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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

rear suspension

  • Thread starter Thread starter fox182
  • Start date Start date Feb 27, 2008
F

fox182

New Member
Feb 22, 2008
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Feb 27, 2008
#1
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #1
i have adjustable lower control arms with adjustable strange shocks, do i still need quad shocks?
 

Fett

New Member
Nov 2, 2004
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Feb 27, 2008
#2
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #2
From my experience, yes. Unless you get a 5-link, you may still experience wheel hop when removing the quads....even with the best upper and lower control arms and shocks. The problem isn't the adjustability or the flex of stock arms, it is due to the geometry of the rear suspension. The uppers are too close to the center to keep the rear axle from dancing up and down unevenly.

There are a TON of opinions out there, and every Mustang is different. You can take two Foxes with the same exact suspension setup, remove the quads and each car can react differently. Some people have no problems, others do. From my experience and judging from the opinions of others, it seems that more people suffer wheel hop than those who do not.

It's up to you, go with that setup and if you get wheel hop put the quads back on.
 

GTA_V6_Mustang

Active Member
Nov 29, 2004
1,326
3
39
Miami, FL
Feb 27, 2008
#3
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #3
Fett said:
From my experience, yes. Unless you get a 5-link, you may still experience wheel hop when removing the quads....even with the best upper and lower control arms and shocks. The problem isn't the adjustability or the flex of stock arms, it is due to the geometry of the rear suspension. The uppers are too close to the center to keep the rear axle from dancing up and down unevenly.

There are a TON of opinions out there, and every Mustang is different. You can take two Foxes with the same exact suspension setup, remove the quads and each car can react differently. Some people have no problems, others do. From my experience and judging from the opinions of others, it seems that more people suffer wheel hop than those who do not.

It's up to you, go with that setup and if you get wheel hop put the quads back on.
Click to expand...

+2

I would keep the quads though.
 
F

fox182

New Member
Feb 22, 2008
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Feb 27, 2008
#4
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #4
thank you you gave me exactly what i was looking for, an experienced opinion, the quad shocks are they just and extra pair of shocks, can i just order another pair of strange adj. shocks, or are they different?
 

Fett

New Member
Nov 2, 2004
766
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Feb 27, 2008
#5
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #5
The quads are secondary shocks....which is a misnomer. They really don't work as shocks in the traditional sense. The control arms move laterally up and down and keep the axle "centered", while the shocks/springs dampen the upward and downward movement. However that alone does nothing to keep the ends of axle from moving up and towards the front of the car opposite of each other. That is where the quads come into play, they aren't really "shocks" as much as they are dampers, helping keep the axle from dancing thus keeping the wheels from hopping.

Let me just say this. I have Steeda tubular control arms, urethane bushings, Strange adjustable shocks, and full length subframe connectors. I did some modifications just to keep the quads. I had to make spacers and longer bolts for the frame brackets to space my quads away from shocks, yet still keep them away from the 275s I have in the back. Even with good suspension pieces, I still did everything I could to keep my quads. I wouldn't get rid of them...I have seen too many people with better suspension setups than mine experience wheel hop.
 
B

BYRDPE

Founding Member
Nov 4, 1998
1,556
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37
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Memphis,Tn.
Feb 27, 2008
#6
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #6
Fett said:
The quads are secondary shocks....which is a misnomer. They really don't work as shocks in the traditional sense. The control arms move laterally up and down and keep the axle "centered", while the shocks/springs dampen the upward and downward movement. However that alone does nothing to keep the ends of axle from moving up and towards the front of the car opposite of each other. That is where the quads come into play, they aren't really "shocks" as much as they are dampers, helping keep the axle from dancing thus keeping the wheels from hopping.

Let me just say this. I have Steeda tubular control arms, urethane bushings, Strange adjustable shocks, and full length subframe connectors. I did some modifications just to keep the quads. I had to make spacers and longer bolts for the frame brackets to space my quads away from shocks, yet still keep them away from the 275s I have in the back. Even with good suspension pieces, I still did everything I could to keep my quads. I wouldn't get rid of them...I have seen too many people with better suspension setups than mine experience wheel hop.
Click to expand...

Got pics showing how you modified your quads?
 
F

fox182

New Member
Feb 22, 2008
17
0
0
Feb 27, 2008
#7
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #7
thanks alot for helping me out man, yeah i definitely want to keep the quads then, though im not real sure where to get em, and i am looking to throw some 275's on there too
 

Fett

New Member
Nov 2, 2004
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Feb 27, 2008
#8
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #8
BYRDPE said:
Got pics showing how you modified your quads?
Click to expand...

No, I never remember to bring my camera to work with me.

It is pretty easy though. My problem was that I flipped my quads to fit my 275s in the rear, but the quads were riding against the shield on my Strange adjustable shocks.

I unbolted the quad shock from the frame mount, and unbolted the frame mount itself. I pressed out the quad shock bolt from the mount and got a new bolt/nut combo that was about an inch longer than the stock bolt, and the same thickness. The key is making sure the head of the bolt is thick enough that when resting in the hole in the bracket that the head sticks out slightly...just ever so slightly. That way when you bolt the bracket back to the frame, the thickness of the bolt head is such that it is pressed up against the frame (the head of the bolt sticking out of the back of the frame mount). By it pressing up against the frame when the bracket is bolted up, it keeps the mount bolt from spinning when you tighten the quad shock retainer nut.

