front springs

[torinodan]

Who on here has cut the front springs to drop the front end and how has it turned out? I was considering doing the same and I know somewhere someone had a pic of a spring that showed how much to remove to drop the nose "X" number of inches. Need some reveiws on it with pros and cons first before I go ahead with it. Looking to drop around an inch. Thanks guys.

[SergntMac]

Who on here has cut the front springs to drop the front end and how has it turned out? I was considering doing the same and I know somewhere someone had a pic of a spring that showed how much to remove to drop the nose "X" number of inches. Need some reveiws on it with pros and cons first before I go ahead with it. Looking to drop around an inch. Thanks guys.
Cut springs is a basic feature on a Kenny Brown Marauder S. Mine was the first, and they found that one coil is max, and it drops the nose approximately 1.50 inches. Kenny came to back away from one full coil for his production cars, those are cut 3/4 of a coil. I love the way this car handles, my springs are the only thing keeping me from the QA1 coil over upgrade. Zack had the Eibach springs in for a while and didn't like them. He cut 3/4 of a coil for starters, and came back to cut the rest later. His MM rides and handles very nicely too. Standard alignment numbers are great with this spring.

[torinodan]

Now, 1 full coil, would that be from the tip of the spring around to that point again? What side do you remove spring from, the top or bottem (as seen in the car) or does it matter?

[SergntMac]

Now, 1 full coil, would that be from the tip of the spring around to that point again? What side do you remove spring from, the top or bottem (as seen in the car) or does it matter?
Yes, and off the top as seen in the car. Please remember, this will affect your ride and handling dramatically, but if you like this sort of thing, it's a driver. Combined with the 255/45 front tires, it's only 4.50 inches off the ground at the A pillar. Here's the most recent pic. It looks a bit lower in the back here, due to 275/35/18 BFG drag radials, the street tires, 285/45/18 picks it up a bit.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5794&cat=500&page=1

[torinodan]

I should had ask this question with the first post huh? How will this affect your ride and handling? You said dramatically and I know I want to be able to ride my marauder a bit harder. I'm thinking I want to do this change.

[SergntMac]

I should had ask this question with the first post huh? How will this affect your ride and handling? You said dramatically and I know I want to be able to ride my marauder a bit harder. I'm thinking I want to do this change.
How tall are you, how much do you weigh? It's a real question, 'cause this is a big car, and I've seen a lot of variety among it's drivers, and with opposing opinions on handling that stem from size and body weight. Don't answer, just read with this "difference" in mind?

My first thought here is to advise you to explore the QA1 front "coil-over" option now available to us. I don't know if this option will lower your front end, but it does open up your options for better control. That said, I'll review the Kenny Brown treatment from back in 2002, when no other options for Marauder owners were available. Sorry for the long read, please keep in mind that I bought this car with 16.5K miles of hard driving and professional testing already on it's clock. When things are cranked up to true high performance levels, longevity is something you only dream about.

Front suspension: OEM springs cut 1 full coil, ADDCO poly bushings added to OEM sway bar, that's it. I added fresh OEM shocks at 18K miles, and changed Kenny's alignment specs because his specs are too aggressive with toe in. Great control, luscious drive, but very hard on tires.

Rear suspension: OEM air ride settings lowered to the limit on OEM Watts links, poly bushings, that's it. I added fresh OEM shocks at 18K miles, along with Z&M upper and lower control arms, the prototypes w/OEM bushings are still on the car today. I also added the Reinhart/ADDCO sway bar with poly bushings, as well as 9.5" wide rims, and a lot more tire.

My opinion on how it handles is not easy for me to describe here, how do you communicate seat-of-the-pants sensation over the 'net? This is like asking me if my exhaust is too loud, a lot depends on what YOU think is loud, eh? Anyway, let me try? I haven't driven many other MMs with suspension mods (maybe two), but this is my second MM too, so, I have at least some stock MM experience to reflect on.

