newbie question about shelby drop

6

66newbie

New Member

Jul 15, 2005

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Jul 25, 2005

#1

• Jul 25, 2005

• #1

I did a search but didn't find the answer to this question.

Is it possible to do the Shelby drop AND have a 1 inch drop in my springs. I know the PO had the springs cut to drop it one inch. This is for a 66.

 

66P51GT

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Nov 7, 2003

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Cerritos, CA

Jul 25, 2005

#2

• Jul 25, 2005

• #2

Yes.

 

Jester67

Member

Sep 21, 2004

908

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18

TN

Jul 25, 2005

#3

• Jul 25, 2005

• #3

Yes. Just watch your ball joints. Anything greater than the 1” Shelby drop can place the ball joint in a binding condition.

 

6

66newbie

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Jul 15, 2005

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Jul 25, 2005

#4

• Jul 25, 2005

• #4

Jester67 said:

Yes. Just watch your ball joints. Anything greater than the 1” Shelby drop can place the ball joint in a binding condition.

Click to expand...

I don't plan on doing anything more than the 1" drop. What are the symptoms of the binding ? I am assuming not being able to make sufficient turns.

 

S

Sicarius428

Active Member

Jan 6, 2004

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Jul 25, 2005

#5

• Jul 25, 2005

• #5

I did the shelby drop and am running eibach 1" springs in the front. In total my front end is probably closer to 3 inches lower and so far so good... As stated above 1 inch is the max you want to do the shelby drop without reloacation ball joints to compensate.
Kevin

 

66stangmeister

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Apr 14, 2004

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Lafayette, LA

Jul 25, 2005

#6

• Jul 25, 2005

• #6

not to hijack, but i'm in the middle of doing the shelby drop too. I realize if u go below 1" problems can occur.. but what about the 1/8" figure... if u go too far to the rear...does this cause major problems aswell?

 

6

66newbie

New Member

Jul 15, 2005

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Jul 25, 2005

#7

• Jul 25, 2005

• #7

Sicarius428 said:

I did the shelby drop and am running eibach 1" springs in the front. In total my front end is probably closer to 3 inches lower and so far so good... As stated above 1 inch is the max you want to do the shelby drop without reloacation ball joints to compensate.
Kevin

Click to expand...

I heard there is a metal template that you can order to make sure you
A) have the right size template
B) screws into the original holes so you know where to drill the new ones.

 

gbarber

Member

Jan 26, 2004

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17

delaware, ohio

Jul 25, 2005

#8

• Jul 25, 2005

• #8

Just make your own template out of a piece of scrap steel. Tape a paper template on the steel, center punch the holes, then drill out the template. Just be sure the paper template is the correct scale when it is printed.

 

gbarber

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Jan 26, 2004

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delaware, ohio

Jul 25, 2005

#9

• Jul 25, 2005

• #9

Here is a picture of my template:

I drilled the top holes 17/32" to match the existing holes. I drilled the new holes 1/8". After drilling the new 1/8" holes, I removed the template and worked my way up to 17/32".
Just be sure you have the template facing the correct direction before you drill.

 

66stangmeister

New Member

Apr 14, 2004

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Lafayette, LA

Jul 28, 2005

#10

• Jul 28, 2005

• #10

since this is the most recent shelby drop thread I'll just ask my question in this. hope thats okay.

Anyway, my question is about the shims... I read one place that you take out at least 1/8" of shim.
Then another site said remove at least 1/8" shim and you put the shims in the reverse order that you removed them.

I'm not sure if that makes sense to me...why you'd reverse the order that you removed them. Is this true? or do u just have to take 1/8" of shim out?

 

2bav8

Founding Member

Nov 30, 1998

2,511

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47

Mesa, AZ

Jul 28, 2005

#11

• Jul 28, 2005

• #11

The shims are used to adjust the camber and caster alignment settings on the 65 and 66 Mustang. When the upper control arm is lowered, less shims are needed to obtain correct alignment specs.

Personally, I found that removing approximately half the shims that were originally there got me very close, and definitely close enough to drive the car to the alignment shop.

 

mfp4073

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Mar 14, 2001

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Hells Ditch, FL

Jul 28, 2005

#12

• Jul 28, 2005

• #12

The shelby drop is misleading. its a 1" drop at the shock tower, but it does not translate to a 1" drop in ride height. Maybe 1/4 inch or so. The purpose of it is not to lower center of gravity, but to change the way the suspension moves as it travels up and down. The cut down/drop springs will just lower the suspension as if you were to push the car down 1 inch in the front. Cutting normal springs will not get you this because it needs a stiffer spring to keep the car from bottoming out.

And, you do need to realign the car after the shebly mod to get it to work right.

 

66stangmeister

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Apr 14, 2004

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Lafayette, LA

Jul 28, 2005

#13

• Jul 28, 2005

• #13

2bav8 said:

The shims are used to adjust the camber and caster alignment settings on the 65 and 66 Mustang. When the upper control arm is lowered, less shims are needed to obtain correct alignment specs.

Personally, I found that removing approximately half the shims that were originally there got me very close, and definitely close enough to drive the car to the alignment shop.

Click to expand...

thanks for that info 2bav8... I took only 1 shim out of each set...which is about 1/8" i suppose. wanted to start small and work up. So perhaps I should take more out. I was just confused about that one site saying you put the shims in reverse order.

and about my question earlier that no one answered? does anyone know if there are negative side effects if the 1/8" toward the rear measurement is off? I don't understand that measurement, why they didn't just go 1" straight down from the existing holes. I"m just curious

 

mfp4073

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Mar 14, 2001

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Hells Ditch, FL

Jul 28, 2005

#14

• Jul 28, 2005

• #14

66stangmeister said:

thanks for that info 2bav8... I took only 1 shim out of each set...which is about 1/8" i suppose. wanted to start small and work up. So perhaps I should take more out. I was just confused about that one site saying you put the shims in reverse order.

and about my question earlier that no one answered? does anyone know if there are negative side effects if the 1/8" toward the rear measurement is off? I don't understand that measurement, why they didn't just go 1" straight down from the existing holes. I"m just curious

Click to expand...

Its based on the way the suspension moves. With the 67 up cars its just a straight down drop. Dont know enough to give you specifics, just that people who make more money than I ever will figured it out. I would say you want it pretty much right on or your suspension will travel in a plane its not supposed to.

 

2bav8

Founding Member

Nov 30, 1998

2,511

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Mesa, AZ

Jul 28, 2005

#15

• Jul 28, 2005

• #15

The 1/8" set back is to provide more positive caster into the alignment on the 65-66 cars.

The 67+ doesn't need this as their caster adjustment is set through the strut rods.

 

zookeeper

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Aug 25, 2001

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Rogue River, Oregon

Jul 28, 2005

#16

• Jul 28, 2005

• #16

As a side note, I wouldn't recommend drilling a 17/32 hole for your relocation holes. Being a machinist, sloppy holes drive me nuts, the studs are 1/2" and drills always cut the hole a few thousanths oversize, so I drilled a 1/2" hole and have a nice snug fit with virtually no slop. While it may not seem like much .030" slop in a 1/2" hole is a lot, and that's what you end up with by drilling the holes 1/32 oversize.