Should i switch to 4 cylinder springs?

88Stangboy

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Dec 12, 2005

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Greenville, SC

Dec 14, 2005

#1

• Dec 14, 2005

• #1

I have a 1988 LX coup, im converting to a PA front K member and
i was wondering until i get coil overs if i should convert to 4 cylinder
springs in the front. Im not getting coil overs until about a year from
now. Would this give me a noticible advantage in weight transfer?

 

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luckythirteen13

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Jul 19, 2005

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Anaheim, CA

Dec 14, 2005

#2

• Dec 14, 2005

• #2

youll have to get softer struts too....or adjustable ones.

 

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bcd

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Jun 23, 2005

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arab al

Dec 14, 2005

#3

• Dec 14, 2005

• #3

if you put the 4cyl springs up front it will cause the front to slam down after the initial weight transfer. so from what i understand you should keep the v8 springs up front and put the 4cyl rear springs on.

 

MrKwik

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Kansas City, Kansas

Dec 14, 2005

#4

• Dec 14, 2005

• #4

bcd said:

if you put the 4cyl springs up front it will cause the front to slam down after the initial weight transfer. so from what i understand you should keep the v8 springs up front and put the 4cyl rear springs on.

Click to expand...

I'm about 99% sure that 4cyl rear springs are the same as V8 springs. I wouldnt bother changing those out. The 4cyl springs are a good poor mans drag spring alternative but they can be a little goofy on the highway.

 

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venom97

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Apr 29, 2003

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Illinois

Dec 14, 2005

#5

• Dec 14, 2005

• #5

heres a pic of mine with 4cyl springs on the front,the rears are a little softer i think but the ride height is the same. ive heard of people cutting a coil off the rears. just what i heard not saying todo it or not to. no driveabilty problems at all very stable.

 

Euphoric306

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Apr 5, 2004

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Dec 14, 2005

#6

• Dec 14, 2005

• #6

venom97 thats a nice ride man, exact wheels i want for a 5lug swap. what front clip is that?

hit me up if you wanna sell the wheels

except... are those chrome door handles? if they are thats the only thing that i dont love on that ride



why isn't it in your sig?

...late

 

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venom97

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Apr 29, 2003

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Illinois

Dec 14, 2005

#7

• Dec 14, 2005

• #7

thanks the front clip is a stalker from cervini,yea theyre chrome handles.not to hip on them my self either but the cars for sale and i dont want to mess with them.

 

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bcd

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arab al

Dec 14, 2005

#8

• Dec 14, 2005

• #8

if you sit the four cyl springs next to v8 springs you can see the difference in the diameter. i had them on the front of mine but switched to ford racing c springs

 

88Stangboy

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Dec 14, 2005

#9

• Dec 14, 2005

• #9

Im not really concerned with the drivability of it, im just wondering if it will give me better weight transfer off a start? And i don't really care, but just curious, how will it effect my every day driving (cornering, braking,etc.)

 

Euphoric306

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#10

• Dec 14, 2005

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oh that looked a little different than the stalker.... maybe ive just never seen one from the side.

 

Notched90

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Sep 9, 2005

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Dec 15, 2005

#11

• Dec 15, 2005

• #11

my 90 coupe still has the entire original k-member that the car had before the motor swap. The 4 banger springs set your nose 1" lower and definatly make your car ride smoother up front, but takes a lot away from your handling (obviously)...for a drag car it wouldnt hurt, nor make a positive difference from what I can imagine.


btw if you want something you can take off the front end for better drag times, your sway bar setup weights about 60 lbs from what I understand

 

88Stangboy

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Dec 15, 2005

#12

• Dec 15, 2005

• #12

Notched90 said:

my 90 coupe still has the entire original k-member that the car had before the motor swap. The 4 banger springs set your nose 1" lower and definatly make your car ride smoother up front, but takes a lot away from your handling (obviously)...for a drag car it wouldnt hurt, nor make a positive difference from what I can imagine.

btw if you want something you can take off the front end for better drag times, your sway bar setup weights about 60 lbs from what I understand

Click to expand...

Well first off, mine and your cars look much alike, what color is that? Cause it looks very similar to mine. But to my question, what adverse effects would taking the sway bar off? Im very nieve when it comes to suspension...im more of a engine guy. I know it would probabally make my car a little 'wavy' in the front, it wouldn't make my car handle really bad on the street or anything would it?

