I have the rear down to change my fuel pump , and I'm wondering how much of the rear springs should i cut off to get about a 1" lower ride height , and also do i cut from the top or the bottom? i know to use a cut off wheel and not a torch.. Anyone have a good solid answer on this and not a guess?

your not going to get a solid answer, every car is different. Usually start with a quarter coil, see what happens and try again if necessary.

cut the top, if you look at the springs, the bottom is pigtailed to fit the axle perch, its kinda useless without that end.

Or, you can remove the upper rubber insulator and just wrap that end of the spring with a piece of heater hose, the stock insulator is about 1" thick, so you may get what you want with no cutting. If the insulators dont come out with the springs, look up into the perch and you will see, smack it with a hammer and it will come right off, sometimes they stick.

Just my 2 cents dont cut them. It changes the spring load and the heat can cause stress areas while ur cutting them.. I've seen it work out and i've also seen it do alot of damage. Up to you what you want to do but please be careful when u cut them and remeber drop springs are not that expensive.....

Yeah, you could get almost an inch from the insulator alone, then if it's not enough cut 1/4 to 1/2 coil and you'll be there, using a cutoff wheel will work, just cool the area you're cutting a few times as to not heat it up too much. Later.

Well evrything has come apart nice and easy so far (knock on wood). No stripped anything or broken anything. Rear is resting comfortabley on floor jack still connected to trailing arms. I'm considering removing them and boxing them here at work with some .189 mild steel flat stock.Next is drop tank down.I think I'm going to try the heater hose idea when i reassemble next week after i get shocks.Thanks for the info!!

no change in spring load or rate so long as you dont cut with a torch. A sawzall would probably be better than a cutoff wheel though. The idea it to avoid introducing heat to the spring when cutting it. Heat will cause rate changes and weakening of the spring.

As an FYI: Removing the OE insulator and replacing it with heater hose resulted in a 1/2" drop in my car.

JamesC

The heater hose mod is a good choice. If that does work out for you we offer a 1.2" drop spring for the rear. I have them for $119.95 per pair. Give me a call if you have any questions.

http://www.bmrfabrication.com/

Bruce, any thought on putting an access panel so you don't have to drop your tank and rearend next time you got to change fuel pump. Later.

Come on 86TA why the mad look, you were with me when I put one in mine, lol. Later.

it its yours im thinking of, its the only nice one ive ever seen, 99% are hackjobs.

I would rather drop the tank once, convert to an external pump and be done with it.

lol 86TA soooo true. my dad did the hack job... well it was done before but he finished butchering it.

i do not advise the tank door. i would rather do wat 86ta said. i dropped it to just put in the walbro 255lph high pressure one... with my 480hp 383 i would hope it would be enough but idk if i decide to juice it with a 100-150hp shot if its gona be enough? wat u guys think? i might have to run an external one. how would this be done on a stock tank?

bruce91rs... i had sportlines 1.3" drop rear... took them out and sold them... too soft for me. i went with the moog 5665s... stock replacement. i removed the rubber insolater and did cover it with 3/8" fuel hose (non fuel injection line is real cheap) but i had also put 1/2 coil... im looking for a 1.5" drop. i have yet to kno how it rides or looks bc its still on stands. cutting a half coil will increase spring rate by 10% roughly... so half a coil wont increase much. stock is 107lbs in... 10% is a 11 lbs increase. i could be wrong by how much is cut for 10% increase but i kno im close... either 1/2 or full coil=10%

removal of the stock isolator is good for about 1/2" drop but cutting coils will depend on how much u cut for ur drop.

im going to stick with the " hoser " idea for now.and of course im hoping (knock on wood)i wont have to do another fuel pump.i went with kyb gr2 shocks in the rear (my cost $19.95 from ATECH )and an energy suspension poly sway bar bushing kit front and rear($12.90 each).when i save up some more money im gonna do front struts. and maybe poly front end rebuild kit.

Bruce,

I would like to second the idea on boxing in the LCA's, and would like to add, everything else too Left the bolts in the LCAs, welded them for good measure and then formed 3/16" cold rolled steel to them and started welding at one side and it turned out real nice, did the other two bars too. Now measuring for a rear brace/harness bar. Went with the Energy Suspension Black polygraphite bushings, imo, less squeaking, less cold binding.

im running the Gr2s up front and gas-a-justs in the rear. i just put the GR2s all the way around on the 86 TA. i like the gas-a-justs in the rear bc they are a hell of alot stiffer shock vs the Gr2. i plan on upgrading the GR2 front struts to KYB AGXs when i get the money.

i feel like the rear of these cars need to be contolled due to the low spring rate etc. i second the boxing but i made my own tubular stuff and it was super easy. i also went with the black energy suspension bushings for less squeek. my tubulars are thicker steel but still lighter than the stock unboxed LCAs. but if you dont have the fab skills i would just box the stock stuff and replace the bushings. should make a HUGE diff. dnt forget the panhard bar as well

Definitely. Don't mean to hi-jack a spring thread, but seems related in the whole modifying the suspension deal. I think that is going to be my next move in a while is to do the rod ends / heim joints, prices seem right. For a custom length of rod, can have Lowe's thread the rod in plumbing heh let me ask, the upper bar that helps with the side to side load forces (mounts to underbody of car) has one bolt hole that is stripped out, in your opinion, what would be the best way to take care of that? I'd hate to sheer a bolt off going into tight corners.

now i am thinking of returning gr2s and getting the agx. i dont mind a little stiffer. its only a v6 . if it cant go fast i at least want it to corner well.