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By Tim Quinn - 5 Years Ago
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I was advised to replace stock springs with Aero Star springs.
WOW, what a great move, lowered the front just enought
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By oldcarmark - 5 Years Ago
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Hows the Ride! Did U have to lower the rear to Match Height? Shocks still fit?
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By Florida_Phil - 5 Years Ago
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I've thought about doing this myself. I would be interested to know if the ride quality changes?
My TBird is setup more like a 60s muscle car. Instead of lowering the front, I raised the back. I think it looks better with the big tires and the dog dish hub caps. I get lots of comments. It's definitely different.
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By MplsMike - 5 Years Ago
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Hi Tim,
What car do you have? I installed the Aerostar springs too - generally like the look and ride but I think the stock shocks now bottom out. So my question is like oldercarmark’s on your shock setup.
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By miker - 5 Years Ago
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When I put the Aerostar springs on my bird I didn’t cut bump stops. So presumably they work before the shocks bottom and take the load. I did replace them though. I don’t have a problem bottoming out, the progressive winding of the spring takes car of that.
At least one member here used them with the Granda spindles and found out the car was too low and took them out. There’s also some spacers used by the Mustang guys (4” nominal diameter, varying thicknesses) that you could use to raise it up a bit.
I love them, and wouldn’t hesitate to use them with or without the spacers.
I had a bird in the 60’s set up like yours Phil. Up in back, dog dish on oem wheels. I still like ‘em that way.
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By Florida_Phil - 5 Years Ago
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I considered putting custom wheels on my Bird for a long time. I get so many good comments on the dog dish hub caps, that I decided to keep them. People always ask me what motor is in the car? I tell them a 292 and they look confused. 
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By MoonShadow - 5 Years Ago
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I used the spacers on the lower A frame to lower my front. A friend has done the Aerostar springs and does not like it. Has problems bottoming out. Are there different length shocks that fix it?
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By Talkwrench - 5 Years Ago
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I had to replace the shocks on mine... Cant say Im the biggest fan of the Aerostar.. 
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By charliemccraney - 5 Years Ago
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Shouldn't stock shocks allow for instances of full compression of stock suspension? If so, then why would lowering springs require shorter shocks since the suspension will still be stopped by snubbers at the same minimum compression?
Either way, it shouldn't be a huge deal. Many of the shock manufacturers have catalogs you can view online that can be used to find a shock with the necessary requirements, for a similar vehicle.
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By kevink1955 - 5 Years Ago
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I am almost ready to do the Aerostar springs and Versales spindles (same as granda) on my 56 Fairlane
Can anyone tell me how far this combo lowers the front end.
I could do with 2 inches, any more I would use doughnut spacers but how thick a spacer?, looking at the spring location it looks to me that a 1 inch spacer would raise the car more than 1 inch, any idea how much spacer (if any) i would need??
Some have said that the springs really do help the ride and handling and I already have them and the spindles just want to make sure I am doing the right thing
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By MoonShadow - 5 Years Ago
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Both the Aerostar springs and the Versailles spindles will lower the car from 1.5" to 2" each. Rob Bolson in Canada did that and had to change it. Was way too low in the front. These are the ones I used they sell them on EBAY.
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By DryLakesRacer - 5 Years Ago
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I did the Aerostars on my 56 3 years ago this month. They are compound wound so there is definitely a different ride. A dip in the road will cause a lot of front end "bottom out" thinking but I doubt mine has ever hit the stops. The stock shocks have been fine. From Summit I bought urathane spacers for a Toyota pickup because I didn't want it too low.
It wasn't level so I ended up with a 1/2" on one side an 3/8" on the other. Mine is right at 2" which is what I wanted.
I might have looked at the A-arm spacers I had known about it.
Remember to have your front end realigned. I love the front end lower look. It doesn't have a "stance" (BS word) it has a "rake".
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By Genuinerod - 5 Years Ago
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That is one Bitchin' lookin Ford.
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By miker - 5 Years Ago
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Some really like the Aerostar springs, others not so much. But how low is too low varies with driving style, road conditions and taste. Over on the HAMB, there’s write ups on many other vehicles using them, and guys who think a pack of cigarettes is ground clearance under the frame.
On the birds, the engine placement plays into this. On my bird I had to cut the original springs to get the car level. Aluminum intake, front cover, headers, all took enough weight off the front to make the car raise up. When I put the Aerostar’s in, it didn’t lower me as much as some, and probably not as much as a passenger car. I can feel a real difference in the ride from the progressive rate. It’s much smoother on light bumps than the oem springs, stock or cut. But when I hit a big bump it firms right up, and there’s no “polishing” where the bump stops hit. So I’m not getting into them often.
The combined drop of the lower spindles and the shorter springs seems to be too much for most of the members here. How that plays with a spacer(s) in a passenger car is beyond my experience. Because the spring is in the middle of the A arm pivot, you’re right that it’s not a 1:1 ratio on the spacer. It’s going to be something more than the spacer. If you measure from the frame pivot point to the spindle and then measure to the center of the spring, you should be able to approximate it. I’d end up with cardboard and rulers, but if Greenbird56 was around, he could probably give you the ratio. Maybe someone else will chime in.
How low, ride, roads, are all subjective and hard to communicate.
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By kevink1955 - 5 Years Ago
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Thanks Miker
Thats my style "Cardboard and rulers"
I have a little time before I do this, Keep it coming, can never have to much info
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By Tim Quinn - 5 Years Ago
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The Aero Star coil springs were installed on my '56 Crown along with a new pair of stock shocks.
As of this week, I like the ride and handling especially the lower front end. Also, replaced all the rubber
grommets in the front stabilizer bar. Have not touched the rear springs, kinda like the way it looks and rides.
The new coil springs seem to give a more cushy ride kinda smoother with a little more bounce. All in all, HAPPY CAMPER.
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By MoonShadow - 5 Years Ago
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With the A frame bolt on I pictured above I've had no problem with bottoming out. After installing I had my alignment checked and it hadn't changed at all. I no engineer but I wonder if just lowering the position of the bottom A frame kept everything straight. I even know a trick to put them in without removing the A frame. The only bottoming out problem I had was on the rear with 3" lowering blocks. Drive shaft would hit the tunnel on a hard bump. Went to 2" and that went away. I know the angle doesn't show well on the grass but you can definitely see that Vicky sets low. Also no ground scraping except on the occasional oversize speed bumps.
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By Tim Quinn - 5 Years Ago
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That is next, 2" lowering blocks
Tim
Hot 'n Humid, Fl 33706
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By oldcarmark - 5 Years Ago
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Are these front or rear Aerostar Springs U used? what Manufacturer did U use? There's about 3 different Suppliers that sell them. Just wondering for future Reference.
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By DryLakesRacer - 5 Years Ago
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IMO u don't need lowering blocks in the rear...just give it a little time and it will settle that much. As I remember our 55 Convert and 56 Vic both took a couple of years to drop about 2".
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By Tim Quinn - 5 Years Ago
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Got the Aeorstar springs fro ROCKAUTO.
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