pic of lowered L
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 829
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA, USA
pic of lowered L
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 829
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA, USA
Above is a pic of my Lightning after lowered by So-Cal. I don't know how it looks on your computers but it looks distorted on this one.
If you can see it let me know what you think. I took the picture from a laying down position to get a more dramatic angle, but I think it makes the truck look higher than it really is, I've already had the misfortune of scraping it a couple of times.
As far as handling I disagree that Roush is the only kit that improves this, my handling has been greatly improved, without a doubt.
Mike
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
If you can see it let me know what you think. I took the picture from a laying down position to get a more dramatic angle, but I think it makes the truck look higher than it really is, I've already had the misfortune of scraping it a couple of times.
As far as handling I disagree that Roush is the only kit that improves this, my handling has been greatly improved, without a doubt.
Mike
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 0
From: Dagobah, lots of snakes & very swampy
Looks veyr cool esp w/ that SVT @ the bottom. Ya shoot a pic of it from the side sitting about tire level, that give us a good idea how low it sits. I would be very intersted to see how it looks from a side view
Rest In Peace
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,075
Likes: 0
From: anchorage, alaska, usa, north america, earth, solar system, milky way
yeah looks cool. I though about doing the same thing to my truck. really makes the tires look perfect with the truck. I have talked to my friends about doing it and they said it would mess up the handling performance. What did you scrape your truck on? One last thing is it okay for you to post a ballpark figure on the cost of the modification, or parts + time invested if you did it yourself. Too bad Truckin' only had black & white pictures in their article. That's it I am getting a digital camera
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Apopka, FL USA
Mike,
It looks great.
I just want to clear things up a bit. When I commented on the other thread that the Roush kit was the only one that would realy improve handling it was in reference to some of the slam kits that are simply cut springs etc. If attention was paid to the suspension geometry and shock valving then you should be able to enhance the handling of our trucks without using the Roush package. Actually, our trucks suspension was tuned by SVE/Roush but the initial parameters were different than what Roush used in their kit. Ford decided that they wanted the Lightning to retain it's load and tow ratings as well as having clearance problems on the transporters so, the suspension we have is higher and stiffer than the Roush kit. The design criteria for the Roush suspension were to maximise handling while improving ride quality. That means finding the correct balance between spring rate, shock valving and sway bars. It does not take load or towing ratings into account. Therefore, they found that the rears need a very soft spring and some serious dampening to clean up the cornering and ride. That equates to a loss of load ratings. Different strokes for different folks!
Lowering the truck 2" all around and maintaining the existing spring rates would help your cornering due to a lower center of gravity and maintain most of your load ratings BUT you need to make sure the shocks are still functional. Lowering the truck can cause the internal valving to not function as designed thus screwing up your handling.
The bottom line. The Roush kit provides documented improvement. If others packages, tuners, etc. have documentation then go for it, otherwise you're dealing with subjective information
------------------
Mark Whatman
mwhatman@worldnet.att.net
It looks great.
I just want to clear things up a bit. When I commented on the other thread that the Roush kit was the only one that would realy improve handling it was in reference to some of the slam kits that are simply cut springs etc. If attention was paid to the suspension geometry and shock valving then you should be able to enhance the handling of our trucks without using the Roush package. Actually, our trucks suspension was tuned by SVE/Roush but the initial parameters were different than what Roush used in their kit. Ford decided that they wanted the Lightning to retain it's load and tow ratings as well as having clearance problems on the transporters so, the suspension we have is higher and stiffer than the Roush kit. The design criteria for the Roush suspension were to maximise handling while improving ride quality. That means finding the correct balance between spring rate, shock valving and sway bars. It does not take load or towing ratings into account. Therefore, they found that the rears need a very soft spring and some serious dampening to clean up the cornering and ride. That equates to a loss of load ratings. Different strokes for different folks!
Lowering the truck 2" all around and maintaining the existing spring rates would help your cornering due to a lower center of gravity and maintain most of your load ratings BUT you need to make sure the shocks are still functional. Lowering the truck can cause the internal valving to not function as designed thus screwing up your handling.
