Suspension FAQ (Read This First)

[PuckPuck]

I'm writing this to clear up a few questions that are commonly brought up.

What other vehicle shares suspension components with the Cougar?
Besides the body shell and the interior, the Ford Contour and the Mercury Cougar are essentially the same car. The chassis/suspension and powertrain, are essentially the same. The brakes are different but the rest of the suspension is identical. So when shopping for parts, make sure to look up Ford Contour when looking for suspension components. You will find some sites only list under Ford Contour. (The same is true for most engine and transmission components also).

The SVT version of the Contour has a lowered suspension and comes with a smaller front sway bar. The SVT strut/springs aren't worth the price/quality, compared to the aftermarket. The effort to get an SVT front sway bar and install it versus the benefits gained, should end up leaving this modification to thoses pushing the extreme limits.

What kind of springs will work with my 2001-2002 Cougar?
Well Ground Control makes a kit specific to the 2001-2002 Cougar. As of now no other company makes lowering springs or any other kit. Don't worry you can still lower you car, but it will costs you a little bit more. You will need the 1999-2000 Rear Struts mounts and seats. Theses will replace you current ones. You can get them at Ford Parts Online or wherever you prefer to buy Ford parts from. You need these mounts because the sprints themselves changed how the top coil seats into the mount. Aftermarket manufacturers, have just never developed a set of springs for the 2001-2002 mounts. Don't worry, the mounts actually come out when you remove the strut, so there is literally no extra work involved in changing the parts. They will cost you about 30$. Once you have theses, any 1999-2000 spring will work. The part numbers for the parts needed are:
Rear Spring Seats: F5RZ 5793 A
Rear Strut Mount (aka Insulator): 18198
Attached to this message are 2 pics showing the Rear upper spring seat and Rear Upper Strut mount.

What's the best suspension kit?
Sorry to say, there is none. It is all a matter of what do you need it for. Each kit has pros and cons. Coil overs are more expensive but allow you to adjust the height. They are also generally more stiff, which provides for better cornering however at the sacrifice of a harsher and bumpier ride.

By How much will XXX spring lower my car?
Ground Control - 0" to 4" (adjustable)
D2 - 0" to 4" (adjustable)
Eibach - 1.2" Front, 1.0" Rear
Roush - 1.2" Front, 1.2" Rear
Progress - 1.8" Front, 1.2" Rear
Intrax - 1.6" Front, 1.4" Rear
H&R - 1.5" Front, 1.5" Rear
B+G - 1.8" Front, 1.8" Rear
Apex - 1.57" Front, 1.57" Rear
Koni Sport Kit - 1.5" Front, 1.5" Rear
BAT - 1.0" Front, 1.0" Rear

Will lowering my car ruin my struts?
Eventually all struts go bad. Lowering your car will decrease the life of your struts. Generally if you lower your car more than 1.5" it is good practice to get better struts. Less than 1.5" and you should be fine on stock struts, although upgrading to aftermarket struts will provide better handling characteristics.

How is my alignment affected when I lower my car?
It is a very good idea to get an alignment job each time you do anything to the suspension. Unfortunately for thoses with adjustable suspensions this is not a very good idea and can be quite expensive, however if you have just standard drop springs, spend the 40$ and get an alignement done on the car. You will benefit by fewer trips to the tire store.

What about camber plates?
When you lower a car past 1.5" you will also start to negatively affect camber. This will cause the inside of the tires to wear out very quickly. BAT Inc. a set of camber plates for the Cougar. They will costs you about 150$ for both sides. If you plan on autocrossing, theses are a must. If you have coil overs and lower more than 1.5" for extended periods of driving, theses are also a must.

Why are my Ground Control Upper Bearings Failing? And What are the Replacement Bearings for the Ground Control Kit?
Well some of you have experienced it, I recommend just don't even risk it. I have yet to hear of anyone run the Ground Control kit for an extended period of time without breaking the upper bearings. Yes there is a replacement, yes it is a far better product, and best part is you can get the replacements online for less than 10$ shipped to most locations in North America. You need to go to McMaster Carr. From there you will need 2 Bearings and 4 Washers. The part number for the bearings is: 5909K35 and the part number for the washers is: 5909K48


I will add more to this FAQ when I see fit.

[nandalora]

On Apex's website it says the springs lower the car 40mm which is 1.57" (F & R) you should fix that

[SkyRyder]

What would be factory alignment specs on a stock Cougar?
What would be a recommended alignment specs on a lowering spring setup on a Cougar?
What would be a recommended alignment specs on a Ground Control full slam setup Cougar?

Thanks

[skull_heaven]

any other adjustable kits out there?

[fordrule]

just use those replacement bearings for the GC and it will fix the problem?

[nandalora]

Add BAT springs- F: 1.0", R: 1.0"

[nandalora]

Might want to add the fact that H&R's ar linear springs, where as the rest are all progressive.

[bensenvill]

oh and you can add D2's now too.

[crazyoldcougar]

wow talk about bringing up the dead...but..

there are also matrix and Vogtland springs available for cougs now too..

anyway...my question is will the V6 eibach sport springs made for the V6 fit the four bangers? i am sure they will fit but will the function properly?

our cars (I4 guys) weigh less, i would think that will effect performance and stance?

[CincyZetec]

i just found this out. i just put on a set of the eibach springs w/ kyb struts a couple weeks ago. i know it takes some time to settle down and everything to work into it's groove. it's been about 2-3 weeks and the gap between the front wheels and the fender compared to the rear, is a little bigger. i was actually talking to rodneybur about it this weekend, and mentioned that they were for the v6. i think that the lighter engine plays a little in the ride height aspect, since the springs were designed to handle a certain weight (v6 engine) but now they're carrying a few hundred pounds less. in my opinion, using the eibach springs on a 4 banger isn't going to hurt any performance aspects of the suspension. the stance will b just a little offset, but not much to notice. once it quits raining here and i can get a couple good pics, i'll take some to show u what i mean.