FORD Lowering Spring Kit
02-26-2008, 08:28 PM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 148
FORD Lowering Spring Kit
I know we keep talking and talking about the lowering requirements, but someone please tell me if you have the new FORD lowering kit, or Steeda Ultralites, and with no added parts....how does itride? Is it too "rough" w/o replacing struts and stuff? I just want it lowered for the looks - I am not road-racing it. I don't really want to spend $1400 to simply LOWER THE CAR !
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
02-26-2008, 11:23 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 12
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
I have the steeda ultralites with no other parts and I feel that it rides fine. Parking is the only problem that I have. I can't pull all the way up to a curb anymore because it is to low.
02-27-2008, 01:29 PM
#3
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location:
Posts: 557
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
Ford springs are made by Eibach. These are the same as the Pro-kit. With my Eibach pro-kit installed, using stock struts/shocks, the ride is not to harsh. Im sure it will get worse as they wear out, by then I will have upgraded anyways.
02-27-2008, 09:22 PM
#4
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: California
Posts: 1,471
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
ORIGINAL: case ace
I know we keep talking and talking about the lowering requirements, but someone please tell me if you have the new FORD lowering kit, or Steeda Ultralites, and with no added parts....how does itride? Is it too "rough" w/o replacing struts and stuff? I just want it lowered for the looks - I am not road-racing it. I don't really want to spend $1400 to simply LOWER THE CAR !
Any suggestions?
I know we keep talking and talking about the lowering requirements, but someone please tell me if you have the new FORD lowering kit, or Steeda Ultralites, and with no added parts....how does itride? Is it too "rough" w/o replacing struts and stuff? I just want it lowered for the looks - I am not road-racing it. I don't really want to spend $1400 to simply LOWER THE CAR !
Any suggestions?
If you are just after a lower look without ruining your ride try a set of Steeda Ultralites and a set of Bilstein HD struts and dampers. Do the install yourself and you are in under $1K, it's not hard to doif you have tools and a friend who knows his way around a car. The main problem with only installing springs is that all springs trade ride height for spring rate. The lower you go the harder the spring rate has to be and the worse the ride will get because the dampers will not be able to control the springs and you get bouncy poor ride.
HTH!
02-27-2008, 09:53 PM
#5
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 148
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Stoenr had installed the Roush rear-only springs ($225?) and said he loves them. I would try this and hope that the 3/4" does not affect ANYTHING to any great deal.
If it turns out they don't work, I will remove them and toss them - lesson learned, but simply refuse tospend 1k for a 3/4" looks thing.
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Stoenr had installed the Roush rear-only springs ($225?) and said he loves them. I would try this and hope that the 3/4" does not affect ANYTHING to any great deal.
If it turns out they don't work, I will remove them and toss them - lesson learned, but simply refuse tospend 1k for a 3/4" looks thing.
02-27-2008, 10:17 PM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,056
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
I went the Steeda Sports and the drop is 1 1/4' after they settled this winter.The spring rate seems to be near stock.Check out the drop on my LL 06'GT with FRPP springs,drop was very low and the ride was stiff.
[IMG]local://upfiles/49197/ADA930577AFE4169A637D8AAEDAAF070.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/49197/5CB2174BB8414C1891ADA13F8D56B6DB.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/49197/ADA930577AFE4169A637D8AAEDAAF070.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/49197/5CB2174BB8414C1891ADA13F8D56B6DB.jpg[/IMG]
02-28-2008, 08:45 AM
#7
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
Posts: 7,635
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
ORIGINAL: case ace
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Springs that are too soft for the amount of 'drop' can beat you up on rough roads (you'll be constantly hitting the bump stops). And shocks/struts that are too soft for the springs eventually give you a ride that's a little like a pickup truck with nothing in the bed (think front to back head tossing).
Norm
02-28-2008, 01:37 PM
#8
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: California
Posts: 1,471
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
ORIGINAL: Norm Peterson
I don't think that F1 was pitching that combination for either handling or traction reasons, so let's say that those are just side effects. How critical is ride quality to you? Is it worth $1k (I believe that under $1k was the original estimate), either short-term or long?
Springs that are too soft for the amount of 'drop' can beat you up on rough roads (you'll be constantly hitting the bump stops). And shocks/struts that are too soft for the springs eventually give you a ride that's a little like a pickup truck with nothing in the bed (think front to back head tossing).
Norm
ORIGINAL: case ace
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Springs that are too soft for the amount of 'drop' can beat you up on rough roads (you'll be constantly hitting the bump stops). And shocks/struts that are too soft for the springs eventually give you a ride that's a little like a pickup truck with nothing in the bed (think front to back head tossing).
Norm
Thanks Norm, that is what I was trying to say. If the OPjust wants to lower the car springs will lower the car but there are going to be some unintended side effects and as you and I both know the trick is to minimize ride and handling losses just as you stated. I was just trying to help him to notmake an uninformed decision that he would later regret.
Cheers!
02-28-2008, 01:44 PM
#9
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: California
Posts: 1,471
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
ORIGINAL: case ace
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Stoenr had installed the Roush rear-only springs ($225?) and said he loves them. I would try this and hope that the 3/4" does not affect ANYTHING to any great deal.
If it turns out they don't work, I will remove them and toss them - lesson learned, but simply refuse tospend 1k for a 3/4" looks thing.
Hi F1,
Thanks for the response, but I am not looking to spend 1K just to lower the car 3/4 of an inch. I am only intersted in the aesthetics and not handling or traction. In that case it would not be worth the money.
Stoenr had installed the Roush rear-only springs ($225?) and said he loves them. I would try this and hope that the 3/4" does not affect ANYTHING to any great deal.
If it turns out they don't work, I will remove them and toss them - lesson learned, but simply refuse tospend 1k for a 3/4" looks thing.
Some folks have had O.K. results with the Roush rear spring only approach but this is not an ideal solution. Over time the same issues will pop up, poorly matched damping and you may not notice it right away but you will sooner or later and it is really annoying. Initally it will work O.K. but the additional spring load willwear the rear dampers out at an accelerated rate and you will have the samebouncy ride I was trying to help you avoid. You might be better off just leaveing it alone until you can afford to install the dampers at the same time assprings.
HTH!
02-28-2008, 09:58 PM
#10
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 148
RE: FORD Lowering Spring Kit
I think you guys are talking me out of doing it altogether. I can "afford" to put the money into that mod, it's that I choose not to, because I don't think it is worth it for just the looks. If lowering this car a mere 3/4" is costing me just under 1k, I would think that money is foolishly spent. I will have to keep listening until I hear a reasonable solution.
thanks
thanks