Are 90/10s overkill?

[The Fox]

SORRY, I just searched and found lots of info. Please dont flame. Thanks. BTW, going with 90/10 but not drivin this MFer in the winter.

 

[Michael Yount]

Shouldn't drive it on the street any time of year with those....

 

[EMW150]

It depends how the car is driven. I've run 90/10s on the street for years. Just gotta know the limits of the car. Have it pointed in a safe direction before you get rowdy with it. They're not safe to try hard cornering, etc with them.

 

[04sleeper]

I would not recommend them for the street as Michael said. If you need to change direction suddenly to avoid something you may not be able to recover.
I would look into some adjustable shocks and struts if you would like street/strip performance. I know they cost more but they will be worth every penny if it saves you from an accident.

 

[tjm73]

I read an article once (wish I could remember where...MM&FF I think) that basically said that 90/10's were not of much value or use, even on street/strip cars that were considered 'fast'. Went on to say you really need to have other things tweeked before the 90/10's will deliver a noticable benefit over a street oriented strut/shock.

90/10's will make for very interesting corning at speed. They'll lift very fast and settle down very very slow. Imagine making a high speed left, right, left steering manuver to avoid something in the road. Your front struts will extend really easy, but they won't be able to react and compress fast enought o allow you to maintain full control. Could get ugly.

to normal or regular street use. Driving to/from the track or cruising at low speed around town or in the city you could get away with. But highway or country road driving = not a good idea.

 

[Michael Yount]

EMW - unfortunately on the street, you're not in complete control of all situations. It's what the other driver does unexpectedly that causes the problems. You can't plan for that - that's why they call them accidents. But many can be avoided--- IF the car is capable of handling as intended originally. That's where stuff like 90/10's and skinnies are so dangerous. Sorry - no place for them on the street if one truly values their own and other's safety. You've been lucky so far - hopefully it will stay that way.

 

[The Fox]

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna check some prices and if i'm spending hundreds more on adjustable I'll just go 70/30. And I MIGHT get a new front sway bar. Debating the weight advantage.

 

[Bobert]

I drove many years with 90/10's and skinnies (and front sway bar off), never had any problems. But I drive like I'm driving Miss Daisy around This was not my only vehicle though, and I tried not to drive it in bad weather. For a daily driver, I'd rather not have skinnies, the sway bar would stay on, and I'd probably look into adjustable struts. To me it depends on what you're going to use the car for, but just know what you're getting in to.

 

[crunchie12268]

what does 90/10 mean and 70/30, is it some kind of percent of weight distribution or something?

 

[89MustangGX]

Strange struts are reasonably priced and adjustable. Worth looking into...

 

[tjm73]

what does 90/10 mean and 70/30, is it some kind of percent of weight distribution or something?

90/10 and 70/30 work like this. 100 is the total number representing the shock or struts ability to compress and extend (not the correct technical terms, but you'll get the point). Anyway, most all road struts/shocks are 50/50. Which means they can compress and extend at the same rate.

90/10's extend very easily under acceration and compress very slowly. This is supposed to help keep the weight transfer to the rear of the car aiding traction.

70/30's extend slower than the 90/10's but they compress faster. This allows more control.

So it's a ratio of extension vs compression

 

[The Fox]

Oh, 89GX I actually looked into 'strange' for rear end stuff a couple hours ago and stumbled onto the 10 ways. I'm buyin em. $70 each aint bad at all. Eibach drag springs too Anybody sellin those let me know.

Anthony

 

[Michael Yount]

A 50/50 shock has the same amount of damping force in rebound as it does compression. A 90/10 shock has 9 times the amount of damping force in compression as it does in rebound. The amount of travel is a function of ride height and how close to the center of it's travel the shock piston sits at the car's ride height.

 

[Maryland Stang]

Oh, 89GX I actually looked into 'strange' for rear end stuff a couple hours ago and stumbled onto the 10 ways. I'm buyin em. $70 each aint bad at all. Anthony

The rear shocks are 70 bucks. The front struts are 120 bucks.

 

[crunchie12268]

so are 70/30's a good all around or are 50/50's? Probably 50's right?

 

[2002whitegt]

so are 70/30's a good all around or are 50/50's? Probably 50's right?

70/30's in the front and 50/50 on the rear for street and the 90/10's and 50/50 for the track