Cheap Lowering

[JustinLaRue]

Just wondering if anyone has heard about this, I was considering it but don't want to dig myself a ditch.

A buddy of mine at work tells me he had a friend that had a mid-size chevy truck, heated up the coils, cut them out, and swapped them for a camaro of the same years coils.

Given that idea, I thought it might be possible to swap out my '94 explorers coils for a '94 mustang's.

Anyone know if they interchange?

Alsooo...my explorer is a 2wd automatic, so it's not like I'm missing out on the opportunities of off-roading here, just for any enthusiasts of off-roading.

Thanks for any answers...

 

[sjr033]

My problem with doing this is the coils for a mustang or any other coil made for a car is that a lot or R&D went into figuring out the correct spring rate for each car/truck and the length and coil diameter. They take into account the weight of the car/truck, the use of the car/truck etc. Will a Mustang coil lower the truck if it fits sure, but at what cost?

 

[Jack Flash]

just had the displeasure of helping someone correct his ride ('92 chev c1500) 'cause the previous owner torched the coils springs and the rear leaf springs !

rode like crap and was dangerous too. the previous owner thought nothing was wrong with his "custom" lowering. I guess in his mind, replacing the ball joints every month or so was just part of being "cool" and riding in a lowered truck.

the "torch" approach causes all kinds of geometry problems. my suggestion is don't do it ! :thumbdwn:

 

[sjr033]

I think he was just going to use the torch to remove the spring, not to heat the coils to compress them. Either way cutting off a coil, heating the coils to compress them or using a spring not intended for the application is never a good idea.

 

[Jason94sport]

Check out
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=46

It's very easy & cheap enough for a 2wd X

 

[JustinLaRue]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I figured it might be too risky. I'm sure there would be a domino effect on the rest of the suspension and ride.

 

[lower4x4]

i heated my coil springs up and compressed all of mine together and cut the bump stops out completely, i havent had any problem except it eating tires like a *****. and mines droped 6 in the front and 3'' blocks in the back

 

[Spdrcer34]

DO NOT LISTEN TO lower4x4.

He has NO CLUE what he is doing.

If you are serious about lowering your vehicle on the cheap, buy some lowering blocks for the rear, those will run you about $25 from AutoZone/CSK/Napa. You can get lowering springs from ANY vendor in the back of MiniTruckin' magazine for about $85. The last thing you will need is an adjustable alignment cam bushing, those are about $40-60. Last but not least you WILL need an alignment...

Ryan

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

i heated my coil springs up and compressed all of mine together and cut the bump stops out completely, i havent had any problem except it eating tires like a *****. and mines droped 6 in the front and 3'' blocks in the back

You realize that doing what you did is probably why you use tires up so fast.

Your geometry for your front suspension is probably all out of whack as well, cause premature wear on probably all of your components.

Granted 3" blocks in the back, I've heard of.

I've never heard of someone dropping the front 6" the way you've described. Lowest front end of an explorer I've seen, that was done right, and without air components is Spdrcer34, who runs lowering springs AND lowering i-beams I believe which is a 5" total drop.

I can't imagine going an inch lower with just "heated and compressed" springs.