update on Rich's build

[RICH MUISE]

Yesterday I swallowed my pride and went to see an old friend at a hot rod shop literally less than 2 blocks from my house. I hadn't been there in about a year since we had a disagreement...at least on my part. Anyway, that worked out well, both he and his dad reacted like long lost buddies and never brought up the subject of why I stopped coming around, so that made it really easy. Kip just stopped working on whatever he was doing and spent an hour just talking. Anyway, he is going to do the coil spring and rack swap for me when the parts get here. Kip is close enough I can fill the ps reservoir drive the car there without damaging the pump. Other shops would have meant having it towed. Cost should be 250-300. It'll make my month tight, with all the other money I've spent on the car, but it'll be worth it.
Yeterday got up in the high 60's so I took the opertunity to remove a 10 foot section of chain link fence at the end of my driveway and replace it with a gate. That's going to make getting the car in and out of the shed so much easier.

[RICH MUISE]

Brought my car over to my friend's shop this afternoon. They're going to start on it in the morning..hopefully get it finished up in short order and leave me enough pocket money to do the Colorado trip I've been anxious to do.

[RICH MUISE]

I think with the spacer you should be safe, and I'm pretty sure without it you would be too low.
That's interesting, I had no idea they could be reamed for two different heights.

Jim...interesting...I was rereading Canadian Ranchero's build thread, back on the first pages,where  we were discussing pics of his front suspension, and you had asked about the spacer he had on top of his ball joint boot. I didn't catch it at the time, but you went on to say that your spindle fit all the way down.
That's the difference in the different ride heights I was discusing here a few days ago. Mine,like Gary's, is up on the ball joint an inch or so providing the 2 1/2 drop. Yours apparently is all the way down on the ball joint providing a 1 1/2 drop.

[hiball3985]

Jim...interesting...I was rereading Canadian Ranchero's build thread, back on the first pages,where  we were discussing pics of his front suspension, and you had asked about the spacer he had on top of his ball joint boot. I didn't catch it at the time, but you went on to say that your spindle fit all the way down.
That's the difference in the different ride heights I was discusing here a few days ago. Mine,like Gary's, is up on the ball joint an inch or so providing the 2 1/2 drop. Yours apparently is all the way down on the ball joint providing a 1 1/2 drop.

Well that just proves what I have been saying all the time, my memory isn't worth $.02 at times 

Edit: I just found that old post and now I'm confused even more. It appears the ball joint stud would have to be longer then mine or it is just from the angle of the picture. My spindle does go all the way down and I have only two thin washers on the top then the nut and no large amount of thread left on the top?
Reading further down, Gary said he is using Lincoln spindles, so we can't compare..

[RICH MUISE]

Just walked over to the shop to see how my car was going. They had just gotten everything assembled finger tight and set it back down on the wheels so I could have a look at the ride height. Not good. It dropped 4 1/2 inches from 16 1/4 at the fender well to 11 3/4. I've got a 4" rake along the rockers and the sway bar is around 5".  Since basically it was done except for tightening things up, I told him to finish  it. I'll drive it to see how it handles, rides etc and at least get a feel for the Aerostar springs.

One thing I did check...the oem springs I had in there were suppose to be 15 1/2, they are 16", so that kinda verified I got the wrong springs from Eaton's. I'll check further for wire dia, etc.
If I like the way it drives and don't have any bottoming issues, I'll lower the back 1 1/2 or so with blocks. My guess at this point is I'll be trying cutting the coils I had in there.

[JPotter57]

Caution on cutting the heavier coils, as it will stiffen the ride.    You may just need to find a spring the right length in the spring rate you want.  Also, if you lower the back a little, it will relax the front, and you may gain as much as an inch back..

[hiball3985]

Yikes thats a major drop! That was with using the 1" spacer? 5" at the sway bar is low, don't pull up to a wheel stop in a parking lot, I hit them at 5 1/2. I would try cutting the springs if you don't mind a harsher ride like mentioned by James. Thats how I use to do it back in the 60's but I like the stiffer suspension..

[57 imposter]

Rich.... That may not be as bad as you think. your 1/2 inch lower than where I started and I assume that you did install springs and spacers or you would be a lot lower than that. I just went out and rechecked mine since everything has been in for awhile and I am exactly 12 inches at the spindle. You can usually get away with cutting 1/2 of a coil without much,if any, effect on ride but that will usually only give you about a 1 inch drop, at best. I had 1/2 coil off of my new stock springs and it didn't do much of anything.
  I just went out and rummaged thru my various areas and found the ones I took out of my car they have 1/2 coil off and measure 14 1/4 tall with a wire dia. of .715 to .720. They have o miles on them, If you want to try them, your welcome to them and I can throw them in the car in March and bring them down. They may be the same as what you have but if yours are 16" tall these might do you some good, if you don't like the aerostar

[RICH MUISE]

Yes, the 1" spacers went in there. I had them trimmed and attached to the Aerostars ready for them to put in.
As I mentioned, it's obvious now that I had the wrong springs to begin with. For one thing, I can now with the aerostars push down the front end quite easily bouncing it up and down, where before I could barely move it at all. I thought the load rate on the Aerostars was suppose to be greater than the load rate on the oem springs, but the ones I had in there were substantially stiffer, once again confirming I don't know what was in there. Anyway, they haven't called me yet to tell me it's ready, so I haven't driven it yet.
I just got the call...I'll check in later.

[RICH MUISE]

I think the Aerostars will be just fine. It's about an inch or so lower than I'd like, but as long as I don't have any bottoming issues, I can live with it, but will definetly need to drop the back a little. A 4" rake along the rockers is just too drastic for my taste. Swap meet this weekend...I'll look for some 1 1/2 lowering blocks.
The ride wasn't a whole lot different than what it was. Still rides good, can't say there was a noticeable difference either way.

[RICH MUISE]

pics....
I'm taking it out tonight for it's first night time drive. After this afternoons test drive, I stopped by Kip's to tell him everything seemed fine. When I came out the owner of the leather shop across the street was out taking pics, and asked if I'd back the car up next to his shop so he could get a pic of it under his sign. I did have to tell him what it was.

[gasman826]

Significant change.  Looks good.  Might need to adjust the headlights.

[lalessi1]

Guys, it is a simple formula to figure how much cutting a spring will stiffen it. You can then measure the unloaded height, calculate the deflection and then the change in ride height. A stock Aerostar spring is almost 50% stiffer than the stock spring to start with, but it is so much shorter that is drops the car dramatically. You can cut a stock a stock spring AND have a softer spring that drops the car somewhere in between. I "ran the numbers" in case I am not happy with the Aerostar springs, stock spindles, ride and ground clearance that I wind up with.... saves a lot of trial and error. I am at 13" right now, no spacer, no bumper, no radiator, no fluids, nor drive time...just saying.

[57redwhitered]

My vote is to leave it where it is.  Looks great!

[RICH MUISE]

You're a sick man, Lynn. lol