About to Do Suspension Mods; Few Questions

sneaky98gt · Mar 29, 2011

Yup, after owning the car for nearly 5 years, I'm finally going to get it to look like it should have from the factory.

What I'm doing:
-2001 Bullitt springs (~1.1"-1.3" drop)
-Tokico HP Blue Series shocks/struts
-2001 Bullitt front and rear sway bars
-Steeda X2 ball joints
-Moog tie rod ends
-An alignment
-MM full length sub frame connectors (at some point)

Also getting new tires while everything is apart.

My questions:

1. Isos or not? I know it's an age old question, but I'm just curious what today's opinions bring. I'm more concerned with NVH than I am looks or performance, but if there's only a marginal difference between having isos vs. just wrapping the springs in electrical tape, I'll save my money on the isos and enjoy the extra .25" drop I gain from leaving them out.

2. Do I need to drive the car a bit and let the springs settle before I get it aligned? I know you need to let new springs settle a bit, but I'm not sure about these considering that they are used.

3. Depending on the answer to the above question, how far can I drive unaligned with the above setup? I'm doing this at home; will it be ok to drive 120 miles back to school unaligned? I want to be sure that the car gets the best alignment possible, but I don't want to wear the brand new tires out either.

4. Is there anything you would add or take away from my above list? I'm on a budget, as all 20 year olds are, but I've now got a good source of income and I don't mind spending a little to get it right the first time.

Thanks Stangnet!

erichmess_ · Mar 29, 2011

sneaky98gt said:
4. Is there anything you would add or take away from my above list? I'm on a budget, as all 20 year olds are, but I've now got a good source of income and I don't mind spending a little to get it right the first time.

MM caster camber plates

tomustang · Mar 29, 2011

What goal are you looking for and do you have any suspension mods already?

txredgt · Mar 29, 2011

When I lowered mine, the alignment was pretty close. You can drive the 120 miles on it so long as its not obviously off I would say. My alignment was more tweaking to get it perfect than major adjustments. And adding the caster/camber would be a great idea as well.

sneaky98gt · Mar 29, 2011

Cobrafish said:
What goal are you looking for and do you have any suspension mods already?

Completely stock suspension.

The main goal is to achieve a better look. The secondary goal is to have a more rounded car that will handle the twisties like it should without giving up too much at the drag strip (where it normally goes).

The anti-goals are a super-low car (> 1.5 inches lowered), a really rough ride, or to spend a lot of money.

And to be clear, the mods I listed are pretty much set in stone with the exception of the ball joints. I've done a lot of research and decided that these springs will give me the ride height and quality I want, and the struts seem to be a really good budget item. The sway bars are free, the tie rod ends are required, and the SFCs will get done when get the time/money. I've heard several folks say the X2s are worth it, but I wanted the general consensus of the Stangnet.

erichmess_ said:
MM caster camber plates

ahall2004 said:
When I lowered mine, the alignment was pretty close. You can drive the 120 miles on it so long as its not obviously off I would say. My alignment was more tweaking to get it perfect than major adjustments. And adding the caster/camber would be a great idea as well.

If the alignment shop can get it in spec with the stock plates, is there really any reason to spend $200 to upgrade? (serious question)

tomustang · Mar 29, 2011

sneaky98gt said:
Completely stock suspension.

The main goal is to achieve a better look. The secondary goal is to have a more rounded car that will handle the twisties like it should without giving up too much at the drag strip (where it normally goes).

The anti-goals are a super-low car (> 1.5 inches lowered), a really rough ride, or to spend a lot of money.

And to be clear, the mods I listed are pretty much set in stone with the exception of the ball joints. I've done a lot of research and decided that these springs will give me the ride height and quality I want, and the struts seem to be a really good budget item. The sway bars are free, the tie rod ends are required, and the SFCs will get done when get the time/money. I've heard several folks say the X2s are worth it, but I wanted the general consensus of the Stangnet.

