2002 Mustang GT Vert Suspension Overhaul questions
12-29-2012, 10:40 AM
#1
2002 Mustang GT Vert Suspension Overhaul questions
alright guys got m 02 gt vert and going to get ready for a suspension overhaul before spring. Want the car to ride as best as possible for being a 10+ year old car. One of the front struts is a little weak guessing because of eibach springs on for about 7k miles. Also have a control arm bushing that is shot. Already have all front control arm bushings and new sway bar links and steering gear bushings are already installed along with Eibach pro kit springs & MM cc plates. Looking into removing isos to get just a little lower too. Then installing Bilstiens struts/shocks on all corners, steeda ball joints, steeda bumpsteer, & Hotchikis rear lower control arms. Now my questions are how much of a difference will all that make? And do i need rear upper control arms or any other suspension items to make it ride and handle like its should? Any insight to somebody that has tackled this much suspension work would be great!
12-29-2012, 04:09 PM
#2
alright guys got m 02 gt vert and going to get ready for a suspension overhaul before spring. Want the car to ride as best as possible for being a 10+ year old car. One of the front struts is a little weak guessing because of eibach springs on for about 7k miles. Also have a control arm bushing that is shot. Already have all front control arm bushings and new sway bar links and steering gear bushings are already installed along with Eibach pro kit springs & MM cc plates. Looking into removing isos to get just a little lower too. Then installing Bilstiens struts/shocks on all corners, steeda ball joints, steeda bumpsteer, & Hotchikis rear lower control arms. Now my questions are how much of a difference will all that make? And do i need rear upper control arms or any other suspension items to make it ride and handle like its should? Any insight to somebody that has tackled this much suspension work would be great!
Here's what I'd recommend:
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-f...onnectors.html
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-9...l-arm-kit.html
http://www.uprproducts.com/bbk-musta...-black-94.html
12-29-2012, 05:55 PM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: GA
Posts: 261
I went from SR lowering springs (cheap) and original shocks/struts (75k miles) to ford racing b springs and new stock quality shocks and struts. The ride quality was much much better, but the handling in corners was minimal, although much better over stock springs. So I'd imagine your setup would handle nicely and still not be back breaking lol
12-29-2012, 08:38 PM
#4
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 9,235
Luke.... what are the ULTIMATE goals for your car?
I see you want the ride "as best as possible", but what exactly do you mean? If you want smooth/comfortable, than I will have to respectfully disagree with my pepe, Sharad here and recommend you stick ALL OEM stuff. You must understand here that improving the cornering of your ride WILL add NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) to your driving experience! This does NOT mean, your car has to ride like crap to handle well, but will lose general comfort when you improve your cornering.
The exceptions can be a NICE set of dampers and properly matched springs. The lower you drop, the more your ride stiffen up. Although a good set of control arms will improve your abilty to handle a nice corner, it will bring a certain amount noise into your cabin. This is not to scare you away from suspension mods, but just be willing to accept the trade-off is all. I always recommend one start with a set of FLSFC's (UPR has a nice set ***HERE***) and see what you think after they are installed.
Jazzer
I see you want the ride "as best as possible", but what exactly do you mean? If you want smooth/comfortable, than I will have to respectfully disagree with my pepe, Sharad here and recommend you stick ALL OEM stuff. You must understand here that improving the cornering of your ride WILL add NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) to your driving experience! This does NOT mean, your car has to ride like crap to handle well, but will lose general comfort when you improve your cornering.
The exceptions can be a NICE set of dampers and properly matched springs. The lower you drop, the more your ride stiffen up. Although a good set of control arms will improve your abilty to handle a nice corner, it will bring a certain amount noise into your cabin. This is not to scare you away from suspension mods, but just be willing to accept the trade-off is all. I always recommend one start with a set of FLSFC's (UPR has a nice set ***HERE***) and see what you think after they are installed.
Jazzer
12-30-2012, 07:47 AM
#5
Yes, quality control arms will tighten up the feel quite a bit. As will full length subframe connectors and a strut tower brace.
Here's what I'd recommend:
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-f...onnectors.html
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-9...l-arm-kit.html
http://www.uprproducts.com/bbk-musta...-black-94.html
Here's what I'd recommend:
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-f...onnectors.html
http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-9...l-arm-kit.html
http://www.uprproducts.com/bbk-musta...-black-94.html
I went from SR lowering springs (cheap) and original shocks/struts (75k miles) to ford racing b springs and new stock quality shocks and struts. The ride quality was much much better, but the handling in corners was minimal, although much better over stock springs. So I'd imagine your setup would handle nicely and still not be back breaking lol
Luke.... what are the ULTIMATE goals for your car?
I see you want the ride "as best as possible", but what exactly do you mean? If you want smooth/comfortable, than I will have to respectfully disagree with my pepe, Sharad here and recommend you stick ALL OEM stuff. You must understand here that improving the cornering of your ride WILL add NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) to your driving experience! This does NOT mean, your car has to ride like crap to handle well, but will lose general comfort when you improve your cornering.
