TECH--- how to lower the front of a shoebox with little or no money!

Because the lowered stance will bring the lower control arms in contact with the rubber bump stops, causing the car to "porpoise" up and down on bumps...trick is to cut the bump-stops down. I left mine about 3/4ths of an inch long and it worked fine for me. I also cut my coils which stiffened them but I didn' use the spacers.

 

I'm getting ready to pull the Aerostar coils I installed on my '51 shoebox last winter and cut 1-1.25 coils out since the springs didn't get me quite as low as I'd wanted. Might have to consider this instead...


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Obviously a super old thread but did you ever try this with the Aerostar coils or nah?

 

Did you have to heat and bend the steering arm at all since it's moving the upright up 6"?

 

I cut my Aerostar springs and it sits nice but rides like crap. Glad this popped up again. I may try this this winter along with new springs.

 

I did Aerostar Springs and Fatman dropped uprights. The uprights didn't fit worth crap so I pulled them off. I planned on flipping the original uprights but I don't want to mess with heating and bending the steering arms. I'm just wondering since flipping the uprights moves the steering arm up 2.5 inches and requires bending, if doing this requires the same since it's essentially the same thing. Also on that note does cutting out the Spring pocket for clearance require adding any bracing or reinforcement?

 

Yup. Heated and bent the arms down and then heated the ends of the arms and bent them up to make them level with the ground. That made the steering arms shorter, giving me quicker steering, using the original steering gear. I also used a 1.25" 70s Z-28/trans am stabilizer bar on mine and loved the way it drove. Quick steering and level turning. I don't remember how I attached the ends of the GM stabilizer bar to the Ford lower control arms.

 

Did the arms bend straight down or did you pull them back at all? Remember how many inches down you bent them...2"?
I'm thinking of making a jig to do the arms so I can take them to my buddys shop that has the torch

 

Don't remember how far I bent the arms, sorry, it's been over 30 years and many cars ago. I used a chevy S.B. and the center bar cleared the oil pan by 5/8ths in. After bending the arms the tie rods were level with the ground. Drove very nice.

 

No I never got the chance to. I ended up selling the car unfortunately

 

How is the best way to ta ke slack out of original shoebox steering box?