Save up and wait for parts. Since you are halves with Strip/Turns look into:

Adjustable dampers
Full length subframes, while you're in there reinforce the torque boxes
4 Bolt C/C plates
Boxed lower control arms
Bullitt/Mach 1/ Steeda Sports or equivalent (similar drop/lb range)
Cobra or equivalent rear swaybar
Energy Suspension endlinks (since they are cheap)

That should help you out without leaning one way or the other, and sorry but spending money is all apart of the game

darkside03gt · Mar 29, 2011

I would ditch the Tokico blues in favor of the illuminas or bilstien HD's. I would also go with H&R super sport springs over the bullitts. I know your on a budget but unless you are getting your parts for a song you should really consider this.

SRT Handz · Mar 30, 2011

is this too low for you?

sneaky98gt · Mar 30, 2011

SRT Handz said:
is this too low for you?

No such thing as too low when it comes to looks. I'd LOVE to have my car that low, but with the 80 gazillion speed bumps I go over daily, along with the ins and outs of driveways and the man-eating sized potholes around here, I'd tear my mid-pipe out in a week.

I'm looking for a good in-between.

Here's an aero GT with the Bullitt springs (with a thanks given out to LI98GT for having such a great car to look at ). I think it looks really nice and is a nice in-between for looks, ride quality, ride height, and performance.

SteedaGT9150 · Mar 30, 2011

the blue sn95 looks damn near perfect

N8Dogg98 · Mar 30, 2011

Do you already have LCA's?

FWIW, that looks like a very similar set up to mine. I have:

Eibach Pro-kit
Tokiko HP's
MM FLSFC's
Moog tie-rod ends

I had run my car with the poly ISO's for a few years and last summer removed them. I didn't notice a change in ride quality at all when I removed them, so you should be fine.

The only things I'd add to the list would be:

MM LCA's
FRPP UCA's

sneaky98gt · Mar 30, 2011

SteedaGT9150 said:
the blue sn95 looks damn near perfect

Yup, 20% tint all the way around and it would be perfect. I love that color and stance.

N8Dogg98 said:
Do you already have LCA's?

FWIW, that looks like a very similar set up to mine. I have:

Eibach Pro-kit
Tokiko HP's
MM FLSFC's
Moog tie-rod ends

I had run my car with the poly ISO's for a few years and last summer removed them. I didn't notice a change in ride quality at all when I removed them, so you should be fine.

The only things I'd add to the list would be:

MM LCA's
FRPP UCA's

Yea, I remember talking to you about this in a PM a while back. I've decided to skip the isos for now; I'd rather be disappointed without them and have to buy them to put in, than the other way around and waste $60. I'm thinking that the extra couple of tenths of an inch drop that I get will put me exactly where I want to be with the springs.

I don't have any aftermarket control arms. I will probably do that at some point, especially if I run into traction problems at the track in the near future (rubhands), but for now the stockers will be staying. Would you recommend adjustable or not? And why the different brands for the upper and lower?

Also, I've read that there is a spacer that comes with the Steeda X2 ball joints that can be left out for a little more drop in the front. Would any of you guys recommend that?

Dark04GT · Mar 30, 2011

SteedaGT9150 said:
the blue sn95 looks damn near perfect

+1

I'd consider adding new quad shocks while you are at it (something like this):

1984-04 Mustang Kyb Gas-A-Just Rear Quad Shock at LRS - Same Day Shipping!

I know there are people on this site who say quad shocks are not needed but that is because they are taken well worn quad shocks off their cars and claiming no difference in driveability. Well.... yeah.... worn quad shock = no quad shock. They help with that bouncy solid rear axle and I think we need all we can get- while you doing the suspension I think it is a cheap, worthwhile mod, especially if LCAs are not going to be done this time around. (i'm getting some quad shocks from the wife for my upcoming b-day, ).

Depending on how much you like the twisties also you can consider a MM panhard bar and a MM front tower strut bar.