This MM feels much lower to the ground than you would expect you could feel, and it completes turns very tight and flat. "On rails" if you will, but I liken it to driving a "go-kart." I don't get thrown around in the seat, rather, I feel safely glued in place, though I do long for more seat belt. I have a Kenny Brown dead pedal too, and IMHO, this is a "must have" for getting into the twisties hard. You use the dead pedal to load your body weight against it and plant yourself back into the seat, it's not just a foot rest. It lets you drive hard and fast with both hands on the wheel, and keep your right foot light and flexible for speedy brake/throttle/brake changes. I want more seat belt because there is a feeling of a security hole to my left, but I shouldn't be driving this hard on city streets anyway, my bad.

Tires are an essential component here too, Kenny selected Pirelli 255/45/18 fronts, and 255/50/18 rears, with 32 PSI. Very sticky combo, and very short lifespan. I added 285/45 rears on 9.5" wide wheels, and 40 PSI all around and I have four patches of superglue with a lot better mileage. This MM loves curves, the harder you hit them, the more it wants to gobble up. Performance in the rain is outstanding too, you get a lot of positive feedback and very little "rain steer" or, hydroplane, formerly very easy to invoke on OEM tires.

I lost control of this car only once, when I hit "black ice" on a steep and sudden drop in the road. 4400 pounds of automobile can reach it's own airweight with ease, and I spun a triple 360 almost a block long, missing everything in my path, except the underwear drawer when I got home. This car is very unforgiving, no body roll to speak of means that when all four corners are suddenly lighter than they 'ought to be, and loose, you can mess your pants. Controlling your roll and weight transfer wheel to wheel may be ideal in most cases, but when you're off the ground and loose in all corners, you may expect to find yourself in someone else's hands...If you know what I mean.

So...If you want race car like feel and control, you need to be willing to compromise with the downside. On urban streets, the ride is tight, rough, harsh, jumpy, and nervous, much like a trained race horse that wants to buck and break out to run it's best, but can't pull against the reins. You will feel every crack in the road, and it will "rut steer" when roads have ruts. You will scrape your Meg's tips turning into and driving out of parking lots where other MMs won't, and you will have to watch for (and back away from) some of the more aggressive speed bumps you may encounter. Thankfully, my lowest point under the car is that flexible air-dam thingy that hangs from our heater core support, so, I get a warning, if I am paying attention.

OTOH, on a highway cruise, the faster you drive, the more this car feels glued to the deck, and enough of my opinion, eh? Many, many members here have driven the 1x car, and if they have, they are invited to post their impressions. MM03MOK (Mary) and RFOverLord (Bob), took the 1x OTR for a week, from Chicago to Indy and back, for our MV-II. They drag raced it too, and they could tell you more than I could about their driving impression. Please contact them, and they are welcome to post here too. The thing I remember most about this, is that the car is very consistent, positive, and "there" where and when you want it.

The most memorable drive I have ever had with this unique car, was with Kenny Brown's chief driver, David Frey, behind the wheel. Lots of folks have driven this car, but once a professional driver shows you what it can do, you don't forget the introduction. The original owner, Bill Karrow, got treated to NHRA's Top Fuel driver Brendan Bernstein, I got David, and I am honored to have him drive my car. I've taken some mean turns in the 1x, but never as daring as David. This car will complete any 45 degree turn at 50+ MPH you ask of it, you just need the ba*ls to ask.

Oh...Drag racing! The 1x launches flat and hard when the hook is good, and it's something to see. E-mail me at SergntMac@aol.com and I will FWD some video. It's a crude capture, but you can see what you need to see about launching a heavy car. Surefooted, level, planted, and pulling 1.7 or better 60' times on the clock.

Hope this helps, but please check out the QA1 option first? Cutting springs isn't a permanent mod, but how many times do you want to pull your front suspension apart before you find what you like?

[torinodan]

Great info, just what I'm looking for. That sounds like it sums everything up great in one shot. Thanks SergntMac!!!!

[rocknrod]

Rear suspension: OEM air ride settings lowered to the limit on OEM Watts links, poly bushings, that's it. ....How do you lower the bad boy with the auto air ride system ?
Also I seem to remember (when I had a crown vic) there was a F150 front lowering spring that worked.

[GarageMahal]

How do you lower the bad boy with the auto air ride system ?
Also I seem to remember (when I had a crown vic) there was a F150 front lowering spring that worked.

Try this thread: Linky (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1089)