Lowering springs for 96 Cobra, best compromise between height and ride quality?

[Spiney]

I've got my money saved and I want to get my lowering springs bought and installed. I'm looking for the best compromise between ride height and ride quality. I want to see a difference from the too high factory stance, but I don't want the ride to be too stiff. A local shop told me the Ford Racing springs will only drop my car about an inch. He also said that he heard the OEM for FRP springs is Eibach. Any truth to that? I want to buy springs and new isolators and not just cut my original springs. I'm keeping all of my original parts in case someone, someday wants to put the car back to as delivered condition.

So what do you recommend? Thanks, Spiney-Dave

 

[4valved]

Steeda sport springs. Great ride quality and lowers about 1.25 inch

 

[Noreast]

If you want low get sportlines

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Eibach Pro-kit offers about the best all around compromise IMO

1.5" drop and very close to stock spring rates.

 

[Av3ng3d]

I've got h&r super sports. To me they give the perfect drop and the ride quality is not nearly as bad in comparison to past lowered cars I've owned. SRT-4s and AWD DSMs give a very harsh ride when lowered compared to our SN95s so to me the Super Sports give a perfect balance with my Cobra.

 

[SpittingCobra]

quality shocks help the ride quality as well, mine has a 2" drop and the worn shocks is what makes it harsh

 

[Shake&Bake]

Eibach Pro-kit offers about the best all around compromise IMO

1.5" drop and very close to stock spring rates.

Eibach pro kit on my Cobra. Been on the car for years, honestly they are okay. Drop isn't enough IMHO, and going to swap out with some H&R's next month. Shocks/struts like mentioned above is a big factor to the overall ride comfort.

 

[SVT CAMR]

This is just the thread I needed.

I am also going to be looking for the same ride as yourself OP. My original thoughts were to use the stock springs because I did not think would be a happy medium.

After looking at the car for the past 2 weeks as it sits it looks kind of silly at the current height. It is lowered also with weight jackers and front coil overs. I really wanted to get rid of the front coil overs but only if I can come up with spring and dampener combos that suit me. I may just have to get new coil over springs that are stiffer. Then I can put the height where I want it.

The problem is the shock towers were not designed to use coil-overs on a daily basis. Yes it can be done but I'm not sure just because I can do it that I should do it.

I do have FRPP "C" springs in the attic but the drop in the front is going to cause problems with my exhaust and speed bumps.

The problem with threads like these is there are sooooooo many different opinions. This might be something you need to try out in someone else's car to see where things are at. op:

 

[crazycarlo]

I have Intrax springs and Monroe sensatracs that were both on the car when I bought it back in 07. Everyone who has ridden in my car compliments the ride quality. My car does sit low though. Also keep in mind depending on how you go you will need a low profile jack if you need to get under the car.

 

[Tickle]

Lol. Spring threads are like oil threads. I have Eibach pro and they work well with stock shocks/struts.

 

[J.Rovirosa]

Pro-kits on mine, likely wouldn't go any lower. Ride quality's pretty good, even with the factory struts and shocks, but even with the moderate drop they provide, I have scraped the front fascia and h-pipe on occasion. Also plan on getting a shorter pinion snubber and caster camber plates.

 

[greasy]

They Late Model Resto $100 springs are a steal and ride super comfy in my opinion!

 

[blacksheep-1]

You can also get progressive springs that offer a drop yet are wound to keep the ride decent, try HR on those. Most race guys don't like progressive because it adds another variable to the tuning of the chassis but for the street they work pretty well.

 

[LilBerx]

Eibach pro kit springs!! My car rides so much better than stock springs.

 

[97cobra1]

Eibach sportlines are trash. Terrible performance, they're for the look of a low car alone.

After many conversations with teh guys at Maximum Motorsports i went with their suspension all around. MM shocks/struts/lca's/MM street spriongs.

Edit: I switchefd from sportlines to MM stuff. So i'm speaking from experience of using them, AND the actual tech and numbers from MM staff.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Eibach sportlines are trash. Terrible performance, they're for the look of a low car alone.

After many conversations with teh guys at Maximum Motorsports i went with their suspension all around. MM shocks/struts/lca's/MM street spriongs.

Edit: I switchefd from sportlines to MM stuff. So i'm speaking from experience of using them, AND the actual tech and numbers from MM staff.

I love MM suspension but also, they will want to sell you their parts.


Pro-kit for MOST people is the best all around spring there is.
Progressive rates that keep a close to stock feel, decent 1.5" drop.

Ford "C" spings are the same IIRC.

Sure there are others that are lower, others that may ride a little better, etc...

After 27 or so years in this and many many brands and types of spings that is my conclusion.

They will do decent on a roadcourse, transfer a little weight on drag launch and ride decent on the street with a decent drop.

