[ta-kid]

Looking for feed back on Global West front springs P/N S-8 which supposedly lower about 1 inch on 2nd gen firebirds.Any one installed these and what was the final result.Did they lower 1 inch or did they require a coil cut ??Ride quality etc....

[67Fbird]

springs are ALWAYS a guessing game. Save you $100 ...moog 5658 ..trim 1/2 coil off. (the end NOT marked in white)

[JLMounce]

Originally Posted by ta-kid

Looking for feed back on Global West front springs P/N S-8 which supposedly lower about 1 inch on 2nd gen firebirds.Any one installed these and what was the final result.Did they lower 1 inch or did they require a coil cut ??Ride quality etc....

Originally Posted by 67Fbird

springs are ALWAYS a guessing game. Save you $100 ...moog 5658 ..trim 1/2 coil off. (the end NOT marked in white)

Yup, a 1 inch lowering spring has the possibility to actually raise the vehicle depending on the condition of the original springs.

It's a guessing game based on the age and condition of the vehicle.

It's my opinion that these cars are heavily undersprung to begin with, so I like going with a good aftermarket spring in a rate around 500 lb/in., paired with a good shock. Ride quality is still quite good and handling is improved.

Global West makes good products, I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them. You may need to cut the spring if ride height doesn't land where you want it.

I also like these springs from SPC https://www.spcalignment.com/compone...tion&pid=94394

These are a 1.3" lowering option.

[ta-kid]

Originally Posted by JLMounce

Yup, a 1 inch lowering spring has the possibility to actually raise the vehicle depending on the condition of the original springs.

It's a guessing game based on the age and condition of the vehicle.

It's my opinion that these cars are heavily undersprung to begin with, so I like going with a good aftermarket spring in a rate around 500 lb/in., paired with a good shock. Ride quality is still quite good and handling is improved.

Global West makes good products, I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them. You may need to cut the spring if ride height doesn't land where you want it.

I also like these springs from SPC https://www.spcalignment.com/compone...tion&pid=94394

These are a 1.3" lowering option.

Yea I kind of figured they may not lower at all because old ones may of sagged already.Was thinking of cutting before install because its such a pain to do twice.

[Skip Fix]

Springs are a crap shoot. So I'll even throw this out to you -put my Guldstand springs i had on the 78 back in place of the 6 cylinder drag springs. Back 20 years ago had iron heads and AC now E heads and no AC compressor or condensor. Take a look. Looked like they are almost on the bump stops! Here is the car with the S-10 5662 springs-stiffer and shorter.

[JLMounce]

Originally Posted by ta-kid

Yea I kind of figured they may not lower at all because old ones may of sagged already.Was thinking of cutting before install because its such a pain to do twice.

Never cut first. If you cut first and you're too low, you paid for a paper weight.

I know nobody wants to mess with taking springs in and out, but once you get your rhythm it's not hard and it doesn't take long.

I just replaced shocks in my bird and added a height adjusting shim to my SPC arms, as well as cleaning up the rotors and adding new calipers. Total time of about an hour each side.

Put the springs in, roll the car forward and backwards and bounce it a couple times to get it set right and see how it looks. Not low enough? Drive it for a week and see if it settles more. Next weekend, if it's still not low enough, then get out the cutoff wheel. Do a 1/4 coil at a time. Remember there's a near 2:1 motion ratio on the front end. If you remove an inch of height from the spring, you'll drop the car almost 2". So be sparing with the cutoff wheel.

[Skip Fix]

One of those tools that looks like a giant coupling nut and bolt that goes between the ball joints works great for popping them off and on. Luckily mine or so short now I don't need a compressor!

[Formula8]

^^what he said^^

Good news is once you get into an aftermarket "lowering spring" it is short enough that getting them in and out of the car won't require a compressor. I still use a chain in case something happens but my springs have been out maybe 5-6 times now as the front weight has been changed and I have had a few different tire diameters. If I had it all over to do again, I would have just invested in a set of coil overs and been done with it.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by JLMounce

...It's my opinion that these cars are heavily undersprung to begin with, so I like going with a good aftermarket spring in a rate around 500 lb/in., paired with a good shock. Ride quality is still quite good and handling is improved...

I disagree.

I ran the softest F spring I could find (3.8L non AC) and it still was too harsh.

Moroso Drag springs of 275 pound rate and half a coil cut worked perfect. This with a LS3 and A6 compressor - car weight 3,350.

I ran this on a road track and it worked superb. Very rarely bottom out (front spoiler still attached) on the street even with hard driving.

[RocktimusPryme]

Just another option, I just used Ridetechs new dual rate spring in my Firebird. Small sample size but so far I like them. They lowered the car a little more than 1.5" from the stock replacement type spring I had in it. They seem to function as advertised. I cant feel any difference from the old stock type spring to the new spring in ride quality, but the dual rate function has so far kept me from rubbing on any bumps or hard corners.

[Skip Fix]

I can tell you when my TA was fairly new I went to Texas World Speedways and the road race course. At 130+(all the rpm my 180 HP 400 would pull with 2.56 gears) the ride with my stock springs felt as soft as Grandma's Cadillac! A 500lb spring (my Guldstrand's) were perfect for autocrossing with roadrace slicks.

[HWYSTR455]

Since I have a 70-73 car, the added weight up front makes requirements more than the 74-81 cars, so grain of salt with my comments.

Another factor is bushings, OE bushings will work better with OE spring rates. If you have a free articulating suspension, you need to make up some by going to a higher rate spring.

If you have front structure braces, you probably will need a touch more spring than without them, or at least that's what I've found to be true.

My car is pretty low too, in those situations, you do need a little more spring.

I had GW 650s on it and it was about perfect. It still in extreme conditions would bottom on the stops, using Koni's. I was going to go to a Procharger setup, and knew the added weight would need to be compensated, so I put 725s in it.

Haven't driven with the 725s yet, but I did bail on the Procharger setup. Will have a serp belt setup on it, hoping the weight addition from that is comparable to a Procharger's. Will see.

I will have better shocks on it this time around, and will have to do some weight jacking to dial it in, but hoping to get the car back from paint jail this Aug to finish it.

.

[ta-kid]

Well I have the front springs installed and they lowered the front by Inch and a half which surprised me.I figured at best 1 inch but it is what it is.So I also installed the 1 inch lowering blocks I had laying around in the rear so now the rear is only an inch higher then the front.Seems to ride ok but I did notice the bottom control arm bump stops are really close to the frame now but did not seem to affect ride when i TOOK IT FOR A RIDE OVER SOME ROLLIE POLLIE ROADS.Just wondering if I should cut a 1/2 inch off the rubbere bump stops for some clearance?

[78w72]

Originally Posted by ta-kid

Well I have the front springs installed and they lowered the front by Inch and a half which surprised me.I figured at best 1 inch but it is what it is.So I also installed the 1 inch lowering blocks I had laying around in the rear so now the rear is only an inch higher then the front.Seems to ride ok but I did notice the bottom control arm bump stops are really close to the frame now but did not seem to affect ride when i TOOK IT FOR A RIDE OVER SOME ROLLIE POLLIE ROADS.Just wondering if I should cut a 1/2 inch off the rubbere bump stops for some clearance?

stance looks good. i lowered my cars also, its common to cut some off the factory bump stops for a little added clearance, or they make shorter ones in poly.