Spriings Question

suki243 · Oct 21, 2008

Hey guys, I've been trying for a while to try and put together a suspension package for my 66.
First and foremost I need to get new springs.

I can push my car down at least an inch on every side, and according to suggestions that means that the springs are worn out.
Second, i don't think i need new shocks cause after i push the car up and down it stops instantly.
Third, the car in the rear doesn't sit level its a tad lopsided, and the passenger side tire feels closer to the fender than the driver side rear tire.

I looked at mustangsplus's GRAB a Track kit and it sounds awesome.
Mustangs Plus :: Suspension and Handling :: Spring & Handling Kits :: 1965-66 Grab-A-Trak® Spring and Handling Kit
The parts include :

* 620 front coil springs
* Performance 4-Leaf Standard Eye Leaf Springs
* 1” Front Sway Bar
* ¾” Rear Sway Bar Kit
* Front and Rear Shock Absorbers
* Polyurethane Coil Spring Insulators
* Polyurethane Sway Bar End Link Kits
* Polyurethane Sway Bar Frame Bushing Kits
* New Leaf Spring Shackles with rubber bushings
total: 489+80 (shipping)=569$

I then told myself let me check NPD since i have one nearby, i can just pick up the parts. They don't have a kit so I asked them for their input and help to try and rival MP's kit;

They answered:
" We only offer a 1” lowering spring with a 480 rate. The 620 rate coil springs will be very harsh. The shocks on this list are KYB brand “Gas-a-just”. We can go cheaper if need be but these are excellent shocks. Everything else should be compatible or even the same brands as the other company. "
The parts list included:
-Coil Spring set, high rate, grey pair. (74.95)
-Inulator, polyurethain coil SPR pair. (13.95)
-Sway bar kit, front, 1 inch (139.41)
-Leaf Spring OE design (127.00)x 2 = 254
-Shackle Kit, leaf spring, rear (14.95)x2 = 29.90
-Sway bar kit, rear, 3/4 inch (108.91)
-Shock set, KYB, Gas-a-just, 4 PI (174.95)
The total is
796.07+24 oversize, and 30 freight = 850.07

Now, I'm looking for some guidance, I'm not sure why there is such a huge discrepancy. I don't want to to spend 850.07 on parts only...
And about the spring rate, is it true that grab a track will be too stiff? This is going to be a cruiser/weekend warrior, i'm more focused on comfort and tires not rubbing.
Should i replace the shocks at the same time as the springs? (the current shocks don't seem to be stock they're red)
And what about the sway bars, do they really need to be replaced? When i got a quote from another guy he said the previous owner spent a lot of money on this car and the only thing that needs to be replaced was the idler arm. But i'm not sure how reliable he was.

Any input is appreciated. TIA (sorry for the long post)

htwheelz67 · Oct 25, 2008

620's are not too harsh on my 67 vert even with a coil cut off but on a 65-66 they may be, In my opinion mustangs plus is kinda expensive, you can shop around and get much better prices. You may be able to buy different items at different places for much cheaper.

I would run around a 500 psi front spring but with the right shocks and roller perches I think 620's will not be harsh mine rides smooth but I have a 408, do the shelby drop, get roller spring perches(really worth it), a one inch or 1 1/8 front sway bar kit, hd 4 leaf leaf springs about 160 psi, dont go crazy on the rear or youll kill the ride, if you can afford them flex a form fiberglass leafs are the way to go. you may not need a rear sway bar at all, kyb gas adjusts are way too stiff on a new suspension, thats what kills the ride, in front they are ok but in the rear they are way too stiff,

I personally like koni's but for cheaper the edelbrock IAS shocks ride and handle nice, gas adjusts in front and gr-2's in the rear are an OK comprimise, if your shocks are red they are probably gabriel red ryders, if they are orange......koni's. If your suspension is worn out replace all the parts with decent stuff, dont go too cheap as its chineese crap. Laurel mountain mustang has some good prices on sway bars, springs etc.....dallas mustang had the cheapest price on my global west control arms......dont know why.....if all your suspension is in good shape get a front sway bar and the air ride front spring/shock kit and some new HD leafs and shocks thats all you will need.

my car htwheelz's photos- powered by SmugMug

Pooley · Oct 25, 2008

GRAB a Track kit

Hey that is cool I'm thinking about the same stuff and I'm really looking at the Air Ride Kit now the price is no ware rear the Grab a track (about 6,000.00) but I like the ability to drop the car but I'm thinking about it, that is a lot of money!

