Lowering & BF Diff. Cover Brace Questions

[GSPsnFORDs]

In the next 2 months I plan on lowering the Cobra with 3/4 coil cut stock springs, install a Billet Flow diff. cover brace, add steeda C/C plates, fix the steering rack creak (trim the stockers or buy MM alum. bushings), and add a Bassani catted X. In a nutshell, I plan to do this all at once since I'll be under the car for all these mods. Just have a few questions.

Diff. cover brace: For the rear spring install I plan to remove the 2 rear IRS bolts and swing the entire IRS down. At this point I planned on installing the BF brace too. Is this a good idea or should I go the full route and drop the entire IRS? I'm thinking that having the IRS lowered will ease in the install of the diff. cover brace.

Also, when re-installing the 2 rear IRS bolts I plan on using the low profile style bolts...looking into a future upgrade to 10.5" wheels. What size and what grade are the stock bolts? $10+change for S/H for 2 button-head cap screws is a little rediculous if you ask me! I know I can find them somewhere for a better price.

C/C Plates: Got the Steeda's on sale with free S/H for $225. Not bad. I looked at MM, J&M, QA1, and a couple others. The Steeda's are a little pricier (even on sale) but they look top notch compared to the others. Any opinions?

One more question. How many of you install a bump-steer kit when lowering? Is it absolutely necessary? I would rather do it right the first time so give me your thoughts. (Hopefully that statement doesn't sound contradictory since I am cutting stock springs. lol)

Thanks.

 

[hawaiiancobra]

lowering causes worse bumpsteer, on front, at least use steeda x2 ball joints, i never mess around with my car, i have a bumpsteer measuring kit, bumpsteer kit on front and rear of car. stock bump steer is no good on rear, x2 ball joints and bump steer kit is only way to go on front, most do nothing. diff brace can be put on w/diff in irs, no problem, easy. some lowering may help front geometry, still ford bump steer is excessive, tho i lowered my front 2.25" any lowering requires alignment and bumpsteering, you need to review the video's on full tilt boogie racing for bumpsteer, there you'll get an education, these are the best video's i've ever seen for our cobra's.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

five bucks for such a specialized piece of hardware is hardly out of line. its not something you're going to find at the hardware store or the dorman drawers at the auto parts store.


change your fuel filter when you have the irs subframe dangling. you'll see why when you get there.


that statement sounds contradictory since you are cutting stock springs. you will destroy your ball joints in short order if you dont correct the geometry. lowering these cars does not make them handle better. it makes them handle WORSE but most people equate rough ride to mechanical grip, which is seriously not the case. "doing it right" doesn't involve cutting a spring.

 

[GSPsnFORDs]

five bucks for such a specialized piece of hardware is hardly out of line. its not something you're going to find at the hardware store or the dorman drawers at the auto parts store.

I realize $10 is trivial in the whole scope of things but I do not consider it "special" at all. It's a button head cap screw. The only reason I asked for size and grade is I can most likely get them for almost free through one of my vendors that supplies nuts, bolts, washers, etc. for my company.

I have been looking into the X2 ball joints though. Any recommended bumpsteer kits?

And yes, I have read that you should change the fuel filter while its accessible so I will probably do that as well.

Any other opinions or warnings that I might be overlooking here?

 

[Blownsob]

I have heard that since our cars use a linear rate spring you do not loose any ride quality at all. On top of that there will also be no handling increase except for the fact that you will have a lower center of gravity. If you do a search on here you will find that unless you cut 1 full coil or more or do a lowering spring there should be no need for an alignment.

 

[Red Turtle]

just buy the low profile bolts. It is not worth your time, money, or gas driving around to save a couple of bucks.

 

[Red Turtle]

Maximum Motorsports Low Profile IRS Subframe Bolts (99-04 Cobra) at AmericanMuscle.com - Free Shipping!

they are $14.95 shipped

 

[fiveoh2go]

I would have gone with MM C/C plates...

Maximum Motorsports Caster/Camber Plates (94-04) at AmericanMuscle.com - Free Shipping!

 

[GSPsnFORDs]

Anybody else go with front & rear bump steer and X2 ball joints lowering their rides? I'd really like to get some more feedback on this.

 

[Ray Lucca]

M.M. C/C Plates, 1/2 coil cut coupe springs on my Vert. [I still hit on speed bumps]. Bruce's full kit and rear bump steer kit, BF R. Diff. Brace, 4 wheel bump-steer alignment. It's a different much better car, it should have been my first mod. 3/4 coil cut would be way too low for me, in front.