Flex-A-Form Rear Spring install and disappointment (7 pics)

[airbe5car]

Hey I own the cutty that got the drop from the Birchmount place.

 

It's dropped about 3.75 inches in the rear and 1.8" in the front using the Intrax 95-99 Monte Carlo springs.

 

I did this a while ago now and I'm still very satistied with the way it looks and feels. I've replaced the stock struts with KYB GR2's a few months after the drop, but I needed new struts anyways.

 

I drove up from Columbus, OH on a Saturday and they did the work. I also met 1uvakind up there and saw his awesome orange cutty too.

 

I paid $400 Canadian so they could do everything right then for me. I would strongly recommend lowering your cars this way. It has been great. 8)

[futuretgper]

how does this alterternative stack up against ffp coilovers in handling/perfomance? someone should ask if it is possible to get a special "performance" leaf made up that would be stiffer custom ordered (with lowering also...of course)?

[airbe5car]

With my car lowered I definetly feel the bumps more than stock obviously.

 

It's way lower to the ground so I think I've gained some handling and stability. These aren't the best handling cars in the world to start with, but I am as satisfied as I can be I suppose. I don't know much about suspension and stuff, but its definetely manageable, especially with the addition of some good struts to balance it out a bit.

 

When I put 17's on, the cutty looked rediculously high, so I had to do something about that. I could care less about the slightly rougher ride.

[R Dubya]

Well.. I think I am sold. I just need to determine how far I want to take the TGP down I guess. I don't want to drop it too far, but that Cutty does look nice. 3.75" you say? Is the car level in front and back? Have a lot of road rubbing issues underneath?

[airbe5car]

Well.. I think I am sold. I just need to determine how far I want to take the TGP down I guess. I don't want to drop it too far, but that Cutty does look nice. 3.75" you say? Is the car level in front and back? Have a lot of road rubbing issues underneath?

 

The car sits very even. The rear is a touch lower, but it's hardly noticeable from most points of view. Apparently the rear sits a bit higher originally than the front. Now it's lower and very close to even all around.

 

I try to avoid speed bumps and stuff like that or drive very slow over them, otherwise it bounces over pretty hard and puts some stress on the suspension.

[R Dubya]

The car I want to lower with the spring I am trying to keep as "original" as possible, and I won't be driving it much at all but a few thousand miles in the summer, so I'm not worried about wear, and best of all, I can keep the current Monroe struts as they are damn close to brand new!!

 

I know this car could handle the coil overs, it doesn't have one spot of rust on the entire thing, but I like the idea of the spring more. So when you bought this spring, what did you tell the guy you wanted, a 3" drop? Did you get more or less of a drop than expected?

[futuretgper]

hey rw89tgp, what front springs are you going to run and how much drop are you supposed to get?? how much drop are you going to ask to have the rear lowered to look even with your front??

[Guest TurboSedan]

and i would be in on a group buy if one is started.

 

i'd be in on it too....i'd like to finally get rid of my coilovers.

[stockgp]

for that price, i'd be in.

[dsgrntld187]

Hell yeah, I'd be in for that price. I'd love to have my Cutty lowered

[R Dubya]

Well rough estimates say that we already have 5.. maybe more. Anyone want to post on 60degree or other forums related to this topic?

 

I will probably be buying the Lumina front knuckles I saw yesterday at the j/y, and using the ST springs, although I like that Cutlass look and want to get that drop, so I may use the front's he's using.

 

Josh- I looked at every w-body they had there and the j/y and all of them were automatics. I may go to another yard later this week to check, so I will look again for that bracket.

[airbe5car]

So when you bought this spring, what did you tell the guy you wanted, a 3" drop? Did you get more or less of a drop than expected?

 

Yeah I told him to drop it about 3.75" or so, that's what 1uvakind did, and I wanted it dropped that much. His looks lower bc of the 18's and lo pros. I also wanted to make sure it sat level with the front, so that's about as far as it could go.

[GnatGoSplat]

Yeah I told him to drop it about 3.75" or so, that's what 1uvakind did, and I wanted it dropped that much. His looks lower bc of the 18's and lo pros. I also wanted to make sure it sat level with the front, so that's about as far as it could go.

 

Can you get any bigger/closer pics of your drop?

I may be interested if I could even mine out.

Too bad no one makes custom front springs, the ST's don't really drop the front enough for my liking.

[Intlcutlass]

Yeah I told him to drop it about 3.75" or so, that's what 1uvakind did, and I wanted it dropped that much. His looks lower bc of the 18's and lo pros. I also wanted to make sure it sat level with the front, so that's about as far as it could go.

 

Can you get any bigger/closer pics of your drop?

I may be interested if I could even mine out.

Too bad no one makes custom front springs, the ST's don't really drop the front enough for my liking.

 

Shawn... I like where yours sits. If your interested, I'd buy it off ya later.

[R Dubya]

OK guys here's the deal -

 

I just got off the phone with him again, and the price has changed. I told him that we could most likely get 10 people in on this deal. The price is $220 CDN +shipping. Not a bad deal, custom made. What we should do is find out definetely how many people are going to be in on this and go from there.

