How to install Leaf Springs and Rear Shocks in a 1966 Mustang

After lowering the car on a set of lowering blocks, I realized that the 55 year old leaf springs had seen better days and it was time to replace them. But this time we do it with "mid-eye" leafs so we don't need to install the lowering blocks. I also threw in a new set of rear shocks as the air-ride suspension in this car is not what we're looking for.
Leafs: 5-leaf, Mid eye, 195lb, includes shackles and bolts, part # LSK7, purchased from CJP
Shocks: KYB Excel-G, direct replacement amzn.to/3J3INRg
The car is a 1966 Mustang Coupe with a factory V8 and 4 speed transmission.
This video is a How To Install leaf springs and rear shocks on a 1966 Mustang
Shot with GoPro Hero 5, edited on Davinci Resolve 16.
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[@maxovernyter9189]

Great video!! My 66 is sagging too. Looks like a pretty straight forward job.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Hopefully it goes well for you. Worst case you have to cut the front mounting bolt for the leafs, but it's doable. If you have to cut that bolt, the higher you can get the car, the easier it will be. If the bolt is not stuck in your leafs, this is an easy upgrade. :)

[@GraemeHuntDesign]

I'm in the Seattle area, too! My '65 coupe has the original springs and they're sagging badly, especially on the driver's side. Still debating if I should take this project on myself, but your video helped relieve some anxiety. LOL

[@AndyKruseChannel]

If those front leaf bolts are not stuck, this is a super easy swap. But if either or both of those bolts are stuck, make sure you've got a new blade for your Sawzall. :)

[@dennispetersen511]

Convertible owners -- FYI: The top shock bolts are behind the back seat in the oval shaped holes...not in the trunk. Great video Andy!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Thanks for the info!

[@j.santos9300]

Thank you for making these videos, it's very helpful.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

You're very welcome!

[@superpapi]

Glad you found the stance you wanted. Glad you did the trial and error for me so I did not have to on my next project. Lol!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Happy to help. 😄

[@vichernandez6206]

Great video. I will be tackling my 65’s leaf springs this weekend and learned a few things. Just hoping the bolts come off as easily as yours did.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

I wish you luck!! If you get a chance, spray them with something like PB Blaster or DW-40 the day before you tackle the project, it should help.

[@mando82jr]

I'll be doing the leaf springs over the weekend. Definetely use this video as a guide. Leaf springs last thing left to do on my suspension.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Awesome! Will you get a chance to make a video and put it on your channel? It would be great to see this project improve your car just a little more. :)

[@mando82jr]

@@AndyKruseChannel I sometimes forget... I'll start recording or taking pictures... Then run into a problem or something... Then overcome the hurdle and forget to keep documenting the process 🤦‍♂️. Really appreciate you taking the time and showing steps by steps. They are really helpful.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

@@mando82jr I feel your pain. I've even had to remove things and start over because I forget that I need to make sure it's all in the video.

[@johnwesleycollins878]

Good video on the mechanical level of most of your diy people nice car and you keep your garage nice and clean keep it up down to earth info by the way I'm a professional mechanic my self 46 years love the old muscle have a65 coupe in the garage but enjoy your video thanks

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Awesome, thanks for the support! That Coupe is gone and now I'm working on a 66 Fastback, be sure to check out the new content! :)

[@dwaynebodzenta7994]

Andy you made that look easy. Thank you. GREAT LOOKING CAR. :)

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Thanks 👍

[@dwaynebodzenta7994]

Andy if you dont mind quick question about leaf springs which is why I watched your video. I have a 65-mustang coupe my son built. It bottoms out every time you hit a small bump on the road. I'm thinking about changing the leaf springs and shocks like you did in the video. I would like the back end to sit a little higher than the front. I know its not the tires. What would you recommend for me to buy and where would I buy them from?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

@@dwaynebodzenta7994 I think you'll find the new leafs will raise the car slightly as the leafs on your car are old and tired. So I'd get new leafs in there first and see where the car sits. Then, if you still want it to sit higher, you can buy extension shackles for the rear connection point of the leafs. You could even make some out of some thick flat bar. I did a video not too long ago where I removed those extension shackles from my Fastback. While that video about removing them and replacing them with stock height shackles, you could at least see what the extension pieces looks like and it would get you a little more familiar with the rear spring setup on these cars. Also, heads up on removing those rear springs. I got lucky with the front bolts on these leafs, but I had to cut them out of my Fastback when I replaced them. I made a video about that too. Good luck!! :)

[@dwaynebodzenta7994]

