Well Christmas is around the corner and im looking to upgrade my suspension. First off, i am a huge noob at this stuff so be nice

What i would like to know is what is the best suspension 'kit' (?) for my car. I want my car to handle like a go kart ( meaning good ) , but how much will the ride quality suffer? I dont really mind how much, im just wondering.

Thanks.


oh and if you could please dont say "go with C4ZX 4' 32's" because i have no idea what that means

 

Well at least you're honest Arwing. Welcome to the wonderful world of Mustangs!

I don't have a "kit," but I can appreciate the kit-mentality when you know your limits of knowledge.

Here's some second-hand info: Saleen's full kit has met with mixed reviews, as has FRPP (Ford Racing Performance Products), Steeda's components are solid, and Roush has done a fine job. I've seen a Roush in action at a road course and talked with the owner--he raved about its balance (and to be honest, there were C5 and C6 Corvettes, a Ford GT, and a host of other well prepped track cars on his run, and none of them could catch him--though he did pass a number of vettes and an ill-fated Porsche).

Ride on all of these is going to be harsher than your current one, but all of these have tried to keep a "streetable" comfort level. I know it's the most expensive option, but I've seen it in action and I have to go with the Roush kit (if I were going the "kit" route). Also, keep in mind that the Roush kit was developed with a different (and better) wheel/tire combo, so don't expect to suddenly be as nimble as a Roush-mouse just because you're running the same gear--you would need the same level of grip at the tires to do that.

And then of course, there's the power...

Best,
-j

 

Ride quality and performance are direct trade offs.

For example, let's look at just ONE part: lower control arms. This is a key weak spot from the factory.

The stock control arms are "bad" becasue the rubber bushings in them are too soft. That's good for comfort, but bad for performance.

The most common aftermarket ones have polyurethane bushings, which are stiffer. This makes them handle better than stock. But, the harder bushings also transmit more road noise and bumps into the car. This is a compromise that most of us are willing to make.

The "race" type ones have solid metal rod-end bushings. They handle a lot better than stock. But since they are so hard (the steel has no give) they transmit a LOT of road noise and you'll feel every little bump.

Where do you want to be in that progression?


Here are some past threads you can get good information from:

https://mustangforums.com/m_1417747/tm.htm

https://mustangforums.com/m_1696246/tm.htm <---this one has a specific discussion of all the parts in the suspension.

https://mustangforums.com/m_2184423/tm.htm


....to echo those posts, I do not suggest that you get a kit. The kits are OK, but they are not optimal. I suggest piecing together a suspension package by selecting only those parts that you need, and then choosing the best vendor for each.

We can provide some specific suggestions if you can suggest a budget and also what your goals are (drag race vs. road race, etc.)