suspension ripping 1gs?

[JenkinsBS]

well, i want my mustang to handle good, maybe not 1g good, but still good. now i went to www.5.0resto.com and priced out a suspension kit including HPM HD rear lower control arms, ford racing rear uppper control arms, steeda rear sway bar, HPM HD panhard rod, and some subframes for a little under $700.

now i already have a set of H&R Race springs, and im geting a good set of shocks/struts. is there anything else i would really need to make my car handle well? from what ive read, im hoping that will be better than stock

and are adjustable LCA's any dfferent really than non adjustable ones? as far as being better than stock? Thanks!!




b.j.

 

[ECU5.0]

adjustable ones will give you more traction...if setup properly....if you really want to have a car that handles well check out griggs racing or maximum motorsports. they are really expensive but are proven to make event winning cars

 

[JenkinsBS]

adjustable ones will give you more traction...if setup properly....if you really want to have a car that handles well check out griggs racing or maximum motorsports. they are really expensive but are proven to make event winning cars

yeah, ive checked out both and read some things, but yes, they are way to expensive. figure i can save some money buy just doing it myself. i can get everything i need this way. im looking for better handling than a stocksn95... but would i loose that traction i would gain with adjustables, if i were to goto the non adjustables? just is it worth paying an additional $100 for?


b.j.

 

[ECU5.0]

i would say no...just because they are more of a pain to put in and you really dont need them unless you absolutely need to most traction out of your car. i know people that make 400+ at the wheels and dont use adjustables. im probably gonna do what you are doing and just get all the parts i want from different companies and put them on. no need to spend 2 grand when you can spend 1 grand and get the same stuff...different quality, but you know what i mean

 

[JenkinsBS]

i think ill be pretty good with what i get than. but what about front suspension? like, new front control arms and sway bars? i dont want that one around the engine casue its gonna get in the way of working on it when i go turbo... whats worth doing up there?


b.j.

 

[james51381]

When I talked to Maire Racing in Hayward, he said to spend a good amount of change on your shocks and struts (I.E. Bills., Koni) and springs. I wouldnt recommend the adjustable lowers, because they are a PITA and unless its your race car its not worth it on the street. They also recommened (as well as maximum) to use the stock uppers or the SVO and use a rubber bushing on the chassis side and a poly bushing on the rear end side.

Ford allows about a 3-5 inch play on the rear end to move side to side. Which is why a panhard rod is great, it eliminates any play. Also when choosing your sway bar, make sure they match your springs. If your sway bar is to rigid it will make your outside spring softer because it has more "strength" to push it down, and it will decrease the weight on the inside tire, which would result in a smaller tire patch on the inside. That would cause the car to oversteer alot more.

For the front suspension. If you dont want a strut tower brace, you can get a k-member brace, which attaches under the car. Once again, unless you autocross the car every weekend, you shouldnt need to increase your wheel base, like what is offered by Griggs, Maximum, and KB. Besides the fact that you will have to roll our fenders, you will also have to ditch your the plastic in your wheel well (spelling). When and if you buy a k-member they might have a second place for your engine mounts, which set the motor back about 2 inches, which in turn moves your center of gravity towards the middle of the car. Mostly the K-member and A-arms will save weight.


Did you know that a stock fox with sticky tires and decent shocks and struts, and springs can almost pull 1G? at least thats what the guy at Maire told me.

Maire racing specializes in mustang suspension.

My suggestion, is to buy a good set of non adjustable lower control arms, SVO uppers with corresponding bushings and a maximum panhard rod. Of course assuming you get good shocks and struts

hope this helps, and please someone clarify anything I have said, that wasnt correct.

james

 

[v8only]

The problem with the non adjustable lowers is,....simply you can't adjust them.

with all of the suspension mods you are planning, I would definetly get the adjustable lowers. Springs don't tend to always lower what they specify. Sometimes your rear may sit higher or lower, or one side can even be off. My bro spent the cash on non adj max motorsport arms, only to realize he has some sag still which has to be adjusted out. I went with non adjustables, and it actually raised my rear end slightly, I should have gone adjustable.

I would suggest an arm with poly at the frame side, and a spherical bushing at the axle side, such as the mm units or the pro 3i units.

Really, all this is a tit for a tat, but just trying to give you additional insight, as it is easy to spend a whole lot of money.

Full length subframe connectors, and a strut tower brace are worth their weight in gold in this case.

 

[autoXr1]

Trying to piece something together from multiple manufacturers may be penny wise, but dollar stupid. Look, if you want something that is going to perform well, it has to be a well-balanced system that is designed to work together. The aftermarket is chuck full of inexpensive, crappy parts that give you nothing but false promises...and sometimes worsen handling.

Yes, Griggs Racing and Maximum Motorsports systems are a little on the pricey side, but few other companies offer the quality, performance, and service to back their products. You don't have to splurge on an entire system all at once, but parts can be added one by one as your budget allows. Whether you end up with Steeda, Kenny Brown, HP Motorsports, Ground Pounder, or some other company, it is usually best to stick with them unless you are extremely knowledgable in the area of suspension geometry and can make it all the various parts work well. Most folks don't have that ability, and end up with an unbalanced and ill-handling vehicle.

The best advice I can give you is to get off the internet, pick up the phone, and get on the tech lines at any of these companies. I am sure they get plenty of calls from folks just like you that are short on cash and want the best bang-for-the-buck they can get. In addition, they can point you in the right direction and get you started with parts that are going to make the most difference in your vehicle.

 

[Matt90GT]

Simply put, open the wallet at either MM or Griggs.

 

[james51381]

sorry jenkins....................v8only was right. I for some reason thought you meant adjustable in length. In that case, I would recomend the adjustable lowers to adjust height. sorry for the mis-info

james