Suspension Suspension problem--lowering springs gone wrong

forango · Jul 14, 2021

Olivethefet said:
Sorry you're having trouble with the shop. It seems like that is becoming more and more the norm. That aside did you ask them if they took the arms off? When you were at the shop did you notice if they had four point lifts or if your car was going to be on a drive on lift? You would hope that they would know better than to tighten everything up with the wheels hanging, but never underestimate the power of stupid. The guy that worked on your car might be a noob and screwed up. I've certainly had that happen to me.

Keep digging around. I find it hard to believe that what ever the issue is with the car is very complicated. You've had several things suggested here to look into. Just start eliminating possibilities and you'll find the issue. You might want to take it to a different shop to have the struts installed. Just saying.

They definitely did not use a drive on lift...That is the reason I did not have them install subframe connectors (thank god). But I figured springs would not be able to be done on a drive on anyway because you have to let the wheels hang....I didn't know anything about the a-arm situation unfortunately....We are new to the area we live in now and it was about the only "performance" shop in within 20 miles....figured they knew what they were doing based on the other vehicles they were working on, but live and learn. LOL...It might not even be their fault, but what is their fault is just saying "here is your car" rather than fixing the issue even if it cost me more. I don't think I could ever allow a car to leave my shop after installing springs and the front being higher than it was before. LOL

I ordered new struts and hope to have them Friday and then I will start figuring this puzzle out the hard way.

Olivethefet · Jul 14, 2021

Some drive on lifts have the ability to pick the car up while on the lift to allow the wheels to be removed. Like this one.

The struts are not that hard to replace. If you have an impact it will help you get the nut off the top of the strut. You'll have to have an alignment done after though, as the camber will be off. If you have trouble just post pics here and ask questions.

Wayne Waldrep · Jul 14, 2021

View: https://youtu.be/-QczV_6v42A

Please watch that control arm bushing video. The arm has two very stiff bushings. If they are not don't correctly it doesn't take much to lift the front slightly. Think about when you jack up your car. The first couple inches barely take any effort. Then when the weight of the car is coming off the suspension, you can feel the weight thru the jack handle. That first light weight takes very little to lift..... So control arms installed wrong might be the case.
Hate to say it but the only person that cares about your car is you (and us!) but not the shop. Detail and thoroughness in a shop setting doesn't impress me anymore because people just don't care like they used to.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

Olivethefet said:
Sorry you're having trouble with the shop. It seems like that is becoming more and more the norm. That aside did you ask them if they took the arms off? When you were at the shop did you notice if they had four point lifts or if your car was going to be on a drive on lift? You would hope that they would know better than to tighten everything up with the wheels hanging, but never underestimate the power of stupid. The guy that worked on your car might be a noob and screwed up. I've certainly had that happen to me.

Keep digging around. I find it hard to believe that what ever the issue is with the car is very complicated. You've had several things suggested here to look into. Just start eliminating possibilities and you'll find the issue. You might want to take it to a different shop to have the struts installed. Just saying.

It was definitely a 4 point lift....Them not having a drive on is why I backed off the subframe connectors with them thankfully. Me personally if I own a shop there is no way in hell I am letting a car leave higher than it started after I installed springs. I would take the time to at least know the reason "why" and let the customer know. I think they just wanted to get back to their twin turbo CTS-V, sand coyote swapped this or that cars. LOL If we weren't so new to the area I would have taken more time to find a mainly Mustang shop.

I have since ordered new struts and will tackle this mess the hard way. LOL.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

forango said:
It was definitely a 4 point lift....Them not having a drive on is why I backed off the subframe connectors with them thankfully. Me personally if I own a shop there is no way in hell I am letting a car leave higher than it started after I installed springs. I would take the time to at least know the reason "why" and let the customer know. I think they just wanted to get back to their twin turbo CTS-V, sand coyote swapped this or that cars. LOL If we weren't so new to the area I would have taken more time to find a mainly Mustang shop.

I have since ordered new struts and will tackle this mess the hard way. LOL.

sorry for this double post...i did not see my initial reply listed

forango · Jul 14, 2021

Olivethefet said:
Some drive on lifts have the ability to pick the car up while on the lift to allow the wheels to be removed. Like this one.

The struts are not that hard to replace. If you have an impact it will help you get the nut off the top of the strut. You'll have to have an alignment done after though, as the camber will be off. If you have trouble just post pics here and ask questions.

Yeah, live and learn on this one...the springs don't even look that difficult really, I just felt more comfortable having s hop do it to check that things were correct.

I appreciate all the help on this forum...I will get it right eventually. LOL

Mustang5L5 · Jul 14, 2021

To answer a previous question, there are two ways to install these springs up front.

One is to unbolt the spindle, lower the control arm down, and compress the spring a tad while wiggling it in place and jacking the arm up. The other method is to unbolt the control arm from the K-member, let the arm down, swap the spring, and jack the arm back up and bolt it back.

With stock OEM style rubber control arm bushings, the arm must be torqued at ride height. With aftermarket delrin or poly arms, this isn't the case (most of the time).