N8Dogg98 · Mar 30, 2011

sneaky98gt said:
I don't have any aftermarket control arms. I will probably do that at some point, especially if I run into traction problems at the track in the near future (rubhands), but for now the stockers will be staying. Would you recommend adjustable or not? And why the different brands for the upper and lower?

I can tell you the minute I installed my MM LCA's I noticed a significant difference in the handling ability of my car, it eliminated wheel hop, and from a stop it felt like it really would jump off the line much more quickly. I didn't buy adjustable LCA's so can't really comment on which is better.

MM recommends sticking with the Ford OEM uppers (FRPP sells them now) becuase they allow for enough bushing flex which will ensure adequate handling and prevent binding of the rear suspension. People that install LCA's and UCA's with poly or spherical bushings may leap off the line in the 1/4 mile, but that suspension setup will bind badly in the turns and can ruin the torque boxes as a result. Since your car isn't a track only car, replacing the UCA's with FRPP units or leaving the stockers there is probably wise.

Here's the MM article:

Upper Control Arms : Maximum Motorsports, the Latemodel Mustang Performance Suspension Leader!

As far as quad shocks are concerned, I removed mine once I upgaded my LCA's and later replaced my UCA's with the FRPP units. FWIW, I haven't had one episode of axle/wheel hop since Anytime I get on it from a stop or from a roll, both tires just spin nice and smooth until they have traction.

BurningRubber · Mar 30, 2011

Electrical tape will work in place of isolators. Just wrap a few layers on the spring so it doesn't wear through easily. I ran mine like this for a while and noticed zero squeaks, but the additional drop is minimal.

I posted a thread about ball joints and got some negative input about the Steeda units. The consensus in that thread was that Moog makes some damn good ones, and they may be the better alternative to Steeda's.

While everything is apart, it might be a great time to replace the inner tie rods as well. I think they're under $20 each (I remember seeing them on Late Model Restoration's site).

I'd let the springs settle for a week-ish before getting an alignment. Only issue you may have is knocking it way out of spec when you do the struts. Chances are it won't be that bad, at least not enough to really tear up the tires for a few hundred miles.

N8Dogg98 · Mar 30, 2011

BurningRubber said:
the additional drop is minimal.

I completely disagree with your statement. Perhaps you are referring to the stock rubber iso's, but I had the poly iso's installed at all 4 corners and when I removed them my car dropped about 3/4" in front and about 1/2" in the rear. I think that's significant.

BurningRubber · Mar 30, 2011

N8Dogg98 said:
I completely disagree with your statement. Perhaps you are referring to the stock rubber iso's, but I had the poly iso's installed at all 4 corners and when I removed them my car dropped about 3/4" in front and about 1/2" in the rear. I think that's significant.

I was referring to the stock iso's. I missed that you guys were talking about poly iso's, my fault.

I noticed maybe 1/4" difference all around, maybe a little more up front - but not much. If you didn't know I had removed them, I'd probably have to tell you that I did before you noticed. But keep in mind, they were original factory iso's, so aging has been rough on them.

Stumbaugh · Mar 30, 2011

I have a pair of cheap poly iso's that I had bought for my car. I put them in, and took them right out because it made the car sit just a little bit to high. If you decide that you want some, just shoot me a PM and I will hook you up.

Sharad · Mar 30, 2011

I agree that you need control arms, I disagree that the uppers will hurt you. I'd recommend these:

99-04 Mustang Elite Chrome Moly Urethane Control Arm Suspension Kit

Super strong, inexpensive, and a lifetime guarantee! I run the Pro Series arms on my car with spherical bearings because they work like crazy on the track, but they make a little more vibration on the street than the ones I mentioned above.

N8Dogg98 · Mar 30, 2011

^ don't listen to this guy. I'd trust the on track research conducted by MM anyday over what you have to say... no offense...

About to Do Suspension Mods; Few Questions

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