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Topic: Lowered my 87, but she leans (Read 3600 times) previous topic - next topic

Lowered my 87, but she leans

She already had the left side lean. I got some new springs.I cut them the same on both sides front and rear. When I was done....she still leans to the left. What gives?????What should I be looking for???
1988 Thunderbird Sport. Work in Progress
5.8L swap w/fitech efi, 4R70W swap w/quick 4 controller, 2003 GT rear diff, 5 Lug swap

Bought this car back as an old project car.

:burnout:

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #1
did you reuse the rubber isolators on both sides?
1979 Ford Fairmont
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5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast


Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #2
You should have cut less from the left side then ; )

The lean is common in Foxes....

You may be able to cheat it up with spacers or get another spring and try again.

Not fond of cutting springs myself.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #3
Quote from: Chuck W;108630
You should have cut less from the left side then ; )

The lean is common in Foxes....

What causes this? I have never experienced this myself, but I hear of it all the time.
2005 Subaru WRX STi|daily driver

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #4
I am not a fan of cutting either but it sits so high in the front and low in the rear.It has a nice ride though. It got a we bit stiffer but not alot.I will get another spring and do a 3/4 cut instead of a full cut. That should level it out or maybe just cut a 1/4 more out of the pass side.I will see on next say on shop day.
1988 Thunderbird Sport. Work in Progress
5.8L swap w/fitech efi, 4R70W swap w/quick 4 controller, 2003 GT rear diff, 5 Lug swap

Bought this car back as an old project car.

:burnout:

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #5
Yeah. What does cause the lean......
1988 Thunderbird Sport. Work in Progress
5.8L swap w/fitech efi, 4R70W swap w/quick 4 controller, 2003 GT rear diff, 5 Lug swap

Bought this car back as an old project car.

:burnout:

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #6
Quote from: 86caprirs;108636
Yeah. What does cause the lean......


Any number of things.  Age.  Compounded manufacturing variances.  Chassis twist. 
My Z-7 requires 1" of spacers in the pass rear to make it sit level.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #7
What's wrong with cutting springs?  It's cheap, firms up the ride, and is "adjustable." ;)  Plus, if you get a lean, it's easy to fix. :D

This is a local guy here that does a lot of Fox body stuff.  One of his "things" is lowering.  He can get it this low without riding the bumpstops and riding like a tank.  He uses stock V8 springs (cut) and makes adjustments to the spindles, shock mounts, and uses aftermarket struts/shocks to get the ride dialed in properly.  All with no tire rub.

I think I'm gonna try to get my '84 this low in a few weeks, just to see if I like it.  I can always put it back.







.
1984 Thunderbird V8


Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #8
Wow. That stang is low. I never went to that extreme.I have about and inch or less clearance between the top of the tire and the top of the wheel lip. I will get pics later. It has a nice lowered look with a little rake to it.

I was attacted by my daughters cat and have been at the hospital 4 times for intervienis(sp). It seems better today but the swelling in the fingers is killing me.
1988 Thunderbird Sport. Work in Progress
5.8L swap w/fitech efi, 4R70W swap w/quick 4 controller, 2003 GT rear diff, 5 Lug swap

Bought this car back as an old project car.

:burnout:

 

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #9
Quote from: 46Tbird;108693
What's wrong with cutting springs?  It's cheap, firms up the ride, and is "adjustable." ;)  Plus, if you get a lean, it's easy to fix. :D
When you cut springs, you will almost always change the temper of the spring material, which will have an impact on the spring rate and strength of the metal.  I've seen way too many cars lowered by cutting the springs which ended in severe handling problems, and even accidents from loss of control.  Yeah, it's cheap, but is it worth the risk?  Not to me.  Cutting springs is a very bad idea.
The future...


...because life is just too short to drive boring cars...

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #10


thats pretty f'n low with spring and shock mods. does he fix the geometry too?
gumby - beauty may fade, but stupid is forever!

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #11
Well I have to say that the ride is a little stiffer,not much, but it handles great. It does not feel like I am trying to drive 72 Lincoln Continental.It has a nice responce to steering input.

I don't understand how you change the "temper" of the spring.I cut the spring on a water chop saw for metal. The spring did not even change temp.I guess I could change the spring rate but the spring was the same size thickness at the bottom of the spring to the top.
1988 Thunderbird Sport. Work in Progress
5.8L swap w/fitech efi, 4R70W swap w/quick 4 controller, 2003 GT rear diff, 5 Lug swap

Bought this car back as an old project car.

:burnout:

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #12
Temper?  lol.  There isn't sufficient heat to turn the spring brittle.  So any time you want to change your car's ride height, you need to buy a new $200 set of springs?  Please.

Yes the geometry is changed significantly.  Before I speak out of my ass about the specifics, I'll just tell you what I do know.  It uses '94-95 SN95 spindles, caster/camber plates with additional adjustment for caster, and he does not raise the rack for bump steer - which I thought was odd.  But I've driven the car, it is fine.  No woogedy wheel over speed bumps and such.  Not sure on the rear yet.

It's probably not the hot setup for autocrossing or tire wear but it looks cool.  Who gives a shiznit how many Gs it can pull...
.
1984 Thunderbird V8


Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #13
I had an issue with the rears, but it was because of the way I rotated the springs when I reinstalled them (tails were pointed the wrong way - doh!). Of course I have the adjustable height lower control arms anyway - lol.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

Lowered my 87, but she leans

Reply #14
I just put a before and after pic in my domain site.I don't know why my pics are dark when it is light out.
1988 Thunderbird Sport. Work in Progress
5.8L swap w/fitech efi, 4R70W swap w/quick 4 controller, 2003 GT rear diff, 5 Lug swap

Bought this car back as an old project car.

:burnout: