Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Topic: Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread (Read 2401 times) previous topic - next topic

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

December 10, 2014, 03:11:35 PM

So its been a fun year of riding around on cut springs from a SN-95 with no isolators but I have had enough. I cut approx one coil off all 4 springs on the SN95's. The roads in CT are terrible and there are potholes everywhere. I've already managed to damage a MM C/C plate from one. I love the way it sits however if I cant drive it or don't want to drive it then its not worth it. I blew out the tokico's I put on when I did the springs in a matter of no time so every bump I hit at a decent speed the car is bouncing like crazy. But I do believe that the struts were slightly used. And on top of it I found out I installed the struts incorrectly missing the bump stop. Sketchy is one way to describe it.

Currently how it sits

I love the way it looks but hate the way it rides. I've debated on doing just the struts and seeing how much the ride improves...but from everything i've read cut springs will kill the struts prematurely and ride like .

However I never replaced this part when lowering it and like an idiot tossed it out lol

I know I know its very very stupid. So right now its just strut on caster/camber plate. I also didnt set the shims corrector on the plates as well. I did it a very very dumb way. I'm guessing this accelerated the death of my struts.

-Needless to say I have been doing my research and have gotten install instructions from Maximum Motorsports website.

I just picked up a set of 1995 stock V8 Mustang springs just now. I also have some stock SN95 Monro sensatracs for the front and rear. My plan was to swap in the stock height SN95 springs and stock shocks and struts. I am honestly disgusted by the wheel gap on my stock setup and it saddens me thinking about it lol. Seen here

So as i'm typing this i'm realizing more and more wondering if should attempt to install the struts the right way before swapping springs maybe? The stock height SN95's came with the thicker isolators seen here..I was debating on putting these on my cut springs to give a slight increase in height..
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6C__u3ABVbs/VIiVldV2XhI/AAAAAAAAVv8/jfvsSwbWkDM/w407-h542-no/IMG_9649.JPG

I apologize as im all over the place and in case you cant tell I really don't like a large amount of wheel gap. I feel that some of my handling issue's are a issue of extremely beat from struts. Its possible the struts were killed early because of not being install properly. And the fact that I cut off a coil isnt helping either. Should I bother to continue messing with my cut springs (+ upper isolators this time) or just slap in the stock height SN95's and be done with it?

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Reply #1 – December 10, 2014, 05:02:20 PM

Okay, cutting the springs did not damage the struts. Lowering springs on Mustangs will decrease the ride height anywhere from one inch to three inches as will running coil overs. My Coupe and Bird are both in the weeds and I am running Koni DA's on both with zero issues. Prior to that I had H&R Super Sport springs with Tokico Illumina struts and shocks on my Coupe for many years and about 60K miles with zero issues. My guess is what killed your struts was bottoming them out due to the bump stops missing and shimming the CC plates incorrectly.

There is nothing a person can do about bad roads except fire your local governmental representative at the local and state level for not properly funding the maintenance for the roads. If the roads are as bad as you say they are then you may just have to live with raising the car up a bit like cutting half a coil of the new springs you have and installing the Maximum Motorsports spring isolators for the front and rear springs. I have no idea why people do not run them in the first place as they reduce the noise translated through the drive train. If you have to remove them to get it to the right height then trim a little more off the springs or readjust the coil overs.

Darren

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Reply #2 – December 10, 2014, 06:12:49 PM

The lack of isolators was due to me being a punk kid wanting it as low as possible but not having the money to do coil overs. In retrospect I wish I did use the isolators. But I have a spare set now and I'm also educated on properly installing the struts now. I can deal with a semi hard ride but the bouncing is what makes its feel generally unsafe. I appreciate you clearing up that stuff for me. I should be doing this tomorrow. I'll post up results then.

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Reply #3 – December 11, 2014, 12:19:16 PM

Understandable. I am going back through my 83 and holy shiznit did I do some weird stuff but at the time it worked but not the best. I would strongly urge you to use the Maximum Motorsports isolators as they were on my Coupe for over seven years and I sold them with the springs and they were still in great shape. The stock rubber ones will wear through and then their value is zero.

Darren

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Reply #4 – December 11, 2014, 07:52:56 PM

So its done..I hope. I finished up a while ago and im pretty beat. Working in a office vs real man work you know lol.

So I retract my last statement I did actually have my bump stop on my strut minus the dust boot. I also found 4 large spacers UNDER the bearing. So that explains my strut bottoming out so easily. So I added in a isolator on the top of the springs and I it looks like I gained a tiny more clearance. I drove it around briefly and it felt much better over bumps. I have to get a alignment tomorrow and give it a few weeks. I am pretty pumped to drive it.

-And the rears holy ..man I had to jack up the ass end lot to get the shocks to line up. I used old SN95 tokicos which I think came off a bullitt or Mach 1. But either way the isolators are in all around and I feel that they gave me a extra bit of height.

As you can see as a result of hitting the worst pot ever made and also not great spacing on the strut.

Here comes the scary part

Thank you Mr Tranny Jack...this is so much easier than doing it on the ground

Stock bump stop

Maximum Motorsports

New py stock shock in place with spring and isolator

I unforutnalty did not take many pics of the finished product as it was getting late and I needed to hustle. But I ran two of the bigger spacers under the bearing and then 1 large one followed by one thin one on the top.

I hope that somebody down the road can use all these pics for future reference!!!!

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Reply #5 – December 11, 2014, 08:24:52 PM

You need to find a set of Chuck W's rear shock adapters for the rear so you can run the Mustang rear shocks as they are quite a bit shorter body wise than the T-Birds and Cougars. In the interim you can flip the factory shock mounts on the rear end if you have the 8.8. It's not ideal but it will move the mounting location up about an inch.

Darren

Jacking my 88 TC back up =( from cut springs to sn95s....Advice long thread

Reply #6 – December 13, 2014, 11:05:33 AM

good thread!