The exceptions can be a NICE set of dampers and properly matched springs. The lower you drop, the more your ride stiffen up. Although a good set of control arms will improve your abilty to handle a nice corner, it will bring a certain amount noise into your cabin. This is not to scare you away from suspension mods, but just be willing to accept the trade-off is all. I always recommend one start with a set of FLSFC's (UPR has a nice set ***HERE***) and see what you think after they are installed.
Jazzer
I see you want the ride "as best as possible", but what exactly do you mean? If you want smooth/comfortable, than I will have to respectfully disagree with my pepe, Sharad here and recommend you stick ALL OEM stuff. You must understand here that improving the cornering of your ride WILL add NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) to your driving experience! This does NOT mean, your car has to ride like crap to handle well, but will lose general comfort when you improve your cornering.
The exceptions can be a NICE set of dampers and properly matched springs. The lower you drop, the more your ride stiffen up. Although a good set of control arms will improve your abilty to handle a nice corner, it will bring a certain amount noise into your cabin. This is not to scare you away from suspension mods, but just be willing to accept the trade-off is all. I always recommend one start with a set of FLSFC's (UPR has a nice set ***HERE***) and see what you think after they are installed.
Jazzer
Ultimate goals for car are a fun daily driver. looking into a kenne bell 2.1 as well so the suspension needs to be able to handle that. and i want it to handle well and ride very nice out on the road and not be harsh. right now it is not harsh but doesnt ride/handle as well as i think it could.
The pro kits without isos should be the ride height i want and i believe the bilstiens are matched with the eibach spring rate so that should help handling and ride out correct? And what do you mean noisy?
also sorry should have mentioned i already have MM FLSFC so that is done too!
12-30-2012, 08:56 AM
#6
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 9,235
If you are looking to go KB on your car, I would ask that you have a loose definition of having a car with a "nice ride". You start adding power and you really need to add the suspension to harness it properly and your nice riding car will be forever changed. There are many that slap a KB on his/her otherwise OEM Mustang and it works. IMO, you start adding power and you won't gain the true benefits without the supporting mods. This means good LCA's in the very least to go along with your current FLSFC's. If your looking to do corners well, you will want to go beyond this. If you want to do corners VERY well, you will have to go well beyond this... and that means NVH. There is no way to give you an answer as to what it will be like, as there are 100,000 variables in the equasion.
Go out and ride in some other peoples Stangs of the same model as you with the mods you are considering. Pay special attention to exactly WHAT has been done and very specific info on the mods. Note the sping rates, dampers, ALL of the suspension mods and exactly what parts were used. Not only the type of tires, but the exact size will have a determination on how it rides/handles. I think as you go along here, you will find the need to accept a more aggressive riding car for the mods you propose.
You need to consider the weather conditions too, as you will likely want a set of both Summer and Winter wheels, being in Ohio ("O" on the ends and "hi" in the middle ~ the words of Mark Mothersbaugh and Devo
)
Jazzer
PS. Hit up Brakes Upgrade and address the stopping power you will need for new found go power!
Go out and ride in some other peoples Stangs of the same model as you with the mods you are considering. Pay special attention to exactly WHAT has been done and very specific info on the mods. Note the sping rates, dampers, ALL of the suspension mods and exactly what parts were used. Not only the type of tires, but the exact size will have a determination on how it rides/handles. I think as you go along here, you will find the need to accept a more aggressive riding car for the mods you propose.
You need to consider the weather conditions too, as you will likely want a set of both Summer and Winter wheels, being in Ohio ("O" on the ends and "hi" in the middle ~ the words of Mark Mothersbaugh and Devo
) Jazzer
PS. Hit up Brakes Upgrade and address the stopping power you will need for new found go power!
12-30-2012, 10:11 AM
#7
If you are looking to go KB on your car, I would ask that you have a loose definition of having a car with a "nice ride". You start adding power and you really need to add the suspension to harness it properly and your nice riding car will be forever changed. There are many that slap a KB on his/her otherwise OEM Mustang and it works. IMO, you start adding power and you won't gain the true benefits without the supporting mods. This means good LCA's in the very least to go along with your current FLSFC's. If your looking to do corners well, you will want to go beyond this. If you want to do corners VERY well, you will have to go well beyond this... and that means NVH. There is no way to give you an answer as to what it will be like, as there are 100,000 variables in the equasion.
Go out and ride in some other peoples Stangs of the same model as you with the mods you are considering. Pay special attention to exactly WHAT has been done and very specific info on the mods. Note the sping rates, dampers, ALL of the suspension mods and exactly what parts were used. Not only the type of tires, but the exact size will have a determination on how it rides/handles. I think as you go along here, you will find the need to accept a more aggressive riding car for the mods you propose.
You need to consider the weather conditions too, as you will likely want a set of both Summer and Winter wheels, being in Ohio ("O" on the ends and "hi" in the middle ~ the words of Mark Mothersbaugh and Devo)
Jazzer
PS. Hit up Brakes Upgrade and address the stopping power you will need for new found go power!
