Trouble re-installing stock springs...time for lowering springs?

Are you using a spring compressor? Its practically a must with stock springs

More Pics at: http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/tmp/OTC-spring-tool/

IMHO, the B springs are the worst POS garbage springs out there.
A 1.5" drop is extreme for a chassis that has a 2.5" travel at full jounce. Plus, B springs are pure and total garbage in terms of handling. They are too low, the center of gravity moves all around, the bumpsteer is horrible etc.

If you want handling, go with the Bullett or Mach1 springs. If you want to go to more than an 1" drop, you really need/want a spring rate over 800lbs, bumpsteer kit, cc plates, etc. In fact, even for the Mach1 and Bullett springs you need/should_have a bumpsteer kit and CC plates.

IMHO, if you want handling, then listen to Ford, MM, or Steeda. IMHO, everyone else is selling BS to make a buck, or they are pushing snake oil.

If you just want a lowered look, then get a spring with at least a 600 rating. People with B springs scrape on pebbles in the road. YES they do. If you search the threads, you'll see that many people dumped those worthless ricer springs - including myself after having them on for just one day. Many people keep the POS B springs on their car for a while until they finally admit/realize they are junk springs. I don't stay employed as a consultant by realizing/admitting mistakes at the speed of molasses.


"Smart is admitting you made a mistake, learning from it, and then trying to correct the mistake."

Good Luck!

Wow, only $155 for the tool at Amazon! Like many others, I paid $250++ for mine.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GTJ5I8/?tag=stangnet-20

are you kidding? Its always time to ditch the stock springs and lower it. If you've got it that far apart might as well put springs (and while your at it a bump steer kit if you havent already put the tie rod ends on) and be real happy with the way it rides and drives. Hell, you might just decide to drive it more than just on the weekends. I think me and a buddy had the rear control arms (steeda's also) and the springs done in a afternoon.
I have Steeda sport springs with Steeda CC plates and their bump steer kit (yep, label whore) and after the steering rack was replaced with new bushings the thing drives nearly like new. I dont find the ride harsh or the car dragging on stuff as i pass over, no more than our stock height Xb.
Give me a little bit and ill go take a pic of my car as it sits with the steeda sport springs and energy suspension isolators.

stang&2Birds said:

Wow, only $155 for the tool at Amazon! Like many others, I paid $250++ for mine.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GTJ5I8/?tag=stangnet-20

Click to expand...

I might just buy these to do the springs on our 01.

I got lucky and found my springs on ebay a long time ago, NIB I think I paid a little more than half of what they cost from steeda.

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com...-79-04-Mustang-Front-Spring-Installation-Tool

^Buy this tool along with your choice of lowering spring. I did my fronts in about 20 minutes per side. I took longer to to do the rears.

boostfrk said:

Guess I'm confused by this a little bit. You mention a 1.5" drop, I thought the Ford Racing 'B' springs were a progressive spring with .50" to .875" drop? Not that I don't believe you, just doesn't line up with the catalog data.



I'm not using a spring compressor mainly because the spring compressors which ride on the outside don't work and if I'm going to spend $150 for the tool mentioned above I might as well just buy lowering springs.

Thanks for the opinions so far! Keep them coming!

Click to expand...

SUPER MEGA SIGH about FRPP and the TOTALLY CLUELESS MORONS that are in charge of their catalog.
Yes, from: http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=271

• Fits 1979-2004 Mustang
• Lower your Mustang and improve handling
• The height on some cars will vary
  PART NUMBER MODEL YEAR
  
  AMOUNT LOWERED (V-8)​
  SPRING RATES (LB./IN.)​
  FRONT REAR FRONT REAR
  M-5300-B 6 1979-04 5 .875" 1 .5" 2 425/530 200/300
  M-5300-C 6 1979-04 5 .875" 1 .5" 2 650 200/300
  M-5300-F 3,6 1979-04 5 1.2" 1.0" 460/570 170/310
  M-5300-G 4,6 1979-04 5 1.2" 1.2" 500/570 170/310
  NOTES: Expect some deterioration in ride quality 1 1994-2004 models � 1-1/8" 2 1994-2004 models � 3/4" 3 Coupe only 4 Convertible only 5 Will not fit 1999-2001 Cobra 6 Due to vehicle assembly tolerances these specifications may vary.

I've mentioned MANY MANY MANY times how some FRPP stuff kicks *ss.
But, IMHO, 90% is ricer BS.
Oh yea, in 20+ years, FRPP STILL has TOTALLY CLUELESS MORONS that are in charge of their catalog. In short, you can get more accurate info from a cat with hearing problems than from the POS worthless FRPP catalog!

Here is a rough approximation of the drop with different springs:
http://www.miracerros.com/mustang/springs_calcs.htm

Note, there are a number of variables in measuring car height before/after doing springs. When people quote you their "magic number that they pulled from their *ss on their drop", notice that for some reason, they don't talk about the actual measured height now, before, and what isolators, tires, tire pressure, mod that effect weight, they used.

FWIW, my springs dropped my car 1,000,000 inches. REALLY! Yes, that number is as accurate as the BS number that people throw around.

That's why on my web page, I state exactly the fender height (orig, never removed), and that the diameter of my mounted tires are within ~0.1" fo the factory stock tire/rim combo.
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/misc/Mustang1986_with_Mach1_springs/

FWIW, putting in any decent lowering spring that does not hurt handling may also likely need/be_aided_by the OTC compressor. I put in the lower Mach1 springs, and as you can see with the FCA removed. Still, even with the compressor, it was a hassle. Yea, if people do springs many many times, you can get the hang of the right way to align and cram the ****Ing springs in there. I know that some people will also use a big *ss sledge hammer to BASH the springs in. A friend did that for my lowering springs on my t-bird. I found out that it was semi-common practice. WOW, talk about being non safe! I did have a safety chain, but a the dynamic forces involved in a wayward spring could have popped that chain.

Hmm, I don't know about other people, but MY life is well worth the ~$200. Besides, IMHO, if you can't do it correctly and safely, then don't do it at all.


And again, hey FRPP, you still have TOTALLY CLUELESS MORONS that are in charge of the catalog. And, you sell a lot of worthless ricer cr*p!

i installed front "b" springs last weekend along with new poly isolators. MY drop was 1 3/8". rides like azz. so bad i put a 1/4" piece of curved rubber under the last coil. height is good, just rides like crap. I'm gonna cutt 1 coil from the stock springs and see what thats like. can't be much worse.....

For stock springs, you need to compress them. My local pep boys loaned me a compressor tool that goes through the middle. Though, the piece from the LMR link above would have made my life a lot easier.

I have the dreaded B springs. I love them. I have the Tokico Blue struts/shocks and compared to the stock suspension it was on previously, I think it rides great. It is also on the mild side of lowering and that's what I wanted.