Suspension Mild handling build

I've been autocrossing for years without coil overs and my cars are pretty competitive. In fact, I have a YouTube channel dedicated to helping people set up their cars for autocross. I'm adding links to my "Budget Autocross" videos. They cover the most important mods to make to get your car to handle better on an autocross course.

Depending on which SCCA class you choose to run in, you might also want to check out my "ThoroughbRED" series of videos. If you have any other questions about autocross, or suspension mods, please ask. I'm happy to help.

One thing to note about the first video: The Steeda adjustable rear sway bar and the Tokico adjustable shocks & struts have been discontinued; I recommend using an Eibach 25mm rear sway bar (in the stock location) and Koni Yellow Single Adjustable shocks & struts as alternatives.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtI9sXSTAIA&t


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD0fMKnKEnI&t


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0PmtfhN_uI&t

The rear upper shock mounts are designed to handle dampening the suspension movement, but I do not think they are up to supporting the entire weight of the car all the time. Adjustable shocks should be easier and cheaper than the reinforcement process for enthusiastic use.

keel said:

I've been looking at the maximum motorsports "starter box" with the MM caster camber plates, bilstein shocks, and MM road and track springs. Is this a good option for what I'm looking for?

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MM makes very good parts, but, in my opinion, that kit isn't the ideal option if you plan on autocrossing your car. I'm not sure which SCCA Category/Class you wanted to run in, but this kit isn't legal for Street Category. More importantly, it doesn't solve the "Factory Installed Flaws" I discuss in my videos. Going lower and stiffer without adjustability in the suspension will make your car handle worse at the limit of traction when you're out on an autocross course. And your whole goal is to get the car right at the limit of traction everywhere. Not addressing the rear sway bar will leave the car with a tendency to understeer.

In terms of cost, you can get Koni Yellow Single Adjustable shocks & struts, Ford Racing C springs (which don't lower the car as much) and Steeda or J&M 3-bolt CC plates (if you aren't planning to ever run coil overs, 3-bolt CC plates are fine) for less money than the MM kit. You'll probably have enough left over for a larger rear say bar.

Check out www.alteredfox.com; they have a great price on the Koni Yellow SA shock & strut kit.

If you have an SCCA Category and Class, and a budget in mind, I'd be happy to suggest a setup that will get you the most bang for the buck.

MM is a great choice, Warhorse is hard core in w the at the limit stuff, How many people really drive these cars that hard. I know I don't have the balls to. I'm very happy my suspension mods detailed in another thread on this site, where Warhorse also said all my choices were wrong.

I focus on the limit of traction when giving advice about autocross mods. But, a car that is prone to understeer or oversteer will also reach the limit of traction in emergency evasive maneuvers on the highway. In those situations, as well as on an autocross course, you want the limit of traction to be as far out as possible.

You cannot, and should not even attempt, to push a car as hard as you can on an autocross course when you're driving it on the street. So, for 99% of people, a setup that isn't optimized for autocross will never reach its limit on the road. But, I meet a lot of people who have purchased very expensive non-adjustable suspension parts and then decided they want to autocross their cars only to find out the car can't be pushed as hard as its competition.

It's never my intent to make people feel bad about their suspension choices. I always try to make people aware of the fact that having adjustability will make the car better on the road and more suited for autocross. That can save people the cost and effort involved in redoing their setup.

Warhorse Racing said:

... the Tokico adjustable shocks & struts have been discontinued...

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That's too bad, they were the best. Do they still make the non-adustable version?

Blown88GT said:

That's too bad, they were the best. Do they still make the non-adustable version?

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I have used Tokico Illuminas for over 25 years; they work really well and have held up fine under tough autocross conditions. The Tokico HP (blue) shocks & struts also seem to be discontinued, but they pop up on Ebay every now and then. From personal experience, they aren't great for autocross (too stiff). But they are good for track cars.

I'd say full length subframe connectors are a must as well. MM makes very good ones.

