Hey Bryant, I've noticed through some searching that you seem to be an authority on using Fox coil springs in a Maverick, so I'm hoping you can help me with a couple of questions. Anybody else, if you have info, please chime in. (But I already know where to buy new springs and why I should - that's not what I'm asking here.) I'm out of town, visiting my family for the holidays and I happened to check the inventory at the local Pull-A-Part. They have a bunch of Mustangs here, unlike home where they typically have only one and it's a 4 cylinder... So, I'm here, might as well check it out. Targets of opportunity, right? I'm obligated to at least go check 'em out, might as well go planning to pull coils. Anyway, my questions... Right now the car has the stance I want, but it's got worn out 6 cylinder springs in front. I may put it down the track it a little when it opens up again, but primarily this is a driver and I want better cornering, stiffer suspension. So I assume this means I should only look for springs on a GT or a V8 LX? I notice from pictures that a Mustang spring seems to have 8 coils while a stock replacement Mav spring has 9. Does this mean the Fox spring is already going to ride lower than stock Maverick, or should I plan on cutting? Is a "lowering spring" for a Fox going to be too much drop for a Maverick? Or, is a Mustang lowering spring in fact a great idea? And finally... I drove the Mav when I came down here, so, of course I brought tools. But only the basic stuff, no spring compressor or anything like that. Will I be needing anything beyond a basic socket set to pull springs from a Mustang? How about if I got adventurous and decided to install them here? Do I need a spring compressor to remove/install front coils in the Mav? Thanks!
i don't know much about the fox coils. but i do know that most likely you will need a compressor for both cars. if they will work ill do that rather than chasing new maverick coils for my swap... wish you luck
On the compressor,dont know about where your at bout here you can rent the compressor from o"reillys.
I had an 81 camaro that I wanted to stiffen the suspension on. I figured I would order some Z-28 springs. To my surprise the Z-28 springs were the same part number as the 6 cylinder springs. The Z-28 used weaker springs than a regular 8 cylinder camaro giving it a lower stance, but it used a bigger sway bar to get better handleing. I would just try a bigger aftermarket sway-bar if you like your stance. Much easier to try. I was able to order heavy duty Z-28 springs front and rear, used poly bushings, larger (than z-28) trans am sway bars, quick ratio steering box, and crammed 255/60-R15 rubber in the front and rear. all of that with a v-6. It handled like a slot car.
Good point, Fish. I should see if I can find the actual pound rating of those stock Mustang springs. A bigger sway bar (and a rear one) are definitely on the list. I think I'm going to get the aftermarket front bar and then move the stock front one to the rear. But, I can't do that until I'm sure of where I'm going with my rearend. I'm still on the fence about doing an 8.8, and kinda holding out in hopes of scoring a good 8" center section from a Mustang II or something. Anyway, I want to address all the swaybar stuff at once. But the front coil thing is not just about body roll. The car rides fine with just me in it, even corners tolerably, but it became obvious on this trip that I have to address those springs. With my son, wife and a trunk full of Christmas presents... It's pretty bad. Nice new shocks on weak springs make for an awful ride except on the highway, and a particularly rough road such as the ones common to my in-laws neighborhood will just about bottom it out. I really need some stiffer springs and it would be great if I could have them ready for the trip back home. By the way, if I don't find what I'm looking for on a Mustang, what other cars could I look for? I've about decided I'm going to hit Harbor Freight for an angle grinder and a spring compressor too, so I'm thinking length of the spring doesn't matter so much, just stiffness.
try a 6 cly Granada..... you might not need to cut them. they made my sixer sit 1/2 to 3/4 inch higher i do believe. hope to be some help....
Thanks... no Granadas, but they do have a '72 Ranchero, '61 and '71 Galaxies, a '64 Falcon, '79 Fairmont, ten LTDs from '72-'84 and quite a number of Crown Vics from '82-'00. Of course there are also Windstars, Explorers, Taurii, trucks, all the common 90's stuff.
