Next Mod - Suspension or Wheels?

[DocG]

Ok fellas....need some advice and opinions. Starting to research and save towards my next mod. First of all....my budget has been really tight lately since I bought this....

So anyways, I'm hurting for some new wheels and tires. But on the other hand, I love hanging the twisties too. Any tech issues with installing suspension by myself...other than needing alignment?? Soooo.....we'll make this choose your favorite pic

or one of these....also let me know which wheel you think would look best on my yellow stang...not too many other yellow stangs to reference from...and NO BLACK WHEELS PLEASE!

I love the chrome Saleens, but am also starting to like the Hypercoated FR500's....but then again the chrome Bullets would have some bling to them. Any of the above choices would be 9"s in front and 10"s out back. Would the larger rims and tires help with lateral traction much? Would the stang look stupid with the HR race spring drop? How is it to install the suspension gear? From all that I've read, seems like something an amateur wrench could do.

 

[Q's Stang]

im kind of in your same shoes. either go rims/tires or cams & headers or redo the intake. buuut im leaning towards the rims (chrome saleens too). its all a tough call!

 

[Hornetsnest]

I'd do suspension first, then wheels/tires.

Get rid of the 4x4 look first and the car will be much more fun to drive.

Might as well throw in some SFCs too while you're doing the suspension. Pretty cheap mod considering how much more solid the car feels in turns.

 

[hognutz]

you have to decide on looks or function. I did wheels first but in hindsight I would have done suspention.

I would definatly do suspention yourself but know that that if you only have a fixed amount to spend you really need LCA's and subframes to end up with a good handling car. spings and shocks alone will not do it. so you may consider cheaper shocks and struts/spring coupled with the subs and and LCA.

I got my bilstiens of ebay for $480
paid $250 for springs
$200 for CC plates
$335 for drag lca with spherical bearings at both ends
$115 for subframes

so I have about $1380 in my setup and did it all myself. you may need to add some labor in for subs if you dont' have a welder.

I can say you won't think you driving the same car after it is done. I have the supersports so if you went race it should handle a little better but you won't have as much drop.

 

[DocG]

It might still be a couple months before I have that type of money anyways...but such a tough choice. I hate the look of my stock wheels. Yeah, I would definetely do SFC's....maybe at the same time even. The LCA's might wait a little while. I'm not too worried about having a steep drop. The drop of the Race springs would be plenty for me....especially with some 18"s eventually.

 

[Torinalth]

suspension, period. wheels look nice, but you will enjoy the look on peoples faces when you pass them on the inside lane of a tight 2 lane onramp. i have one on capital to 540, took it at 75, nearly wrecked a vette that was pissed i flew by him... he tried to kep up and back end came out on him. i was never more pleased. and i'm not done yet.

and yes do the install yourself, for everything. i'm attempting the second hardest install of the suspension this weekend (panhard rod), so i am willing to give you all the ins and outs to what to look for on installing everything.

Torinalth

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Wait to you can afford to do em both, then you'll be really happy.

 

[Torinalth]

personally, i'd roll the dice on him getting some suspension goodies and putting the wheels on the back burner once he gets a taste of handeling goodness.

Torinalth

 

[tomustang]

Any tech issues with installing suspension by myself...other than needing alignment??

Issues, not really but 2 key points will be the 1. top strut nut, hard to remove to most people, impact gun would do great

2. drilling the 4th hole for the C/C Plates








Don't get chrome on a yellow car, silver looks alot better

 

[Pennywise2]

Hey Congrats nice boat!
I think the Hypercoated FR500's would look awesome on your car.
I would go with the wheels for sure.

 

[tomustang]

I would definatly do suspention

 

[Torinalth]

does that mean hes going to order a large pizza, roll over, and not finish teh install? heh...

also, as far as the strut not... i had no issues with that... larger crescent wrench and allen key worked without a hitch.... poor boy has no air tools and the 4th stud for the CC plate wasnt bad either... honestly... i think the hardest part was getting the front springs in... had to wedge them like hell to go in... prolly not as bad with a set of SS or what not. oh, and tightening the back strut not... angle and extension, sucked. and tom, READ MY PHB THREAD!

Torinalth

 

[loosescrew79]

Both really important. Looking good is great and a great handling car is nice. Its a very tough choice.

IMO hell with it and do the wheels first. I'm more about looking good

 

[blacknblue2002]

you could do the wheels and springs first...then keep saving for more suspension components...I'd say do suspension first....but it seems like suspension is never complete...always upgrading

just like the hp bolt ons...everybody wishes they had just bought a s/c instead of spending the same cash on other mods....by the time your done with suspension you'll wish you'd just saved the money for the complete MM box kit

 

[DocG]

Well if I do suspension....I'd probably do the Bilsteins...springs...plates...SFC....and later do LCA's....PHB and maybe a STB and UCA's. I want more power out of my car, but I think I'll notice the $1200 dollars in suspension parts more than I'd notice a handful of bolt-ons. I could save up for all of it...but I'll admit I'm like a little kid. If I have enough money for one or the other, I'm getting it! Here's a pic of a yellow stang (although its a cobra) with what looks like chrome 500's.

 

[RoadconeTuning]

FR500's and some C Springs.

it looks good, wont blow out a shock/strut and will handle better

 

[DocG]

Well if I'm going suspension, I want to go all the way.

Here's a chrome bullet pic...maybe a little too shiny with the yellow. Tom...you may be right...chrome on the yellow almost seems to wash out the yellow a little. Although thos chrome 500's look pretty nice.

 

[DocG]

Hmmm....

 

[RedDaemon]

ok...two things:

1. NICE

2. A cobra shouldnt have a trailer hitch nor trailer anything...imho

 

[DocG]

Ya know...that pic I posted above of the yellow Cobra with teh FR500's....those aren't 500's are they?? Looks like it says BBS on the caps and the lug nuts are in line with teh spokes rather than between sets of spokes like the 500's. Looks pretty darn like FR500's.