ steering kit.
Now that 65fastback2+2 hooked me up with the program to shrink my digital pics (works great, btw...thanks!), I should be able to post pics of the install.
have a great weekend, all!
~ I should have them within a week, at which time I will also install my M+ steering kit.
Now that 65fastback2+2 hooked me up with the program to shrink my digital pics (works great, btw...thanks!), I should be able to post pics of the install.
have a great weekend, all!
Hack
15 Year Member
Snail50 said:After much research, I went with the Global West Negative Roll UCAs from Mustangs Unlimited. It seems that the Shelby Drop and Negative Wedge kits, while very effective, don't really introduce true negative camber; rather they reduce overall positive camber due to the length of the stock UCA, and still do not produce "optimum" supension geometry. If I'm wrong in my interpretation, please let me know...although the order is already placed
I should have them within a week, at which time I will also install my M+ steering kit.
Now that 65fastback2+2 hooked me up with the program to shrink my digital pics (works great, btw...thanks!), I should be able to post pics of the install.
have a great weekend, all!
I'm sure Global West parts designed from scratch for the car are going to be better than a cobbled fix of old parts. I would buy them too if I had the money lying around.
Let us know how the car drives!
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