ricojsuave

I just bought a 97 Mustang. It seems like it has been lowered. Even if I creep over a speed bump I usually scrape. Little holes in the streetreally affect the car and throw it around.
How can a novice tell if the lowering job was done correctly? I have heard that cutting the springs is a horrible thing to do and want to see if maybe the previous owner did that to my car.

Thanks

Gene K

Actually cutting springs are not that bad. Its not that uncommon to get the correct height on race springs. However usually this leaves you with to little suspension travel for spring stiffness on stock springs. The absolute wrong way to do it is heat the springs with a torch and allow them to sag. Have a suspension/front end shop look at them. You should be able to get a set of take out factory springs from a SN95 for dirt cheap. Alternatively you can use the FRPP Springs if you need to be lower than stock.

red95gtconvert

Cut springs ride like dogcrap, mine were cut and it rode terrible, I installed some Eibach's today and all is well again. Just pull one of the back springs out and see if it has been cut, it will be pretty easy to tell.

Jfsram

First thing you should do is crawl under there and look at the springs. The upper end of the coil will be the first hint if they have been cut or not. If the rest of the spring is mint and the end is bare metal, good chance it's been cut.

Check the spring colour or anything written on them like a part number or a brand, like Eibach.

Cut springs ride like crap because you increase the spring rate as your cut the spring.

Colorado_Mustang

False. Cutting the spring only affects the travel. If you do it improperly and heat the entire spring, then you can affect the spring rate.

Springs designed to be shorter have their spring rates engineered to help the ride. The rough ride you feel with cut springs has to do with the finish of the cut and the limited suspension travel combined with the spring rate. You should always adjust the suspension bump stop when you lower the car to allow the suspension more room to move. This should be adjusted without springs to make sure the arms aren't binding at the limits.

lexy

Cut springs actually ride like stock. Mine are cut and the car feels great. Before that i had some sport springs and they felt like crap. Usually aftermarket springs are different color. red, blue.

ricojsuave

Thanks guys. I got underneath and rubbed away some mud and grease. The springs are red and and say "Racecraft 13/95"
Does that mean anything to anyone? Good, bad, indifferent?

Rick

ricojsuave

Also found this on the springs: "3510.201/R"
Does that help?

Thanks

Dutcherman

That actually helps you alot...
http://www.racecraft.com/categories.php?cat=9

My guess is that the 3510.201/R is the spring number with the R standing for position (ie. Right). Are you certain the spring says 13/95? This may mean 13th week in 1995 as the manufacturing date. Best way to find out is to shoot an email to Racecrafts customer support and get more info like amount of drop they gave and so on... Good Luck!

ricojsuave

Pretty sure it says 13/95 but it is worn. Here is the best picture I could manage if you want to take a guess. =) But, thank you for the link to racecraft, I will send them off an email.