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  1. #1

    Default Lowering and leveling options for 82 that sits much higher in front?

    I’ve been pouring over forums trying to find a solution for my car which has always looked like the front was much higher than the back. Is that a four eye thing or amn ‘82 thing (even the old advertisements look like this).

    I’d like to buy a kit where I can keep the cool original TRX style rims which rules out several of the performance coil over options (some say they need sn95 spindles for clearance).

    These coilovers are very inexpensive, but some people have expressed concern over their durability especially given they have only one part holding the wheel in event of a break. I do love that I could dial in correct heights since i want to manually level out my upward-pointing car.
    https://lmr.com/item/SVE-47375KA/mus...SABEgJtg_D_BwE

    A kit like this is an option, but only drops the huuuge clearance I have in the front 1.2” and the back a similar amount. Which makes me think the front would still be higher.
    https://lmr.com/item/EIB-3510/Eibach...-79-04-Mustang

    Anyone else start with a upward-pointing four eye that they successfully lowered and leveled?
    Should I trust those inexpensive coilovers (they seem like a great option if they are safe)?
    Or are there better coilovers that clear our tires/spindles.

    Appreciate any advice!

  2. #2

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    I decided to go with the Eibach, love the look, and the ride in my opinion got better. Name:  20180603_181722.jpg
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  3. #3

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    Looks good! Which Eibach setup did you go with? Was your car originally higher in the front?

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Sorry - never got back to post on this

    caster/camber plates typically drop the front 3/4”

    Steeda X2 balljoints (for SN95) are 3/4” linger than factory and would drop the front an additional 3/4”

    From here you need a set of offset rack bushings to move the rack upward and help with bumpsteer. Or a bumpsteer kit for lowered foxbody cars is another great — but more expensive option. Geometry changes when the spindle moves upward relative to the A arm so it’s different than just a shorter spring.

    After having a strut tower break on the highway at speed in traffic I can honestly say I won’t touch coilover setups on the street with a 10 foot pole and I sincerely wish others would stop doing it too because it’s peoples families and friends sharing the road. I narrowly escaped without a scratch but it was a very hairy ride.

  5. #5

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    How can c/c plates affect ride height? The spring, which supports 97% of the sprung weight in the front of the car, sits between the k-member and FCA.

    Since X2 ball joints move the spindle pin about 0.75", the steering rack needs to be moved vertically about 0.75" to compensate and maintain minimum bumpsteer. The absolute maximum that offset rack bushings can change the steering rack height is 0.375". No matter what, a bumpsteer kit must be installed with X2 ball joints.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by erratic50 View Post
    Sorry - never got back to post on this

    caster/camber plates typically drop the front 3/4”

    Steeda X2 balljoints (for SN95) are 3/4” linger than factory and would drop the front an additional 3/4”

    From here you need a set of offset rack bushings to move the rack upward and help with bumpsteer. Or a bumpsteer kit for lowered foxbody cars is another great — but more expensive option. Geometry changes when the spindle moves upward relative to the A arm so it’s different than just a shorter spring.

    After having a strut tower break on the highway at speed in traffic I can honestly say I won’t touch coilover setups on the street with a 10 foot pole and I sincerely wish others would stop doing it too because it’s peoples families and friends sharing the road. I narrowly escaped without a scratch but it was a very hairy ride.
    It would be interesting to see pics of this failure if you have them. Or, Pics of the repair work if the car wasn't totaled.

  7. #7
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Agreed — bump steer is not ideal without a bumpsteer kit if X2’s are used. Worse has been done — but agreed, Jack.

    3/4” on caster/camber is just my experience but I’m running old plates pretty much nobody uses anymore.

    Stupid car is still on the road..... it’s hard to tell what’s what because so many cracks were drilled at the ends then cut out entirely and welded back in with a wire welder. Some welds were made from underneath with the wheel off too.

    Lots of re-enforcement was added then surrounding areas were built up and the finished repair was dressed down with a grinder and some spray paint was applied.

    If you look closely you can see a wave in my making stuff round with a grinder skills... some of the area have surface rust showing — pretty much the top of the strut tower was reformed and shaped and there is more patch and welding work than original strut tower on the drivers side. There were places where we cut metal out and welded in and cut out beside again because it wasn’t how it needed to be yet

    once done it was fine after an alignment. Shortly after a now vintage HPM tower brace was added.

    The car will get tore down again making the damaged strut tower visible when we finally get going on a complete down to bare shell rust fix voyage or if we just find a suitable 86GT shell and merge the two cars.
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    Last edited by erratic50; 06-11-2018 at 09:53 PM.

  8. #8
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    Driving 5ft next to someone doing 75 down the highway who's installed coilovers up front or who's bump curve is completely fubar,I know which I'd pick.

    You may have restored 3/4" of bump travel with your C/C plate intall,but lowering the ride height?
    '86 Med.Canyon Red Met.(original paint) T-top,5 speed,3.55 rear,MAF conversion(A9L).MM adj. RLCAs,T/A,Panhard Bar,and adj MMRSB-3,rear T/A springs 375#-440#,MM C/C plates,MM 1.125" dia.swaybar,STB,4pt KMB,FLSFC's,'03 Cobra rack-n-pinion w/ Saginaw pump conversion.Bilstein MM coilover conversion and A-arms,front spring rate:250#.

  9. #9
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Bump curve can get out of wack on any car that’s lowered or raised even if no major geometry changes in terms of parts take place. When you swap springs to shorter ones you run in a different part of the bump curve than you did before.

    Offset rack bushings were Saleen’s answer after lowering springs back in the 80’s. They help but they aren’t ideal as Jack pointed out.

    that said, an X2 with a fox spindle is not going to be THAT bad. If I’m thinking about this correctly..... no worse than an SN95 spindle on a fox without a bumpsteer kit and factory balljoints.

    When bumpsteer doesnt change — If the king pin moves up on the spindle and the balljoint is the same and the tierod end stays put that will drop a car without messing with geometry so it doesn’t mess with bumpsteer or droop or bump. Just ride height. You hear about “Lowering spindles or drop spindles”

    The theory behind X2’s is to move the entire spindle up off the A arm so at ride height at the outer tierod relative to the rack is the same after an SN95 spindle swap as it was before.

    I believe MM suggests SN95 balljoints with a bumpsteer kit. Others like Steeda offer an X2 balljoint trying to accomplish the same thing on a stick ride height car.

    Both approaches are supposed to correct the bumpsteer configuration with SN95 spindles

    To that point — if a fox spindle is used with X2’s to lower the car the rack would have to be raised an equal distance to end up at Stock bumpsteer geometry where the outer tiered ends are “right” or a bumpsteer kit is needed to get it set properly.

    Anyway ......


    3/4” drop is what i observed with my plates— that’s what it seemed like. Mocked them up with old springs and crap before I tore the front end apart. I’m about 1.5” lower than stock. Front springs were sourced from a low mileage 93 that had went to lowering springs years ago. My car was lower than Stock when I started by about 1/2” simply because the springs were shot. Had same tires and rims before/after. Changes were springs and X2’s and plates. Car rolls on 245/45/17

    Struts are gas charged. When you play with what strut bushing goes where there are options on how to assemble it. Mine is installed as pictured and seemed to make the front want to settle in at 3/4” lower than stock mounts.

    Ive heard of guys installing plates under the strut tower to get more droop and raise the front. Mainly a drag racing weight transfer inspired idea.... obviously not the best one...

    Still hugely not a fan of coulovers on the street.....
    Last edited by erratic50; 06-11-2018 at 10:57 PM.

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