 

[SublimeRT]

I had Ford B springs in my car for years. They rode great. They didn't initially give me as much drop as I wanted so I cut a bit off of them but nothing drastic and it did not hurt ride quality. They are a progressive spring which helps with the ride. The spring rates aren't much higher than stock either. The C springs use the same rears as the Bs. The fronts in the Cs are much stiffer though. There's charts on the internet with spring rates for most factory and aftermarket SN95 springs.

 

[SublimeRT]

I did not write this list and therefore do not know the accuracy of it. You will have to do your own research if you want to verify this information.

Rate(lb/in) Drop(in.)
PartNo. front rear front rear
'87 Mustang 2.3L 370 160
'87-93 Mustang 5.0 425-530 200-300
'93 Mustang Cobra 425-530 160
'93 Mustang Cobra R 750-850 240-260
'94-95 Mustang Cobra 400 160
'95 SVT Cobra R M-5310-R58 700-850
M-5560-R58 200-260
'96-98 Mustang Cobra 400-505 165-265
'99-04 Mustang V6 OEM 400 190
'99-04 Mustang GT OEM 450 210
2000 SVT Cobra R (Eibach) M-5310-R00 800
M-5560-R00 750 (IRS)
2001 SVT Cobra OE M 500 470 (IRS)
2001 Bullitt 1R3Z-5310-CA (front) 600
1R3Z-5560-AA (rear) 250 0.75 0.75 1R3C-5560-AA ?
2003 Mach 1 3R3Z-5310-AA (front) 600 3R33-5310-CA, 3R33-5310-AA ?
3R3Z-5560-AA (rear) 250 0.50 0.50 3R33-5560-BB
2003 SVT Cobra (Conv.) OEM 500 470 (IRS)
2003 SVT Cobra Coupe OEM 600 600 (IRS)
BBK Progressive BBK2510 ?? ?? 1 0.8
Dech Speeddrive 1000-1200 210-280 1.5"
Eibach Prokit 425-530 200-300 1.50 1.50
Eibach ProKit Convertible 460-570 170-310 1.5 1.5
Eibach ProKit Coupe 460-570 200-250 1.50 1.50
Eibach Racekit 700-850 200-260
Eibach Sportline 425-630 140-295 2.00 2.00
Ford Motorsports B M-5300-B 425-530 200-300 1.50 0.75
Ford Motorsports C M-5300-C 650 200-300 1.50 0.75
Ford Motorsports F M-5300-F 460-570 200-250 1.50 1.50
Ford Motorsports G (Conv.) M-5300-G 460-570 170-310 1.50 1.50
Ford Motorsports R M-5300-R 700-850 200-260
Global West 800 160 1 1
Global West Comp 1000 160 1 1
Global West Drag 680 160 1 1
H&R Cobra Convertible Race 750-850 770 (IRS)
H&R Cobra Coupe 700-760 685 (IRS)
H&R Cobra Vert Super Sport 700-760 685 (IRS)
H&R Race 750-850 260-280 1.25 1.00
H&R Sport 490-575 250-285 1.60 1.50
H&R Super Race 950-1050 260-300 1.25 1.25
H&R Super Sport Coupe 51652-77 700-760 275-300 1.75 1.60
H&R Super Sports Vert 51658-77 700-760? 275-300? 2 1.6
Intrax 2 2
Jamex 450-550 170-220 1.5 1.5
Jamex Sportsprings 425-450 180-225 1.50 1.50
Kenny Brown 650 800 (IRS) 2 1.25
MAC Progressives 450-520 200-230
MRT MRT-301 650 200-250 1.25 1.25
Progress 580 250-300 1.75 1.75
Saleen (Eibach ProKit?) 460-570 200-250
Roush Sport SM01-37X0-V8 1.50 0.80
Steeda Competition 555-8240 750-850 250 1.25 1.25
Steeda Full Comp [front] 121-4540-001 850-1050 N/A 1.50 N/A
Steeda Sport 223-9004 650 200-250 1.25 1.25
Suspension Tech Street 725 230
Suspension Tech Comp 850 280

 

[Fox 5.0]

Eibach sportlines are trash. Terrible performance, they're for the look of a low car alone.

After many conversations with teh guys at Maximum Motorsports i went with their suspension all around. MM shocks/struts/lca's/MM street spriongs.

Edit: I switchefd from sportlines to MM stuff. So i'm speaking from experience of using them, AND the actual tech and numbers from MM staff.

Whats the drop on the MM springs? They literally have no information on their website about them.

 

[Lzr96Snake]

I had Ford B springs in my car for years. They rode great. They didn't initially give me as much drop as I wanted so I cut a bit off of them but nothing drastic and it did not hurt ride quality. They are a progressive spring which helps with the ride. The spring rates aren't much higher than stock either. The C springs use the same rears as the Bs. The fronts in the Cs are much stiffer though. There's charts on the internet with spring rates for most factory and aftermarket SN95 springs.

How much of the springs did you cut front and rear? I've got B springs on my Cobra but wish it was a little lower. I've been wanting to cut them but didn't know how much, or if the ride quality would suffer a lot.