Shocks are shot….now what??

[jpaz]

Wow your undercarriage is incredibly clean!! I didn't see sway bars on the Eaton website, where did you get yours from? I might as well order that too since I'm going to be working back there.

It’s from Addco. I sent them my original bar and they revised the original one they had. Stanglover got a new revised one also.

It really does make my car handle so much better around the corners. And if you haven’t done so already I definitely recommend getting the 1 1/8” front sway bar too. My car drives and handles so much better than before, it’s quite noticeable. 
Thanks, John 

 

[Fredensborg]

My front suspension is still stock, maybe I'll tackle that job this winter...for now I want to get this rear suspension in order so I can get back on the road. Thanks for the info everyone! 

 

[Don C]

If your front suspension is original there's a good chance it also has sagging springs, and I wouldn't judge the height of the rear end and needed correction based on the height of the front end.

You can get an idea of what the stock heights were in the PDF in this thread:

 

[mach71351c]

Call Eaton for sure. I think from the pics your looking for +2.  +3 would be to much in my opinion. You could always add a 1 inch shackles if you need more over +2.  A 1 inch over stock shackle would still be safe.  With your convection with Eaton you may want talk about the ride Hight as well to get look your after.

KYB GR2 shocks are good value.

I removed the springs and axle together. Installed the font of spring first. The wife and I rolled axle into place. Had the wife balance the axle while installed shackles the body.      

 

[jpaz]

Edit: Make that Jpaz that worked with ADDCO, sorry about that, John.

No problem Don.

 

[Hemikiller]

I would put any bar upgrades on hold until *after* all of the other suspension is sorted. Simply adding polyurethane bushings and end links to factory bars makes a huge difference, not to mention when you replace all the other tired bushings and ball joints. 

The "stock" spring for a Q code car would be the Competition Suspension spring. They are 138 lb/in rate. I'd recommend replacing the u-bolts and nuts when you do the springs, Eaton sells those as well. 

 

[Fredensborg]

It’s from Addco. I sent them my original bar and they revised the original one they had. Stanglover got a new revised one also.

It really does make my car handle so much better around the corners. And if you haven’t done so already I definitely recommend getting the 1 1/8” front sway bar too. My car drives and handles so much better than before, it’s quite noticeable. 
Thanks, John 

On the Addco website there is a .875 bar for $213.57 and there is a .75 for $145.00 which one did you order?

I would put any bar upgrades on hold until *after* all of the other suspension is sorted. Simply adding polyurethane bushings and end links to factory bars makes a huge difference, not to mention when you replace all the other tired bushings and ball joints. 

You don't think I should just go for it now since I'm going to be crawling all over down there anyway?

 

[c9zx]

Installing the large 7/8" rear bar while retaining the stock front bar will make the car want to oversteer when cornering hard. The 7/8" rear bar is meant to be paired with the 1 1/8" front bar. That combination usually results in desirable "Neutral" cornering. Have fun with the project. Be prepared to have the front spring eye bolt put up a fight. Chuck

 

[Fredensborg]

Installing the large 7/8" rear bar while retaining the stock front bar will make the car want to oversteer when cornering hard. The 7/8" rear bar is meant to be paired with the 1 1/8" front bar. That combination usually results in desirable "Neutral" cornering. Have fun with the project. Be prepared to have the front spring eye bolt put up a fight. Chuck

Ok, maybe I should wait to do the bar upgrades as Hemikiller suggested then. At least until I am ready to do the front suspension, then I can do the sway bars as a set front and rear. 

 

[Ryunker]

So I’ve watched a few videos on changing shocks and leaf springs, looks very manageable and a good first “big project” for me and the kids. Is there anything special I need to know before I order parts? I like the look of having the rear end up a little higher, like when my current shocks are full of air…I just want to make sure whatever I order isn’t going to drastically change the look of my car. 

New springs are a must, and not expensive. Maintaining the correct ride height should be the goal, keeping the alignment possible by maintaining ride height. Currently your "air shocks" are raising the ride height, but in a horrible way as where they are mounted are not strong enough long term to hold the rear of the car up, that is the job of the leaf springs.

 

[jpaz]

On the Addco website there is a .875 bar for $213.57 and there is a .75 for $145.00 which one did you order?

There’s only one bar that fits a car with competition suspension, which is the .875 or the 7/8” one. The .75, 3/4” bar is for cars without competition suspension. Cars without the comp. suspension have both shocks on the same side of the axle.

 

[Stanglover]

One word of caution from my own personal experience, do NOT buy Grab-A-Trak springs. I bought the 4 1/2 leaf in an attempt to stop the rear axle wrap-up I was getting. They actually raised the rear end too much and for me, looked stupid. I made a set of lowering blocks hoping they would settle to where I could take them out, but no. I'll not go over this again, but I ended up scrapping them in favor of Eaton Boss springs. 