We've seen a lot of jacked up cars around here because front or rear control arms were torque with the suspension dangling.

With regards to your front struts. Bouncing the fender isn't really accurate way to tell if the strut is bad or not. If you were to have the strut off the car and lean into it, it will slowly compress all the way into the body. When you bounce a car, that's simulating a bump in which the valving on the strut activates to try and stop that motion. So the fact that you can only move the strut an inch or so is how it should behave. The spring doesn't make things any easier here.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

If I was to look under the car while it is sitting on the ground, is there a way I could visually tell if the lower arm is torqued in the wrong position?

Wayne Waldrep · Jul 14, 2021

forango said:
If I was to look under the car while it is sitting on the ground, is there a way I could visually tell if the lower arm is torqued in the wrong position?

No. It's not something you can see.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

Wayne Waldrep said:
No. It's not something you can see.

So how do I know if it is wrong then? sorry if that is a stupid question

Wayne Waldrep · Jul 14, 2021

forango said:
So how do I know if it is wrong then? sorry if that is a stupid question

Not a stupid question. You can't. You have to loosen and redo that part. Exactly like the vid explained. No need to remove anything.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

Wayne Waldrep said:
Not a stupid question. You can't. You have to loosen and redo that part. Exactly like the vid explained. No need to remove anything.

I will rewatch the video, but I guess my question is this..If the mechanic has it now in the "wrong" place, how do I find out where the "right" place is

2000xp8 · Jul 14, 2021

I think i suggested it a page ago.
An impact gun, a big wrench and some ramps.
Just loosen each bolt. If it's binding it will go back into place as soon as you loosen the pair on each arm.

You will know if they had them out, if they sat for years, you will fight them, if they sat for a week, they will come undone easily.

If it is the shocks, do not pay someone. It's like 15 minutes worth of work per side.
Personally i don't think it's the shocks, but i've seen enough to never say never.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

2000xp8 said:
I think i suggested it a page ago.
An impact gun, a big wrench and some ramps.
Just loosen each bolt. If it's binding it will go back into place as soon as you loosen the pair on each arm.

If it is the shocks, do not pay someone. It's like 15 minutes worth of work per side.
Personally i don't think it's the shocks, but i've seen enough to never say never.

AAhhhhh....I never even thought of using ramps. LOL

yeah I am going to tackle all of this myself...should have done it that way to begin with

Wayne Waldrep · Jul 14, 2021

2000xp8 said:
I think i suggested it a page ago.
An impact gun, a big wrench and some ramps.
Just loosen each bolt. If it's binding it will go back into place as soon as you loosen the pair on each arm.

You will know if they had them out, if they sat for years, you will fight them, if they sat for a week, they will come undone easily.

If it is the shocks, do not pay someone. It's like 15 minutes worth of work per side.
Personally i don't think it's the shocks, but i've seen enough to never say never.

This..... And I don't think it's shocks either.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

OK...so just to be clear, ...AFTER I install the new struts and make sure the springs are in the perches correctly, THEN I lower the car onto the ramps and check the a-arms ?

2000xp8 · Jul 14, 2021

First thing I would do is loosen the arms and see if that was the problem. Then you can install the shocks with the car on the ground.
Edit: After some thought, i suppose you could do it the other way around, but i wouldn't even wait until the shocks arrive, i would have already checked the a arms.
You probably could even drive one side up on the curb and work that way, since you don't need to take a wheel off.

forango · Jul 14, 2021

2000xp8 said:
First thing I would do is loosen the arms and see if that was the problem. Then you can install the shocks with the car on the ground.
Edit: After some thought, i suppose you could do it the other way around, but i wouldn't even wait until the shocks arrive, i would have already checked the a arms.
You probably could even drive one side up on the curb and work that way, since you don't need to take a wheel off.

I wish I had time to get to it sooner...I could have done it last weekend but instead I spent the days driving it trying to get things to settle.

2000xp8 · Jul 15, 2021

The settling of springs i think is a myth.
Yeah, maybe they move a little. But i assure you, they aren't going 2 inches.
And if springs need to settle, why is it that the case with the front, not the back...

Not suggesting you were wrong to think it, hell i've seen it on forums many times, i may have even said it myself back in the day.
I just think in the end, it's not as true as we once would have thought.

forango · Jul 15, 2021

2000xp8 said:
The settling of springs i think is a myth.
Yeah, maybe they move a little. But i assure you, they aren't going 2 inches.
And if springs need to settle, why is it that the case with the front, not the back...

Not suggesting you were wrong to think it, hell i've seen it on forums many times, i may have even said it myself back in the day.
I just think in the end, it's not as true as we once would have thought.

No I did not think they would settle like that, that was suggestion of a few people.

Suspension Suspension problem--lowering springs gone wrong

forango

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Olivethefet

I will own your nuts! LOL

Wayne Waldrep

Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?

forango

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forango

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forango

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

forango

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Wayne Waldrep

Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?

forango

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Wayne Waldrep

Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?

forango

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2000xp8

forango

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Wayne Waldrep

Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?

forango

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2000xp8

forango

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2000xp8

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Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?

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