@@AndyKruseChannel your right replaced the Leafs and shocks on my 65. the front bolts had to be cut off. Apparently, the front bolts were rusted to the steel sleeve placed inside the bushing. Cutting these off was the hardest part of the job. I did buy the extended shackles and it raised the height of the back end about 2 inches which looks good. take care and I'll keep watching more of your videos.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

@@dwaynebodzenta7994 Awesome, I'm glad it worked out for you. Looks like you had the same problem I did on those front Leaf bolts, they are definitely the hardest part of the job. Good luck with you car, thanks for sticking around! :)

[@JonathanFrojen]

Thanks for the video dude. I've got the same issue. Stock springs that someone put air shocks on. I don't like them and they leak. I got the 5 spring leafs for cj pony and a set of bilstiens. Can't wait to put them on.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Nice, hopefully those front Leaf bolts are easy for you to remove. :)

[@JonathanFrojen]

I'm doing it in the morning. I've got custom exhaust, so I will have to drop driver side exhaust to get the rear leaf bolts and bushings out anyway

[@Molaca01]

Nice job and great tutorial..love the car btw

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Thanks!!

[@reygonzales6579]

Thanks for video looks pretty easy. I'll be doing mine soon.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

It's really not that bad as long as the single bolt at the 'motor' end of the leafs isn't stuck in the car. I got lucky in that my bolt came right out and was no issue. On the extreme end the bolt can get rusted in the steel sleeve inside the bushing in the leaf, then it can be real tough to get out. There are several ways to do it, but all of them are a pain. As long as that bolt is easy for you, the rest of the swap is a piece of cake. :)

[@BPattB]

I've been waiting to be able to use this video! I scored a pair of CPP(classic performance parts) 1 inch drop leaf springs for $150. They still had the tags on them LOL! The guy bought him for his 65 project and the way he explained it was "one thing led to another and all of a sudden I was going to have 650ish horsepower so I realized I should probably go coil over before I kill myself" the springs go for $429 off CJ's and Summit!!! Best Christmas Eve ever installing leaf springs I got it 68% off! Merry Christmas to you and the family Andy!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

This will be a great addition to your car, and the price makes it even better! :)

[@BPattB]

@@AndyKruseChannel Basically I kept this video on repeat last night. 1995 was the last time I swapped leaf springs, and being 18 I'm sure I casually glanced at my Haynes manual while I was doing it🤨. The only thing that went different for me was when I had the new springs in and went to lower the rear end the rear end it did not drop down to sit on top of the new leaf springs. Not at all. Like a 2.5" gap between the springs and the rear end. I had to support the rear end so I put 1 pump back on the jack while I thought about my life and had a beer. Luckily I had a couple of 2-ton bottle jacks, because I don't know any part store that's open at 10:00 P.M. on Christmas night. Anyway I use the bottle jacks to push the springs up and into place. I had to have my son push the tires forward maybe 1/2" to make sure that tab on the top of the leaf springs was where it's supposed to be. And just before I went to tighten the u-bolts I thought "this isn't right". Some more reflection on my life and another beer and thought why not jack up the front of the car to even it out and wouldn't you know now the springs and rear end flange are much closer to level to each other. I still had that 2.5 gap, put the bottle Jack's back in there and buttoned it up. When I got the car on the ground it was @11:30P.M. driving it around to settle the new parts was out of the question. The car takes 10 minutes to warm up and it's pretty loud, waking up the neighbors up at 11:30 on Christmas night sounds like a jerk move LOL. Any way the car is 1/4" lower than it was. I'm hoping it will settle it goes from 27" to 26" or even a bit less. If not I can always get some lowering blocks. Thanks for all the work you do to make stuff like this easier on guys like me. Appreciate you a ton man!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

@@BPattB It times like this where I wish I could be all over the country at one time to offer any assistance on these projects. I've had a ton of scenarios where things don't go as planned and I have to rethink what I'm doing (thanks to clever editing). I'm no Guru, but sometimes all it takes is a different set of eyes to see what's going on. :) Your springs will settle, but it will take a bit, give it a few weeks. I put 1" blocks on my current car only to later swap them for 1/2" units after the leafs had settled. The nice thing about your scenario is it's easy (and relatively cheap) to go lower. Raising the car can be cheap too, but it requires longer shackles which looks cheap in my opinion. :)

[@BPattB]

@@AndyKruseChannel 👍 right on Andy!

[@JimboJason]

Looks great, good job!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Jp12213]

Thanks!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

You bet!

