There's such a thing as TOOO low...

Hey Gang...

Yeah, I know it's been ages. I've been too busy tearing up the roads to be posting much, but there comes a time when all hot rod chicks have to admit being perplexed and run to the fine folks at the HAMB for advice. How's everyone doing, by the way?

The problem it seems is that my car is riding TOOOO low these days. Now I know that's "crazy talk" but even I have to throw in the towel when my turning radius BLOWS and even the smallest bump in the road makes me wince. I suspected it was low, but when I had absolutely no chance at getting a jack under it today even with my hubby lifting the front end, I knew something needed to be done.

What that something is, I don't know.

Here's some photos to give you an idea what I'm dealing with. I have a mustang 2 front end under there, and a 327 powerplant. I have 2' dropped spindles and my springs are NOT cut.

I know I need to get her up a bit, but I don't want to kill my stance in the meantime. So what I need is to get her up a about 4 inches, and whatever I do, has to not start sagging in 6 months.

Ideas are needed, and I'm NOT rolling in cash at the moment, so whatever I do shouldn't cost more than a few hundred clams, if that's even possible.

Pics below.

This is how she's sitting



This is my crossmember, without anyone in the car... I'm guess it's just about 5 inches from the asphalt. My control arms are definitely, not where they were post-lower.

 

I'm confused. When are you gonna post a pic of the car that's too low?

 

You should be able to gain 2" easily by swapping the spindles for stock ones. I'd think that 7" under the cross member should be enough to allow a jack to slide under it.

Cool car...

 

I think you're mistaken, the cars too high! I ride mine as low as possible, I guess I'm just used to dodging potholes, and slowin way down for dips and such. The car looks good though

 

Dont be an ass, she's having clearance issues, and needs advice, not sarcasm.

Stacy, did you take the lowering blocks out of the back? it looks higher in the back now.

I think that if you put in stock height MII spindles, but get the back lower (unless im losing it, I swear your car was a tad lower in the rear, not like in the side profile shot), you will get the visual look of the car being pretty low, without banging around (and knocking off power boosters ).

In the 50's, some people did notch frames, but I dont think that was very common. Guys got as low as they could in the back without bottoming out, and lowered the front a bit, untill the car had a slight rear tilting rake.

I think that as long as the rear is a little lower than the front, your car willl look lower, without having to have the front severely dropped.


That is all assuming that your not after a foreward rake.

 

Yeah if you have lowered spindles a set of stock ones should get you to a reasonable height. Do you have blocks in the back? maybe smaller ones would keep the back in relationship.

 

Not trying to be a smartass but, your car is sitting pretty high actually. Maybe stock spindles and then cut the coils? I also have a 51 chevy and I am about 3 or 2" off the ground and cruises around with no problems. Cut coils in front, reversed leafs in back.

 

Believe me... It looks SWEET, but it drives like shit... and it wasn't much higher when I put it down initially, but this last bit of sag means bottoming out places I never had a problem, and no turning radius... I'm having to pull 10 point turns to get the damn thing in a parking space.

I'm used to taking it slow and all the other things that driving a traditionally lowered car means, but it's gone from cool but occasionally inconvenient, to pain in the ass. And I have expensive tires on her that I don't plan to trash rubbing them on the wheel wells. I'm thinking stiffer springs might help, someone suggested coil overs but I know nothing about that. I'm not looking for it to be even CLOSE to stock, just back to where it was when after I lowered it, and before it settled. That's maybe about 3 inches higher. And those 3 inches made all the difference, evidently.

Stacey

 

You know your car better than anyone else and obviously you believe something has changed. I also have a mustang 2 front end on my 48 chevy and it looks about the same height yours and I have never been able to put a jack under it, so while I would like to help, I can't iidentfy with your particular problem. Let's hope someone can.

 

Run out with a tape measure and tell us what the lowest point on the car is and what the highest is.

4 inches should get you around just fine *course those who say that don't live in Maryland either*. Then at the lowest point, tell us what's there?

That should give us a better idea of the picture vs reality, because right now, in that pic, she's sitting high enough to clear.

 

If it rode fine when first lowered but not after settling.I would just put some stiffer front springs in it .That seems to be the easiest and cheapest solution to your problem. GREGG

 

Chad,

You're a gentleman and a scholar... see me at the Greaseball for cocktails, ok?

The back has 2 inch lowering blocks... And you're right about the stance being different. The ass does look higher, but that's because the front is definitely sitting lower. I didn't do anything to the rear. Here's how she sat right after I lowered her. That's where I need to get back to.

 

Stacy-
Brandy is dead on in my opinion...I never like to build a frt with less than 4" air for a real world DRIVER car....
I see a couple things from a quick look at your pics....
Id take these steps to add some comfort to your driving....
I wopuld add 2" more lowering blocks in the rear first thing.....this will effectively raise the front a tad and add some CASTER....
that is what you describe as driving bad- the darting?