Maximum Motorsports still has the Illumina listed for sale. May or may not be true.

10+ years ago Tokico was a common go-to for performance shocks. ... In 2019 Hitachi spun Tokico off into its own company and sold the ownership stake to an investment fund. Now they spend 100% of their time on making pumps for gas stations..

there are a lot of ways to do things

i did mine while driving it. Well not exactly, but I daily it and upgraded a part or two in the evening after work and then drove it the next day

u can start small and cheap if you want, like I did and still have (for the most part).

V8 fox body front spindles are a must. 4 cylinder spindles won't take a V8 strut without machining, and exactly nobody makes any decent struts for 4 cylinder spindles (that I knows of). V8 sway bars front and rear if you don't already have them. Springs, I used BBK's because they were already on the car (lowering springs--they are stiffer than I like but work decently well for a street car). Blue Tokico dampers on all 4 corners, no quads (original 4 cyl car and still is 4 cyl). Sway bar bushings are a must (poly). Subframe connectors are a must. Full length weld in of course and nice to have the "seat braces". Just the SFC's make the car feel "tighter". I have done several front control arms; started with the worn out stockers and the ball joints started getting loose. Replaced them with something I found on ebay, bolt-in tubular with spring seats and poly bushings. I do not recommend poly bushings on the front control arms, at least if you use the stock location springs (coil over different story). They are just too rough. You feel every crack in the pavement but they don't deflect much in cornering. Don't forget rear control arms either, they also make a difference when coming from worn out stockers. The new edge Mustangs had slightly stiffer bushings in their UCAs so if you're really cheap like me, pick up a set from a JY V6 car. Steering? Cobra or at least an SN95 rack. The SN rack isn't "that" much different in terms of "feel". If you can't find a cobra rack, just ask for a v6 rack. With that you will also want poly rack bushings and the MM "hybrid" steering shaft is a MUST HAVE. It is really a nice piece. It costs but it is NICE (and safe). Of course caster-camber plates are a must have on any fox body. Slot the strut tower holes if need be to get as much caster as you can.

alignment. 1.0-1.2 deg camber is ok. you can go up to about 1.5 but beyond that you're looking at tire wear and tramlining. Tramlining is going to be an issue even at 1.2. About 1/16" toe in is fine. You can adjust for your liking, I like it closer to zero. Caster, as much as you can get. With stock control arms you can't get enough so just shove them all the way back and tighten them up. If you find that the car pulls to one side consistently, remove a little caster from that side to take the pull away. U can do alignment at home and it's very close to what laser machines "say", if you do it correctly, but you need good flat concrete.

At that point you have a Mustang that handles decent, with tires that will bite of course. It will not be a race car but the investment is little. I drive mine. A lot. The roads that I frequent are hilly country highways, speed limit 55 but you're lucky to find a straight stretch that you can get much more than 50 on. Spirited but not aggressive. If I am driving and forget about the 15mph switchback, I want the confidence to know that if I'm at 45, I can get around it without too much trouble (as long as there's not any animals or road debris which has been often lately)

Brakes. If you use the stock front V8 discs, pick up a set of Hawk pads, SS hoses, and a set of MM's "performance" drum brake shoes if you still have drums. That setup feels better than my 01 cobra brakes that're on my 92 GT. The rear drums aren't ideal for any kind of racing but if you're cheap like me, they will do just fine. Predictable.

IF you want to make a big difference toss on MM's panhard bar, and eliminate one of the UCA's for a "poor mans 3 link". Huge difference. Unfortunately it may not clear 3" exhaust which I have, and I found out that hard way. I need a tailpipe so I sold the other stuff and stuck with a stock rear suspension which is better than leaf springs but not by much.

my setup has under $600 total tied up in it and most of that was struts. Everything else was bought used or came with the car. I'm happy with it.

also remember that if you have a 4 cyl car the front lower control arm mounting points are about 3/4" narrower than V8 K member is, in other words the total track width of the front tires is about an inch or so narrower than v8 cars were...so....you can use SN95 lower control arms and get the width back, without changing the k-member and improving the roll center a little.