Alrighty then. The spring swap is under way! I found an '85 GT and pulled the front coils. And no, I did not have the proper tools. I brought two types of spring compressors, and the contents of my humble "road trip" tool kit, but not so much as a breaker bar or a deep socket. No big deal. I find parts are a lot easier to remove when you don't care about ruining the car, so ultimately all I needed were two pair of vise grips to take the top strut bolt out, a knife to cut the brake hose, and a little muscle to compress and move the strut outside the wheel well. I then pulled a sweet redneck move with a size twelve steel toe boot, told my friend to watch his nuts, and that was that*. (*I have said before and will say again... I am a moron, and nobody should ever attempt to do anything I write about.) After cleaning up the Mustang springs, I removed one spring from the Maverick, (a bit more gingerly this time) and compared the two. The Mustang spring is much more stout. One less coil, about an inch shorter when extended, but a thicker gauge and noticeably heavier. I looked at this and knew at least one coil was gonna end up getting buzzed off, probably more. But I did my due diligence. I installed the thing and put it on the ground to be sure. Oh yeah, it's a good three inches higher than it should be, about an inch higher than the rear! I went to Harbor Freight bowdownRAISE HARBOR FREIGHT) and picked up an angle grinder, but it's too late to fire that up tonight. So tomorrow I'll take a coil off both springs, put them in and go for a drive, then I'll see how it sits and go from there. I strongly suspect I will need to take off more like one and a half coils, but we'll see how bold I'm feeling in the morning...
I wouldn't get carried away cutting that coil just yet....coil springs will settle after you move the car a bit. I cut one coil off of my stock 6cyl springs after the V8 install, and it looked a little high, but tolerable. A couple of weeks later, just moving it in the yard, and it settled 2"! I'm so low now, I'm going to have to lose the 225-70-15's on the front, and go with a 215- 60- 15 to keep them from scrubbing on turns....
sorry about the late responce. ive been on the road coming home from dallas the last 3 days. the springs you have should not settel being that they are used. you can cut them. the way i figure out how much to cut is to measure the gap between two coils when installed and siting on the ground. next figure out how much lower you want the car. for instance there is 1.5 inches between coils and you want to lower 3 inches. cut off 2 coils and then you should loose the 3 inches your seaking. my point of useing fox mustang coils is that they have lowering springs readly avaible in all kinds of types like specific rate and variable rate springs and differen hights. i have not looked into what stock gt springs will do in our cars. i suspect that set of cut gt springs will stiffen the ride over cut stock mav springs. idealy i would be looking for some used progresive rate springs used on e-bay or mustang sites. these would give you a nice ride and great performance. let us know what the results of these springs are on your car. also ive been hearing from several people that doing the roller bearing spring perch upgrade make a big difference it the feel of the car.
Good info there. I'm out $20 if I ruin these springs, so I might just get a little ballsy with that grinder tomorrow. Will document everything, including failure if it happens... Yeah, I realized that. And they make a lot of springs for earlier Mustangs too, some of which cross reference to our springs... The only reason I didn't just order some springs is I'm out of town, still have to drive a couple hundred miles back home, and with the car loaded down those springs were unexpectedly dangerous on the way here. Shipping would cost a stupid amount of money to get them here before I leave, so I figured I would see what the junkyard had to offer. Looks like I may have scored, but even if I don't like the results, at least the car will be safe and I can order new springs when I get back. Oh yeah, no doubt about that. It's going to ride like a rock. It feels quite stiff now even before cutting. I hope it's not too much, but this combined with my BFV rear springs has me thinking it's really going to handle great. Now maybe I can stop missing the feel of my Camaro around a turn. Will definitely report the results.
cant go wrong for 20 bucks. i suspect your going to be pretty happy with those. have you done the shelby upper controle arm drop?
Have not. I didn't consider it with the previous springs, but since I've got these going in and I'm going to have to get an alignment anyway, the thought has crossed my mind. It's a damn shame I don't have my drill with me.
the shelby drop will lower it further so you may want to take that into consideration when you cut or just go spend another 20 bucks on another set of springs.
I think I will put it about an inch higher than I want it, in case it settles. Then if it doesn't, I may Shelby drop it after I get home.
