[havoc65]

i have a 65 mustang 289 c-4. It has 235 60 15 bfg radial t-as on the back. I have 3 leaf grab-a-trak springs and shocks in my rear. This combo worked ok till i installed two 12 inch subs and amps in the trunk, now the car sags, bottoms out on bumps and the stance looks terrible. Two questions, should i go with 4 or 5 leaf springs, I have heard 5 would be very stiff but would 4 be stiff enough? And has anyone used jrs springs from laurel mountain mustang? I found a set on ebay for a good price but have never heard of them and wanted some feed back before buying them.

[pvtdiaz]

hows it going havoc65 i have a 68 mustang and i am running 5 leaf grab a track leaf springs and they are kinda stiff supports lot of weight and doesnt sag much also to me they dont feel too stiff but they do bounce a bit so if you care about a more comfortable ride go with the 4 leaf dont get the reverse eye either unless you want the car on the ground

[66 restomod]

The best compromise for the rear is 4 1/2 leaves.
If you are lowering the front or using 620 springs (1 inch lower) then get 4 1/2 Mid Eye rear to keep the car level.
We have a firm but comfortable ride with 4 1/2 mid eye and 620 springs up front. With a full tank and 4 people in the 66 the rear will not bottom out.

Good Luck and BE Safe
Ron
Christophers 66 Mustang Restoration and Modification

[havoc65]

thanks for the input im thinking i will go with 5 leafs the roads around here are flat and strait but in poor shape and very rough so i think a stiffer spring will keep my tires and body from comming together all the time like they do now.

[desdain]

I just installed 4.5 leaf 175lbs/in to my 66 fastback and I can't express how satisfied I am. They are firm, but not stiff. I added KYB gas-a-just shocks and they are a great combo in my opinion. Some people think they are too stiff, but I don't think they have been in our situation with the wide tires (I'm running 245 45R17) grabbing the fender lips. Now I can hit severe bumps and not even worry about cutting up my Falkens or tearing up the bodywork. It handles great and is still comfy enough for the wife to ride along sometimes ;-)

Good luck with your decision!

[Leastarice]

How does a KYB gas-a-just shock, differ from a regular shock and does anyone have air shocks on their mustang?

[havoc65]

Ive been told not to run airshocks on the old mustangs the shock mounts arnt sturdy enough to hold any weight. I just ordered kybs yesterday plan on puttin them in on saturday im hoping they will stiffen up my rear and help keep from bottoming out until i can replace the springs.

[The Greek]

I'm using the KYB gas-adjust shocks and I consider them the best shocks for the price. There are no adjustments on them, but the internal valves in them self adjust to conditions. I'm also using the 5 leaf Grab-a-Track springs. They are a bit on the stiff side, but the rear end doesn't bottom out. The roads here have a lot to be desired, too. As for which spring eye to get will depend on how low the front end will be in relation to the rear.

[sixtsixstang]

I've run air shocks on my 66 for 20 years without one single problem and have a comfortable ride to boot.

[Leastarice]

Originally Posted by sixtsixstang

I've run air shocks on my 66 for 20 years without one single problem and have a comfortable ride to boot.

I was thinking about putting airshocks on my mustang, but I haven't heard anything good about them on this forum. It's interesting that you haven't had any problems with them. Maybe now I'll reconsider! Thanks!

[66 restomod]

Highly recommend not to go air shocks. The upper mounting point for the rear shocks is not designed to carry the weight of the car. The shocks are intended just to dampen.
The metal will fatigue and rip out on a big compression of the shocks. If there is any rust it will be even worse.
There have been lots of treads posted with pictures of the damage caused when they fail
Its not a case of IF but WHEN...

Good Luck and BE Safe
Ron
http://chris66dad.tripod.com/

[mustang402]

Leastarice,
Ford did not make the upper shock mount areas on Falcons or Mustangs thick enough to support air shocks! The shock is not meant to supprt the vehicles weight, That's the springs function. I found this out he hard way 30 years ago when my 63 Falcon busted through and a week later my 65 Mustang did the same. Do yourself a favor and replace the springs, thats your problem! Don't put a bandaid on it and expect to be safe. Trust me I speak from experience when the upper shock mounts break through you could be in the ditch.

[desdain]

Originally Posted by Leastarice

I was thinking about putting airshocks on my mustang, but I haven't heard anything good about them on this forum. It's interesting that you haven't had any problems with them. Maybe now I'll reconsider! Thanks!

I would seriously reconsider reconsidering if a I were you ;-) I did the same thing as it sounds like you are about to do, and I added air shocks instead of replacing my sagging leaf springs. Not one of my finest moments I must admit.

The problem I found with the air shocks is that they have very limited upward dampening, whereas the KYBs are excellent in both directions. Bottom line is, if you are interested in a setup that you will not have any hassles with, then you can't go wrong with a pair of high quality, non-adjustable shocks and a pair of firm leaf springs.

[havoc65]

Thank you for all the great responses. I went with grab a trak 5 leaf standard eye and kyb gas adjust shocks. Put them in last weekend. The ride is very stiff, but the improvement in handling makes it more than worth it, its night and day. The back of the car is a little higher than the front now but i like it looks tough, although if it were any higher it would look stupid. As for the bottoming out, no longer a problem!

[66 restomod]

Glad to hear it worked well for you.
Thanks for following up with the thread.

Good Luck and BE Safe
Ron
Christophers 66 Mustang Restoration and Modification