Front suspension

Time to do replace the front suspension on my 72 w/ 351C. The old stuff was shot. I tore it all out weeks ago and blasted the outer engine bay and got it painted this weekend

This will be a street car that will get driven a lot. No plans to take track it. I’m in Colorado so I will be driving some twisty mountain roads for fun. 

My question is this. Should I go with a coil over system or do less expensive upgrades and stay with factory style coil springs?  Even if I go coil over up  I will stay with leaf springs in the back for now, although leafs and rear shocks need to be replaced too. Your thoughts and advice are appreciated!  Btw I’ve budgeted 4500 for suspension

I say if you have the budget for it, go coil over.  There are a few very nice setups out there.  I would also strongly consider Rack & Pinion steering.  That will go a long way in helping carve those mountain curves.

Personally, I like the TCP Coil over set up, like this. $2733.00

http://totalcontrolproducts.com/fcoc-fd.html



I would also go with their Sway bar set up as well. ~$650 without shocks.

http://totalcontrolproducts.com/ars.html



Rack and pinion set up.  totally amazing. $2647.00

http://totalcontrolproducts.com/rack.html



This is what I would do If I had $4500 to spend.

This is what I would do If I had $4500 to spend.

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With the above you are over 6k without shocks  

What drove me to coil over was wanting adjustable ride height.

If you don’t need or want that I don’t think there is a reason to go coilover. I disagree on the rack and pinion, to me that is a huge cost for very little gain, plus you have to cut up the car a bit. If you want quicker steering swap in 12.7:1 guts out of a different Saginaw box into yours and be done with it for a few hundred. You can have a steering shop do it or DIY if you read the thread I posted on it a couple years ago.

If you stay stock up front one thing you can do for more shock choices is to swap the upper shock mount for the 68-70 style, then you can run the earlier shocks of which there are many more choices including Bilsteins.

Be sure to look at Street or Track, Mike Maier Inc, Opentracker Racing, and others before you decide.

What drove me to coil over was wanting adjustable ride height.

If you don’t need or want that I don’t think there is a reason to go coilover.  I disagree on the rack and pinion, to me that is a huge cost for very little gain, plus you have to cut up the car a bit.  If you want quicker steering swap in 12.7:1 guts out of a different Saginaw box into yours and be done with it for a few hundred.  You can have a steering shop do it or DIY if you read the thread I posted on it a couple years ago.

If you stay stock up front one thing you can do for more shock choices is to swap the upper shock mount for the 68-70 style, then you can run the earlier shocks of which there are many more choices including Bilsteins.

Be sure to look at Street or Track, Mike Maier Inc, Opentracker Racing, and others before you decide.

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+1 on this.  I upgraded my steering box to the quick ratio when I did my steering and suspension. I went with stock style parts from moog. I boxed the LCA's. Car handles fantastic. All for way less than $1,000. I will eventually swap out the upper shock mounts as suggested above as I am not overly impressed with the gas-a-just shocks from KYB.

If I had $4500 to spend on suspension and steering, I'd call Street or Track and have them work me up a package.

If I had $4500 to spend on suspension and steering, I'd call Street or Track and have them work me up a package.

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That's exactly what I did. I also added the camber kit.

http://www.streetortrack.com/Street-or-Track-Front-Bilstein-Coilover-System-pr-24491.html

For those who have the street or track coil overs, which setup did you go with? The street, or sport shocks? I’d like your feed back on how your car drives with the coil overs. Thanks

Sweet stuff guys.

Where do you guys get a quick ratio steering box?

Sweet stuff guys.  

Where do you guys get a quick ratio steering box?

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I had these guys do mine. They did a fantastic job. My box was leaking, loose, and all around worn out. Had them rebuild it with quick ratio and wow what a difference.

powersteering.com

Sweet stuff guys.  

Where do you guys get a quick ratio steering box?

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Pick and pull self service wrecking yard.  About $75, plus another $40 for a rebuild kit and a little paint.

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-playing-with-steering-boxes-spa-s-fixed-ratio-spa-af-variable-ratio-firebird-12-7

Sweet stuff guys.  

Where do you guys get a quick ratio steering box?

Click to expand...

Pick and pull self service wrecking yard.  About $75, plus another $40 for a rebuild kit and a little paint.

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-playing-with-steering-boxes-spa-s-fixed-ratio-spa-af-variable-ratio-firebird-12-7

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 But, and as we've discussed before, getting replacement "balls" is the problem I'm having. According to my 71 Ford Mustang manual, there are 6 different sizes, the purpose of which is to adjust or remove the play in the steering. Tightening the sector shaft or the input shaft is the wrong thing to do. There are set specs for this.

If someone has information as to where these ball sets can be purchased, I'm all ears. The professional rebuilder will not sell parts, I've asked and the local Ford dealership has no idea either.

