Random suspension questions (different than other thread)

SadbutTrue

Founding Member
May 1, 2002
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Thousand Oaks, California
Since these questions don't directly concern the parts included in most front end suspension rebuilds, and my thread was long enough already, I decided to make it separate so that each question got some attention.

First, I am wondering if my springs are sagging, primarily so i have a feel for where it'll be with new coils. I saw Marlon from Fly Fords in Chatsworth a few weeks ago and he was surprised my stock springs (stock height/spring rate) were so low, even taking into consideration I have done the Shelby drop and have a 351w. The springs are about 10 years old (though they only have maybe 10k miles on them, still getting up there I guess). See pic below. Note that I have larger tires in the rear… 225 60r15 vs. 225 50r15 (had to switch to 50s in front because of rubbing)... also the street is slightly inclined up towards the front of the car.

Second, I wanted to know if any of my other components will need upgrading/changing if I upgrade the rest of my suspension (either by getting drop coils/poly bushings or by going all out with new control arms, roller perches, etc). Marlon said my tie rod ends, specifically, ‘weren’t up to the task’ and that he’d want to replace them. Not sure what he meant by that (he didn’t say they were bad necessarily), so I don’t know if I should expect to get high performance tie rod ends (if they exist…) or if he was trying to sell me a set of them or what. Anyway, will any of those ‘other parts’, the ones not usually mentioned in suspension upgrade threads, such as idler arms, tie rods, etc need upgrading?

Third, I am considering chucking my power steering while I’m in there. Can I just pull it off, chuck the pulley and go? Or do other parts need replacing? Do the conversion kits from places like NPD have everything I need and work well?

:shrug: :

I think that’s it. :cheers:

Enough topic starting for today… sorry for the :spam:
 
I'd be inclined to get the thicker poly spring insulators and switch to the roller bearing perches.

Unless your power steering is a total wreck, I'd not be inclined to get rid of it. I have no idea what "up to the task means" but you can check your tie rods for play by yourself.

I'm not in love with Marlon, FWIW. After he did that article in Car Craft, I called him and he said "yeah, well, that won't work in the real world outside of a magazine you know?" and then proceeded to try to sell me $1250 in his front end parts over the phone. I fixed my shock towers with a portapower and a mig welder myself and saved the trip.
 
I'd be inclined to get the thicker poly spring insulators and switch to the roller bearing perches.

Unless your power steering is a total wreck, I'd not be inclined to get rid of it. I have no idea what "up to the task means" but you can check your tie rods for play by yourself.

I'm not in love with Marlon, FWIW. After he did that article in Car Craft, I called him and he said "yeah, well, that won't work in the real world outside of a magazine you know?" and then proceeded to try to sell me $1250 in his front end parts over the phone. I fixed my shock towers with a portapower and a mig welder myself and saved the trip.


Yeah, he did essentially the same for me. My p/s stuff works fine, i guess i can get rid of that in a later project if i so desire.

Do you have a link to a good set of poly spring insulators?
 
The link I sent you was for the 1" ones, but you can get 1/4" ones I saw when I went looking for the picture. You could also space up the spring perch by adding material between the perch and the control arm.......
 
is the height of the insulator taken into account with the spring drop?

If i have a 1" drop spring and a 1/4" insulator, there will be a net 3/4" drop right? ANd no drop at all with the 1" insulator?

Are the insulators necessary (this is probably a dumb questions, but what the hell)?
 
anyone have any comments re: whether those front springs are sagging or not?

it would definitely help with my mental image of how the car will end up if I know whether its lower than it should be right now

here's the pic again, and those are supposed to be stock height springs up front (with 50 heigh tires in front as opposed to 60s in the back... this might account for some of the 'sagging')
 

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