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  1. #1

    Default What shocks and struts on a lowered 86 vert?

    I’ve been reading all morning, and I’m looking for some advice to sort out all the conflicting info I’ve read. I have an 86 GT convertible. The previous owner heated the springs to lower it, and I LOVE how it looks, but HATE how it drives.
    It’s not a drag car. It’s not a racer. It’s a comfy summer cruiser.
    I like the SR lowering springs for their price, their drop, and their progressive rate for comfortable daily driving. I can’t figure out a good shock and strut set to go with the progressive lowering springs.
    Stock ride height replacements like Monroe or KYB are said to blow out easily on lowered vehicles. Eibachs have racing in mind so they are more expensive than I care to give. I have no desire to change spindles so that more options fit.
    LMR sells the KYBs as part of a lowering kit, but the drop is very mild, so I worry the KYBs won’t be up to the task of handling the 1.5 drop of the SRs.
    Surely someone has found something that works and is comfortable on their daily driver. I’d love to hear from you if you have. Thanks!

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Default

    A caster/camber plate with spacers like the plates from HPM back in the day make stock struts work good with a lower ride height in my experience. You get 3/4” of additional bump and decrease droop 3/4” with that arrangement — splitting the difference.

    They were huge on Eibach lowering springs back in the day for sure, no doubt the setup was done with that in mind


    My 86GT has a pair of low miles V8 springs in front. it sits 1.5” lower than my son’s stock 86GT. The setup in use is X2 balljoints with SN95 spindles (x2 drops the car about 3/4” at the spindle via longer balljoint) and HPM plates (which actually dropped the car an additional 1/2”- 3/4”)

    That type of plate is what I would use in front, not for racing but for getting the strut moved up so it has better range of motion vs your spring.

    Out back, you will probably like an integrated bumpstop SN95 shock after you remove the Fox bumpstop. That will give you around 3/4” more bump travel. One source of a lot of harshness out back is the swaybar. It causes a to of bind in the rear axle. I removed mine when I lowered it— it’s just not needed for daily street duty. I can scare the living hell out of someone familiar with stock handling and it rides way better too.

    just my thoughts.

    My car is much lower than factory but rides one hell of a lot better than it did from the factory.

    My other cars are Lincoln’s so I don’t put up with harsh ride in the name of handling — a good to very good ride and handling are both possible without spending a fortune

    i suspect the Racecraft suspension under my 85 build is going to get some changes in the rear after I experience it for the first time, but who knows.

  3. #3

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    I just put KYB’s on my 86 Convertible and it rides and handles 10x better. It’s stock height though.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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