Can members tell me pro's and Con's of Eibachs lowering springs ?

[AmsterDutch]

I'm wanting to purchase Eibach lowering springs due to my back springs being shot....would like to know ppl' opinions on the pro's and Con's of lowering kit springs ....Thanks

 

[1LoudLS]

pros:
lower center of gravity
better looks

Cons:
less ground clearance
slightly stiffer ride (less travel)
if you are not running OEM wheels, correct offset range is even more important


are you sure that your springs are shot and not your shocks? when doing springs(short of being on a new/er car) I always recommend replacing shocks at the same time.

 

[AmsterDutch]

pros:
lower center of gravity
better looks

Cons:
less ground clearance
slightly stiffer ride (less travel)
if you are not running OEM wheels, correct offset range is even more important


are you sure that your springs are shot and not your shocks? when doing springs(short of being on a new/er car) I always recommend replacing shocks at the same time.

Thanks for the response Loud! As always your input is much appreciated ...yes the springs in the back are way gone almost think there may be a hair line crack in them....I was dreading hearing that it would make it a stiffer ride ....because I've always had the opinion Ford in general has a rougher ride than other big box car companies...with that being said this is a luxury Sport car and it needs to be stiff in order to handle like a sports should...Yes I will be replacing shock absorbers for sure along with lower control arms both front and back....I see a 2002 LS is for sale it is damn near mint except for the motor is shot and I mean really shot but other than the motor this car is mint ...black on black ...I'm thinking about using it has a parts car ...it has all the bells and whistles including a K&N cold air ...red calipers powder coated ....I want to use the halo head lights and use the hood to replace mine If I knew more about cars I would literally swap out my engine and put it in this car....with that being said if I decide to buy this 2002 black on Black I'm going to restore my 2001 almost to new with all new suspension ...need to find out if the control arms are still good in this 2002 ...if so I would swap those also ...save me a boat load of money....I like hearing the lower center of gravity because this LS Bucks pretty good when it's really windy...anyway I said to much already ....thanks again for all the info

 

[1LoudLS]

I was dreading hearing that it would make it a stiffer ride ....because I've always had the opinion Ford in general has a rougher ride than other big box car companies...

yeah, thats (almost) always the biggest downside to lowering your car, once you reduce the amount of suspension travel, then there is less distance the suspension has to stop and absorb any movement. and if you have adjustable dampers, you can make it soften the hit, but too soft and its just going to bottom out quicker and more often. a real good set of coilovers can often be used with out too much negative effect. and compared to most older Cadillacs and heavy chevys where a soft ride is one of their bigger focuses, most ford cars tend to have a lot harsher rides with exception of the Lincolns that ride on air. it does seem like a big ford thing. mustangs seem to ride stiffer than camaros and especially chargers and other FCA land yachts. its even worse on their official sport versions... anything under the Ford Performance banner, while having some of the best handling, have absolutely terrible ride quality. now my ST only sits about .5" lower than a standard focus, but even on smooth roads its pretty rough, on the standard Michigan road (which is often worse than 90% of every blown up road in Iraq) its down right terrible. and what I really don't understand is with their magnetorheological shocks. with a CTS-V, the ride is super soft and comfortable but yet can adjust so fast it handles perfectly, the corvette is almost as good but damn if the Shelby and RS are not just mind boggling rough, even set to their most "comfortable" settings. dont get me wrong, I appreciate ford's aggressive approach to track handling but damn if they dont make it as hard as possible to daily drive one

with that being said this is a luxury Sport car and it needs to be stiff in order to handle like a sports should...

bingo

I like hearing the lower center of gravity because this LS Bucks pretty good when it's really windy...

really? the LS with its low side profile and heavy weight seems to be one of the most rock solid wind resistance cars I have ever owned.

 

[AmsterDutch]

yeah, thats (almost) always the biggest downside to lowering your car, once you reduce the amount of suspension travel, then there is less distance the suspension has to stop and absorb any movement. and if you have adjustable dampers, you can make it soften the hit, but too soft and its just going to bottom out quicker and more often. a real good set of coilovers can often be used with out too much negative effect. and compared to most older Cadillacs and heavy chevys where a soft ride is one of their bigger focuses, most ford cars tend to have a lot harsher rides with exception of the Lincolns that ride on air. it does seem like a big ford thing. mustangs seem to ride stiffer than camaros and especially chargers and other FCA land yachts. its even worse on their official sport versions... anything under the Ford Performance banner, while having some of the best handling, have absolutely terrible ride quality. now my ST only sits about .5" lower than a standard focus, but even on smooth roads its pretty rough, on the standard Michigan road (which is often worse than 90% of every blown up road in Iraq) its down right terrible. and what I really don't understand is with their magnetorheological shocks. with a CTS-V, the ride is super soft and comfortable but yet can adjust so fast it handles perfectly, the corvette is almost as good but damn if the Shelby and RS are not just mind boggling rough, even set to their most "comfortable" settings. dont get me wrong, I appreciate ford's aggressive approach to track handling but damn if they dont make it as hard as possible to daily drive one



bingo



really? the LS with its low side profile and heavy weight seems to be one of the most rock solid wind resistance cars I have ever owned.

Minnesota is in the same class when it comes to shitty roads....just like Michigan us in Minnesota have two SEASONS winter and road construction anywhy I've driven worst cars in the wind but I also have driven better and I'm glad you gave me conformation on the harsher ride of Ford cars ...I've always admired the Cadillac because it's like driving cloud of air but I agree the sag while turning is horrible ....well I have some things to think about...one last thing ...do you have any suggestions on what shock absorbers would work best if I go with the Eibach lower springs kit?

 

[AmsterDutch]

yeah, thats (almost) always the biggest downside to lowering your car, once you reduce the amount of suspension travel, then there is less distance the suspension has to stop and absorb any movement. and if you have adjustable dampers, you can make it soften the hit, but too soft and its just going to bottom out quicker and more often. a real good set of coilovers can often be used with out too much negative effect. and compared to most older Cadillacs and heavy chevys where a soft ride is one of their bigger focuses, most ford cars tend to have a lot harsher rides with exception of the Lincolns that ride on air. it does seem like a big ford thing. mustangs seem to ride stiffer than camaros and especially chargers and other FCA land yachts. its even worse on their official sport versions... anything under the Ford Performance banner, while having some of the best handling, have absolutely terrible ride quality. now my ST only sits about .5" lower than a standard focus, but even on smooth roads its pretty rough, on the standard Michigan road (which is often worse than 90% of every blown up road in Iraq) its down right terrible. and what I really don't understand is with their magnetorheological shocks. with a CTS-V, the ride is super soft and comfortable but yet can adjust so fast it handles perfectly, the corvette is almost as good but damn if the Shelby and RS are not just mind boggling rough, even set to their most "comfortable" settings. dont get me wrong, I appreciate ford's aggressive approach to track handling but damn if they dont make it as hard as possible to daily drive one



bingo



really? the LS with its low side profile and heavy weight seems to be one of the most rock solid wind resistance cars I have ever owned.

P.S. I think I made the worst mistake by replacing the MotorCraft shock absorbers in the front with a pair of Gabriel's ....these Gabriel's feel terrible ...first and last time I ever will buy them... I want them off ASAP

 

[toby1234]

I worked at Autozone and Gabriel shocks suck. I sold many because they were cost effective and I’ve used them in a car or two. Customers would swap them out often and the ones I used on my own cars were too soft. Unless you get their mono tube shock or better, they are all mostly low performing shocks.