The bottom line. The Roush kit provides documented improvement. If others packages, tuners, etc. have documentation then go for it, otherwise you're dealing with subjective information
------------------
Mark Whatman
mwhatman@worldnet.att.net
- 99.5 White Lightning (stock)
- 99 Buell S3 Thunderbolt (not stock!)
- 98 F-150 Lariat (Flowmaster)
- 96 26' Velocity Offshore Race Boat (far from stock!!!)
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Urbana IL 61801
Hey Brimsotne..... Please give us the skinny on the price PLEASE, I've been to the Roush site and there wasnt any prices. Thanks Shawn
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: corona,ca
HEY BRIM,
I was over at so cal today talkin to Jim. I need to know if you have had your truck to the track yet? How does it launch and run with the cal trac bars? Jim and I decided we would wait for you to do some testing at the track before we did anything. But he said if they work good with the way your truck is set up we would proceed.
thanks for info pal!
sebastian
I was over at so cal today talkin to Jim. I need to know if you have had your truck to the track yet? How does it launch and run with the cal trac bars? Jim and I decided we would wait for you to do some testing at the track before we did anything. But he said if they work good with the way your truck is set up we would proceed.
thanks for info pal!
sebastian
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 829
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA, USA
Hey guys,
Thanks for the compliments, I'll see if I can get another pic from the side at a better angle - but yes it is low enough that you have to enter driveways at an angle (I learned the hard way).
As I stated in my earlier posts the cost of the kit runs about $700 w/out installation. I paid about $2000 total (ouch!) which includes labor as well as Cal-Tracs Traction Bars which ran me about $600 incl. labor and shipping. In my opinion it was a very professional job, maybe a bit pricey, but I'd rather pay extra to have some input on getting what I want for my specific application. I don't know if the other So-Cal kits will be set up the same way, I know the one in the Truckin' article wasn't.
I agree with Mark here all I can give is subjective information, I haven't had a chance to measure the performance. How can I go about measuring handling performance anyways?
N20Boy: I haven't had a chance to go to the track yet, I'm gonna go back and have the truck balanced and have the hitch removed first. Maybe we can meet up at a track or cruise out there together. If I can get the truck balanced this week maybe we can go on Saturday?
Mike
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
Thanks for the compliments, I'll see if I can get another pic from the side at a better angle - but yes it is low enough that you have to enter driveways at an angle (I learned the hard way).
As I stated in my earlier posts the cost of the kit runs about $700 w/out installation. I paid about $2000 total (ouch!) which includes labor as well as Cal-Tracs Traction Bars which ran me about $600 incl. labor and shipping. In my opinion it was a very professional job, maybe a bit pricey, but I'd rather pay extra to have some input on getting what I want for my specific application. I don't know if the other So-Cal kits will be set up the same way, I know the one in the Truckin' article wasn't.
I agree with Mark here all I can give is subjective information, I haven't had a chance to measure the performance. How can I go about measuring handling performance anyways?
N20Boy: I haven't had a chance to go to the track yet, I'm gonna go back and have the truck balanced and have the hitch removed first. Maybe we can meet up at a track or cruise out there together. If I can get the truck balanced this week maybe we can go on Saturday?
Mike
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 829
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA, USA
Nathan,
www.so-calspeedshop.com I don't know if they have anything about the Lightning though.
Mike
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
[This message has been edited by BRIMSTONE (edited 01-04-2000).]
www.so-calspeedshop.com I don't know if they have anything about the Lightning though.
Mike
------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack
[This message has been edited by BRIMSTONE (edited 01-04-2000).]
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: corona,ca
hey so cal does not have any info on the lightning but I do! I have the price structure sheet and article from dec truckin mag. I do not think this is the same way mike's truck was done but some of the theory is there. Mike I will probably be up there this weekend placin some of our guys in the water box etc.. give me a email with your number.
nxtlvlrcng@msn.com
later seb..
ohh almost forgot if some of you guys want a copy of this info let me know I will copy and send it to you..
later again sebastian
nxtlvlrcng@msn.com
later seb..
ohh almost forgot if some of you guys want a copy of this info let me know I will copy and send it to you..
later again sebastian
