springs

[bigredball90]

Im going to be replacing the shocks in my truck soon and was wondering if I replaced the springs in it with 6cyl springs if that would lower it better than cutting the coils? Also what is needed to add front and rear sway bars?

[fordman]

i dont know if 6 cyl springs will let it lower very much with a larger engine in it. it might.

to add a sway bar you need the sway bar and all four brackets. 2 of the brackets bolt to the bottom of the frame. the other to bolt under the springs and around the radius arms. i dont remember the rear swap bar setup.

[robroy]

Hey BigRedBall90!

If you want to see how much six cylinder springs would lower your truck, you could find out how much additional weight your FE has over the six cylinder engine, then find a six cylinder truck and add that much weight to the top (maybe sacks of cement on the hood). Then measure.

Then you could compare that measurement to the ride height of your truck as-is and see if you like it or not.

As you probably know, the downfall of this strategy is that springs sag in different ways over the years, and it would be hard to know how much the six cylinder truck springs had already sagged, before your test.

I doubt anybody's going to be able to tell you how much it'll drop the front end though, unless they've done exactly what you're proposing already on their truck. And maybe somebody has!

Robroy

[bigredball90]

I have a 302 so not much of a difference there probably, unfortunately my parts truck also has a 302. Im the only one in my area with a bump thats remotely interested in them unfortunately so I cant use someone elses. Good idea though.
With the front sway bars are the holes already in the frame or do they need to be drilled?
Thanks

[fordman]

idk. but the holes are only for the largest maybe a 3/8 bolt hole.