Paul_VS

Since I'm just looking to get rid of the 4x4 wheel gap look.... if I go with Eibach ProKit springs on my 2012 V6, what else is really necessary so that I won't cause any car damage in normal driving?

Panhard bar? Strut mounts? Alignment? Anything?

CMcNam

Other than the springs, I'd say camber plates. Some people are going to recommend camber bolts, but the plates are easier to use and give better peace of mind. Don't think you'd need anything else for just everyday driving.

Start thinking about new shocks and struts though as lowering the car WILL wear out your stock ones faster.

Lous2006LegendLime

You will need an adjustable panhard bar because your rear will become off center once you lower it and the adjustable ph bar will correct that. Good luck

Norm Peterson

Since an adjustable PHB can be installed at any time afterward, I'd just do the lowering and drive around on it a while. Then see if the axle has shifted enough to matter to you. Measure before, don't guess or rely on "visual memory".

When you lower the rear, you should loosen the LCA, UCA, and PHB bolts, roll or slowly drive the car a little to settle the suspension into its lowered position, and then re-tighten al of those bolts with the car's weight remaining fully on its tires the whole time. This will avoid the situation where the bushings can become overstressed in bump or where they might hold the car up a fraction of an inch.


Norm

Paul_VS

Sounds like solid advice, pretty much in line with what I've been able to deduce.

So I'm going to get the springs, camber bolts (because they're 1/10 the cost of camber plates) and hold off on the PHB until I see what the axle shift looks like.

I have a local mechanic my wife's family has used for many years.... going to him for an estimate, and I'm pretty confident in his shop... but this isn't his typical work. Are there any national-chain specialty shops that I should look at or suspension-type shops I should look at to install these?

C. Love

you will also need an alignment. However, any shop will know this if you are having the work done. National chain wise hard to say every place various across the country. a place that is stellar here might suck where you live

Norm Peterson

Just the thought of cheaping out on the parts that hold your suspension together makes me cringe.

If you must use crash bolts, at least investigate how much it would cost to use Ford's own camber bolts (some grinding is required, but in return you're getting full size, full strength, full-torque fasteners).


Norm

mustangspotential

If you're daily driving your car and you're an average Joe (or even if you take it to the track every once in a while) the camber bolts are fine. No need to spend lots of money on unnecessary things.

You said you're looking for the cheap way to do things and you have it down now. Springs, camber bolts, that's it. PHB isn't absolutely required, mine is not off enough to bother me at all and neither was my friends. However, it may be more noticeable if you get wider tires. For now, I have OEM size.

If you really want to go cheaper, do the install yourself. Even a person who knows only a little about car mechanics could get the job done with patience and a little know-how.

Lowering my car cost me less than $200 for Springs, Camber Bolts and doing the job myself. Yes it was a PITA but it got done and eliminated that awful 4x4 wheel gap and improved handling by a crap load.

You'll need an alignment afterward. It will be more than the average alignment, but shouldn't range too far above $100-$150.

CMcNam

Take the money you'd spend on a mechanic and buy camber plates, then do the install yourself. It's very easy.

Norm Peterson

Fine until/unless you overtorque them (fairly easy to do, leaving you with a conversation piece paperweight or two because you overstressed them). Or because the vibration from hitting a potholes and rough roads caused the adjustment to slip because you didn't get them tight enough. You don't have to be tracking or autocrossing for that to happen (although those activities probably do make slippage and other consequences more likely).

If I couldn't afford camber plates, I'd slot the four attachment bolt holes in the strut towers before I'd run aftermarket crash bolts and save myself even that money.

Even alignment can be DIY'ed. Trust me.


Norm