 

This price will include the new bushings for the end of the spring made of poly plastic, and instructions on how to replace the existing spring. He will base the drop on 2-3" but you tell him what you want and he will work with you. I personally am going to tell him 2-3". The bushings are able to be shaved, giving you up to another 1/2" drop. Anyone interested post here and when we have 10 or close enough we will call him up and do this. Tell your friends.

[R Dubya]

Can you get any bigger/closer pics of your drop?

I may be interested if I could even mine out.

Too bad no one makes custom front springs, the ST's don't really drop the front enough for my liking.

 

We could talk to him about our front springs and see if he could help us out with that. I don't know if he deals with coils and leafs, but I can ask.

[89GPSE]

All of the pics on the first page don't work. Anyone know where I can see them. Also I would be interested in getting a spring with about a 2.5 in. drop. PM the details so I can get in on the deal.

 

thanks,

Justin

[R Dubya]

All of the pics on the first page don't work. Anyone know where I can see them. Also I would be interested in getting a spring with about a 2.5 in. drop. PM the details so I can get in on the deal.

 

Justin all the details thus far are in this thread.. on pg.4 there are pics of a Cutty with this spring in it. He will start with a 2in drop and go from there. The link to Birchmount is on there too..

 

Everyone can call this guy and order there springs at ANY TIME. I think that his name is Jeff. But regardless, tell him that you are looking to get in on the W-Body.com group purchase. The price is $220 CDN +shipping. Make sure that you tell him what drop you are looking to achieve!!

[GnatGoSplat]

All of the pics on the first page don't work. Anyone know where I can see them. Also I would be interested in getting a spring with about a 2.5 in. drop. PM the details so I can get in on the deal.

 

All my pics are on my Cardomain page. http://www.cardomain.com/id/gnatgosplat

 

The pics near the top are on a very sloped driveway so the car appears to sit level. On a level ground, the rear end sits about 1.25" higher.

[Guest TurboSedan]

Well rough estimates say that we already have 5.. maybe more. Anyone want to post on 60degree or other forums related to this topic?

 

I will probably be buying the Lumina front knuckles I saw yesterday at the j/y, and using the ST springs, although I like that Cutlass look and want to get that drop, so I may use the front's he's using.

 

Josh- I looked at every w-body they had there and the j/y and all of them were automatics. I may go to another yard later this week to check, so I will look again for that bracket.

 

cool Ryan thanks for keeping an eye out for me i will probably replace my Eibach front springs with Intrax as well. it's just not low enough with the Eibachs.

 

i'd probably be looking for a 3" drop rear spring and hopefully a 225/50-16 tire will fit with no problems.

[Vegeta]

How much for the used eibachs if you go with intrax? I have wanted the eibachs for their ride quality and a little lower stance (with a 3.4 DOHC, i bet I can get what I want out of it). For the rear I might be in on this. What was the cost without the group buy (didnt read all 7 pages).

[Guest TurboSedan]

How much for the used eibachs if you go with intrax? I have wanted the eibachs for their ride quality and a little lower stance (with a 3.4 DOHC, i bet I can get what I want out of it). For the rear I might be in on this. What was the cost without the group buy (didnt read all 7 pages).

 

PMd. i'd probably sell my TDC rear coilovers real cheap with the KYBs if i got the rear spring.

[R Dubya]

I just went outside and took some measurements of my TGP. It is 26 1/2" from floor to wheel well in the front, and 27" from floor to wheel well in the rear. This rear spring is what I am looking for to get to 24-24 1/2" in the rear, but will the ST springs give me 2" in the front? Am I better off going with something different? There is about $150 difference between Intrax and ST. Granted you get 4 springs but the rears are useless to me.

 

Shawn how far of a drop did you get with your springs? Are you having any problems with rubbing with your 18's?

[J]

i'd sell my FFP coilovers if i could get the spring, i hate those fuckers

[GnatGoSplat]

I just went outside and took some measurements of my TGP. It is 26 1/2" from floor to wheel well in the front, and 27" from floor to wheel well in the rear. This rear spring is what I am looking for to get to 24-24 1/2" in the rear, but will the ST springs give me 2" in the front? Am I better off going with something different? There is about $150 difference between Intrax and ST. Granted you get 4 springs but the rears are useless to me.

 

Shawn how far of a drop did you get with your springs? Are you having any problems with rubbing with your 18's?

 

I only got about 1.25" or so out of my front ST springs and exactly 1.25" from the rear, but my car had a pretty sizable rake and would have needed to come down 3.5" in the rear to match the front - that's also with 2 12" subs back there. I don't think a TGP is much heavier up front than my Cutlass, so I don't think you'd get more than the 1.25" drop with the ST springs.

 

I do have rubbing with my 18's, but for some reason, only on the right side. It rubs the crap out of the part of the plastic fender liner that's bumped out. It's already wore a hole right through it. Funny thing is the factory size 225/60r16 is doing the same thing on the 94 Cutlass. It wouldn't rub had I gone with 25.7" diameter tires (245/40r18), probably wouldn't even rub with 26.3" tires (235/45r18), but I thought 26.7" tires (245/45r18) would fill the gaps better because it's closest in diameter to 225/60r16 (26.6"). TGP's came with 25.7" tires stock so in your case I would stay with that diameter.