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Which FMS springs, "C" or "B"?
For those that run with either the FMS "C" or "B", can you tell me some things as I am looking into one of these in about a week.
1) Why did you pick "C" over "B" or vise versa 2) How low do you think it dropped your car (94-98 only)? 3) Which is better for street perf? 4) Any small tips on install would be helpful. Thanks. If you don't feel like answering all those questions, please just answer question 1 and 2 because I really want to know. ------------------ Blueneonman - '95 5.0L Mustang GT Convertible | K&N Custom Cold Air Intake | FMS 9mm Wires | Hollow Cats | Flowmaster 2 Chambers | BBK Subframes | 6-pt Rollcage | King Cobra Clutch | FMS Adjustable Clutch Cable | B&M Short Throw | Coolest Neon Lighting on a Mustang EVER! Homepage: http://www16.brinkster.com/blueneonman/ |
I have "C" springs in my fox-body mustang and I picked them because I wanted better handling. The C Springs lower the ride height the same amount as the B springs, but C's have a 650lb/in spring rate compared to the B's stock rating of 400lb/in. The ride is worse with the C's, but I didn't care, because the ride was nothing to brag about with the stock springs. It says in the summit catalog I have that both C & B springs lower 94-95 cars by 1.125 inches in the front and 0.75 inches in the rear. If I had your car I would definitely get the C springs, because I like better handling. However If you like how the car handles now and you want to keep a decent ride over bumps then get the B's. ------------------ 1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs |
One tip on installation.
Reuse or buy a new rubber spacer for the front springs. Its the piece of rubber that coils along the bottom of the spring and rests in the control arm. Mine was too badly worn to reuse, so I went without it. If you go without it the car will sit about 1/4 to 3/8 inch lower than what it is supposed to. The problem I had is this made it hard to adjust my camber, so one front tire actually had a different camber than the other. The car is aligned right and drives straight, but it will affect tire wear. Mine might be a specific case, but the moral if the story is reuse the old piece of rubber or buy a new one beforehand. |
In my opinion if you are going to lower your car you might as well get some caster/camber plates to avoid the alignment problems like MTU 50 has. Don't believe what you read about the drop these springs will have with your car. Summit said they would drop my car 7/8" both front and back. They only drop the front. The stock ride height will be retained in the rear unless you cut a coil off the rear springs and the front ones actually dropped my car 1 1/2".
Tips: Buy new spring isolators before installing the springs. Have a friend available to help. Be safe. Keep your body out of the springs trajectory in case they come flying out at you. This should not be a problem though. Make sure you have access to an air compressor and an impact wrench. Have a 6' pry bar handy Buy some performance struts and shocks for your car before installing the springs. The stock units won't hold up with lowered springs. Good luck! ------------------ Gunning for 12's! http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241 [This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 07-28-2001).] |
Thanks MTU 50 and 2FastLX! Lots of helpful info. I have a few more questions...
I have heard of people cutting a coil out of the rear springs to lower the height. From what I hear from you guys, the drop in the rear is nothing to brag about so I may want to do this. Which springs "C" or "B" would I do this on? How is this done? Has anyone done this? What tool do you use to cut a coil? Also, should I buy spring isolators for all four springs or just the front? What about the airbag, should I reuse he stock one, trash it, or what? Thanks. ------------------ Blueneonman - '95 5.0L Mustang GT Convertible | K&N Custom Cold Air Intake | FMS 9mm Wires | Hollow Cats | Flowmaster 2 Chambers | BBK Subframes | 6-pt Rollcage | King Cobra Clutch | FMS Adjustable Clutch Cable | B&M Short Throw | Coolest Neon Lighting on a Mustang EVER! Homepage: http://www16.brinkster.com/blueneonman/ |
The choice of getting B's or C's is really up to you. I love my C springs. The ride is a bit harsh on the bumps, but part of that has to do with my Koni Yellows which are a really stiff strut/shock even set at their softest setting. I went with the C's because I wanted my car to handle the corners which I think they really help out in that department because I can fly through some pretty hairy corners around where I live and the car begs for more.
I believe the difference in the B's and the C's is the type of spring they are. I know the C's are a specific rate spring, and if I am thinking correctly the B's are a progressive rate spring (just like the stock springs). Specific rate springs retain the same spring rate all the way through the compression of the spring. Progressive rate springs get progressively firmer as the spring compresses, allowing for a softer ride because the initial spring rate is a bit lower than it is when the spring is fully compressed. My vote... go with the C's. Your car will ride like a big Go-cart http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/biggrin.gif Oh yeah. Get new poly isolators for the front and rear. As for the air bags, I didn't even put mine back in and am regretting it now because my car will bottom out on large bumps. Might as well go with new ones if they are cheap enough. ------------------ Gunning for 12's! http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241 [This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 07-28-2001).] |
I like the go-cart idea http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/smile.gif. I think I will go with C's then. What about cutting a coil out of the rears? I want my car low as well as handling good. Anyone know how to do this? I'm helping green94droptop put in his C/C plates, Granatelli Msport springs, and offset bushings today, so that will prepare me for what's ahead. Thanks again everyone.
------------------ Blueneonman - '95 5.0L Mustang GT Convertible | K&N Custom Cold Air Intake | FMS 9mm Wires | Hollow Cats | Flowmaster 2 Chambers | BBK Subframes | 6-pt Rollcage | King Cobra Clutch | FMS Adjustable Clutch Cable | B&M Short Throw | Coolest Neon Lighting on a Mustang EVER! Homepage: http://www16.brinkster.com/blueneonman/ |
A die grinder with a cut-off wheel will do wonders for cutting the springs. I can't remember if it's a half coil or a full coil you are supposed to cut off of the C's, but there is a sheet of paper in the box that tells you.
