What are you doing ? Just a dropped D or everything down to D or even further ? Process is all the same either way but the further you go it will get more trying. If your going to follow those step by step instructions your going to pull your hair out.
Do both dropping of strings and spring tension at the same time. Drop the tuning a half step, this will drop the back of the plate. Now loosen the spring tension plate evenly until the tremolo itself is level again. You will now be tuned even lower, probably way out of tune but still you wont be chasing it around and around as you will be if you follow those instructions.
First let me assume you will be using a cromatic tuner, you can keep your eye on this as you loosen or tighten your spring tension as well.
Once you catch on to whats happening it will make more sense.
Examples ; If your flat and your plate is up in the rear, level the plate (increase spring tension) and this will bring your tune up toward what you want. As opposed to being flat, tuning up and then increasing spring tension only to find out you are now way sharp and going in circles.
If your sharp and plate is down in the back, looseing tension till plate is level will drop the tuning.
Youll still chase it around awhile but nothing like if you spend lots of time fine tuning everything all at once and then adjust the spring tension only to find your flat as hell and when you tune back up then need to tighten spring tension only to find out now your way sharp.
Keep the tremolo plate level and spring plate even or your wasting time.
If your going way down such as C or B tuning you will want heavier gauge strings, you want to get these first. If you change string gauges after your set up you will need to go through this again... but its good practice. There are other issues that can occur with very low tuning such as truss rod adjustment and intonation, so thats another consideration.
It will all make sense once you get going at it. Key is being at least as smart as the floyd.........
