What’s everyone doing for lowering kits? 2010 sport trac

[m j]

my Scale arrived yesterday. might have a go at installing them today. I dunno who started that rumour about the axle pass thru at the frame being a limiting factor but its ridiculous

 

[HeyNiceSporty]

I will be interested to hear more about your experience with this kit. Thinking about it myself.

I agree that the comment about the driveshaft is probably someone who is confused. They probably didn't understand the idea that these are independent rear suspension and the issue may be half-shaft angles. I do know of a friend that had a ST that he lowered by altering the strut mounts, and the rear camber angles got to be a bit much.

 

[m j]

I will be interested to hear more about your experience with this kit. Thinking about it myself.

I agree that the comment about the driveshaft is probably someone who is confused. They probably didn't understand the idea that these are independent rear suspension and the issue may be half-shaft angles. I do know of a friend that had a ST that he lowered by altering the strut mounts, and the rear camber angles got to be a bit much.

 

[m j]

I will be interested to hear more about your experience with this kit. Thinking about it myself.

I agree that the comment about the driveshaft is probably someone who is confused. They probably didn't understand the idea that these are independent rear suspension and the issue may be half-shaft angles. I do know of a friend that had a ST that he lowered by altering the strut mounts, and the rear camber angles got to be a bit much.

I spent 3 hrs or so on a sat night in my gravel driveway by flashlight installing the coilovers.

the fronts are actually easier then the rear which is the opposite of what I expected.
- I couldnt find the proper metric socket so I had to use a 15/16 on the lower strut mount
- a 21mm on the tierod
- I think my swaybar links are aftermarket using 11/16 and 5/8
- the three 13mm nuts I hit with some penetrating oil, discovered I could get my m12 stubby on them from above and they rattled (a bit fun on the pass side to get it)

the rears I already had apart to chop the coils so the removal was not bad.
- 15/16 backing wrench and 15/16 socket to rattle the lower strut and the control arm at the knuckle with the 1/2" m18
- 14mm for the swaybar end links ( maybe leave these undone until both sides are in so you dont have to fight them )
- ratcheting wrench the three 13mm nuts, tedious

the coilovers have a 'band' like a missing thread as a warning so you dont thread them out too much ( I am going low so doesnt that apply) and I used it as a reference to set the height adjuster using the scale marker on the body. I put the rears at 6.0 and the fronts at 5.0 on the scale to that missing band. I think it has about another 1½" of thread it can go down. tbh it was dark and I was just picking a starting point and I havent changed it. I did a test drive and said 'looks good enough' and locked the jam nuts as per the instructions. I did slather anti-sieze over the threads on everything I touched ymmv but that is how I roll.

with cut springs it would bottom on moderate bumps, doesnt do that now. mission accomplished. it is super easy.

 

[HeyNiceSporty]

I appreciate all the detail here. The stance on yours is really good.
Your last sentence answered my nagging question "Why not just cut a coil off the spring that came on the original struts?"
That's how I used to do it on old cars. I am just really looking for a light drop on the front. Not as much as your drop.

How much of a cut did you try with the original struts? More than one coil?

 

[m j]

I appreciate all the detail here. The stance on yours is really good.
Your last sentence answered my nagging question "Why not just cut a coil off the spring that came on the original struts?"
That's how I used to do it on old cars. I am just really looking for a light drop on the front. Not as much as your drop.

How much of a cut did you try with the original struts? More than one coil?

I cut 2 full coils in the rear. and it exposed the strut did not have the up travel to get the ride height I wanted. I never cut the front as I was going to get these coilovers ( I had planned to get them before I experimented with cut coils ) and was under the impression it would be more difficult to remove the struts. I read somewhere that I would have to release the knuckle at ball joints, which turns out to not be the case at all. the front is easy

 

[Jimeth]

Dropping your Sport Trac several inches should not have any impact of the driveshafts going through the frame. After all, the factory already did it with the Adrenalin setup --several inches lower than the no-Adrenalin editions -- and no problems were ever experienced. Jim