Suspension Suspension problem--lowering springs gone wrong

7991LXnSHO said:

I remember asking why did I want to do this. This little tool would be better than busting a knuckle and pry bars if it is slick.

https://lmr.com/item/MM-MMT8/Maximum-Motorsports-79-04-Mustang-Front-Spring-Installation-Tool

Click to expand...

That MM tool is the bomb for $15 buy one

So, I’m gonna probably get some pushback on this but here’s a general thing that I do when lowering ANY car. First, yeah some Fox bodies sit nose high stock. Mine did and we bought it with 35k on the odometer so I know it was like that new. Next, when your springs arrive, measure the overall height, spring material diameter and number of coils. Note all this for comparison to the ones in the car for later. Next, even if I shop is doing the work, measure the ride height before you drop it on all four corners. Measure vertically through the center of the wheel on level ground. Note all this. So now on to some stuff I’m reading here I disagree with. Just my experience and opinions, hope it doesn’t start an argument.
Springs do not settle in my experience. Not even a little. If you put them in the car correctly, what you see is what you’ll get unless the springs sag. My ‘88 had 197k on it when it was sold and had no sagging so probably just an old wives tale. Unless someone measures it before and after and writes it down, doubtful they really know.
Having dropped a couple Mustangs, I can tell you it’s not at all a tough job in a garage with a floor jack, impact and some hand tools. Any professional mechanic will tell you the same if they are any good. If the new springs are longer than the old springs, they should have called you and told you. Dropped springs are typically short enough to slide right in with zero need for a spring compressor.
A-arm bolts can’t hold the front of the car up by themselves. I know this is got a lot of people running to reply I’m an idiot and that their friends brothers uncles neighbors cousin had the A arm bolts so tight it raised the car 2” but it doesn’t work that way. Your bushings have a steel sleeve in them to prevent this. That sleeve prevents an over tightened bolt from crushing the tabs and squeezing the rubber, which would restrict movement but not stop it all together. And if that were possible, physics would dictate that the A arm would be restricted from returning to the “at rest” height, not the unloaded height. For those that think I’m wrong, remove your springs and tighten that bolt for all you can and see if it stays up once you put the cars weight on it. It’s not at all uncommon for lowering springs to not give you what’s advertised. My 1.5” dropped springs actually dropped the car 2-1/8”. Assuming they are correctly clocked, you have two choices, buy another set or trim a half a coil off and see if you like that. Now the “you can’t cut coils! You’ll die!! “ crowd is running to reply. Ask them how any spring on the planet got manufactured to the length it is now…

Correct,the bushings do have a steel sleeve,BUT the face of the factory bushing's steel sleeve is serrated.These serrated ends bite into the sides of the mounts and relies on the rubber bushing deforming/twisting on the outer shell which it's adhered to.
Will these style bushings keep the car from settling correctly if torqued other than at/close to ride height,absolutely.
Idiot? I don't know you well enough to make that claim,dead wrong on this subject,yes.

I see your point but are you suggesting that Ford engineers rely on bushing torsional loads to supplement spring rate? That’s a new one to me.

That's exactly what I'm saying.
It's just one of many Ford engineered aspects that made these cars ride like absolute dogsh*t in stock form and why switching to polyurethane bushes in this case actually improves the ride quality by helping to decrease the wheel rate.