Mach 1 Springs on my 98 GT, HELP!!!!

Spooked

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I recently had a buddy with a Mach 1 Order new springs/shocks/struts for his car and offered to pretty much give me his old Springs since they are lower than a stock mustang's springs and are able to be cut a LITTLE bit without affecting the ride quality too much.....My question out there to all yall is this: 1st is it possible for me to put these springs under my car, 2nd how low can I go without having to upgrade Shocks/Struts, 3rd Will I need CC plates if I can and Do put his Mach Springs under my GT, and Finally any links or other info you could shoot my way about this would be really appreciated...Im new to this forum as of last night so PLEASE HELP
 

Mustanger

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I am pretty sure you can use those springs no problem...you will NOT need to use CC plates! Even if you cut the springs try it first & you most likely will not need CC plates...shucks you can always add them later if you really need them. I did not need them for my Eibach ProKit springs & I am down 1.5"

The Mach 1 Springs drop 1/2" so no struts needed...I needed struts at 1.5" for good control & ride IMO.
 

atlanticblue98

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Mustanger said:
I am pretty sure you can use those springs no problem...you will NOT need to use CC plates! Even if you cut the springs try it first & you most likely will not need CC plates...shucks you can always add them later if you really need them. I did not need them for my Eibach ProKit springs & I am down 1.5"

The Mach 1 Springs drop 1/2" so no struts needed...I needed struts at 1.5" for good control & ride IMO.

the ride height doesnt effect whether you need struts or not, it is the spring rate
 

Jrgunn5150

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atlanticblue98 said:
the ride height doesnt effect whether you need struts or not, it is the spring rate

No too confuse the issue... But yes, it does. Shorter srings, eventually, could use shorter struts, so as to stay in the middle of their travel. Fox springs, for example, are shorter :)
 

KWClutch

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I would get CC plates. They are cheaper than two front tires when they wear crooked. They should fit just fine and can be cut as long as they aren't progressive. I wouldn't recommend cutting more than a coil off and DO NOT cut it with a torch. Only a rotary and do it quickly. They can heat up the coil pretty quickly too. Done this on a few cars and it works no problem. Ride quality will be worse but not significantly.
 

atlanticblue98

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J.R. said:
atlanticblue98 said:
the ride height doesnt effect whether you need struts or not, it is the spring rate

No too confuse the issue... But yes, it does. Shorter srings, eventually, could use shorter struts, so as to stay in the middle of their travel. Fox springs, for example, are shorter :)

for slammed springs yeah, like sportlines or H&R's. thats what i plan on getting when i get springs, Fox struts.

i meant like when someone gets a Pro-kit or something similar, they arent getting Tockico's or KYB AGX's because it is lower, but because of the spring rate. but yeah once you get that low with Sportlines etc. it would be better to get Fox struts. they're cheaper too ;)
 

Jrgunn5150

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Well, even though I know the right thing to do, I still did the wrong thing....

I ran my H&R SS springs with no CC's and regular SN struts, it took 2 year's and 25k miles to wear the corner's off the front tires, so not too bad, lol.
 
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Spooked

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Ok the plan is to lower it about an 1 inch to 1 1/4 MAX...Its still my DD but it will pull double duty as a Strip/Autocross car when I get used to a 5 speed (and driving a car not an F350 lol).... So If I drop it that low and DONT run CC plates but do get an alignment am I still gonnna wear the inside of the tire faster than the outside? and I know I have aftermarket shocks under it but since the ground is about 10 degrees right now i dont wanna check to see what they are (BTW I just got the car 2 weeks ago and its my first CAR...I have always owned a truck)...
 

NERD

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I feel like I'm playin cards with my brothers kids...

The springs will install fine. If you do choose to cut them, ONLY cut up to 1.5 link from the fronts and 3/4 from the rear. After that you can start to feel the difference in the ride. ANY TIME, you change the steering geometry by lowering a car with springs you should have your alignment adjusted but you can go as low as 1.5" before you have to consider CC plates "IF" your alignment shop isn't able to straighten it back up. After 1.5" look into bump steer.
 
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Spooked

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ok sounds good....Im only gonna have 40 bucks in the new springs so Im pretty excited about it....Thanks for all the help everybody!
 

dafizuck

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I picked up a set of cobra springs and cut them 1 coil all the way around, rear upper isos in, ride height is perfect.
 

KWClutch

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^^ That's exactly what I did with my Cobra before I put the Pro Kit springs on. Just buy the CC plates. They are cheap. Like 100 bucks. Makes it 10 times easier to align. I'm sure some people can get away with it for a while but I don't believe they are in the majority. Most tend to pull weird when the wheel is let go and tire wear is very bad.
 
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Spooked

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Ill prob swing for a set of CC plates and new shocks/struts anyway over the summer when I can work full time and put some money back for a PI swap and suspenion and gears...I just wanted to be sure I would be ok untill then...like not have any SERIOUS problems or screw anything up....Im learnin cars as i go here so bear with me...
 

Jrgunn5150

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Yep, i understand. You can do that without worrying, you won't fly off the road and die or anything :)
 

Mustanger

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KWClutch said:
^^ That's exactly what I did with my Cobra before I put the Pro Kit springs on. Just buy the CC plates. They are cheap. Like 100 bucks. Makes it 10 times easier to align. I'm sure some people can get away with it for a while but I don't believe they are in the majority. Most tend to pull weird when the wheel is let go and tire wear is very bad.

It won't "pull weird" if it is able to be aligned into specs. & it will last as long as any car that has a perfect alignment done...I mean you can run over curbs & potholes & knock it out right away. The CC plates give you lots more adjustable range that is for sure but as another poster stated at 1.5" you most likely will not need them. I did not. Stock shocks & struts will be compressed a bit already with shorter springs & thus lose some of their effectice damping ability...if you buy aftermarket matched shocks to your springs it helps restore a better ride & will control better.
 
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Spooked

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Thanks for all the information....It really is helping me!
 

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