"Budget Suspension" input recommended

[TRicker]

well guys..... my contour has 170k on it now. i just did the 3L swap, and i have a lot of bolt ons. it was long due for some suspension improvements but i really didnt want to spend mucho bucks for something that would be too low for minnesota's crappy roads, or ride too rough, or cost a ton. so i gave myself a limit, and i almost made it. here's what i ended up with.

4 new SVT struts from Steve at Tousley. after discount, 199$+tax
Eibach Springs (these are highly debatable, these are slightly used, and i hear about the a$$ sag all the time. if the rear sags, i'll simply replace them with some higher quality rear springs.) 140$ from icefury

Stock rubber Sway bar bushings, front, rear, and end-link bushings-43$

(polyeurethane bushings are 6 weeks back ordered from everywhere i looked including the pep boys in inver grove heights MN that carries energy suspension and eibach suspension components on the shelf)

my parts just barely exceeded my spending limit of 400$ , it was about 444$ after tax on the struts and bushings. hopefully this will give me a decent look, and a new feel again. and stop the clunking!!!!

[TheMexicanJob]

guess you'll find out down the road, but i'm not sure how long stock struts will last on lowering springs, even if they are new.

[Steeda...]

stock with eibach is pointless.

You probably want new strut mounts as well if you have 170k on stock mounts.

Get the koni sport kit. Stock struts suck when you are lowering the car.

[TRicker]

i know......i'm just refreshing everything though. sport springs only drop 1.2" .....they might wear out the struts faster but i'm not planning on driving it much after this. i would love a koni kit but i really didnt want to spend that much and i don't want the car too low because the roads i drive suck. i just want fresh suspension. we'll see how fast the struts go out i guess

[TheMexicanJob]

try driving the motocross tracks they call roads in MI with D2's...

[theSCHAFF]

IMO your SVT struts will be fine with teh Eibach springs, they dont' drop your car much...

[TRicker]

i got the suspension in last night.....

it sits pretty low. my car sagged really bad all around because the suspension was so worn out..... but it's about 1.5" lower than that now. it's sitting about as low as i would want it. i broke an end link in the front for the sway bar so i don't know how much better it handles yet, i have to put the new one in today. the rear doesnt have a$$ sag like everyone says eibach springs do. it's actually about 3/4" higher in the back than in the front. it looks great. the springs i got were used so they are already "settled" if you will.

[8000RPM]

hmm funny. I did the exact same set up on my svt last week. with brand new eibach and new stock svt struts the rear sits a bit lower than the front. it doesn't look bad..i think. handles much better, because mine was also floating like yours was...so there is a huge improvement. maybe not the best out there, but for the budget i think it is pretty good. now how long will the svt stuts last..that's a different issue, but i think they will last at least 20k-30k miles...i hope.
btw, when you drive the car for a few miles it will become a bit lower, so maybe that's why your rear is still sitting higher...let us know how it turned out.

[TourDeForce]

Looks like some Eibachs will be on the market soon. BAT springs are only about $210, give a small 1" drop, and improve handling & nose dive dramatically over stock springs.

I have a set of stock SVT springs with unknown mileage on them. They look to be in very good shape. I was gonna throw them away so if anybody wants them, pay shipping.

[TRicker]

my eibach's are used. it's all settled in already. it sits lower in the front, but the wheel gap looks the same. it's easy to see that the front bumper is lower than the rear bumper so it looks good. i'm all smiles