1952-59 Ford Cut coils vs. Spring Swap

Hey all, I'm planning on lowering the front of the Nightmare over the spring season. Our other 56 was lowered by my cutting 1 1/2 coils from the stock springs. I know I'd heard about the Aerostar spring swap being a preferred method. If I were to cut these, I would only go one coil as opposed to the way I'd done the blue 56, just because this black one is a little beefier in the engine department and it has a different personality, haha. If any of you have experience with 1 coil cut ride vs. Aerostar or ?? spring ride, please let me know, thanks!!

 

You should get a better ride with the Aerostar springs as they are a progressive rate spring

 

Check out the link in the "Sticky FAQ" from people that are using them, it's HUGE.

 

Stock cut - hard as a rock. Aerostar much nicer...and give them time to settle. Did both...ended up with Aerostar.

 

Aerostar on my 55, when I installed the 302 C4 combo I removed 200+ pounds from the front of the car and it sat REALLY high. Cut a couple coils off the stock springs (trial and error) and the ride was REALLY stiff. Not had much luck cutting coils as it tends to increase the spring rate.

 

I had the rhetorical aerostar springs in the car. Too low with the 15" tires and the disc brake conversion. But it looked minty.

What to do? I could have used spacers at the top to see how it went. Instead I acid-dipped the factory springs to clean them up, lopped off exactly 1 coil, painted them and put them back in. It could be a tad lower but it rides very well.

Look up a spring rate calculator and do the math. My OG 6-cylinder springs had a rate of 415, now they rate is 485.

 

I’ve had Aerostar’s for 6 years. I needed 2 different urethane spacers on top to be perfectly level side to side. The ride was better until a dip. Just last year I changed the stock shocks and replaced the rubber bumpers. I cut 3/4” off the bumpers and the new KYB shocks needed a floor jack to collapse to get them in. Major fix and now a better ride. I have discs on the front on the stock spindles. Granadas and Aerostars would be way too low for me.

 

I have 2 1/2" dropped spindles and original stock springs, not super low but I like it. I bought the car as an undriveable project so no driving comparison.

 

Yep about the same for stock spindles and Aerostars. Both very user friendly.

 

I tried the aerostars, but with my 2" dropped spindles, they were not enough......car bottomed out on dips. I ended up with the lowest rated springs Eaton had, and the car looked like a g***er. Took 1 1/4 inches (not coils) and it ended up just where I wanted it. After 7 years, I just yesterday noticed my driver's side is now almost an inch lower than the right.......may have to do what Jimmy Six did with spacers..not sure yet. Most cars are going to be different than others of the same vintage due to variations in drivetrain weight, so you're probably going to end up with a trial and error project.

 

Thank you for the reply!

I will definitely look into that. I know the blue 56 rides fairly decent for having cut coils, but I am admittedly liking the softer "wave" ride of the black one with stock everything. But I know it needs to be lower, haha!
Thanks again!

 

Interesting, thanks for the advice. I appreciate the feedback, as I was an old school "this is the way we did it" kind of guy haha!

 

Thank you sir, will do!

 

Good to know! I kind of likened the blue 56 ride (1 and 1/2 coils cut) as a ride like that playground equipment where its an animal mounted on a coil spring, that's how it rides haha!

 

Yeah, I can understand that. This one has the 302 C4 as well. It has the engine mounted close to the firewall which affects the front end weight too, and is easier on the steering. That was another story about the mounts.....!

 

Great, I wondered about one coil and how it would ride! Thanks for the info!

 

Very interesting. I appreciate your experience. Currently I still have the stock drums on the front, and I was a little unsure if that would affect the ride and lowering as well.

 

Nice, that sounds like a good combo. If you don't mind me asking, where did you find the dropped spindles? I used to go to Butch's Rod Shop for everything...shows how long it's been, haha!

 

Trial and error is all part of the fun! Mr. Norwell alluded to the Eaton springs as well. I have so much info, will have to do some experimentation I think!

 

Thanks to everyone for the replies, looking forward to starting the dis***embly soon!

 

I've brought this up before, but it's interesting data, so I'll type it again.
Eaton had 3 different springs available for 1957 Fords. By comparison, because Ford wanted ALL cars to leave the factories with the same ride height, used 9 different springs. Each was designated according to model and accessories/drivetrain, etc.

 

I don’t think so. I did measure with the drums but never wrote it down to compare with the discs. I’m guessing they are very close to the same weight.

 

I got them from Nascar Dave on here. He sold under the name of Dropem and stopem but I think he has sold out and retired but I still see him comment here sometimes. I got the dropped spindles and disc brake/MC kit from him.

 

Aerostar look and work great.

 

Wow, your 53 looks cool! Good ride height, I agree!

 

That's pretty cool trivia! I guess it's true, I learn something new each day!

 

I used the S10 springs on my 58. I believe the rates similar to the Aerostar but they sit a little higher. So that's another option if trying to fine tune for a certain height.

 

When I put aerostar springs on the 54, i installed 1/2" spacers. I liked the height and rake. Now 3+ years later the springs have settled enough that i am thinking i might need to increase the spacers. The bump stops were cut in 1/2 at the time. I am now down to maybe 2 incher of travel before hitting the bump stop. It bottoms out when going over speed bumps. The crossmembers are getting closer to the ground. Will decide what to do in the summer

 

This is a good reference of what Moog carries for coil springs. There were a couple of others I was considering over the CC850 that almost everyone likes.

https://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/universal_coil_springs.asp