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Auto-X/lowering kits?

ILLINI-SVT

Member at Large
Mar 4, 2004
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I've heard that people love the Roush kit, and it's on sale right now, I think there was just a thread about it on f150online or nloc.

Hotchkis is also a good kit. I think their kit is a little stiffer than the Roush kit, although they just started using a little lighter springs in the front. The Hotchkis rear leafs have a helper coil that allows you to retain the stock load ratings. The Roush leafs don't.

If you're going to do a lot of autocross and/or road racing, then you may want stiffer springs than come in either the Roush or Hotchkis kits. Stan Martin (Ruslow) makes different front springs to spec. The way to go is using his springs and the Hotchkis leafs.

Stay away from the Eibach front springs, as they have tendency to lose their stiffness quickly. The EIbach, and the FRPP springs are stiffer than stock, but less stiff than the Roush or Hotchkis kits.
 

ILLINI-SVT

Member at Large
Mar 4, 2004
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Chikenears had the Roush kits on sale, but it's over now - http://www.f150online.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181045&highlight=roush

PM me and I'll let you know where to find good prices on the Hotchkis parts.

Here's a good thread about the differences between the Roush and the Hotchkis kits - http://www.f150online.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=174693&highlight=roush


The best deal would be to replace all springs, shocks, and to get stiffer anti-sway bars. The Roush kit includes all new springs and specially-valved Bilstein shocks all around. The Hotchkis "TVS" kit includes all new springs and two new anti-sway bars. They also sell specially-valved Bilsteins. Or you can go with the most popular, QA-1 adjustible shocks. You sort of have to decide how much you want to do all at once, since the kits have different parts in them. And like I said, Ruslow also makes coils. Hellwig makes nice anti-sway bars too.

I didn't necessarily mean that the Ruslow springs were BETTER than the Roush, but different. Better for autocross, yes. Worse for a smooth ride. Roush made a very well balanced kit (after all, they're the ones who designed the Lightning suspension for Ford). But if you want added stiffness for performance, then yes, you should buy Ruslow's springs.

For comparison, I believe that the stock springs are rated around 600 lbs (meaning it takes 600 lbs to compress the spring 1"). Roush keeps their spring ratings private, but they're said to be slightly softer than the new revised Hotchkis springs, which are a 960 lb spring. Ruslow sells any spring you want, from 750 lbs to 1500 lbs. Most popular are his 1000 lb coils.

So, you have to decide what you're going for. My plans for my L are Ruslow 1000-lb coils, the Hotchkis leafs, QA1 12-way adjustible shocks all around, and Hellwig anti-sway bars. I guess the good thing about coils are that they're cheap, so if it's too stiff for me, I can swap them.

Here's Ruslow's page on nloc. NLOC Ruslow SV Page But, to find out the best info on his springs, just do a search on nloc instead - Search
Here's his website too, but it doesn't have much info. He sort of just does this on the side. Ruslow

If you're seriously considering new suspension work, you really have to read the GURU's site. It's probably the BEST source of information on Lightning autocross performance:

Tim Skelton's Website
 

ILLINI-SVT

Member at Large
Mar 4, 2004
1,993
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SVT2SLOW said:
Cool thanks for the help...but what about rear leafs should i go with the hotchkis tvs set-up so i get the coils to keep the stock payload ratings or does ruslow make a good leaf spring as well? :dunno:

No, Ruslow just makes front coils. He also supplies brake parts, panhard bars, driveshaft loops, and even roll cages. It's a small operation for him.

I like the Hotchkis leafs, although I hear some people complain about the stiffness. Once you have all new springs in, you absolutely have to upgrade your shocks (the stock will Bilsteins last about a month fighting the higher-rate springs), and the anti-sway bar is really optional - read - keeping the stock ones won't hurt you, but upgrading will improve performance. If you're going to do it all at once and like the Hotchkis front coils, you might as well pick up the TVS kit. If you want to do it slowly or mix and match pieces, then the Hellwig sway bars are said to be a lot stiffer.

You really shouldn't take just my word for it, but check out the other Lightning boards. The best place to start your search though is on Tim Skelton's website. Here's a direct link to a write-up on the different springs and sway bars out there:

Suspension Options

Anti-Sway Bars

QA1 shocks

And while you're at it, you'll also want to put clunk washers and cam bolts in.

CLunk Washers

Cam Bolts

Good Luck! :biggthump
 
P

PearlBlue L

Guest
is this mostly for looks though?

i put belltech springs on front and the eibach hangers on the rear. i can still corner good while crusing against mikeys cobra... andy was riding with me and he was a little scared and didnt think that i could manuver going 100+ like i was... there are some nice bends in the highway coming up from susies house back to chicago.

the 2/4 drop looks the best i think too.
 

ILLINI-SVT

Member at Large
Mar 4, 2004
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I didn't want to drop mine further than the 2" rear shackles to level it off, that is, until I saw a couple of dropped L's at Byron this past fall. They looked sweet. I don't like the slammed look, but a couple of inches all around looked sharp.

But I also plan on continuing the autocross fun, so I want function first, then form. There's a pic of a Red L with the Roush kit that has the perfect drop I want. But I want some stiffer springs, so I'm going to put a new suspension together piecemeal. So, there's no reason why you can't have form AND function with the drop. Otherwise, you're right, if you only want the look, then hangers and shackles will do the trick in the rear. But it sounds like SVT2SLOW also wants to autocross.

Here's that Red L:
 

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