blk05stang

Just got done cutting my stock springs and figured I’d do a writeup on it. I’ve received so much good info from these forums I felt I should give something back so here goes.

Front springs:

-First thing is to jack up both sides of the front and remove the tires. If you don’t jack up both sides you’ll have a hard time removing the ball joint connected to the struts.
-Next remove the bolt securing the brake line to the strut. Its behind the strut and number 1 in the picture.
-Then remove the two 18mm bolts at the bottom of the strut (number 2 in pic). Be careful because the rotor assembly will fall freely forward now pulling on the brake line. I secured mine up with a piece of bungie cable.
-Next remove the 18mm bolt connecting the ball joint to the strut(number 3 in pic).



This is how it should look now:



-Next you need to remove the 4 bolts holding the strut in place. Make sure to hold the strut in place when removing these bolts because it will fall freely from under the car when they are out.



-Remove the strut assembly and sit it on the ground.



-Now you will need to compress the spring with a Macpherson strut compressor. I had one but you can rent them for free from many auto parts stores.
-After its compressed remove the bolt at the top of the strut and remove the upper strut plate. Handle the upper strut plate with care because it can come apart easily and it will be a major pain to put all the bearings and stuff back together if it does. I learned the hard way.
-Take out the stock spring.



-Cut one coil from the BOTTOM of the stock spring. I used a dremel and it took about 3-4 mins to cut it off no problem.




-Put the cut spring back into the strut assembly but don’t put it at the stopper at the bottom. Put the end of the spring against the wall at the bottom of the spring perch that is a couple inches before the stop. Otherwise the spring will move when you are installing the upper strut plate and tightening the upper retaining nut. Sorry forgot to take a picture of this step.
-Install the upper strut plate and tighten the bolt. You wont need to compress the spring to get it back in. Just push down on the top of the strut plate and you should be able to get the bolt started.
-Install the strut back into the car.
-Install all the bolts you removed earlier in reverse order.
-Install the tire and that’s it. Repeat for the other side.

Backs:
-The backs are really a piece of cake compared to the fronts so I didn’t take pictures of it.
-Raise the car up and put it on jack stands.
-While on jack stands put a floor jack under the differential and remove the lower bolts from shocks and the lower sway bar bolt on both sides at the same time.
-Slowly lower the jack. The shocks should now be connected at the top only.
-Place a jack under the passenger side where the shock connected to and raise it up until the car is about to lift off the jack stand.
-You can now pull the spring out of the drivers side. The spring may need some coaxing with a pry bar but no big deal.
-Cut however much you want off the rear springs from the TOP. I cut off 1 ½ coils and it’s perfect to me. The back is about ½” higher then the front with 1 ½ coils and that’s what I wanted. 2 coils off should make it even.
-Install the cut spring back into the car.
-Lower the jack and repeat on the other side.
-Once your done place the jack back on the differential and raise it up so you can reconnect the shocks and sway bars.
-Remove jack stands and put your car on the ground.

That’s it. Hope this writeup is helpful to many people. I highly recommend this mod. My car looks and handles much better now and best of all the mod is free.

Here’s some pics of how she sits now. Enjoy!

ILikeBond

Great write up!

Import-Slaya

Thanks for taking the time to write this up! Hope you don't mind, but I saved it into a Word doc for future reference (if my friggin' GT ever arrives ).

Bullitt1609

I have been planning on doing this. I've read numerous posts on how to, now with your write-up and pictures, I will feel much more comfortable attacking this. Thanks for your help.

Car looks great by the way. Looks much better with it lowered some.

blk05stang

no problem, hope you guys find it usefull. One thing I forgot to mention is after finishing the jack I used was too high to get out from under the car because it was so low. I ended up having to jack it up and put ramps under the wheels to get the jack out from under the car. Guess I need a lower jack to go with my lower car now.

BrownBrosPerf

For the price of springs and the gains you get in handling from them, cutting springs seems really ghetto. You just dropped good money on a beautiful car, now you are ready to "chop" springs?? Eibach Pro Kit is cheap, and install should only be about 3 hours at a shop with the propper tools (ever see someone catch a spring in the face??) I personally would leave the cut springs to the kids who can't afford a nice new car.