The cost reflect the quality. There are a few "types" of steel used for springs, but trust me, the cheap ones are NOT 5160 spring steel. Some claim to be 4140 which is a semi hard steel used in some tool and die areas. It is not a spring steel. I suspect if they are made in India, you're getting steel from a cut up ship, who knows!

Bottom line, I paid twice as much if not more because I bought new springs TWICE!! 

NPD also sell Eaton springs.

 

[Hemikiller]

You don't think I should just go for it now since I'm going to be crawling all over down there anyway?

That's what many call the "while I'm at it's" or project creep. We started with leaking air shocks and the correct solution is a new set of shocks and springs. Now we have introduced changing the rear sway bar into the picture. Project creep.

I'm a firm believer in incremental suspension upgrades, to get it to where it was when new, and upgrade from there. Your existing baseline for this car is in the negative - a completely worn out system.  New leaf springs, shackles and shocks will make a tremendous improvement in how the car rides and handles, couple that with poly bushings in the sway bar end links and frame brackets, and it's a whole 'nother car. 

 

[mach71351c]

Do not buy Scott drake springs. I bought a pair that supposed be 1 inch drop. They were way over arched. The car would not move at all even with a bunch of wait in back. 

The sway bars. These cars are nose heavy especially 73s with that heavy ass front bumper.  Any one that has taken a 73 bumper on and off nose this you almost need a fork lift. :biggrin:  That's no joke.  If your plan is go with up 2-3 inches in the back your transferring weight to the front so no point on adding bigger sway bars. The object of bigger bars is corner carving. Just don't see you getting the benefits of the big bars with out lowering the car. Not saying your plan isn't good. I think these cars look awesome with a rake and big tires out back.  I would go with Henikiller suggestion replace the bushings with poly bushing and enjoy the ride.

Since your cruising season is right now save the spring project for the winter. Throw some shocks and some new BFGs or Copper Cobras at that bad boy and run it. 

You can see in the pics the BS of buying cheap springs.         

 

[Stanglover]

Do not buy Scott drake springs. I bought a pair that supposed be 1 inch drop. They were way over arched. The car would not move at all even with a bunch of wait in back. 

The sway bars. These cars are nose heavy especially 73s with that heavy ass front bumper.  Any one that has taken a 73 bumper on and off nose this you almost need a fork lift. :biggrin:  That's no joke.  If your plan is go with up 2-3 inches in the back your transferring weight to the front so no point on adding bigger sway bars. The object of bigger bars is corner carving. Just don't see you getting the benefits of the big bars with out lowering the car. Not saying your plan isn't good. I think these cars look awesome with a rake and big tires out back.  I would go with Henikiller suggestion replace the bushings with poly bushing and enjoy the ride.

Since your cruising season is right now save the spring project for the winter. Throw some shocks and some new BFGs or Copper Cobras at that bad boy and run it. 

You can see in the pics the BS of buying cheap springs.         

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That's the way mine looked with 4 1/2 leaf Grab-A-Trak's, which I believe are Scott Drake, but I was never able to find a direct link. I know the shackle kit, steel 2/3rds the thickness of originals, that came with the springs were marked Scott Drake. 

 

[Fredensborg]

Call Eaton for sure. I think from the pics your looking for +2.  +3 would be to much in my opinion. You could always add a 1 inch shackles if you need more over +2.  A 1 inch over stock shackle would still be safe.  
 

The wife and I rolled axle into place. Had the wife balance the axle while installed shackles the body.      

Yup, I decided to go with the +2 springs, and if I wasn’t already a married man…I’d want to know if your wife has any sisters!

 

[Fredensborg]

Thanks everybody! I ordered the springs, shocks and hardware from Eaton. Should be here in a couple weeks, and I think I am going to throw the sway bar in there too, I’m not going to be driving it real hard anytime soon and I plan on updating the front suspension this winter. Including the front sway bar with those upgrades. 

 

[mach71351c]

Yup, I decided to go with the +2 springs, and if I wasn’t already a married man…I’d want to know if your wife has any sisters!

No only a younger brother. I have been asked that question many time. 

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

What you change is your option. A bigger rear sway bar will not help you on normal driving and might not on autocross.
I see you have lucked out and your factory shipping brackets are still bolted to the frame. Most were removed as Ford requested by a sticker behind the rear license plate. I had them leave mine on.

 

[Fredensborg]

I see you have lucked out and your factory shipping brackets are still bolted to the frame. Most were removed as Ford requested by a sticker behind the rear license plate. I had them leave mine on.

Are you referring to these? Is this the bracket that was used to push the car down the assembly line?