With the bracket re-mounted back on the frame with the longer bolt, I used a .5" spacer on the bolt, then put the quad back on and tightened it down. You can use a stack of washers or a large nut as a spacer, I just happened to have a set of spacers sitting around. Now everything is spaced out and I have no issues with anything coming into contact with anything else.
 
B

BYRDPE

Founding Member
Nov 4, 1998
1,556
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37
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Memphis,Tn.
Feb 27, 2008
#9
  • Feb 27, 2008
  • #9
Fett said:
No, I never remember to bring my camera to work with me.

It is pretty easy though. My problem was that I flipped my quads to fit my 275s in the rear, but the quads were riding against the shield on my Strange adjustable shocks.

I unbolted the quad shock from the frame mount, and unbolted the frame mount itself. I pressed out the quad shock bolt from the mount and got a new bolt/nut combo that was about an inch longer than the stock bolt, and the same thickness. The key is making sure the head of the bolt is thick enough that when resting in the hole in the bracket that the head sticks out slightly...just ever so slightly. That way when you bolt the bracket back to the frame, the thickness of the bolt head is such that it is pressed up against the frame (the head of the bolt sticking out of the back of the frame mount). By it pressing up against the frame when the bracket is bolted up, it keeps the mount bolt from spinning when you tighten the quad shock retainer nut.

With the bracket re-mounted back on the frame with the longer bolt, I used a .5" spacer on the bolt, then put the quad back on and tightened it down. You can use a stack of washers or a large nut as a spacer, I just happened to have a set of spacers sitting around. Now everything is spaced out and I have no issues with anything coming into contact with anything else.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explaination.
I'll be installing a set of 275 DR and I'm worried about the quads rubbing.
 
H

haoleboy72

Member
Dec 11, 2006
60
0
6
Hillsboro, OR
Mar 15, 2008
#10
  • Mar 15, 2008
  • #10
I just installed 275 MT DR on the back of mine and just noticed that the quad shock is rubbing slightly. Should I just leave it rubbing or is there a way to modify it slightly? I do not want to remove them completely. I drive the car about 6K miles/yr and like I said it only rubs slightly. Once in a while i can smell hot rubber but other than that I didn't even notice.
 
B

BYRDPE

Founding Member
Nov 4, 1998
1,556
0
37
65
Memphis,Tn.
Mar 15, 2008
#11
  • Mar 15, 2008
  • #11
haoleboy72 said:
I just installed 275 MT DR on the back of mine and just noticed that the quad shock is rubbing slightly. Should I just leave it rubbing or is there a way to modify it slightly? I do not want to remove them completely. I drive the car about 6K miles/yr and like I said it only rubs slightly. Once in a while i can smell hot rubber but other than that I didn't even notice.
Click to expand...

I ended up flipping mine and this gave me the clearance I needed.
 
9

92BlackGT

Member
Aug 4, 2003
182
7
17
43
Tinker AFB, OK
Mar 15, 2008
#12
  • Mar 15, 2008
  • #12
i just put my quads back in last week... what a difference (took the quads off 2 years ago when i did my suspension), the rear feels so much more solid back there going over these crappy oklahoma roads
 

bloopbloob

Member
Sep 27, 2006
578
4
16
Alberta
Mar 15, 2008
#13
  • Mar 15, 2008
  • #13
i have 275's in the back i got my quads to fit. had to cut the dust shield off though. and although i don't have aftermarket suspension, the difference between the old worn out quads, and the new ones, is night and day. they really do make a difference. here's a vid with my worn stock quads. terrible wheel hop. don't have an after vid, but almost no wheel hop at all these days.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CDqhuFTywAM
 
D

Dark_5.0

New Member
Jan 1, 2007
13
0
0
Mar 16, 2008
#14
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #14
I have had 5 different fox body mustangs and have made several hundred 1/4 mile passes. I have always removed the quad shocks and installed a good set of control arms and have "never" had wheel hop. IMO they are worthless if your suspension is even decent and they present clearance issues with wider tires.
 

QDRHRSE

New Member
Dec 31, 2002
1,590
0
0
Palmdale, CA
Mar 16, 2008
#15
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #15
Guys run low 9's without quads. Usually, if you are getting wheel hop after the install of good arms it's due to something amiss with the shock valving. Quads are worthless for anything but stock suspension. Hardcore roadracers don't use them either.
 
H

haoleboy72

Member
Dec 11, 2006
60
0
6
Hillsboro, OR
Mar 17, 2008
#16
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #16
So if I get a good set of upper/lower rear control arms then i should be ok to remove the quad shocks? I don't really wanna remove them but I got enough other projects going on with the car i don't really wanna have to deal with doing the whole reversing thing. But, i don't really wanna deal with any wheel hop either. Right now, the car hooks solid with the MT 275 DR on the back.
 

Fett

New Member
Nov 2, 2004
766
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0
Mar 17, 2008
#17
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #17
It's up in the air. Some people swear you don't need them...others do.

I can only say this, I have seen more people experience wheel hop with good suspension than I have seen without them. If you were to take a vote I would be willing to bet that most people still run with them. As they are NOT useless with good suspension.
 
H

haoleboy72

Member
Dec 11, 2006
60
0
6
Hillsboro, OR
Mar 20, 2008
#18
  • Mar 20, 2008
  • #18
A friend suggested using a 1/4" spacer on my rear wheels to keep them from touching the quad shocks...has anybody done this or heard of anybody doing this? Where would be a good place to get wheel spacers?
 
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