Geoff.

Sweet stuff guys.  

Where do you guys get a quick ratio steering box?

Click to expand...

Pick and pull self service wrecking yard.  About $75, plus another $40 for a rebuild kit and a little paint.

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-playing-with-steering-boxes-spa-s-fixed-ratio-spa-af-variable-ratio-firebird-12-7

Click to expand...

 But, and as we've discussed before, getting replacement "balls" is the problem I'm having. According to my 71 Ford Mustang manual, there are 6 different sizes, the purpose of which is to adjust or remove the play in the steering. Tightening the sector shaft or the input shaft is the wrong thing to do. There are set specs for this.

If someone has information as to where these ball sets can be purchased, I'm all ears. The professional rebuilder will not sell parts, I've asked and the local Ford dealership has no idea either.

Geoff.

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I just used the entire moving assembly out of the donor box, sector shaft, ball screw, balls, piston.  Figure if it was one matched set in the old box it should be one matched set in the new box.  If the entire ball screw assembly is worn enough that it needs larger balls I pitch it in the trash and find another one.  There are normally plenty of Jeep Grand Cherokees in the wrecking yard to shop around and find the least beat up donor.

If you are willing to share that section of the manual in the quick ratio box thread that would be excellent, as you know trying to find info on the steering boxes is worse than trying to find transmission info.  It is like a black art where the rebuilders keep the info in a shroud of darkness.

Bentworker,

Below is the ball size specs from the Ford manual. I can't just photocopy it for copyright reasons, got into sh*t for that before.

There are 6 sizes listed.

Code size   Mean dia.   Size range of ball (inches)

  6             0.28117      0.28112-0.28122

  7             0.28125      0.28120-0.28130    Stock size.

  8             0.28133      0.28128-0.28138

  9             0.28141      0.28136-0.28146

  10           0.28149      0.28144-0.28154

  11           0.28157      0.28152-0.28162

 As you can see, there is only 1/10000" difference throughout the range. As a former machinist and even with digital measuring equipment we have today, I have no idea how Ford could work to 5 decimals back in the day. However, when one considers that over the 24 balls in these boxes, that adds up to 0.0024" and that results in a load of slop imo. From what I've been able to learn, the increased ball sizes compensate for wear and variance not only in the worm track, but the balls as well.

There are also very tight tolerance listed. Here are the important ones.

 Sector shaft end play (linkage disconnected)     .002" MAX

 Sector shaft mesh load - (total over mechanical center position must be 4-8 lb-in Greater than worm bearing preload torque)   18 lb-in Max

 Worm bearing preload  4-7 lb-in. NOTE: 3 lb-in in excess of valve assy drag. Total worm bearing preload and seal drag not to exceed 8 lb-in.

 And that guys is the Technical stuff. Without spending hundreds of dollars on highly accurate Lb-In torque measuring tools, I guess finger tight will be close. The specs supplied with the rebuild kits and on You Tube for Saginaw 800 S/boxes is as close as we can come.

Hope that totally confuses everybody,

Geoff.

EDIT UPDATE: I just did a bit of research for BEAM TYPE small torque wrenches. Amazon.com or Amazon.ca have what looks to be close to the perfect tool (or as close as we'll get) to set up steering boxes. Look up "Performance Tool M195" It's 1/4 drive 0-80 in lb. The ad say 0-60, but the picture show 0-80 and the reviews reflect that. For $22.95 US or 43.48 Can +free shipping, it's a steal.

Thought I'd pass that along.

awesome! Thanks

Rustystang,

Check out Open Tracking racing-











I have the upper control arms and the roller spring perches. Nice parts for street driving.

Rustystang,

You can send your standard box, have it rebuilt and convert to the 12.7:1 ratio.

http://www.powersteering.com/

Stock appearing, exciting and fun to drive FAST 12.7:1 ratio

I have this on 1973 Mustang coupe. Wow, what a difference!

Rustystang,

You can send your standard box, have it rebuilt and convert to the 12.7:1 ratio.

http://www.powersteering.com/

Stock appearing, exciting and fun to drive FAST 12.7:1 ratio

I have this on 1973 Mustang coupe. Wow, what a difference!

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 For someone living in the US, that's a great option. Takes the guesswork out and you know what you've got. For me living in Canada, the exchange rate and shipping cross border, make it unjustifiably expensive at this time. For now, I'll have to trust my own work.

Geoff.

For those who have the street or track coil overs, which setup did you go with? The street, or sport shocks? I’d like your feed back on how your car drives with the coil overs. Thanks

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I went with the "sport" but I believe the street would be just fine as well. But for 50 bucks why not go to the next level in shocks. I also bought the matching rear shocks in "sport"