UCA Drop- Shocks are too short??

[prayers1 153]

I just did the UCA drop and 1" lowering springs from Eaton Detroit Springs.

The motor and trans are out, but I did put tension on the springs by jacking the car up at the LCA. The shocks Excel-G 343146 are at least an 1" too short. I tried everything and cant get them any closer and if I do, which I doubt that I can, if the suspension travel expands the shock will be the first to bottom out.

 

Do I need a longer set because of the UCA drop.

 

Thanks for your help!

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Attach top of shock and plate,Jack under the lower ball joint to raise the lower arm to attach the lower shock mounting bolts.

Shocks will work when its sitting on the ground without travel problems.

[prayers1 153]

That's what I already did to the point of lifting the almost a foot. Could it be the springs are to stiff. The new springs are a whole coil shorter then what was on before.

 

I'm thinking that I'd have to do this after the motor and trans are in, maybe that will give more downward pressure to allow the shocks to bolt on.

[Rsanter 152]

When doing modifications to the suspension I always recommend that you cycle the suspension through its travel without the spring in place. You can have the shock in place and test it

Remember that you will want the spring guard on with the travel bumper stop which should contact before shock bottoms out.

Also. Check your hood clearance as you could put a couple of washers between the shock top and the shock bracket like they did with the 65 Shelby's

 

Bob

[prayers1 153]

If I had to use washers, I would need about an inch of them,

 

With the wheels on the ground, I can bounce the front by pushing down on the radiator support, the wheels do not leave the ground. With the old springs I couldn't do that, they were a lot stiffer.

 

With 1" lowering springs, I don't understand what the problem is.

[1969Fstback 58]

I actually put new kyb's on mine last night. Still had engine and tranny in the car. No other modifications. I put the a small floor jack under the passenger side ball join and it came up. The driver side it start to pick the car up. If you look at the lower ball joing it's close to being directly under the spring. There is no leverage to pivot the suspension. The one option I was looking at was to spin the top of the shock to let it go down into the hole, bolt the bottom on, put the wheel back on and then lower the car on the wheel slowly letting the shock come back up. The wheel obviously sticks out fare enough to get the leverage need. However, I was able to get just enough to where I didn't need to do that.

[RPM 1,190]

Don't tighten the LCA bolt until all the weight is on car. This pic shows how they modified the upper shock mount on the GT350's.

 

 

I took the pic but didn't make the height of the spacer.

 

 

Bob

[prayers1 153]

If I raise the shock at the top with spacers as they did on the GT's that would raise the bottom even higher. My problem is that the bottom of the shock is an inch away from its mount.

 

I have bolted and tighten all of the suspension. Are you saying to loosen up on the LCA bolt and this might give more slack? I will try that and raise the lower ball joint with a jack to see if that will work.

[Rsanter 152]

Ok, I'm thinking of the wrong problem.

Duh....too short

 

Do you have the engine in the car? I'm thinking no

Don't put the shocks in till you can have more weight on the front of the car. Then you bolt the bottom of the shock in and put the car on the ground and then you can attach the top of the shock.

I have my upper arm relocated 2" down and this is what I have to do

 

If you really must do it now you can use an external spring compressor to compress the spring and bolt the shocks in

 

Bob

[LoneWolf2U 136]

If I raise the shock at the top with spacers as they did on the GT's that would raise the bottom even higher. My problem is that the bottom of the shock is an inch away from its mount.

 

I have bolted and tighten all of the suspension. Are you saying to loosen up on the LCA bolt and this might give more slack? I will try that and raise the lower ball joint with a jack to see if that will work.

 

Loosen the lower arm bolt, install tire and jack under tire to raise the lower arm to attach shock.

Tight lower bolt causes the lower arm movement to transfer to bushing and binds it some.

[prayers1 153]

No dire need to install the shocks now. I just thought to put it all together while waiting for the motor to be done. I can weight until I put the motor and trans it to gain more weight.

 

Mach1Rider- Had to take the daughter for a College visit today, I'll try what you suggest tomorrow. If it's still a problem, I'll wait as stated above.

BTW- Hows the new turf?

[Fordrevhead 29]

Jacking from the lca does absolutely nothing. You are reducing the lever arm from the lower pivot to the tire to from the lower pivot to the jack. You are still using the same weight with this reduced lever arm.

[ashleesmach1 28]

did you ever get the shocks installed ?

[prayers1 153]

Yes I did. At first I put the tires back on and tried to jack up the LCA, No luck. Then I loosen the LCA, then placed the wheels on the ground, this gave me just enough to install the shocks.

 

Here's a picture I took tonight, the shocks are KBY and are black making it hard to see.

[ashleesmach1 28]

excellent!

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Looking good Prayers,

The kids have my car in thier garage detaling it to get all the cali dust off and out of it.

Back in So Cal working on loading last of stuff to move north.