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cisco

XE/XF Spring Heights??

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Hi Fellas,

I have trawled through all the threads in Suspension and Steering and could not find anything related to my question which is :- What is the ideal set of springs for my XE.

The car is a Fairmont from which I have removed the original 250 crossflow engine and auto gearbox and have installed a blueprint and balanced 250 crossflow with a fairly mild camshaft upgade from an XF and a single rail gearbox from an XD sedan. Rear end is 2.77 with drum brakes.

 

The combination seems fairly good and while the engine is still running in I am pulling first gear 45 kmh, second gear 70 kmh, third gear 100 kmh and have had 140 kmh in top gear. This is if I push it but normal driving it is 40 kmh, 60 kmh, 80 kmh and 100 kmh respectively. All good and I am a happy chappy.

 

I have fitted 15 inch snowflake wheels and the next step is to upgrade the suspension with new bushes and whatever else it needs. Currently the springs in it are I believe are raised height out back pack coils which are fine but I do get some body roll. These may be good for Farmer Joe getting onto the paddock occasionally but that is not me. Around town and on the highway is what I do.

 

I am thinking that ESP spec springs might be the shot but no doubt hard to get them genuine.

 

The choices most available are King Springs, Standard height KFFS-17 and KFRS-18,      Lowered KFFL-0 and KFRL-18 or      Super low KFFL-59 and KFRL-27.

 

I want to improve the handling but I do not want to be bouncing the sump guard off speed bumps.

 

Does anybody have experience with different spring heights and what is recommended.

 

The car has been my daily driver for the last 18 years, I love it and do not think later model Falcons got much better based on my ownership of 15 odd Fords from a 68 XT through to an 04 BA Futura over the years. This Fairmont is promised to my son who is completely non mechanical so I need to get it right.

 

I appreciate any and all comments. Cheers.

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29 minutes ago, cisco said:

Does anybody have experience with different spring heights and what is recommended.

yes, i'll tell you now if you enjoy driving it AVOID super lows. (will bottom out on bump stops/shocks and bump steer).

 

i had LOWS in most of My cars, and think they are the best compromise if you don't like standard height. 

 

i fitted the raised springs to one of My cars once, and it looked dorky.. but seemed to drive fine.

 

i had an ESP and i reckon the springs were on the softer side, they'd probably be on par with fairmont ghia springs if you could even find them either.. 

 

new king springs if you want a firmer ride, (spring wise)

new pedders springs for a slightly softer ride (spring wise) 

 

SHOCKS... 

you'd definitely want BETTER shocks for KING Lows, big bore ULTIMA on ebay seem the go for the budget minded, otherwise the big bore pedders or Konis etc are the go if you can afford the extra cost. 

 

the pedders being slighty softer (in My opinion) you'd get away with monroe GTs etc  the pedders springs are softer and do body roll more in my opnion (this is also assuming nothings changed in the last 15yrs or so)

 

BUSHES.. 

body roll is GREATLY reduced with nolathane or poly bushes especially on the link bushes. 

 

other bushes i prefer rubber, but more for longevity than performance. 

 

there will be several other opinions on this, so consider waiting for others to join in with their experience, but i used to drive between 600 and 800km  a week in the XD XE XFs for 10yrs and that's what i am going on. 

 

idler arms lasted 6 months before they were getting sloppy. 

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Here's my advice -

no matter which springs you choose, pair them with Bilstein or Koni shock absorbers - set to suit.

 

This is country-pack suspension -

 

179314294_10158578072303517_821390192798399598_n.jpg

 

181606730_10158578070413517_5643410936512863579_n.jpg

 

This was Pedders something, with shortened bump stops

 

1457860_10152456827774968_158443259_o.jpg

 

Stock ESP height -

 

31455827.jpg

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3 hours ago, cisco said:

Hi Fellas,

I have trawled through all the threads in Suspension and Steering and could not find anything related to my question

 

I put some info on the database for you, which may help -

 

 

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Thanks for the prompt replies fellas. All helpful.

@deankdx, you have covered all the options there. It seems regardless of height these cars still handle well if the suspension is not soft.

@SPArKy_Dave. The country pack XF looks good. Pardon the pun, ready to SPRING into action and take on the world. I don't think my current springs are quite that high but close. The blue fairmont looks a bit sag arse and the ESP looks just about right, slightly lower in the front probably because it has a cleveland in it.

I have said in another thread that I think the XE/Fs are better balanced with the 250 crossflow. I have driven a couple of V8 XEs and found them all too ready to cut the rear end loose.

 

First up I am going to go through the suspension and replace whatever it needs. Lower control arm bushes a definite. The upper control arms came out of an EF or EL and are defiitely better built than the earlier ones.

