Replacing front suspension, what to get?

1slow95

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
1,797
3
48
ohio
I'm looking to replace my entire front suspension before too long. I was thinking about going with the MM kit, but it's $1700 :eek:

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/kpkg.asp
# MM K-Member
# MM Front Control arms
# MM Front Coil-Over Conversion kit
# MM Aluminum Steering Rack Bushings
# MM Caster/Camber plates
# MM Adjustable Tie-Rod Ends
# MM 2-Point K-Member Brace
# Urethane front swaybar bushings


Summit has the QA1 kit for around $1000
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...3LB&N=115+4294925130+400026+1008&autoview=sku
Includes tubular K-member,
caster/camber plates,
coil-over conversion kit,
Mustang struts,
and tubular control arms. Bushing mounted control arms.

The only problem with this kit is the c/c plates look like they're only 3-bolt...


Or I could go with the $700 UPR kit. :)
http://www.uprproducts.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=299
1. 100% Chrome-moly K-member, silver powder coated.

2. 100% Chrome-moly A-arms silver powdercoated.

3. Coil over kit with exclusive design adjuster nut
that requires no tools to adjust and Hal springs
any rate please specify when ordering

I will need c/c plates($249 from MM), struts(Koni sport's, $166 each @ summit), and probably some bushings and tie rod ends. Overall, the UPR kit looks like it's gonna be the best deal.

Also, what spring size/rate would you all reccommend? I want a good handling car, but mostly set up for drag racing. By good handling, I mean like stock or preferably a little better.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


The UPR kit is not REAL chrome-moly like they say it is (made in China). If it were real it would be more than twice the price they ask. It will fade into a hazed metal. Chrome-moly doesn't discolor.

The QA1 K-member and A arms are top notch. You could get this and match whatever 4 bolt C/C plate you want.

The MM kit is gorgeous but very pricey IMO. It is also a bit more bulky then most other kits (provides strength though). The weight savings will be minimal over the stock stuff with the entire kit you listed.

I did lots of research on front end kits before I got my stuff. I went with this.

QA1 K-member $229
Stock A Arms $0
Strange Adjustable front struts $210 (for both)
Steeda bump steer kit $139
Pro3i 4 bolt C/C plates $149 (MM look a likes)

Spent about $750 with tax and shipping on some parts.
 
if you are dead set on getting a tubular k-member it gets pricey real quick. having said that the mm k-member has revised geometry for taking the corners, so if dragracing is on your agenda skip that one.

i have QA1 cc plates and they are 4 bolt--at least the ones i have. i would shoot for a center drilled rack bushing and a bump steer kit.

that's all i really have to offer as i know diddly squat about setting up a car to launch.
 
Well originally I wanted my car to out handle a Vette (a TRUE Z06 killer), but I don't think I can do that AND have a good set up for drag racing. Since I'll be at the strip a LOT more than the road course/auto-x(probably never), I've decided it would be best to just go for moderate handling so I'll hook up better at the track. That, and I'm tired of the harsh ride with my sportlines :).

I know coil overs give you a smoother ride with better handling, so Im assuming that I can get a good drag setup that also handles close to how it does now, with a much smoother ride. Is that even close to right?

For the QA1 kit, I was probably looking at the fox setup, which I believe only uses 3 bolt c/c plates. How good are their struts? Should I go for that kit, or here's what else I have mind:
QA1 k-member and control arms,
MM coil-overs and c/c plates, and koni struts

Any other suggestions, or anything I should change?

