Hello everyone,
So I have been thinking and planning my spring projects for my '88 LX, which is a bit preemptive, but what else can a poor college student do during the winter.
So I will hopefully be putting in a set of
Eibach pro-line springs within the next month.
After that my plan is to focus on
suspension and brakes. First off my shocks and struts really need to be replaced....blown bushings plus the shocks seem to be the factory original. The bushings I will be doing this month as well, but those are easy and cheap for the stock replacements.
Keep in mind:
-Street car that is my everyday driver. Everything is stock except exhaust.
-This is my first mustang that is also my project car. It runs and drives, but needs a good amount of TLC. So it will be a slow process while in college.
-I won't be upgrading the power very much if at all anytime in the next year or three
except for minor things like intake/headers/new exhaust/ and MAYBE a manifold but idk
First question: What brand shocks and struts?
-I have done my own research plus from what I read on other forums
-KYB = read god things but to me seems a bit on the lower end
-MM = expensive but certainly worth the money but I don't need such high end products on my first street car
-Bilstein = I had a great deal lined up for a set of struts and shocks for my car for 120 bucks, but the doucher sold them out from under me without letting me know or give another offer. Other than that I have read and heard many good things
-UPR = I have been told to stay away from there products unless I get their most expensive stuff, but I have read god things
-That is the extent of my knowledge
-Price limit for shocks and struts together is approx 400 MAX, the lower the better but I don't want to sacrifice quality for my purposes, plus the 200 for CC plates
-CC plates are a must if I am using aftermarket
suspension, so I have been told many times.
Second: I am going with tubular K member, but what brand?
-Since I will have the stock spring and strut setup, I'll keep the stock A arms
-I have seen QA1's, but have read they are for drag not street, yet if I recall correctly, aren't tubular K members designed for drag? People just put them on street cars for weight loss and extra room in the front end to work?
-MM K members look pretty nice, but I honestly don't want to shell out 6-800 bucks for a k member, I'm thinking like 3-400, which is where the QA1's end up. Also I saw PA Racing has a nice K member around 330, plus I found a post on an other forum with pictures of the install (PA Racings K member) and it looked like it installed very well.
Third: Should I also replace
control arms?
-a dumb question, since I expect the answer to be yes, since I am replacing everything else.
-I have asked about CAs before and was reamed out for not choosing MM CAs because I stated money wasn't an issue. Well money technically isn't (I'll save the money up if the part is worth it), but this isn't a drag car. It is strictly street, and an everyday driver.
-So any suggestions for CAs? Brand, price range? etc etc
Fourth and final: 5 lug conversion, including disk brake conversion for rear?
-I really want to do this, for one I hate dealing with drum brakes
-two, I want 5 lug so I can get some sexy wheels for it
-So main question here is where should I get the kit?
-CJ has a kit for about 1500, that includes slotted and plated rotors...good deal?
Thanks for reading, I know it is a lot, but I just want to get a head start on planing and shopping. Not much else to do but homework these days.
Any suggestions are appreciated.