I have the majority of the MM catalog (still missing the torque arm).
Added mainly one part at a time.
Biggest difference for sure was the panhard bar. It adds a new level of predictability and confidence.
And if you go with a set of regular springs like H&R's it doesn't ruin the ride quality.

keel said:

I'm looking to make my otherwise basically stock 5.0 handle better for mostly street use and maybe some autox, definitely not looking to set any lap records or anything, just looking to have some fun and go fast on some curvy roads. Is it worth it to go to a full front and rear coilover setup (or just front coilovers?) or should I just upgrade my springs and struts/shocks? Would I notice a large difference in performance between the two options?

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I tried the coil overs all the way around, the ride sucked, so i just put lowering coils, new shocks and struts, new control arms rear with bushings, new a frames, bum steer, and camber plates, new anti sway bushings, this made a great diff in the ride, i am real happy with the handling, it is tight and i didn't lose the ride. i have also put a 3 73 rear gear in. that made a big diff too. i have cobra wheels on my GT, goodyear tires, it cost alot to do all this but now it is right

A good set of upper and lower control arms with 3-piece poly bushings, and spherical differential housing bushings (sometimes called bearings) will move the limit of rear traction further out, add composure during cornering, and improve traction when launching or digging out of slow elements on course.

I've used Steeda rear control arms (both aluminum and steel) for years and they work really well (and don't damage the torque boxes). I recently installed the J&M spherical differential housing bushings and they definitely improved how the car feels at the limit of traction.

I autocrossed my SRA Mustangs for years; they were very competitive. I never felt the need to install a Panhard bar. My advice would be to decide on the Panhard bar (or even a Watt's Link) after you have dialed in the car with the first round of mods (and done a few autocross events). If properly adjusted, the parts you've decided on (along with rear control arms and the diff housing bushings) will make your car pretty capable.

I would also recommend installing full-length subframe connectors.

This video explains the impact suspension mods have on understeer & oversteer, and it will help you dial in your suspension using adjustable shocks & struts. Your larger Steeda rear sway bar, though not adjustable, will add oversteer in a similar manner to the adjustable rear sway bar I used in conjunction with my 23mm rear sway bar.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HiS-t4_O_w&t


If you have any questions, please ask.

I will preface this by saying there are MANY different opinions when it comes to deciding on the best rear suspension upgrades for our cars. I hope other people will offer up their thoughts on which direction is best, based on their autocross experience. Because, ultimately, different drivers prefer different mods. But, here's my experience based on having autocrossed SRA Mustangs with upgraded rear factory-style 4-links for years...

My 2000 GT and 1992 GT had nearly identical suspension mods (now the 2000 GT has an IRS): Tokico adjustable shocks & struts, Ford Racing C-springs, Steeda 1 3/8" front sway bar, Steeda adjustable rear sway bar, 23mm OEM rear sway bar, Steeda upper and lower control arms, subframe connectors, strut and shock tower braces. In 2016, running the 2000 GT, I was able to win a local CAM Pax Class autocross championship with that setup. I autocrossed my 2000 GT against cars running coil overs, Panhard bars and Torque Arms; I won some and I lost some. But the car was always competitive against cars with "better" suspension mods.

The mods you are considering are pretty close to what I was using on that car. You'll be amazed by how much better it handles.

When I decided to bring my Fox out of retirement in 2020, I made some targeted changes to the suspension, but I still didn't install a Panhard bar or Watt's Link (full transparency, I think a Watt's Link is the better option). I added some better bushings in the front and rear, and kept most of the suspension that was on the car for 20-plus years. I was only able to do 1 event with accurate timing and scoring in my Fox this season, but it did pretty well, winning CAM-T, and even ending up faster than some s550 Mustangs in CAM-C.

Based on my experience, these cars can be competitive without a PHB, TA, or WL. But, you can always upgrade to a PHB, TA, or WL down the line if you feel you need to.