Also, what should I do for the rear suspension? I current have BBK U/L control arms and 8-way KYB shocks. I was thinking about just changing the sportline springs out for some Bullitt springs for now.
 
if i was in your boat this is what i would do:
stock k-member
bump steer kit
alumn center drilled rack bushings
03 cobra front control arms
4 bolt cc plates
sfc's--preferably full length
stb
k-member brace
cobra rear sway bar
mm drag race rear lca's
stock uca's with new stck bushings
mm panhard bar--can remove bar to go to track--or you could sub this part out for an adjustable rear sway bar that works with the stock sway bar(steeda i believe does this as may the MM adju rear bar)
tockiko 5-way adj's
eibach pro-kit
kenny brown med/heavy duty front sway bar--can remove to go to track
rubber spring isolators

the way i see it is that most on this forum see more street time than track time, so i prefer to have a good street setup and then tune that for the track. all those parts from MM come out to be around 2600. you can mix and match those items and can prolly come in under $2k.

i am pretty sure most coil-over springs are specific rate and that does not bode well for comfort on the street. i list the pro-kit as it is a variable rate spring and does not go over the dreaded 1.5" drop. i would be willing to bet that you could launch well off that setup.
 
This is from MM's website...:shrug:
Once thought of as a race car only item, coil-over suspensions are now considered the hot set-up for any highly tuned street car. The combination of incredible handling with great ride quality is what one expects from a world class car. With a Maximum Motorsports Coil-Over Conversion Kit you will have the no-compromise handling you demand without paying a penalty in comfort. Switching to an MM Coil-Over suspension system is a win-win choice for any Mustang!

Is there any downside to running a tubular k-member and control arms? Other than cost, that is.

I don't think the k member brace will fit on my car because of the oil pan, and I havn't found an stb that will fit yet. Havn't really been looking tho :p

The rear suspension Im just gonna piece together over the next year, but Im gonna go ahead and change the springs when I do the front suspension. Your list is pretty close to what I had in mind tho. :)

Are the tokico struts better than the koni's? I'm pretty sure they cost more...
 
as for the k-member, i feel that if you aren't buying one for the revised geometry that the money spent will not give a linear return in performance. i can't say for 100% as i do not have one. other than that i see no reason why it wouldn't be ok to have, save for shoddy build quality.

i hear ya on the braces, it isn't mandatory but they work.

i would say the koni's would be a slightly better shock/strut for $300 more, but again does the benefit outweigh the cost?

as far as the coilovers i am wondering what they are comparing it to with the statement of "without paying a penalty in comfort". if they are comparing it to a sportline then i might steer clear, if they are comparing it to a pro-kit spring then go for it. you should prolly call the tech line for a definite answer on that.

if you can't tell i am a bang for the buck kinda guy, i would say that while having all that exotic stuff on your car will be cool i question if the end result could be done far more inexpensive. i have around $2k in my suspension and i compare the handling to a 95-99 M3. with my r-compound tires, my buddy(99 M3) and i can go attack some exit ramps and i will routinely maintain more exit speed than he does--i also have a heavy ass vert with a 150lb hardtop and no sfc's.
 
I know the tubular k member isn't really necessary, but then again is a 418 really necessary? lol :p The main reason I want one is for the weight reduction and additional clearance. That's about 50lbs off the front end of the car. Im also approaching 170k and I think it's time to replace some bushings and etc, so why not upgrade the parts while I have them out.(control arms) :D

I would like to know where you found tokico struts for $20. The 5-way illumina's are $161 and the koni sports are $168...

For the coil overs, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of spring rates I can get, Im sure I can find what Im looking for. I'll definitely look into it some more before I order anything tho. I'll go back to stock springs before I spend hundreds of dollars on another too-stiff setup.
 
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times.... Maximum Motorsports or nothing at all.

I'm getting a house this year, and then after that it's the full $4000 kit from MM!!

You'll save tons of weight, have good race proven geometry and it will be tough as nails. Do it right the first time!! :nice:
 
Bump!

I'm definitely a "do it right the first time" guy, but is the MM kit a little overkill for what I want? Like I said, I'll probably never take my car to any kind of road course or auto-x, and probably only a couple trips a year to the drag strip.

Plus I still need to save money for a tune and a transmission. If money wasn't a concern I would have bought the MM kit no questions asked. :)
 
So some of those figures posted above show the MM kit only $600 more than the pieced together suspension. I am by no means a rich kid, I barely take home $400 a week (after taxes) but for $600 I would definatly go with something proven and from only one company, not several.

