Well, I recieved the springs last monday and the Bilsteins on tuesday. I started the install on saterday and finished it up on sunday. following the guide from mustangworld, using the "cheater" method i had very good results.... except for the part they left out of removing the sway bar end links to get the A arm all the way down. I happened to notice it was binding a good bit and figured that was what the issue was.
after 3 hours on the front left, the front right took 40 min (now knowing what i was doing... and already worked out the correct order) I had friends confiscate me, throw m in the shower, and then drag me to a friends party... so the rears had to wait till sunday... the rear was pretty simple install only 30 min per side.
i went from around 28" front and 27.75" rear fender height to 27.5 front and 27.5 rear... but i'll give it time to settle in. I did NOT buy this setup for the purpose of going very low, i would have gone supersports if that was the case. oddly enough though it looks a good deal lower then i remember... but the numbers dont lie.... or do they...
the feel when driving is really interesting. back when i had my RSX i went to ground control coilovers before i sold the car and just switching to that gave a really harsh and ill-feeling ride, but it cornered better. the Race and Bil combo is a really odd feeling. associating with the standard NVH drawbacks i must say that i am kind amused with how the scales shifted. N - there is no increase at all... if anything there is a reduction. V - I was really getting irritated with the roads around here as my damn car shook and rattled like an epeleptic toaster jammed with forks, but now the bumps are handled VERY well, and i smile every time i go down a gravel road as it no longer annoys me. H - the ride is a good deal firmer, there is no mistaking that, cornering is tighter and so is steering, however everything i remember about my RSX trying to liquify my insides when hitting bumps is completely missing in the GT....
so i say again, the Race/Bil combo is VERY odd feeling... i have the best feeling of control and handeling, but i have gotten zero drawbacks, except that i now have a tendancy to slightly understeer if i dont push the throttle a little. the "test" onramp (one corner of a cloverleaf) would usually make me slow down once i hit 55, though with the new suspension i was able to reach 65 on the first go around. i think i can get to 70 if i manage to stop watching the speedo and keep my eyes on the turn. I have zero complaints about the components that i installed and now know why MM pushes this combo as hard as they do, maximum performance with a better then stock feel. on a side note i also used prothane isolators on the front and rear which mighht be the cause of the lack of drop and a little better ride quality and no noise increase.
please let me know if you have any questions or post in if you have an comments of your own. I will be posting up more reviews as my suspension gets built up. next will be subframes, and then possibly LCAs or tie rod ends and swaybars.
Torinalth
after 3 hours on the front left, the front right took 40 min (now knowing what i was doing... and already worked out the correct order) I had friends confiscate me, throw m in the shower, and then drag me to a friends party... so the rears had to wait till sunday... the rear was pretty simple install only 30 min per side.
i went from around 28" front and 27.75" rear fender height to 27.5 front and 27.5 rear... but i'll give it time to settle in. I did NOT buy this setup for the purpose of going very low, i would have gone supersports if that was the case. oddly enough though it looks a good deal lower then i remember... but the numbers dont lie.... or do they...
the feel when driving is really interesting. back when i had my RSX i went to ground control coilovers before i sold the car and just switching to that gave a really harsh and ill-feeling ride, but it cornered better. the Race and Bil combo is a really odd feeling. associating with the standard NVH drawbacks i must say that i am kind amused with how the scales shifted. N - there is no increase at all... if anything there is a reduction. V - I was really getting irritated with the roads around here as my damn car shook and rattled like an epeleptic toaster jammed with forks, but now the bumps are handled VERY well, and i smile every time i go down a gravel road as it no longer annoys me. H - the ride is a good deal firmer, there is no mistaking that, cornering is tighter and so is steering, however everything i remember about my RSX trying to liquify my insides when hitting bumps is completely missing in the GT....
so i say again, the Race/Bil combo is VERY odd feeling... i have the best feeling of control and handeling, but i have gotten zero drawbacks, except that i now have a tendancy to slightly understeer if i dont push the throttle a little. the "test" onramp (one corner of a cloverleaf) would usually make me slow down once i hit 55, though with the new suspension i was able to reach 65 on the first go around. i think i can get to 70 if i manage to stop watching the speedo and keep my eyes on the turn. I have zero complaints about the components that i installed and now know why MM pushes this combo as hard as they do, maximum performance with a better then stock feel. on a side note i also used prothane isolators on the front and rear which mighht be the cause of the lack of drop and a little better ride quality and no noise increase.
please let me know if you have any questions or post in if you have an comments of your own. I will be posting up more reviews as my suspension gets built up. next will be subframes, and then possibly LCAs or tie rod ends and swaybars.
Torinalth