I also notice that the frame is not notched ABOVE each tie rod......
That in itself is not mandatory or"incorrect" ,but it sometimes means the install was not done in a fashion to result in the lowest ride height after the front is in place...... I think that the rear blocks and a couple rubber ring type slip in spacers in the front springs will help if not cure the ills you describe..../ Kenny

 

I can just barely see your lower control arms but..

They look close to where they should be ?

I'd try new springs, that is the cheapest thing to try , have you had it to alignment shop lately ?

There must be a reason that you can't turn "sharp"

I've done two, mine will turn real nice ..

ps
I think it sits nice too

 

Ok... my eyeballing is for shit, evidently...

My crossmember is sitting exactly 2 3/8" from the ground without a person in the car. I bet you it's about 2 1/2" with someone sitting it it.

That explains a LOT.

And thanks Brandy for making me go out there and measure in the dark... : )

Stacey

 

this is just an opinion if you lower the rear about 2 inches it would bring the front up a little. it would take some of the rake out of it. as far as getting a jack under the front use a 2 x 8 about 2 feet long to drive up on then you should be able to get the jack under the crossmember. ive used this method for years it is a pain but the look is worth it

 

Trsut me, thats not too low. When I got the '61 LeSabre home that I bought from BigJeff on here, it had 1"(one inch), yes, one inch, from the front cross member to the ground. Now that's too low! Ecspecially here on our rods. Your car looks great, but if you feel uncomfortable driving it like that, you might consider bagging it? If it's done right it will ride great and you can get as high and low as you like

 

stacey,

something is up with the mustang II..

the lower control arms should be level (parallel with the ground) at ride height..

If it were mine.. I would do air ride up front..

that would solve a few problems... but would require that you relocate the shocks..

that said..

what shocks are you running?

stiffer springs may "solve" the problem... but the time and effort and $$$ you lay out will prohably be the same as the $$$ for air ride up front

 

Also I will add this....
Most aftermarket crossmembers"improve" on the orig Ford design......
Thisa sometimes means the bottom of said crossmember and its mounting points for the RACK are an effectively lower plane than was the case on the original MustII design....
therefore the angle of the lower control arms in relation to the tie rods are not exactly PARALELL as they could be....
hope Im not boring you!Ha!

 

It looks like your lower a-arms are going uphill some to the outside. They work best at level with the crossmember. My guess would be that your springs may have settled beyond spec. Is the ride poor or are wincing in anticipatioof something hitting? I would agree with a couple others that suggest a retrofit to stock spindles. I have a MII on my '40 Chevy convert and the center of the crossmember is 5" from the ground. I have to drive up on 2" thick boards to get my jack under the front tin. 100K+ and all is well. Clearance issues galore but I wouldn't go back on a bet.

Charlie

 

i noticed that the track width on the front looks wide for a mustang II on this car what is the size and backspace on your front wheels. my uncle has a 51 with mus II front the wheels are inbord more than your car.

 

Yeah, it explains that your car has magical suspension components that LIFT the car when weight is added.

 

i often drive onto a chunk of wood to get a jack under.

as far as the tires rubbing, what wheels are you running? you could try some wheels with more positive offset.

 

If it rode okay when first done and doesn't now I'd bet the springs have gotten tired.

Consider what a Mustang weighs and compare it to your car. Consider walking around with a loaded pack all day -- bet you'd sag a bit too after a while

I'd try fresh springs to see what happens.

 

I have a question along these lines. I have the same setup in my 50 and we haven't installed the motor yet, but the coil springs look like they are way too tall. They are bowing out. I wonder if they will settle some? I was thinking I may hafta cut them right out of the box. I have had a couple of people stand up on the front end to see if it settles but it didn't look like it was budging to me.

 

Just for future reference when you're on the road and need to get under the car: Pick up an import scissor jack like you would find in a Honda or Toyota. They go places my hand can barely get under and work like a charm, and needless to say, they fold down small so they're easily concealed , so no one can tease you about relying on an import jack to help out an American beauty.

 

I would put the stock spindles on and and put some springs from a V-8 Mustang II. I had the same problem on my 50 Chevy Sedan Delivery and this solved my problem.

 

If you want a cheap and temporary way to raise it and get a better feel for the exact ride height that'll work, jack it up so the suspension hangs and slide a pair of these in between the coils. Should cheat about an inch of height back into em.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=400330+308932+115&autoview=sku

Cheesy, yes. But solves the problem long enough to give you time to research the exact coils to install over the winter, thus preserving valuable cruising season. good luck

 

Don't overlook the shocks. A good quality shock will make a lot of difference in the ride/bottoming out.

Neal

 

I'm with shifty on this one. I think the springs have crapped out. You probably need springs made to hold more weight. You might want to run your car across a scale to find out what it weighs. If you can, weigh the front end and then weigh the rear end, both with you sitting in the car. After you have the scale #s in hand, get the proper springs in the proper length. You may also want to be sure something in your, the rack or tierod ends are not contacting something that is limiting your steering. Things are not adding up, unless the short steering is because you don't want to have the tires rub on something. Last thing you want is to have something mechanical interfear with the ability to turn sharp. Gene