I plan on going with the MM Grip in a box kit in a few months when I can afford it. My car is 11yrs old and the suspension is beat. I do not want to :taco:foot around and try to piece parts together from several different manufactures. Now if money was no option I would go with the Griggs SLA Kit. I have been eyeing that kit for some time but the extra money spent on it wont show up on the street, which is where my car is used the most.
When I race at a track it has always been on the 1/4mile, but with my brakes and a moderate full suspension kit.... well its going to be a blast!

I would not dare try to autocross/roadrace with my stock suspension. When I hit the brakes the nose dives so hard, and when I accelarate my rear end drops pretty far. After hard drives I can see that my rear end drops, no joke. It seriously lowers atleast a 1/3inch just from me slamming on the go pedal. All this means is that my suspension would cause my car to be seriously unbalanced during braking, accelerating, turning in, and turning out. I would bet my car that my tires would build heat on different areas of their treads making things even worse. One of the best things about the SLA kit is that the tires (so they say) heat up evenly throughout the whole contact patch, something I dont think the MM kit can do (as well).

These are just things that I have read through research. My research has also kept me from just buying a set of springs/struts/cc plates/subframe connectors and calling it a day. It has been mentioned many times before but when any of you get a chance look at the A-Arms on a stang dropped more than 1.5inches. They are above the K-member which is not good for ride quality to say the least.

These are just my opinions but I have been getting into Kart Racing and I plan on Road Racing my car as soon as I can afford it. Speeding through the twisties is so much fun!
-fawcett
 
Let me add up some costs here...
QA1 k member - $230
QA1 control arms - $181
MM coil over kit - $259
MM C/C plates - $200 ($250 chromed)
Ford Racing Alum. Rack bushings - $40
Steeda bumpsteer kit - $150

That's $1060 for everything included in the MM kit. That's over $600 dollars less than the MM kit, and I can easily pay for a tune with that money and still have some left to put towards a TKO-600. If the complete MM kit will make a noticeable difference in handling/ride quality, then I will go ahead and buy it.
 
I don't agree with the one manufacture thing. Most of us have mixed salad engine combo's that have major moving parts.

Low, the parts you listed above are more than adequate to fill your goal. Only thing I question is the QA1 control arm pricing. You saying $90 a peice? If so send me that link.
 
http://www.paracing.com

I did a TON of research and it all pointed to going with PA. Jason's service is top notch, as well as his parts. I only got to run the car one time with the K member before I hurt it, but it was immediately worth a 2 tenth reduction in ET. I will NEVER own another mustang without a tubular K member, I'd own one for the clearance alone.
 
I've been doing a lot of research the past couple days. I've found out the PA Racing k-members are basically lightweight stock replicas. The MM k-member looks like it is definitely the strongest and has the best geometry, but it weighs 36lbs. The QA1 piece is around 22lbs or so and it does change the geometry from stock, but I don't know exactly what all was changed. It looks like a good street/strip piece, but not great for handling(although some extra bracing will fix that :D). Then there's the Griggs k-member that's lightweight and looks like it has similar geometry to the MM k.

The MM kit is out of the question now. It's too bulky and heavy, and not worth the $$$ for what I want. Im definitely going with either QA1 or Griggs, I just need to find out a couple more things about each of them.

First, both MM and Griggs moved the mounting holes for the control arms up one inch, or optionally 2" with a second mounting hole. I know QA1 only has one mounting spot, but is it stock or moved up 1"? I want my car low in the front that extra inch or two is supposed to really help with handling/handling.

Second, will any control arms work with the Griggs k-member? They want $440 for theirs! :eek:
 
Actually the QA1 has two mounting spots. I used the closest one foward. It will drop the car down a bit. The front of my car is slammed. I'm only like 2 inches from the fender. I'm only using FRPP C springs which is 1 inch front, 7/8th in the back.

I'll get a better pic of the front tomorrow.
Garage12-29-05.jpg
 

Attachments

  • Garage12-29-05.jpg
    Garage12-29-05.jpg
    73.3 KB · Views: 53