Suspension install/Chassis bracing pics..

[Trav4011]

Just finishing up on my suspension/chassis upgrades.. Poor car needed some TLC..

BBK upper/lowers
Lakewood 50/50's out back
KYB GR2's up front
Battle Boxes welded/bolted in
Torque box seams welded up
Subframe connectors welded up
New brakes/bushings
Roush springs
New Nitto 275/40's out back
New Falken Ziex 255/40zr's up front


I ran out of wire before I could weld my axle tubes, and build my x-brace to connect both subframe connectors together.

The car ran 12.20's @ 115mph on bone stock suspension and drag radials.. I'm hoping to do a little better tomorrow..

Travis

 

[Stang|ess]

ah hate to tell you this, but you need to have the weight of your car on the wheels when you weld on SFCs.

 

[RoadconeTuning]

yep, you pretty much just wasted your time, car needs to be on a drive on lift, all you did was hold the body stressed in an un natural position... hack them off and put it on a drive on lift and go at it again...

 

[SilverBullet00]

ah hate to tell you this, but you need to have the weight of your car on the wheels when you weld on SFCs.

First thing I noticed... The suspension has to be loaded.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Self ownage is the worst kind

And this is one of the reasons that mods reduce value, because likely as not the mods were not installed properly or installed by amatuers.

 

[Trav4011]

I don't see how it would really matter that much.. You are still lifting the weight of the vehicle on both subframes.. in almost the same place that the suspension supports the weight.. inducing the same natural flex that you would recieve if the vehicle was sitting on the ground. That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. The car tracks straight, and launches just fine.. I could see if you lifted it in the middle of the car or something.. and had it bending the other way.. but, that's not the case. I've seen subframe connectors installed this way.. on sub- 10 second Mustangs, and they have no problem tracking straight, or twisting anything..

 

[Trav4011]

Self ownage is the worst kind

And this is one of the reasons that mods reduce value, because likely as not the mods were not installed properly or installed by amatuers.

Hey dude... you don't have to be a d*ck about it. I'm sure that with your Bosch Icon wiper blades and Sylvania Silverstar headlights/foglights, you know way more than I do about building a car.. but, you don't have to rub it in..

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Hey dude... you don't have to be a d*ck about it. I'm sure that with your Bosch Icon wiper blades and Sylvania Silverstar headlights/foglights, you know way more than I do about building a car.. but, you don't have to rub it in..

Sorry if I offended you sir

 

[astronut1885]

I installed my subframes on my 87 in the same fashion, and never had an issue. I think they want to avoid someone just jacking up the front or rear of the car and tweaking it, then welding in the frames. Putting 4 corner lift pads and lifting the car as he did puts almost the same stress on the middle of the body, which is what you DON'T want to unload when you're welding in the frames. If he had only jacked up the front, he would have stretched the body ever so little, and the subs would be flawed. Looks like you've got some nice mods there dude

 

[Trav4011]

Went to the track last night for Wednesday night test/tune.. Temps were in the mid 70's with about 75% humidity.

On 275/40 Nitto's, with the new modifications, the car picked up 2 tenths over my previous best time of 12.20@115mph.. running a best of 12.03 @ 114mph. My 60ft time dropped to 1.72 (down from a best of 1.81), but traction was definately a huge issue.. The car comes out of hole perfectly straight now.. without any twisting, or pulling to one side. The transition to second gear is now MUCH smoother.. I did spin the Nitto's, but, since the car didn't lift on one side, it was manageable and predictable.. My previous run of 12.20 was on a set of MT ET Street's.. which are much stickier.

Overall, I am very pleased with the new suspension. The car now lifts/tracks almost perfectly straight, and I couldn't ask for more on nitto's. I'll be rebuilding the rear end next.. Welding up the axle tubes, Moser axles, Auburn diff, and new 4.10 ring/pinion.. plus, I'll be adding more bracing under the car (x-brace). Teamed with a pair of 28x10" slicks, I should be able to pull mid 1.4 60ft times, and drop my ET's to 11.50's or so.. I won't see 10's until my short block is finished.

Travis

 

[Trav4011]

I installed my subframes on my 87 in the same fashion, and never had an issue. I think they want to avoid someone just jacking up the front or rear of the car and tweaking it, then welding in the frames. Putting 4 corner lift pads and lifting the car as he did puts almost the same stress on the middle of the body, which is what you DON'T want to unload when you're welding in the frames. If he had only jacked up the front, he would have stretched the body ever so little, and the subs would be flawed. Looks like you've got some nice mods there dude

Exactly.. if you were to lift up on one end/side of the car only.. then I could see you having some issues, but, lifting the car at 4 points, evenly, on both ends, should produce almost identical results as if the car was lifted by all 4 tires.

Thanks.. I still have a ways to go.. Unfortunately, I run my own performance shop, and I hardly ever have time to work on my personal vehicle.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

Not too shabby, for a mustang.

 

[Blackie Lawless]

Those are some great numbers man! Congrats