88 T-Bird springs and shocks/struts recommendations

[MeanGene]

What are you using for springs and shocks/struts on you birds? What works best for good performance. I want to replace the springs because one side of the vehicle is about an inch higher than the other and it goes around left turns better than right. I think the left side springs are soft, at least the left rear one. I am not into lowering the vehcile, but I might go an inch or so if it will improve the handling. I would also like to stiffen the front struts. Is there a strut brace made for our vehicles that we could bolt on, not that it needs it, but every little bit helps.

[MeanGene]

Originally Posted by MeanGene

What are you using for springs and shocks/struts on you birds? What works best for good performance. I want to replace the springs because one side of the vehicle is about an inch higher than the other and it goes around left turns better than right. I think the left side springs are soft, at least the left rear one. I am not into lowering the vehcile, but I might go an inch or so if it will improve the handling. I would also like to stiffen the front struts. Is there a strut brace made for our vehicles that we could bolt on, not that it needs it, but every little bit helps.

Found this place what do you think?

http://www.kennybrown.com/tbirdparts.html

[MeanGene]

Seems like most of the information I need comes from the CoolCats web site. I just have to make sure that the Cougar information will work on my Thunderbird. I may have found a source for the M-5300-E spring kits. But since nobody every reads these posts they will never know.

[Ralph78]

Originally Posted by MeanGene

What are you using for springs and shocks/struts on you birds? What works best for good performance. I want to replace the springs because one side of the vehicle is about an inch higher than the other and it goes around left turns better than right. I think the left side springs are soft, at least the left rear one. I am not into lowering the vehcile, but I might go an inch or so if it will improve the handling. I would also like to stiffen the front struts. Is there a strut brace made for our vehicles that we could bolt on, not that it needs it, but every little bit helps.

Replace the front sway bar, and bushings, with a larger unit. I believe the one for the Super Coupe will fit and it is at least an eighth of an inch larger. After market suspension parts are available, I installed an AFCO? sway bar on my 88 Bird (5.0 V-8) years ago and it still handles well after 272,000 miles. I replace the Shocks and Struts every 40,000-50,000 miles with "High End" HD Grabrial units.

You should replace all four springs, never replace just the springs on one side. You could replace the springs on the front or rear, but if you replace both springs on one side, you should replace the other side, or the handling will be way off. Replace the shocks/struts with heavy duty units, again aftermarket suspension outfits will have something, but they will be quite expensive. I would go with HD Gabrial units. I never found a strut brace for my 88 bird. I believe a brace for the Mustang could be modified to fit. (I have found that with the Arc Welder and Cutting Torch I use for fabracation and repair of my Dirt Track Stock Car, everything can be made to fit.)

You are right, very little response to this forum. I notice a lot of referals to a forum/club that costs $40 a year to be a member. The Linclon Mark VIII forum, on the other hand, is excellent, with a lot of traffic and great "How To" sections with step by step procedures for various maintance items. I sure wish we could get the same level of interest for our Birds. Note: Some of the items covered in the Linclon Mark 8 forum apply to my 1997 LX with Sport Package, and to the 1993-1997 T-Birds in general.

Ralph

[Ralph78]

Originally Posted by MeanGene

Found this place what do you think?

http://www.kennybrown.com/tbirdparts.html

RE: My previous post, I checked out the above url and have some comments.
Bilstein Shocks and Struts are very high quality and excellent units. BUT I don't believe in paying 100-200+% more for a small improvement when compaired to good HD parts from Gabrial or other parts mfg.

Caster Plus Kit may be a good idea if you are concerned about front tire wear, I like mine with about 2 Deg. in at the top on each side, as I corner harder than normal I find the handling is imporved, so don't have it corrected. I also get even tire wear, instead of wearing the outside of the front tires due to hard cornering.

Polyurethane Bushings are a great low cost addition and deff. will improve the handling. See if you can get "Polygraphite" bushings as they don't "squeek" due to graphite imbeded in the Polyurethane.

The Sport Springs are OK, but I have found that I get better handling on rough roads if I leave the spring rates stock, and beef up the Sway Bar, Bushings and Shocks/Struts.

TracKit Axle Brackets Sounds like a good idea, especially if you are having problems with wheel hop or buzzing up the rear tires on corner exit.

The chassis support "stuff" looks good.

Ralph