• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Thunderbird Coils

Folico said:
Just wondering, i just sold my 88 pioneer with the f150 coils in the front w yj shocks, and 3 inch blocks in the back with the f150 shocks...sold it for 500, wish i didnt, but i had to get rid of it...i need of cash...now im looking to do another lift on another cherokee...which set of coil springs/leaf packs(dakota or s10) will i get the most lift out of regaurdless of ride quality????

thanks
Click to expand...

READ the entire thread. and SEARCH.
I am not kidding.
 
read this a week ago, went out and got the coils and installed them on a 93 xj, when done we had 6 inches of lift! what if anything did i do wrong.not that 6 inches is bad but was unexpected. coils came off of a 90 cougar. thanks
 
buster cherry said:
read this a week ago, went out and got the coils and installed them on a 93 xj, when done we had 6 inches of lift! what if anything did i do wrong.not that 6 inches is bad but was unexpected. coils came off of a 90 cougar. thanks
Click to expand...

Show me some pics, I'll tell ya what ya did. Take a pic of the wheel well and center the focus on the coil spring. email me the pic [email protected]
 
beaterjeepjoe said:
Just a quick note to everyone. It's not only the newer Tbird coils that work for lift, Cougar's and Tbird's from 83 up will work just the same. Makes me think I should have pulled the ones from my old 86 v6 cougar before I scrapped it.
Click to expand...
83-88 T-bird/Cougar springs are different from '89-97 T-bird/Cougar springs.

the Fox has inboard springs with a seperate strut, like all Fox bodies (Fairmont/Zephyr, Mustang/Capri, etc...similar to that of a 3rd gen Camaro/Firebird) and the MN12 has a coilover shock with an upper control arm. the cars are more different than my XJ and my KJ.
 
use the newer ones, thats what we've used and its worked as described in this thread.
 
lift.jpg

SO... after getting all my lift done tonight, I'm sitting 5.5" higher. I used coils from a 83 cougar with a V6, it had the lightest GVH i could find... Sure, I guess I want 5.5" of lift...

I am sitting at 23" from the center hub to the top of my fender flare. I also used the top of the strut... which added i think about 1/2" inch.
 
Last edited:
I should probably drive her around and get her settled, right now it hasnt moved from this install so I'm praying for some settling after a drive around. BUT i havent done the back yet so i'm raking all over the place.
 
98stocker said:
If the ride feels good, and you just want to lower it a bit, why can't you cut a little off the bottom of each spring?
Click to expand...

So you're in Fresno?! Me too.

I'll probably drive it around for a while and see if anything settles and go from there, 5.5" is insane for me, I only wanted 4" at most. TOmorrow I gotta do the rear leafs...
 
selarep said:
So you're in Fresno?! Me too.

I'll probably drive it around for a while and see if anything settles and go from there, 5.5" is insane for me, I only wanted 4" at most. TOmorrow I gotta do the rear leafs...
Click to expand...


the springs arent going to settle if they came off of a used car. the springs have already been plenty broke in since they are 20 years old.

-Tim
 
jeepnuts311 said:
the springs arent going to settle if they came off of a used car. the springs have already been plenty broke in since they are 20 years old.

-Tim
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info tim, as if I didn't know. I was talking about having them settle into the coil spring buckets some more. They are kinda riding the sides of the buckets right now as well as not fitting into the coil spring ioslator at the top very well.
 
selarep said:
Thanks for the info tim, as if I didn't know. I was talking about having them settle into the coil spring buckets some more. They are kinda riding the sides of the buckets right now as well as not fitting into the coil spring ioslator at the top very well.
Click to expand...

lets see how you've got them set up. it sounds like you took apart a coilover, and kept the top plate attached and then put that in the XJ? is that what you did? you might be able to take the top plate out to lose some height? I may be misunderstanding what you have done here, tho.

-Tim

edit: i think i am picturing what you did. the tbird coil is bigger in diameter from the xj coil, so the plate is to help seat it?

edit again: that girl has nice tits :)
 
Last edited:
jeepnuts311 said:
lets see how you've got them set up. it sounds like you took apart a coilover, and kept the top plate attached and then put that in the XJ? is that what you did? you might be able to take the top plate out to lose some height? I may be misunderstanding what you have done here, tho.

-Tim

edit: i think i am picturing what you did. the tbird coil is bigger in diameter from the xj coil, so the plate is to help seat it?

edit again: that girl has nice tits :)
Click to expand...

haha. yes she does. she even has her own website/video company, she's famous.

What I did was take apart the Mcphearson Strut, NOT coil over. and removed teh coil and kept the cap from the strut. Then I drilled out the cap to 2.5" wide and used it to seat the cougar springs since they are wider. I am gonna see if I cam make a FLAT cap to loose some height, maybe even cut some coils.The rear is next. Oddly enough, my AX-15 shifts smoother now, it used to grind but I guess haveing it sit 5" higher than the rear makes it shift better?
 
OK I'm done with the lift, I've netted about 4.5" of lift. The front is at about 22" and the rear (a full s-10 pack cut and fitted) about 22.5". It looks great. overall, the coils were 20 bucks, and the rear leafs were another 20. I added a JKS track bar and RE controll arms plus swaybar discos. Pictures will be up tomorrow.
 
before with 2" BB:
2007_0607Image0020.JPG


after with s-10 pack and t-bird coils:
DSC03784.JPG


Thanks to Nosigma!
 
The 83 Cougar springs look great. Using the stock spring plate is a great idea. I am at about 5" but I use and inch of extra ruber isolators on top of the V6 TBird Springs and 3/8 mounting plate that I made. I may switch to the 83 Cougars if they have taller free height so I can get more flex out of the front with spring pressure on the axle. Right now my springs unseat about and inch at full flex and will drop another inch or so if I notch the spring pad on the axle for control arm clearance. Tell me how did you get it down to 4.5" from 5.5"? If you measured the free height of the coil (length out of the vehicle) what was it? The T-Birds were about 18-3/4. I hope the Cougars were around 20 or so.

John
 
Last edited:
opps i meant a 93 cougar, not 83!
it settled at 22.5" from the center hub to the bottom of the flare.
so about 4.5". the rear is about 4" now.looks great though...
 
IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you are using the top of the mcphearson strut you MUST use these:
6120224.jpg

Simple make or find a "J" bolt and hook the coil to fit INSIDE the mcphearson strut cap. If not it will pop out (like they did on me).
There are 3 bolt holes on the cap, use 2 or 3 of them with the j bolts.
That it is all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
XJ shackle with custom springs question.
Replies
11
Views
224
XJlimitedx99
X
Winterhawk
3 1/2" DPG Ultimate hybrid lift question
Replies
0
Views
108
Winterhawk
Winterhawk
W
Newbie with an XJ
Replies
9
Views
250
Wander Motor
W
ehall
steering overhaul
Replies
16
Views
310
ehall
ehall
M
Test fitting RC 4.5" long arm on 2000 XJ
Replies
10
Views
4K
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top