I don't want the hard ride I'm not going race but I do want to be sporty though ooh its a 69

Grabber70Mach · Oct 25, 2008

Why don't you drop John at Opentracker Racing Products
a e-mail, he knows the suspensions of these cars very well and won't oversell you what you don't need just to make a buck.

iskwezm · Oct 26, 2008

Hey Suki, i have a 1" sway bar with urethane bushings/end links i just took off. $50 bucks and its yours and i'll even rattle can it black

620's are fine, the KYB;s(Kill your Back) shocks are a little harsh.

JonK · Oct 26, 2008

I redid the suspension on my '67 a few months ago so this is only a comparison:
620 springs and gas-a-justs are the stiffest of both spring and shock choices, lower # coil spring is softer, the number refer's to the thickness of the spring 620= 0.620", so the higher number is a thicker steel=harder to compress. Softest would probably be stock springs or 480's and KYB GR-2's. Some people like the mix of a hard spring/soft shock and vice versa.

Personally I didn't want a harsh ride but wanted a sporty ride for the curvey mountain roads and maybe some autocross/roadcoarse and I wanted to lower the fender lip even with the tire tread for the Trans Am look. I went with 1" lowering 560 springs, did the Arning/Shelby drop 1" and 4 1/2 mideye leafs with poly bushings. This put my front/rear nearly level and even with the fender lips. If you want stock height don't do the 1" drop and use standard springs. I also used the KYB GR-2's, will step up to Koni's if I get into more racing venues.

I like the combo of 560 front (289 car) and 4 1/2 leaf rear and GR-2's, it gives a nice ride without pounding your kidneys, my wife and 10yr. old ride in the car and have no complaints and I find it handles well. I need to upgrade to roller spring perches though, I think that would make a difference in how quickly the suspension can react to changes.
Good luck,
Jon

Z06killinSBF · Oct 27, 2008

I have cut 620's, Shelby drop, 1-1/8" fr/ 3/4" rear bars with poly bushings, 4-1/2 leaf reverse eye rear springs with Del-A-Lum bushings, KYB's, a 6 point roll bar, subframe connectors, and a Monte Carlo bar. My car handles like on rails but the ride IMHO is not all that harsh even on 17's. But I have off road baja seats that eat up a lot of pounding.

I do want to roller perches as well. I need to remove my 1" drop blocks as the rear has finally settled and is hanging low in the back.

Tim65GT · Oct 27, 2008

I just replaced my suspension early this year with the grab a track set. I ordered it with the stock GT springs instead of the 620s and the 4 leaf reverse eye rear springs. I cut a coil out, but with the Shelby drop it was too low. I had NPD 1" drop 480s in there for about a week, but was still too low and too stiff (need to sell them). I'm now happy with a new set of GT springs in the front, but the rear seems too stiff. I'm sure it's the Grab a track shocks. I've only drove it about 800 miles so far.

The 1" front sway bar helps the handling a lot over the stock 40 year old 13/16" bar. I have the 2 1/2" Flowmaster exhaust system and it's in the way of the rear sway bar, so I didn't install it. ( I need to sell it too)

CarFreakGT · Oct 28, 2008

htwheelz67 said:
you can shop around and get much better prices. You may be able to buy different items at different places for much cheaper.

I know that I'm just stating the obvious, but don't forget to watch shipping costs if you go this route. They can add up quick.

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