 

Front springs are genuine Ford, driver side has white stripe with a grey?? stripe, passenger side has a single mauve stripe. Shockers are Monroe GT Gas. Rear springs are red, Pedders???? and shockers are KYB Excel-G.

 

The ride is quite firm with hardly any rebound in shock absorbtion. There is a klunk in the rear in tight turns. Possibly Watts Link bushes? Maybe I should just do bushes and leave the rest alone.

 

The pic is how it sits currently.

 

Furhter comments welcome. Cheers.

Silver Shadow 006.jpg

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3 hours ago, cisco said:

I have said in another thread that I think the XE/Fs are better balanced with the 250 crossflow. I have driven a couple of V8 XEs and found them all too ready to cut the rear end loose.

i agree with this but i reckon the V8s understeer easier.. (had mentioned many times i've posted that, that it can be "tuned out" with sway bars etc.. but stock for stock, the V8s always handled worse for Me)

 

your XE is pretty high, My raised XF springs were similar height
b31v8u0.jpg

 

same car on Pedders SUPER LOWS
BJ4npXq.jpg

 

this was My XE Ghia  on King SUPER LOWS

K9xY1rO.jpg

 

only have a pic of My ute on KING LOWS

LfEiuu6.jpg

 

all been sold long ago now though

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11 hours ago, cisco said:

Thanks for the prompt replies fellas. All helpful.

Front springs are genuine Ford, driver side has white stripe with a grey?? stripe, passenger side has a single mauve stripe.

 

I uploaded the XE Falcon Spring ID charts for you -

 

 

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Hi @cisco

 

I've posted some stuff in this thread mate: 

I run super low springs front and rear with short body konis. Wheels are 17 inch and with the tyres on them they have the same diameter/ circumference as the stock/ original wheel and tyres that were on the XF. It looks the ducks nuts but @deankdx is 100% on the money wrt ride quality and handling. If I had my time again I would go for low springs and 18inch wheel to fill the guard out - it'd just make life easier all round... no cutting bump stops (not by much anyway), no potential ball joint binding, no rear suspension arm contacting axle under compression.

 

My springs are made in NZ and lows are about 30mm lower than standard with super lows being 45-50mm lower than standard. Springs do tend to settle too, I reckon my fronts had 7-10mm guard clearance when I put them in and are right on the guard now. Like I say, it looks the ducks nut but it wont be long till I take the manufacturer up on their offer to reset the springs up to 15-20mm once they've settled.

 

Hope that helps.

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19 hours ago, deankdx said:

 

 

same car on Pedders SUPER LOWS
BJ4npXq.jpg

 

 

 

That looks just about right to me.

 

I have a set of Kings super lows that I had in the car some years ago but I had issues with speed bumps and had to shorten the front mud flaps.

 

The debate is still going on in my mind.

 

What waderobertson said above ( If I had my time again I would go for low springs and 18inch wheel to fill the guard out - it'd just make life easier all round... no cutting bump stops (not by much anyway), no potential ball joint binding, no rear suspension arm contacting axle under compression.) is hitting a chord with me.

 

I guess the main question is:- Do I want to spend the money and do the work?🤔

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1 hour ago, cisco said:

I guess the main question is:- Do I want to spend the money and do the work?🤔

 

with My cars above, the burgundy XF was already lowered, left it that low (until i raised it super high)

 

silver XE i was looking for used springs(bugger all money at the time) and the local speedway racer i asked about who were selling the set pictured said he'd swap my springs .. deal done.. (they used to run standards on one side, V8 and Fairlane rears on the other side ..was hard to find standards for cheap.. low springs useless on speedway) 

 

the ute i had measured the rear "sagged" height and it was at "LOW" height.. so just bought low fronts to match . perfect..

 

i wouldn't bother swapping springs unless i was doing the bushes .. costs a lot of $$ or time

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16 hours ago, cisco said:

I guess the main question is:- Do I want to spend the money and do the work?🤔

Sounds like you've already asked and answered the 1st real question - Do I want to change what I've got?

 

Next question is what quality do you want? Cheaper options will do a job but it's the old adage about getting what you pay for. I went for high spec because I knew I wanted to push the boat out. The short body Koni shock fits both low and super low so I knew I was only buying them once whether I changed my mind on the spring front in the future

 

Then you get to your question above 😁 If you have the $ then spend it, if not then buy what you can afford and accept them for what they are and how they perform.

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I do subscribe to the notion " If you are passionate about it, only spend first class on it."

 

So off to see Scotty at Repco and give him the list.

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Hi, does anyone have any pics with 20" simmons wheels, with both super low, and also regular low?

 

I assume this will raise the car slightly higher off the ground, but the car will look slammed in the wheel arches.

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