[@gregoryg8301]

thanks for the video, started to remove mine on my '66 coupe and the bolt was spinning. I wasn't sure if i could get a wrench in there on the flat side of the lock bolt

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Yeah, these front bolts can be difficult. If all else fails, use a sawzall to cut it out. :)

[@donaldfischer1428]

I put air shocks on my 66 and seperated the valves so I can adjust and even the ride height. Leaf springs don't sag over time at the same rate.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Separate valves are a good idea, thanks!

[@josephlopez4174]

Using a wratchet as a hammer

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Haha, I never claimed I knew what I was doing. :)

[@banks412gmailcom]

You said that lift is called a quick jack? Man that’s cool - can you share a make/model and maybe where you found it?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

It's model 3500SLX, purchased it from Costco when it was on sale for $999. :)

[@umangu]

Very good video man, gives me the confidence to attempt my own, wish you had done a drive and in-car video review

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Thanks! That large bolt at the front end of the leaf springs is really the only difficult part if it's rusted in, other than that the rear leafs are easy to replace. :) It's been so long, I don't recall if I talked about these springs in other videos where I'm driving around, but I'll give you an update. These springs are definitely stiffer than the stock springs. However, even new stock replacements would have been stiffer as the springs I removed were over 55 years old and very worn out. If a guy was looking for a little more comfort over performance, I'd recommend the 4 leafs. But if he wanted a little more performance over comfort, then these 5 leafs are great. Also, these leafs are the Mid-Eye, so the car sits about an inch lower which is perfect. No need for lowering blocks.

[@umangu]

@@AndyKruseChannel I’ll spray mine with WD40 every day for a week before I start!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

@@umangu That's a great idea and I wish I could remember to do that more often.

[@MrGerdar]

Great video. Thanks

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Glad you liked it!

[@user-qs8bp9we3v]

Hello Andy, I am also in the North West (Renton) and need some wielding done on the frame. Any suggestions? I am also replacing my leaf springs and found this video very helpful. I also had old air shocks I am removing.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Hello Brotha! Unfortunately I am no where near Renton, so I would not be a good source for recommended welding shops. However, I bet some of the members on the VMF forum could help with that. Those new leafs and shocks are going to be a great upgrade for your ride, I hope it all works out for you! 🙂

[@lifesajourney101]

I just bought a (what i thought almost fully restored) 67 coupe and didnt notice until a week later after some more inspection that my rear frame rails on both sides are in bad shape and rusted out. I have a leaf spring that has the same issue as yours with the metal clamp busted. Is there anything i can do about the rear frame rails? Is it extensive and expensive to fix you think? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! New to the classic car club here and excited to get my journey started. Thanks for all the great videos by the way! You do an outstanding job of explaining everything and is very helpful!

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Congrats on your purchase. The best answer is to cut out that bad rails and weld in new pieces. You can buy just about any sheet metal piece for these cars, but the trick is welding in the new stuff. If this is beyond your skill level, find a local shop or talk with some people at local car shows to find someone to do the work. Depending on how bad they are, you may want to tackle this project before moving on to the fun stuff, just so it gets done. Good luck, you've got this! :)

[@lifesajourney101]

@AndyKruseChannel Thanks so much for the quick response! They are definitely bad. Bad enough that I couldn't replace with new leaf springs. The minute I un bolt the old ones the frame rails in the rear end will start to crumble/dissolve away... lol. On the bright side the fronts aren't bad, just the rears. I seen CJ Pony sells Rear rail kits so that's great!! Just not sure how big of a job it is and how much i have to tear apart since it's the frame. :( Thanks for the tips! I'll keep watching and liking your videos! I'm enjoying the learning process! Take care!

[@joebob344]

My car is a shell right now. No engine, driveshaft etc. I got my rearend rebuilt and bought new leaf springs. I put the leafs in earlier and got my rearend put up in place. I know there are plates on the bottom side of the rearend that have a hole in them that is supposed to line up with the locator pin on the leaf springs to loacate the rearend then you can put your U bolts on etc. I put the rearend down on the leafs and I have probably a 1/4" of travel side to side and front to back so I don't know whereabouts I should locate the rearend before I put the U bolts and shock plates on before I tighten them up. It's like the locator pin on the leafs aren't tall enough. This is my original rear end and stock style Eaton springs. The only thing I can think to do is put the rear shocks in which I don't have yet and tighten them up top then line the shock plate hole up with the bottom and that might position the rearend where it needs to be? I'm a little confused. Any ideas?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

