Sway bar Kit

[57AGIN]

 hiball3985:

I, too had the Granada spindles on my 57 before the recent re-paint/re-build.  Unfortunately, with the original ford springs (6cyl) and the additional Granada spindle drop, the car just sat a little too low up front.  No matter how much care I took in doing driveways and speed bumps, I kept hitting the header cutouts and when they stop working it is real expensive to replace them.  I went back to the stock Ford spindles and put on the Kelsey-Hayes 2 piston disc brakes.  I used the Kelsey-Hayes discs because I still have 15" Cragar rims & any of the larger rotor/caliper options wouldn't fit.  The car sits just a bit higher (with one coil cut out) and with the heavy duty Southwest ThunderBird sway bar I have no issues with either header clearance or turning. 

I've attached a photo of the Kelsey-Hayes calipers and the standard Ford spindle and a shot of the 57's stance showing the front sway bar, CalTrac traction bars as compared to what it was before the re-paint/re-build.  Note it was hard to find a photo showing the stance matching both before & after, this was the best I could come up with.

Bob
57 AGIN

[LAUDY57]

Sits nicely for sure. Do you know how many coils were in the spring before you removed one? The wire diameter?

[hiball3985]

Thank you for that info Bob. Maybe sometime in the future I can do something like that. I don't have the original spindles, the Granada were on there when I got the car.

What rotor are you using? I have 14" wheels and new tires so I'm not about to replace those.

Do the Kelsey-Hayes caliper require power master? I don't want power..

[LAUDY57]

I forgot to ask what size your front and rear tires are?

[robhaerr]

Stock spindles and 91 Aerostar springs mine does fine.

I do have a Ford 302 smallblock. Front tires 215-60-15, rear 215-65-15

I do take it very easy over speed bumps after slamming down hard once.

Rob

[gasman826]

What rotor are you using?

The Kelsey-Hayes calipers are four piston.  They were used on '65 Thunderbirds and optional first gen Mustang Shelby.  So what rotors fit '57 OEM spindles?

[LAUDY57]

I'm curious (this is probably in another thread) that Rob your front end looks really low, Jim is yours this low? I have 205/65 and 245/60's on mine and I have just over 7 in at the lowest point on the frame where it kicks in at the front. Bob's looks like the height that I would eventually like to aim for, I'm trying to find out what springs I have -need to check other threads.

[robhaerr]

The lowest part of  my wagon is the underside of the rack and pinion center plate at 4" from the ground.

The ground to the bottom of the front sway bar is 5 1/2"

The ground to the upper lip of the front wheel well is 24".

The rear ride height is stock...didn't measure.

70 or 75 series tires will raise height, too. Looks like hiball has taller tires than I do (60 series in front).

Hope that helps.

[hiball3985]

I'm curious (this is probably in another thread) that Rob your front end looks really low, Jim is yours this low? I have 205/65 and 245/60's on mine and I have just over 7 in at the lowest point on the frame where it kicks in at the front. Bob's looks like the height that I would eventually like to aim for, I'm trying to find out what springs I have -need to check other threads.

It doesn't look that low in this picture but I'll get some measurements in the morning.
I have stock springs, Granada spindles. It's low enough that I can't get my floor jack under the frame by the front of the front door.

[hiball3985]

The Kelsey-Hayes calipers are four piston.  They were used on '65 Thunderbirds and optional first gen Mustang Shelby.  So what rotors fit '57 OEM spindles?

Ok, thank you. I have the 4 piston, non power on my 66 Mustang and they suck, the Granadas stop way better,,

[57AGIN]

Guys:

My Kelsey-Hayes front discs are used in conjunction with the ABS electric-hydraulic power brake system.  The car stops as good as, if not better with the Kelsey-Hayes calipers as it did with the Granada calipers.  Both Rick's and my 57's are similarly front brake equipped.  Rick has added rear disc brakes to his 57, this Winter my 57 will be converted to 4-wheel discs.  Tomorrow, I will go out and take some measurements to answer the questions posed by hiball3985.  I'll also count the spring coils and measure the wire diameter.  My curiosity is aroused, too.

Bob
57 AGIN

[hiball3985]

Bob, what rotors are you using that fit the stock spindle?

[hiball3985]

For reference here are my dimensions.
Ground to bottom of the sway bar 5 1/2"
Ground to bottom center of wheel well 24 3/4"
Tires are 215 70 x 14".

After doing some thinking last night I think some of my problem my be related to a combination of driver error    and that particular drive way being a little steeper then most. I had made a left turn at a fairly good speed to beat the on coming traffic and then was on the brakes just before the driveway and this was at a straight approach. I will go back and try it at a slower speed and entering at a angle from a right hand turn. I've been over numerous damn speed bumps without a problem other then my cussing at them 

[hiball3985]

The lowest part of  my wagon is the underside of the rack and pinion center plate at 4" from the ground.

The ground to the bottom of the front sway bar is 5 1/2"

The ground to the upper lip of the front wheel well is 24".

The rear ride height is stock...didn't measure.

70 or 75 series tires will raise height, too. Looks like hiball has taller tires than I do (60 series in front).

Hope that helps.

Thanks Rob, looks like are numbers are similar, I am using 70 series tires

[LAUDY57]

Thanks for the dimensions guys, I'm in the ballpark with 24 3/4 wheelwell. I'm roughly guessing at 7 1/4 for bottom of bar, my problem is the bellhouding at 4 3/4 and pan at 5 1/4 (that's why the skid plate. Rob, your 4" to the steering must hit stuff?
After cruising other threads I see good pics of the front bar installation by 57agin Mar 14/12.