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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

calling Almighty Suspension Guru's--help me spend my $$ wisely

  • Thread starter Thread starter bgrd351
  • Start date Start date Jan 19, 2006
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lgndracer

New Member
Feb 21, 2004
393
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Sumner, WA
Jan 21, 2006
#21
  • Jan 21, 2006
  • #21
comporange04GT said:
I would say go down a similar route but the lower control arms aren't really required.
Click to expand...

When I was reading though this tread the first thing I was thinking was I would do the lowers for sure, and if I was limited by funds I would leave the stock uppers and do the panhard bar. Then if you wanted to take the next step you could do a torque arm and eliminate the uppers comletely. Also, there has been much conversation that the aftermarket uppers aren't really much better than stock.

damacman said:
I'm totally blown away by how flat it stays in corners and how awesome it drives
Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah, yeah.........first you have to learn how to drive REALLY fast through corners, especially hard left handers............ (inside joke)
 

damacman

Member
Aug 12, 2003
529
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16
Phoenix, AZ
Jan 22, 2006
#22
  • Jan 22, 2006
  • #22
Left handers with 9# of boost huh . . . could get interesting! I was referring to high speed cornering - like well banked freeway interchanges, etc. Mine sticks pretty good. The G-Force T/As were a nice addition to this package . . .
 
C

comporange04GT

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Jun 19, 2005
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Jan 22, 2006
#23
  • Jan 22, 2006
  • #23
tomustang said:
It's the movement of the axle, not the placement when it's inactive he should worry about
Click to expand...

If it is not centered in the car when it moves from side to side it will come closer to one fender lip than the other. If it is centered I would be suprised if the average amount of side to side movment would allow the tire to contact the fender lip.
 

tomustang

Psychotic Member
Founding Member
Jun 8, 2000
3,434
2
78
McLean Hospital
Jan 22, 2006
#24
  • Jan 22, 2006
  • #24
comporange04GT said:
If it is not centered in the car when it moves from side to side it will come closer to one fender lip than the other. If it is centered I would be suprised if the average amount of side to side movment would allow the tire to contact the fender lip.
Click to expand...
2" total movement is average
 

bgrd351

Member
Jun 10, 2005
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17
Jacksonville, Fl
Jan 23, 2006
#25
  • Jan 23, 2006
  • #25
ok...it is final. I am not getting the 315's and 10.5's right now. that is something for the future. But I am probably going to go with what MM recommended including the panhard bar. I have a buddy who just agreed to come help me throw it all on and he is bringing his air compressor and tools...woohoo. The reason for the change about the 315's is due to the fact that if I do them I will not have enough $$ left over to do the gears. In the meantime, I have a couple easy questions:

1. still looking for a shop to do the gear install someplace close to Jax

2. what size tires do you recommend for the 17x9 rims...front and back (I'm leaning towards DR Nittos on back and Nitto 555's on front)

3. what size wheel spacer do I need to move the rim out to where it belongs? or at least how to properly measure it
 

hotrodnut

Member
Jul 12, 2004
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North Florida
Jan 23, 2006
#26
  • Jan 23, 2006
  • #26
bgrd351 said:
1. still looking for a shop to do the gear install someplace close to Jax

2. what size tires do you recommend for the 17x9 rims...front and back (I'm leaning towards DR Nittos on back and Nitto 555's on front)

3. what size wheel spacer do I need to move the rim out to where it belongs? or at least how to properly measure it
Click to expand...

1. Reinhart Performance located in Orange Park does gear installs. I have never had them do it but understand they will even do it while you wait! http://www.reinhartperformance.com/contactus.html

2. With street tires I would not go more than a 275-40, with drag radials for track use you can go bigger since you will have less tire pressure.

3. You can use up to 25mm (1") with a stock 8" wide rim and 245-45 tire without rubbing issues. With a 9" wide and the standard cobra factory offset I don't think a spacer of more than a 1/2" would work without rubbing. I personally would not run a spacer on the rear unless it bolts on first with it's own bolts and has seperate studs for the wheel plus it would need to be hub-centric. I have not seen that type in less than an inch wide but have heard MM has introduced on in a 1/2" offset??
 

bgrd351

Member
Jun 10, 2005
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Jacksonville, Fl
Jan 23, 2006
#27
  • Jan 23, 2006
  • #27
hey hotrodnut...you must be here in Jax. I just called that company...300 if I buy the gears from them or 350 if I bring them the gears. OUCH!!
but they said I can wait while they do it and it takes about 3 hours and they can do it on Sat so I dont have to take off work. Oddly enough they said that Motive is not a good gear to use in a mustang and that it will make alot of noise so that leaves me with 3.73 or 4.10. hmmm I guess I will do 3.73's then since I drive about 250 miles a week.

as for the rear tires I was looking at the 275/40 Nitto DR's but am wondering what size to run on front.

as for the spacers...MM did come out with hubcentric in a smaller size but need to replace studs with longer/stronger ones and they sell those too.
 