Go out and ride in some other peoples Stangs of the same model as you with the mods you are considering. Pay special attention to exactly WHAT has been done and very specific info on the mods. Note the sping rates, dampers, ALL of the suspension mods and exactly what parts were used. Not only the type of tires, but the exact size will have a determination on how it rides/handles. I think as you go along here, you will find the need to accept a more aggressive riding car for the mods you propose.
You need to consider the weather conditions too, as you will likely want a set of both Summer and Winter wheels, being in Ohio ("O" on the ends and "hi" in the middle ~ the words of Mark Mothersbaugh and Devo
) Jazzer
PS. Hit up Brakes Upgrade and address the stopping power you will need for new found go power!
and i have been pretty much set on bilstiens i think cause i hear the best things about them and can decent deal on them like $550 on all 4 through work. and i plan on doing all the above and i heard great things about hotchkis lca so i was going to give those a shot.
I know what you mean about an aggressive ride but right now my one strut is getting weak. it barely goes up and down and very hard to do so by hand. had to change some washers around on cc plates and the one was a pity and it feels like it isnt doing work when driving hence the ride isnt bad but also isnt great. It was fine up until the struts getting weaker so i think bilstiens will improve that as well along with the other suspension work.
I have a rode in a few new edges but nothing done to them more than springs and exhaust and that was about it so doesnt give me much to go off of.
And i do have that step done. have my chrome cobra wheels with summer tires and stock bullitts with all season tires for the winter although i dont drive in winter if it snows which it has been for the past week lol taking out for a drive today though! needs some exercise and the roads are dry!!
and yeah i need to upgrade brakes too just wanted to get suspension work handled first. thats my main goal first.
12-30-2012, 11:10 AM
#9
yeah we come down to pawleys island at the end of spring bring it up there lol and what suspension is on yours? and i am right to do suspension before i get kb?
12-30-2012, 11:19 AM
#10
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 9,235
exactly most people just tell me not to mess with suspension and just dump money on kb and gears. but i wanted to work on suspension first and get it flawless then put money into kb then gears, valve body, trans cooler and stall later done the road.
and i have been pretty much set on bilstiens i think cause i hear the best things about them and can decent deal on them like $550 on all 4 through work. and i plan on doing all the above and i heard great things about hotchkis lca so i was going to give those a shot.
I know what you mean about an aggressive ride but right now my one strut is getting weak. it barely goes up and down and very hard to do so by hand. had to change some washers around on cc plates and the one was a pity and it feels like it isnt doing work when driving hence the ride isnt bad but also isnt great. It was fine up until the struts getting weaker so i think bilstiens will improve that as well along with the other suspension work.
I have a rode in a few new edges but nothing done to them more than springs and exhaust and that was about it so doesnt give me much to go off of.
And i do have that step done. have my chrome cobra wheels with summer tires and stock bullitts with all season tires for the winter although i dont drive in winter if it snows which it has been for the past week lol taking out for a drive today though! needs some exercise and the roads are dry!!
and yeah i need to upgrade brakes too just wanted to get suspension work handled first. thats my main goal first.
and i have been pretty much set on bilstiens i think cause i hear the best things about them and can decent deal on them like $550 on all 4 through work. and i plan on doing all the above and i heard great things about hotchkis lca so i was going to give those a shot.
I know what you mean about an aggressive ride but right now my one strut is getting weak. it barely goes up and down and very hard to do so by hand. had to change some washers around on cc plates and the one was a pity and it feels like it isnt doing work when driving hence the ride isnt bad but also isnt great. It was fine up until the struts getting weaker so i think bilstiens will improve that as well along with the other suspension work.
I have a rode in a few new edges but nothing done to them more than springs and exhaust and that was about it so doesnt give me much to go off of.
And i do have that step done. have my chrome cobra wheels with summer tires and stock bullitts with all season tires for the winter although i dont drive in winter if it snows which it has been for the past week lol taking out for a drive today though! needs some exercise and the roads are dry!!
and yeah i need to upgrade brakes too just wanted to get suspension work handled first. thats my main goal first.
The following would be GREAT for cornering use
:The following would be GREAT for cornering use*
:The following would NOT be good for cornering use
:
The issue here is the trade-off of improved cornering for noise. The spherical bearings you see in the two upper pictures are very beneficial in the corner, but transmit noise that the lower image does not. However, the lower image consisists of a bushing that will not allow free articulation of the rear axle and create additional binding over that of OEM. Binding is your enemy on the corners and one serious case of the "snap-steers" at the wrong time and you will never want them again.
I recommend you do LOTS of research on suspension mods to see EXACTLY what is involved and how far you want to take it. Take a peek at the Official Suspension guide for the jist of stuff and THEN get other opinions. Mine is certainly not the be-all end-all of them and there are PLENTY of others who are far more knowledgeable than I on such things
Jazzer
*except for those seeking very aggressive cornering and would go a different direction here.