teej281

Ok, so a week or so ago i made a post about maybe swapping out my SRA for an 01 cobra IRS but then was talked out of it because i was put under the impression that the SRA can hold its own with an IRS car with the proper mods. So i went researching these mods. I looked into the panhard bar/torque arm setup and I think that im going to go with the panhard bar but would i have to do the torque arm at the same time to keep everything right in the rear end? And i was told that the panhard bars will help keep traction in a straight line. Would this also be true? And along with these mods, eventually i will be adding tokico d-specs(fox body length) and H&R supersports to finish off the suspension for the rear. So im looking for an overall good performing SRA car that will be fun in a straight line as well in the twisties and this is the way that i was told to have the best of both worlds. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Teej

H0SS302

You can run just a panhard bar. It will help traction in a straight line. I drove a buddies car at an autocross even lat year with a PHB and I could barely get his car to break loose. His tires would spin a little but it doesnt kick the *** end out like mine will. Much needed improvement lol.

I would sub out the super sports for H&R race springs however.

jmac72187

+1 to skipping the H&R SS. They aren't a high enough spring rate for a conventional spring. I would go coil-over or at least H&R Race.

You can do just a panhard without the torque arm and be perfectly fine. the TA help your braking as well as putting the power down out of corners.

Jazzer The Cat

The UCA's are in charge of what the PHB and TA would do if you did an install of both. You can go TA and remove a single UCA from the passenger side of your axle and essentially, would do the job of a PHB, but poorly at best.

If you were to install a PHB without a TA, it would not be advisable to remove either UCA as you will get axle-wrap without a TA. I cannot see ANY advantage to going PHB without a TA. Going the other way is doable, just a bad short-cut.

Go BOTH or don't go either, IMO.

Jazzer

PaintballFreak

Isn't a watts-link and torque-arm combo even better? That's what I'm planning on doing - Fays2 watts-link and MM-torque arm. Coilovers all around.

gif4445

Thats the one thing about these cars. they break loose so freakin easily.....easy enough that i've decided suspension is gonna be my first true mod

H0SS302

yea a wats link is typically better. The only downside is you cant run tailpipes with a lot of em.

Jazzer The Cat

Yes, a WL and TA would be the ultimate in suspension upgrades for the current Mustang 4 link rear end. One could install a PHB in place of a WL and not sure how easily one could tell the difference. The PHB will "jack" one side of car a bit more than the other due to how it connects body to the axle, so the WL is prefferable in this reguard for sure. The WL also improves the roll-center, but my understanding is pretty limited in this area, so will not try to fake my way through it.

I didn't explain very well in above post, so will clarify now. The UCA's have two jobs and do BOTH of them poorly. The first is to stop axle-wrap or axle wind-up issues. When you romp in the gas, the LCA's and UCA's both hold the axle from the attempt to spin around in a circle and rip itself appart. On a corner, the UCA's hold the axle from moving side to side (still can move 1" in either direction, I am told) and that is the second job. Where the REAL issue comes in is articulation of the axle. When the axle rolls over a bump or you get body roll on a fast corner, the UCA's will only allow limited movement until they bind mechanically and can create issues in travel. The PHB or WL and TA allow full articulation and NO binding of axle. The TA removes the issue of axle wrap/axle wind-up and the PHB removes the issue of virtually ANY side to side location issues. The WL will do the same job as the PHB, just doesn't cause any "jacking" of the body as it is connected differently. The WL also has nearly zero side to side movement where the PHB inhearantly has some because of the arc of its travel.

Jazzer

PaintballFreak

Well the Fays2 WL does allow the stock tailpipe configuration BUT it bolts to the subframe connectors instead of being welded on. Is it a weakness if it bolts on or do most WLs bolt on?

Jazzer The Cat

The Griggs WL is welded via HUGE frame. The frame actually requries the moving of the gas tank back a bit and 1/3 of the spare tire well be cut out in order to allow its travel while the rear end moves upward. This is why I went Griggs PHB as I didn't lose the spare well and gas tank was OK. I also saved about $1000 on the installation, so not to shabby there. I had VERY seriously considered the Fays2, but have since passed as my PHB is working fine. I would have no concerns with the Fays2 bolt up config on a DD ride. If I was to be VERY serious track car, I would spend the cash and go for the heavy duty Griggs WL.

While the Griggs WL is probably the strongest one commercally available, the Griggs PHB is likely the same.

Jazzer