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  •  » Shelby drop help

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    9/25/2019 5:10 PM  #1

    mark1965
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    Registered: 4/03/2013
    Posts: 172

    Shelby drop help

    I just did the Shelby drop on my 65 coupe I installed new upper and lower control arms new ball joints roller spring perch new Coolsprings my problem is the top of the tire is now about 1 inch up inside the wheel well and when I turn the wheels left and right I have just enough room to put my finger between the lip of the fender and the top of the tire does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this  I am running  215/60 15 tires

     

    9/25/2019 5:13 PM  #2

    mark1965
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    mark1965 wrote:

    I just did the Shelby drop on my 65 coupe I installed new upper and lower control arms new ball joints roller spring perch new Coolsprings my problem is the top of the tire is now about 1 inch up inside the wheel well and when I turn the wheels left and right I have just enough room to put my finger between the lip of the fender and the top of the tire does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this  I am running  215/60 15 tires

     


       •Thread Starter
     

    9/25/2019 9:14 PM  #3

    rpm
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    From: Bakersfield, Ca
    Registered: 9/17/2013
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    I don't have experience on 65/66's to give advice of it'll rub or not, but that height sure looks good!

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 393W, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    9/25/2019 10:15 PM  #4

    lowercasesteve
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    From: Auburn, Ca
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    mark1965 wrote:

    I just did the Shelby drop on my 65 coupe I installed new upper and lower control arms new ball joints roller spring perch new Coolsprings my problem is the top of the tire is now about 1 inch up inside the wheel well and when I turn the wheels left and right I have just enough room to put my finger between the lip of the fender and the top of the tire does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this I am running 215/60 15 tires

    Several things come to mind, but which photo is before and which is after?
    If you put the wheels on the ground after tightening the control arms/a-arms, your car will sit higher.  You need to leave the bolts a little loose when you first put them on the ground tightening them afterwards.  
    Springs.  new springs can always make the car sit differently.  Some come with a 1" drop built in, some don't.  If your springs are old, they could have sagged with the new ones thus sitting higher.
    The Shelby Drop will lower the front end between 1/2" and 1", depending on the individual vehicle.

    Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
     

    9/26/2019 4:11 AM  #5

    mark1965
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    lowercasesteve wrote:

    mark1965 wrote:

    I just did the Shelby drop on my 65 coupe I installed new upper and lower control arms new ball joints roller spring perch new Coolsprings my problem is the top of the tire is now about 1 inch up inside the wheel well and when I turn the wheels left and right I have just enough room to put my finger between the lip of the fender and the top of the tire does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this I am running 215/60 15 tires

    Several things come to mind, but which photo is before and which is after?
    If you put the wheels on the ground after tightening the control arms/a-arms, your car will sit higher.  You need to leave the bolts a little loose when you first put them on the ground tightening them afterwards.  
    Springs.  new springs can always make the car sit differently.  Some come with a 1" drop built in, some don't.  If your springs are old, they could have sagged with the new ones thus sitting higher.
    The Shelby Drop will lower the front end between 1/2" and 1", depending on the individual vehicle.

    top picture passenger side  bottom pic drivers
     

       •Thread Starter
     

    9/26/2019 10:29 AM  #6

    Huskinhano
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    Registered: 4/26/2017
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    You haven't said anything about alignment. Did you put all the shims back on their associated stud? When you lower the control arm you need to remove about 3/16" to 1/4" in shims from both studs on each arm. Otherwise you'll know have too much positive camber which will and can cause a problem like that. You want at least 2*positive caster or more and 1/2* negative camber.I run  1 1/8* negative camber with normal tire wear.

    I'm running the same size tires on TTD wheels that have only 3.75" BS. Mine look similar.

    Last edited by Huskinhano (9/26/2019 10:30 AM)

    I'm not a complete idiot.....pieces are missing. Tom
     

    9/26/2019 1:31 PM  #7

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    Yeah, the biggest issue with the '65-'66 cars is the way they have to be aligned.  Without knowing what was done previously in an attempt to gain positive caster or negative camber its tough to say where you are now.  The drop alone, as Huskinhano said, is going to create an excess of positive camber. 

    Before getting too worried I would do a proper alignment on the car and see where the tires sit.  You won't need much camber with the drop, maybe 0.5 degree negative to neutral.  The trick is caster, where you want as much positive as you can get, but its tough with non adjustable strut rods. 

     

    9/26/2019 5:56 PM  #8

    MS
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    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
    Posts: 12,293

    Re: Shelby drop help

    Probably need to roll the fender lip vertical to keep from cutting tires.  Are those 15 x 7” with 4” or more backspacing?
    See the Ride Height page. My 66 had nearly your same setup on it.

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    9/27/2019 8:39 AM  #9

    Alessandro
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    From: Modena -Italy
    Registered: 7/08/2016
    Posts: 707

    Re: Shelby drop help

    you can always add a spacer on top of springs . For sure you will find problems with your fender when on bumpy road you will need to turn . ...

     

    9/27/2019 12:25 PM  #10

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    Thicker isolation rubber IS an option. I WOULD....... get it aligned to specs listed on Daze's site/or Huskinhano's suggestion(NOT.....what modern alignment techs have in their computer NOT!) then roll the lip on the inside of the fenders first......before going with thicker pads.
    6sally6.

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    9/27/2019 9:27 PM  #11

    Cab4word67
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    From: Portland, Ore
    Registered: 4/06/2019
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    My 65 has 225x60x15 with 3-1/2 BS( maybe 4" They stick out more than should)  ,620 drop springs. No isolatin pads, and after rolling the lip and adding KYB Gas-a-just shocks I have no rub. I will tell you it is tight, tighter than yours. But you will love the way it drives. The 12-1/2" is from the lip

    Last edited by Cab4word67 (9/27/2019 9:33 PM)

    Slammed Big Blue, ran over the varmints that messed with the Stang. Now all is good in the NW
     

    10/01/2019 1:27 PM  #12

    Vicfonz
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    From: Southern California
    Registered: 3/21/2018
    Posts: 239

    Re: Shelby drop help

    I agree with this

    Huskinhano wrote:

    You haven't said anything about alignment. Did you put all the shims back on their associated stud? When you lower the control arm you need to remove about 3/16" to 1/4" in shims from both studs on each arm. Otherwise you'll know have too much positive camber which will and can cause a problem like that. You want at least 2*positive caster or more and 1/2* negative camber.I run  1 1/8* negative camber with normal tire wear.

    I'm running the same size tires on TTD wheels that have only 3.75" BS. Mine look similar.

     

    "If Someone Did it on Youtube...So Can I...Well.....Unless its Heart Surgery,Thats Kinda Hard"
     

    10/01/2019 1:34 PM  #13

    Vicfonz
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    Registered: 3/21/2018
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    Re: Shelby drop help

    I did the drop ..per listening to everyone here...its the best thing ive done...using isolation rubber might do the trick..the ones I bought seemed to thick(polly) so I actually used the ones that were  on the car (rubberstill fairly newish)...I have 17" rims on and do not have rubbing issues....possibly try a bigger isolation rubber...

    "If Someone Did it on Youtube...So Can I...Well.....Unless its Heart Surgery,Thats Kinda Hard"
     

     

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