------------------ Gunning for 12's! http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241 [This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 07-28-2001).] |
Love my Cs...cut one coil off the rears, and make sure both bottom pigtails are pointing towards the drivers side when you install them. Get some good shox/struts or it will ride like crap. And contrary to what some people say, CC are a must with the Cs, as the added negative camber ate up my tires in no time.
------------------ Clint L. White 95 Cobra #3637 58cc GT40X heads with mild porting, Crane 2031 cam, FRPP 65 TB, 1.7s, Cobra intake, homeade cold air, 155lph, pullies, Tokico Illuminas, C springs, GW LCAs, Kenny Brown super subs, Steeda CC plates, aluminum driveshaft, Steeda quadrant, B&M ripper, Kirban FPR, MSD6A, Taylor wires, Mac shorties, off road hpipe, 2 1/2 ultra flows w/ dumps, R hood, Euro clear corners, stock 3.08s 13.61 @ 105.7 w/ 2.22 |
TEXSN95, I assume you cut off a coil from your "C"'s. Do you have any pics of how low your car sits? Even if yo didn't cut the coils, pics would be appreciated, thanks.
------------------ Blueneonman - '95 5.0L Mustang GT Convertible | K&N Custom Cold Air Intake | FMS 9mm Wires | Hollow Cats | Flowmaster 2 Chambers | BBK Subframes | 6-pt Rollcage | King Cobra Clutch | FMS Adjustable Clutch Cable | B&M Short Throw | Coolest Neon Lighting on a Mustang EVER! Homepage: http://www16.brinkster.com/blueneonman/ |
I had mine cut 1 1/2 coils by dallas mustang, but only because the spring perch on the global west LCAs is about 1/4 inch higher than stock. It's almost perfect most of the, but sometimes it looks a tiny bit lower in the rear. Search for my car in the user's rides...I have a few picst here.
------------------ Clint L. White 95 Cobra #3637 58cc GT40X heads with mild porting, Crane 2031 cam, FRPP 65 TB, 1.7s, Cobra intake, homeade cold air, 155lph, pullies, Tokico Illuminas, C springs, GW LCAs, Kenny Brown super subs, Steeda CC plates, aluminum driveshaft, Steeda quadrant, B&M ripper, Kirban FPR, MSD6A, Taylor wires, Mac shorties, off road hpipe, 2 1/2 ultra flows w/ dumps, R hood, Euro clear corners, stock 3.08s 13.61 @ 105.7 w/ 2.22 <-- 284 rwhp / 323 rwtq |
It doesn't look like the Ford C's drop the SN95 cars as much as they do the Fox body cars. I think I would actually go with some Eibach Sportlines for the SN95 cars.
------------------ Gunning for 12's! http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241 |
Yeah, I had the C's on my car too. I didn't find the ride to harsh, but I did enjoy the improvement in handling! Especially the reduced brake dive it seemed to offer when I was hitting the brakes (I suppose ulitmately the amount of squat is the same, but for a given speed it would appear to be less?)
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I can't remember which set of springs I bought whether it was the C's or B's. But I will say with my Koni's yellows the car handles very well. However, I did lose a lot of off the line weight transfer. Becareful in your choice.
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Ok all, thanks again. I was speaking with a friend the other day noticing his '95 GT 'vert. was very low to the ground. I asked what his setup was and he said:
Rear: adjustable uppers, stock lowers, stock shocks and Kenny Brown anti squat brackets. Front: some different struts and Jamex 2" lowering springs. To me, the car looked slammed, but that probably just because I was comparing it to my 4x4 Mustang. Has anyone run with anti squat brakets? He also said that those brackets with the FMS C springs would definitely slam my car too low, but from you guys I'm hearing that FMS C's basically retain the stock height in the rear. I don't think my freind understands this, but I'd sure like my car looking as low as his. ------------------ Blueneonman - '95 5.0L Mustang GT Convertible | K&N Custom Cold Air Intake | FMS 9mm Wires | Hollow Cats | Flowmaster 2 Chambers | BBK Subframes | 6-pt Rollcage | King Cobra Clutch | FMS Adjustable Clutch Cable | B&M Short Throw | Coolest Neon Lighting on a Mustang EVER! Homepage: http://www16.brinkster.com/blueneonman/ |
The Cs will not give you the slammed looked...which looks dumb IMHO, screws up your front end geometry, gives WAY too much negative camber, decreases suspension travel, decreases ground clearance, more bumpsteer, tires hitting the fender more often. Did you ride in his car? I bet it rides like crap. You want more from your car than just looks..you want it to handle well, because you drive it everyday. I'm not real sure how the anti squat brackets work though, but on a street. All you have to do with the Cs is cut a coil off to even it out..like we've already said...and be done with it.
------------------ Clint L. White 95 Cobra #3637 58cc GT40X heads with mild porting, Crane 2031 cam, FRPP 65 TB, 1.7s, Cobra intake, homeade cold air, 155lph, pullies, Tokico Illuminas, C springs, GW LCAs, Kenny Brown super subs, Steeda CC plates, aluminum driveshaft, Steeda quadrant, B&M ripper, Kirban FPR, MSD6A, Taylor wires, Mac shorties, off road hpipe, 2 1/2 ultra flows w/ dumps, R hood, Euro clear corners, stock 3.08s 13.61 @ 105.7 w/ 2.22 <-- 284 rwhp / 323 rwtq |
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