S

Silvr04GT

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Feb 4, 2002
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San Jose, CA
Jan 23, 2006
#28
  • Jan 23, 2006
  • #28
I would recommend the setup I have, 275/40R17 on all four corners (having the 275s up front looks super mean!). I have Nitto 555s. I have no rubbing issues at all.
 

bgrd351

Member
Jun 10, 2005
109
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Jacksonville, Fl
Jan 24, 2006
#29
  • Jan 24, 2006
  • #29
I would recommend the setup I have, 275/40R17 on all four corners (having the 275s up front looks super mean!). I have Nitto 555s. I have no rubbing issues at all.
Click to expand...

and you dont have any tracking or road groove following problems? Why I ask is a lot of people complain about it on the wider front tires.
 
S

Silvr04GT

Founding Member
Feb 4, 2002
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37
San Jose, CA
Jan 24, 2006
#30
  • Jan 24, 2006
  • #30
bgrd351 said:
and you dont have any tracking or road groove following problems? Why I ask is a lot of people complain about it on the wider front tires.
Click to expand...

Ya, the car tracks on crappy roads, but honestly it's not that big a deal (and I have some CRAPPY roads where I live.) Actually last year at one point I had to switch to a set of stock GT wheels cause one of my Nittos got a nail and it was weird I almost missed the tracking! lol! It's something you get used to and it doesn't even bother you after that.
 

bgrd351

Member
Jun 10, 2005
109
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Jacksonville, Fl
Jan 24, 2006
#31
  • Jan 24, 2006
  • #31
well as of now my car tracks horribly due (I believe) to the top of the front tires leaning in real bad up top on the front tires and the 245 tires on the 17x9 rim (smaller tread width vs rim size). That is why I want to know what the best set up is to avoid tracking because we have bad roads here too not to mention DOT not being able to build a smooth bridge anywhere around here. Hell, most of these bridges can be set up at fairs and parks as amusement rides because they will bounce you out of your seat on a stock car and they were a blast in the jacked up F250 I had . Anyway...back on subject, I will be ordering my tires in the next week or less and need to figure out the sizes to get. I wont be able to rotate them anyway due to the DR's going on the back. So ideas on what size to make the front and how it works for you would be a great help.
 

bgrd351

Member
Jun 10, 2005
109
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Jacksonville, Fl
Jan 25, 2006
#32
  • Jan 25, 2006
  • #32
quick update...

1. still up in the air on the suspension due to unexpects bills but working on it

2. 3.73 gears going in on this Sat

3. 315s/10.5 back in the equation again...saw a stang today with dd bullits with them.. I just got to have
 

hotrodnut

Member
Jul 12, 2004
672
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17
North Florida
Feb 9, 2006
#33
  • Feb 9, 2006
  • #33
bgrd351 said:
quick update...

1. still up in the air on the suspension due to unexpects bills but working on it

2. 3.73 gears going in on this Sat

3. 315s/10.5 back in the equation again...saw a stang today with dd bullits with them.. I just got to have
Click to expand...
Any updates? Did the gears go in?
 

bgrd351

Member
Jun 10, 2005
109
0
17
Jacksonville, Fl
Feb 9, 2006
#34
  • Feb 9, 2006
  • #34
yes update:

1. 3.73 gears are in and I look like this-->

2. also just got the new tires on..255/40/17 Nitto 555s on front and 315/35/17 Nitto DR's on back and now I look like --->

3. still having a bad running issue dealing with this miss

4. finally got my laptop to work with the XCal2 yesterday so I can do a little datalogging this weekend and maybe figure out what is going on

5. suspension will be ordered in about 2 weeks or so...came up a couple $$ short for a decent setup but looks like the springs,CC,panhard will be ordered and get rear UCA/LCA and shocks/struts later
 

hotrodnut

Member
Jul 12, 2004
672
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North Florida
Feb 9, 2006
#35
  • Feb 9, 2006
  • #35
bgrd351 said:
yes update:

1. 3.73 gears are in and I look like this-->

2. also just got the new tires on..255/40/17 Nitto 555s on front and 315/35/17 Nitto DR's on back and now I look like --->

3. still having a bad running issue dealing with this miss

4. finally got my laptop to work with the XCal2 yesterday so I can do a little datalogging this weekend and maybe figure out what is going on

5. suspension will be ordered in about 2 weeks or so...came up a couple $$ short for a decent setup but looks like the springs,CC,panhard will be ordered and get rear UCA/LCA and shocks/struts later
Click to expand...
Alright, sounds good! Looks like you now have a solid plan and are getting things done to your liking. Good luck on the miss issue.
 

hognutz

New Member
Nov 12, 2002
1,940
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0
albany, oregon
Feb 9, 2006
#36
  • Feb 9, 2006
  • #36
my .02 is do what you can. I got the drag MM arms with spherical bearings on both ends and my rear is located way better now.

I would do springs, shocks, subs, rear control arms, possibly CC plates depending on spring selection.

if really on on a budget I would buy the tokico HP kit of ebay ($395), full lenght subframes, MM drag control arms.

the car will handle night and day better. the MM sugested apoach is better but is also $900 more.
 
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