What to do first?

Riley Barth · May 30, 2025

Just bought another foxbody to add to my collection. I have a 1987 LX 5.0 hatch and just recently bought a 1987 LX 5.0 notch. I want to build up the notch to be very comfortable to drive and reliable. I want to do a 5 lug conversion, mm or griggs racing k member and a SLA front suspension. Trying to plan everything out and wanted some advice on which to do first or if it has to be done all at once? Would love some help from someone who has an sla front.

AeroCoupe · May 30, 2025

So if you are going SLA then it’s Griggs as MM does not offer that.

gkomo · May 30, 2025

Anything done to the notch currently as a starting point?

Mustang5L5 · May 30, 2025

Riley Barth said:
I want to build up the notch to be very comfortable to drive and reliable.

In that case, leave it stock. Replace any worn bushings with OE style rubber and put a nice set of shocks on it.

Any sort of aftermarket suspension is going to make it ride firmer. That's the nature of the beast when you put race car parts on a street car.

Riley Barth · May 30, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
So if you are going SLA then it’s Griggs as MM does not offer that.

Ridetech makes a bolt on SLA for the MM k member

Riley Barth · May 30, 2025

gkomo said:
Anything done to the notch currently as a starting point?

Very mild engine work done.

gkomo · May 30, 2025

Sounds like budget isn't too much of a concern? I don't think those SLAs are cheap, neither is the MM K-member.

I remember reading on MM's website that their K-member is mostly for changing the geometry and running offset control arms. Even they say the stock K-member is pretty stiff with the addition of their 2 or 4 point braces, and there isn't much weight savings going with the MM. Let me see if i can find that verbiage.

Edit: so i was wrong about the weight... they say it saves 28% over stock, which is pretty significant for a single part. Need to find where MM was saying the OEM k-member is pretty good as far as stiffness goes. Or i'm completely remembering what i read wrong, could be.

Riley Barth · May 30, 2025

Mustang5L5 said:
In that case, leave it stock. Replace any worn bushings with OE style rubber and put a nice set of shocks on it.

Any sort of aftermarket suspension is going to make it ride firmer. That's the nature of the beast when you put race car parts on a street car.

But I would rather do an sla now than spend money on bushing and stuff that I will be replacing down the road anyway.

Mustang5L5 · May 30, 2025

gkomo said:
Need to find where MM was saying the OEM k-member is pretty good as far as stiffness goes. Or i'm completely remembering what i read wrong, could be.

Jack Hidley said it directly a few times if I recall. It’s in various posts on Corral.

The stock K-member is the stiffest. The MM K-member is stiff where it needs to be for performance/handling/braking.

But you are right. The biggest benefit to the MM K-member is the geometry changes. In terms of weight savings, it’s the k-member with the least amount of savings. When I did my full MM kit up front it only amounted to maybe 30 pounds of savings…for $3k or whatever it cost me for the front end.

nickyb · May 30, 2025

You say you want to build up.the notch to be very comfortable and reliable.
For s and giggles you then want to change the k member and go sla.
I've daily driven my 93 lx for seventeen years and 316,000 miles and its been comfy and very reliable with the stock .
Make up your mind first, then plan on changing as you go.

Noobz347 · May 30, 2025

Yeah... "comfortable" = OEM suspension bushings, shocks, and springs with bolt-on, low-boost supercharger.

SLA = Race Car, Big Block, or Coyote Swap

AeroCoupe · May 31, 2025

You can make an SLA ride really well. It’s just the spring and shock selection. Now don’t get me wrong if you put soft springs and comfy shock settings on an SLA I’m questioning why the F you got an SLA suspension but you do you boo-boo.

I’ve posted this before but the best my Coupe ever rode was with the H&R Super Sport springs and Tokico Illumina dampers. This was with a stock k-member, stock front control arms with OEM bushings, & MM CC plates up front with MM LCA’s, stock UCA’s, and OEM bushings in the rear end.

Riley Barth · Jun 5, 2025

All very helpful information here. Another project is a five lug swap, found an 8.8 rear end that's already been 5 lug swapped with rotors and calipers. Was on a 93 hatch, but came from a 2003 4.6. What's a reasonable price to pay? It has some surface rust and bushings need to be replaced.

AeroCoupe · Jun 6, 2025

General rule of thumb is use 94-98 axles as they are 0.75” wider per side than a Fox rear end. The 99+ axles are 1.5” wider per side and cause fitment issues.

The 8.8 housings from 86-98 are the same is just the axles that are longer to compensate for the ABS exciter rings. The 99+ housings are wider as are the axles so they are completely different.

I would recommend you pass.

What to do first?

Riley Barth

New Member

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

gkomo

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Riley Barth

New Member

Riley Barth

New Member

gkomo

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

Riley Barth

New Member

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Riley Barth

New Member

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Similar threads

What to do first?

New Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

New Member

New Member

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

New Member

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

New Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Similar threads

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