FC

Is there a way to get a smoother ride? Yeah, I love the giddy-up-go, but do I have to feel every bump? Solutions? 2007 GT. Thanks.

gnetster

Tokico D-Spec Shocks. They are adjustable and it's hard to find anyone who says a bad thing about them. I plan on installing them when I upgrade my suspension. Do a search for tokico and read what folks have to say.

hope this helps a bit.

Nuke

I resemble that! I'm an old geezer, too, but I'd like a stiffer ride than stock. Soon, IF the wallet cooperates...

Rick
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F1Fan

Hi FC,

Welcome to the best technical forums on the net for theS197 Mustangs!

Giddy-up is good but sticking in the turns is better. Unfortunatley the S197 chassis is a live axle car meaning that there is a large hunk of steel connecting the left and right rear tires together and then whole messis then attached to the chassis with three control arms. The problem is that huge chunk of steelweighs a ton and this forces many compromises tobe made and unfortunately most of these compromises are what you are complaining about. The other issue you are experiencing is the fact thatthe S197GT's are cheap cars and the dampers are a large target to the bean counters and they usually win on this sort of thing.

How do you plan to use your car? Are you interested in bringing outthesports car handling or drag racing potentialof the car? Or are you more interested as most folks are in having a nice sporty handling car that you can use to drive to and from work inhaving fun as you drive and look good doing so? What you answer will determine what you should to the car and be happy with the results.

Great to drivedaily drivers are generally going to see changes to the suspension and engine that are not too far from the factory calibration and setup. Why? Because this middle of the road configuration is the one size fits all setup and it generally works for most people.For the most part this car will be a moderately modified car with a moderate drop and improved damping rates that just control the chassis and no more. Wheels and tires tend to be more moderate as well with equal size wheels and tires all around of a modest size, likely 255/45x18 on 18x8.5-9" rims. Larger rims make fora harsher ride and18" are a big as you can go and still find resonable ride.

My suggestion if you aremore interested in a smoother ride than heavy duty cornering performanceis to buy and install a set of Bilstein HD struts and rear dampers. The Bilstien HD kits are designed to be a comfortable Heavy Duty O.E style damperwhich means that they will ride very well and last along time. The currently available Bilstien HD dampers are not intended foruse with high spring rates and as such are best used with stock or moderate springrates like Steedaor H&R Sport springs withmoderate lowering. If you plan to upgrade your carwith asporty but really world daily driver orientation I suggest installing your sport springs at the same time as the dampers as the cost should only add 30 minutes of labor to the cost of a strut and damper swap. If you decide to install springs at a latter date you will be paying to do the work twice which will pay for the whole spring set.Hope this helps you out a bit.

Cheers!

FC

Thank you for your replies. I'll have to see where to buy this stuff, and what it will cost. I'd rather have great acceleration and a smooth ride. Yup,it goes to work and the store, well, some crusing too. Since I moved to Oahu with the Army, I find there's not a lot of places I can cut loose without worries about a ticket. Someday I'll get back to good highways. So, would you folks recommend the shocks and the dampers/struts/springs? Cornering is nice, but I'm not 18 and as crazy a driver anymore.

Kingofbeers

I know what you mean about feeling every little bump.Afterreplacing the rear springs, the ridegets evennastier.

There's a night and day difference after putting on the Tokico d-specs, though. All the small bumps just disappear - rides smooth as glass until you hit a bump worth worrying about, then damping is nice and firm. I was blown away by the difference.

Have fun - and congrats on your beautiful car -

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