StangNut

From the looks of his drop, I'd say he didn't want the "ghetto" look of lowering his car too much.

Bullitt1609

I just read an article in MM and FF where they installed a set of Eibachs on an '05. The article stated that the Eibach springs are rated at 171/229 lb/in in the front and 109/200 lb/in in the reat. The stock springs are 136 lb/in up front and 142 lb/in out back. The Eibachs are obviously stiffer. That's why I decided to cut the stock ones. I really like the way it rides and feels, so I don't want to put stiffer springs on it.

I thought it was interesting that they didn't install a bump-steer kit, or camber kit after lowering it. They said, "the new springs caused the Mustang's front tires to bow outward slightly. The car was driven onto an alignment rack and Sanchez reset the toe adjustments. The camber setting was fine." I thought camber kits were necessary to align it properly when lowered.

But back to cutting the springs. I actually bought some stock ones off Ebay for $40.00 I'm going to cut. This way I can cut those, and still keep my other ones. This way I'm only out $40 instead of $340 if I don't like it.

Plus, if no one knows that you cut the springs, unless you tell them, they will never know.

Idrvadodgstr8us

thanks for the write up.....but arnt you concerned about the extra squeaks and rattles that are caused by chopping a progressive spring rate coil?

Blk'05

I agree...The stock springs were meant to be the way they are. Now youve got something on your car that shouldnt be. Also I hope for your sake nothing will go wrong now that youve chopped up the stock springs.

mustp51

Looks good blk05stang Good write-up too.
I meant to do the same this past weekend, rears only though, but family plans prevented it from happening. What was the drop amount on the rear by removing the amount (1.5 coils?) you did. I have read 1 coil is almost 1". The way mine sits now, there is exactly 1" difference between the front and rear.
Thanks,
jeff

blk05stang

Thanks man. I did the rears first and if you just want to even them up you should only do 1 coil. With 1 1/2 coils off the rear only the back was lower than the front by 1/2 ".

For everyone who thinks it's ghetto well all I can say is it looks and performs perfectly. I know others who've done this many times in the past too and they have never had a problem.

Idrvadodgstr8us, there are no rattles or squeaks from the springs. The ride quality is very similar to stock just a bit stiffer.

mustp51

Cool blk05stang,
Since it's going to be a rainy weekend here in Fla with Dennis out in the gulf, hopefully I can get to this.
jeff

Bullitt1609

The stock springs actually aren't progressive like most aftermarket ones are. That's why it is safe to cut the stock springs.

Obviously cutting the springs will make it ride a little stiffer, but I know it won't be at stiff as some aftermarket springs, i.e. Eibachs.

I just got the springs I bought off Ebay in the mail today. I hope to get them cut this weekend while I wait on my adjustable pan-hard bar to come in. We'll see.

Bullitt1609

Here are some pics of mine lowered. I cut one coil off the front, and two off the back. The procedure was very easy and only cost me $160 ($40 for spings off Ebay and $120 for BMR adjustable pan-hard bar). I'll post some more once I have time to resize them.

Adam

Not to be a donkey named jack but cutting springs is the WRONG way to lower your car. That's why they sell LOWERING springs.

Stoenr

naw, ghetto would be taking a torch to the springs while on the car.

FiaCobra

LMAO.......so true !!

luckyeod28

Come on guys, leave him alone. He's happy with it, it looks good and HE SAVED MONEY. I don't think its gonna crash his car. Heck now I'm thinking about it. Of course if you guys wouldn't mind paying alot more taxes and lobbying your congressmen for more military money I won't bat an eye at dropping $250 for springs.

Bullitt1609

I like to think there is more than 1 way to do something. If I posted the pic and didn't tell anyone what I did to lower it, no one but myself would know that I cut the springs. I think the factory parts are well built / crafted, so why would I want to replace them?

Cutting 1 coil off the front and 2 off the back lowered it just under 1" in front and 1.5" in back. I would say this is a mild drop. I didn't want to "slam", but I did want it lowered a little. I am happy with the way it has turned out.