The shocks have a rubber bushing on either end, so using them as a locator can provide a false position as the rubber can "move" a little. I recall having the same issue where the pin in the leafs felt a little loose in the plate welded to the axle. I did my best to center them front to back, and side to side. I have not noticed any issues, but when you get the front part of your car done you should probably get an alignment. At that time I would notify the alignment shop of what you described and see if they either need to adjust the rear end or just leave it. Sorry I'm not much help, good luck with your build!! :)

[@joebob344]

@@AndyKruseChannel Any info is a great help. Thank you. The rubber bushing moving makes total sense. I have since found out that the locator pins on 65-66's are longer. So I need to order up a set from NPD. Didn't know they existed. You'd think that my new leafs would have the longer ones. I still have my original ones so I'll look at them and see if they'll work. Thanks for your help!

[@giangta2868]

great video, but looked like the reverse lights had been cut off, need some help on that?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Thanks! They are cut, I'm hoping to not only fix the wires, but add the proper backup-light mechanism on the transmission too. It's on my list of videos to make. :)

[@dfrausto3]

Did you ever do a video on rolling the fenders?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

I started to film it for one of my videos, but it was not working out like I wanted, and I didn't want to give out bad info, so I scrapped that part and just cut to them being done. I have a fender roller and I had done it on other cars, including a previous classic Mustang of mine, but it just wasn't working like I wanted at that time. :)

[@spencepalms]

What model Quick Jack is that? I’m days away from picking up a 66 Mustang myself.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

BL-5000SLX, I was able to get it from Costco on sale for $999. Congrats on the new purchase, good luck!

[@Redmist.65]

I want to upgrade my suspension on my 65 but for just the leafs its $610 over in the UK.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Wow, those shipping costs can ruin the plans real fast.

[@eclipsetravel4926]

I couldn't find the video where you cut springs.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

This is the video title: "How to install front lowering springs on a 1966 Mustang"

[@eclipsetravel4926]

@@AndyKruseChannel Thanks

[@eliminator1579]

Do you do final torque for leaf springs and shocks on ground ?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Yes on the front bolts, but I've heard some people say to save the rear bolts for when the car is on the ground. We can save that argument for another day. :)

[@justin1978]

Great video! I'm getting ready to do this on my car along with a rear drum brake rebuild. I'm thinking it would be a good time to open up the differential and put in some new gaskets and change the fluid. I think I have a small leak. It looks to me like the entire axle/differential will drop right out after you remove the leafs, shocks and driveshaft. Or am I over simplifying things?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

The only other think you need to remember to remove is the breather tube/brake line splitter that's mounted on top of the axle, on the driver's side of the third member. Other than that, it will drop out. Good luck, you got this!! :)

[@justin1978]

@@AndyKruseChannel Thanks for the fast response Andy!

[@idevili5453]

Hi, nice Video! What is grey paste youre putting on the Bolt?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

It's an anti-seize so the bolts don't rust in place. I'm glad I put that on there because I have to take those bolts out soon for a new project. :)

[@Deucealive75]

What tire and rim sizes are you using? You had some luck with the front through bolts on those springs. Many of them are very difficult to remove. I bet the rear is pretty firm. I replaced mine years ago with 5 leaf standard ride height. Rides like a truck but I like it that firm. I also added a rear sway bar. Couldn't tell you where I got the parts. That was around 30 years ago.

[@AndyKruseChannel]

I think I used up all my luck on those front bolts! Haha.

[@blaketison1802]

No issues with opinion angle?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

No, but it wouldn't hurt to put a wedge kit in to help with the new pinion angle. :)

[@giangta2868]

of course you are funny too

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Haha, thanks.

[@pauljames5960]

Where do you order your parts from?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

Mostly Ebay and CJ Pony Parts. I've also ordered from Rock Auto and NPD.

[@seanjohnson6899]

Should of left the lowering blocks installed

[@AndyKruseChannel]

I thought about that, but I get the slightest bit of rubbing on hard corners, so leaving them in there would allow my tires to rub even more.

[@seanjohnson6899]

@@AndyKruseChannel 4 3/4-5 " back spacing rims helps with avoiding any rubbing on inner fender lip. I have reverse eye springs and 1inch lowering blocks

[@swooshdave]

@@AndyKruseChannel So... what did you do with the lowering blocks? The car I just got has new springs but I want to lower it. Blocks would be perfect. What part of Washington are you in?

[@AndyKruseChannel]

@@swooshdave They're sitting on my shelf in the garage, along with the longer u-bolts. I'm located in Eastern Washington.

[@swooshdave]

@@AndyKruseChannel If you want to get rid of them let me know.