 

Euphoric306

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#13

• Dec 15, 2005

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from what ive gathered its alright to drive on the street, but don't expect it to handle like it used to. more body lean on teh turns

but definitely helps weight transfer when launching

 

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bcd

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arab al

Dec 15, 2005

#14

• Dec 15, 2005

• #14

it seems to me that you would want a hefty spring up front and a loose shock to get the front end up and a soft spring and shock in the back to drop the back end.

 

88Stangboy

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Dec 16, 2005

#15

• Dec 16, 2005

• #15

bcd said:

it seems to me that you would want a hefty spring up front and a loose shock to get the front end up and a soft spring and shock in the back to drop the back end.

Click to expand...

It seemed that way to me also, but everyone had told me 4 cylinder springs up front. My buddy Kyle has them under this front end, says it works great and gives him more rear end bite on launches. I just wanted a second opinion cause he's just a little bit of a moron But what about taking the sway bar off? How bad with that mess things up for me with the 4 cylinder springs installed?

 

2000xp8

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Aug 8, 2003

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Dec 16, 2005

#16

• Dec 16, 2005

• #16

I did the 4cyl thing a while back, they work awesome as a drag spring, neck snapping front end rise, but the trade off in handling was not worth it IMO. Every trip on the highway felt like it was gonna be my last. Alot of body roll.

 

88Stangboy

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Dec 16, 2005

#17

• Dec 16, 2005

• #17

2000xp8 said:

I did the 4cyl thing a while back, they work awesome as a drag spring, neck snapping front end rise, but the trade off in handling was not worth it IMO. Every trip on the highway felt like it was gonna be my last. Alot of body roll.

Click to expand...

That doesn't really bother me though...its a street car but not all the time, maybe 3 times a week...Anyways, if i put some really stiff springs in back and some ole' 4 bangers up front and then took the sway bar off the front, would it be really hard to control? Or would you just leave the sway bar in there? Sorry im so caught up in every little detail about this subject, i just don't want to go through all the trouble of doing something and then not like it and have to change it back, just trying to get as many opinions about this mod. as possible. Thanks.

 

2000xp8

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Dec 16, 2005

#18

• Dec 16, 2005

• #18

As for the control issue, my car was setup more Road Race style for 10 years, then i tried the drag setup.
To me, it felt like a sloppy mess, and an accident waiting to happen, but i'm an aggressive driver, and as i said i was used to a car that handles well.
I can't imagine how much worse it would of been without the sway bar.

i put less than 10,000 a year on my car, probably less than that, but i do't pay attention, when i drive i want to enjoy myself. And i felt it wasn't fun.

Final straw for me was that i swapped out my saleen springs, for the 4 bangers (front only), but with aluminum heads and misc parts missing, believe it or not the car sat high. So i took them out and cut a coil off, then holy crap the car was low, 1/4 coil probably would of been right. I decided even though with an easy to get supply of $25 4 banger springs, i was done.

Funny thing was, my traction was the same, it was just the nose didn't pop up as hard.
I really don't see the point of a drag spring setup for a street car.

The suspension issue is really up to personal preference.
not so sure there is a true right or wrong.

 

Euphoric306

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Dec 17, 2005

#19

• Dec 17, 2005

• #19

you might wanna do what you dont want to and try a variety of things... regardless of what people on the internet say, its your car and you may prefer a certain setup to what others think is best. IMO you should just try a few different things at the track until you get a feel for what works and what doesn't

 

midlife89

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Mar 30, 2005

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youngstown,oh

Dec 17, 2005

#20

• Dec 17, 2005

• #20

I switched to 4 cly springs because when Ichanged heads ,deleted a/c,moved battery the front came way up.I still run the sway bar and haven't noticed much of difference in handeling.But the front came down about 1".If you want the slammed look I'd just get lowering springs.I'mkeeping my car stock looking,so right now it's sitting level.I might cut a 1/4 coil to give it a slight rake.As far as launch I don't know if they help.Hopefully next spring I'll be able to tell you,getting battle boxes,f/c,lakewood lowers and drag radials.This year I wasn't able to get to the track,worked too much OT.I wiil take off the sway bar when I do go.God,in away I wish I'd never started moding the car,it was all orig with 48,000 mi. orig owner,now I can't stop.