UMI Front lowering springs (not)

After replacing old rear springs with new Moog cargo coil springs, I upgraded the fronts too - looking to improve the handling (especially cornering) without spending too much, or loosing all the comfortable ride.

I talked to UMI Performance tech line twice, and then decided on their 1" front lowering springs (4050F) which are also a bit stiffer than OEM. They said their stock height springs would raise my front end (hmmm that's weird, why not make them the correct stock height?). I appreciate that springs can be a guessing game, so I took a chance on the 1" lowers. I also got their Proforged upper ball joints that are .5" taller, to improve the negative camber gain in cornering. A local shop installed those parts for me 2 weeks ago and front end align.

Good news is the car now rides better in my opinion, a little stiffer but not harsh - less wallow over bumps & swales. Less body roll in the S-curves. Turns and steers much better, the front end alignment (and the taller ball joints I think) being major factors. All this with the OEM sway bar and rotted rubber bushings still on.

Bad news is these 1" lowering springs raised the front 3/4" as measured to the top of the front wheel arch - not at all what I expected from 1" lowering springs. So be warned, I'm not sure if this is on UMI or me or Lady Luck...but UMI stock height makes you taller, and 1" lowering makes you 3/4" higher too.

Maybe OK in the end, since the stiffer spring rate seems better, the ride height is at factory spec all around now (even though my goal was to have some forward rake), and the front doesn't look lawful - like a gasser or anything. Next I'll post about my new Hellwig front sway bar

 

Here are some AFTER pics

 

Looks good! I wonder if it's just that the original springs had sagged more than that 3/4" inch over the years?

 

Wait a few weeks - the springs should settle a bit.

 

Did you lose weight up front? Like aluminum heads, radiator, intake or ditch the AC?

 

As stated above, let them settle for a few weeks.

 

Did you torque the control arm bolts with the spring compressed?
Try loosening all the bolts and then tighten them with the spring compressed.

 

No weight loss (ha, my wife can attest…). But hay that’s a good tip, to retorque control arm bolts under normal spring compression - thanks Daves69

 

Tall ball joint on factory control arms?

 

Yes the .5” taller upper ball joint, on front OEM control arms

 

Taller lower ball joints will drop it back down.

 

So no issue with the alignment? Is there a lot of shims?

 

Not a lot of shims, I hope the shop had no problems with aligning it (they didn’t report any to me). They did say they thought the taller ball joint was a good idea though.

 

Thanks, I'm heading in that same path so getting as much info from those that have done it.

 

To me from the pics the front seems to have an upward rake

 

cheers I used hotchkis SMALLBLOCK 1 inch lowering springs on my gsx and the ride height was perfect. The spring rate is 512 and the ride was good. stock rate is 450

 

What was your height before the springs. I'm at 28" up front so high for sure.
Have that same springs as you and ordered Tall lower ball joint to see if i can get it down to at least 26".