mikeei

I'm about to put on Steeda Sport Springs with a 1" and 1.25" drop, Tokico D-Spec, BMR adj. UCR, LCR (and relocation brackets)Panhard& brace, rear anti-sway bar on my GT. I'm going to 18x9.5 wheels all around for the track. I drive the car on the street mostly but try and do 8-10 track (road course) days. Thanks, Let me know

F1Fan

Hi mikeei,

You don't really "need" the bumpsteer kit with the Steeda springsbecause the car's ride height is not dropped enough tonegatively affect the bumpsteermuch but it is a nice item to install andallows you to adjust the bumpsteer error to a minimal level. I have aSteedaBumpsteer kiton my own car and the difference is mild even optimised using a bumpsteer gauge with the Steeda Comp springs. With the Eibach Pro-Kit springs you need the bumpsteer kit due to thebigger drop in ride height.

More importantly I would suggest that you install Steeda's suspension components instead of BMR's because Steeda is a road racing oriented suspension company and BMR is a drag racing oriented company. This difference shows in virtually every part they sell againast each other. For instance Steeda'snewly redesigned Adjustable Comp/Street UCA/UCA mount kit is designed withthe longest possibleupper control arm to reduce brakingwheel hop and minimize pinion angle changes during suspension travel. TheSteeda upper control arm also uses a 3-piece dual durometer bushing to minimizebindand maximize longitudinal control with minimal NHV. The included UCA mount is very heavy duty and is designed to allow that extra longupper control arm to be mounted at a muchmore favorablelocation farther forward and down which increases anti-squat (IC),giving the car more grip on launch and corner exit with less wheel hopthan the BMR's UCA mounting bracket and UCA and achive and all with less NVH and less bind. AdditionallySteeda's LCA relocation brackets offer additional adjustments in locating the LCA's on the axle because the Steeda LCA relcation brackets have additional holes that BMR orany LCA bracket makerfor that matter are missing. This gives you more chance to have the correct mounting locattion for optimized adjustment. Steeda's Panhard bar and HD Panhard bar braceare stiffer and lighter than BMR's because like all of Steeda's suspnsionparts they are made from chrome-moly alloy steel not cheaper and weaker 1K series plain steel. I can go on and on but if you do some research you will see Steeda is #1 for a reasoneven thoughthey tend to charge more than any other first tier S197 Mustang parts maker.

HTH!

Philostang

Sorry mikeei, but I'm about to hijack your post...but it's for a related issue that I have been itching to ask F1Fan.

F1Fan, what do you make of Steeda's two products for addressing (they say "correcting") the front control arm geometry for radically lowered cars? I'm speaking of their weld-in relocation brackets and their X5 ball joints. From what I gather, both are addressing the same issue but correct it at different ends of the control arm. At least, Steeda gives them the exact same functional description as both read that they "are designed to raise the roll center of your 2005-07 Mustang which becomes lower as a result of lowering with lowering springs." Is this correct (they do the same thing), or am I missing the differences in these parts? Also, if you were to get one, would the other then be redundant?

Anyone else who feels like chiming in, feel free, but I am looking for a medium-to-high level of technical explanation of the needs/merits-preferences/function of these parts.

Best,
-j

F1Fan

Hi Philostang,

Hey people do it all the time. I often go off on tangents and while I don't think it is always good to do so I sometimes can't help it (see?). But your question is sort of related so here goes.

I forgot to mention thatlong ago I installed one ofSteeda's Front Control Arm Relocation Kits in my car. For a chassis with sport springs, relocated front control arms, the X5 ball joints and/or a K-member with altered geometry youneed a bumpsteer kit to compensate the steering geometryfor the changes in suspension geometry. For those with Steeda Sport or H&R Sport springs where the ride height is not dropped as much things like bumpseer and camber are usually still able to be setwithinan acceptable range. Butacceptable just acceptable andnot optimum which brings ayou that much closer toideal fo the car. But some cars are not always able to geven get to acceptablewhich is why I recommend at the minimum an Eibach or SPCCamber Bolt Kit even for cars with taller springs.

As to the control arm relocation kit vs. the X5 ball joint kit you are correct, they both are designed to alter the front suspension geometry to raise the roll center. With thecontrol arm relcation kit this is achieved by changing the chassis side control arm locationmoving it up. With the X5 ball joint you are movingthewheel side ofthe control arm down in essence giving you the same geometric effect which is to raise the front roll center. Thecontrol arm relocation kit requires a good fabricator who can follow directionsto a "T" and weld nice beads. The X5 ball joints require only that the mechanic can replace the balljoints. The catch is that the X5 ball jointsrequire 18" or larger wheels and they do not raise the roll center as much as the control arm relocation kit can. You canalso combine the two if your car is lowered extremely.

I chose to install the control arm relocation kit but they are both good solutions to the problem and th X5 kills 2 birds with one stone. First is improves the roll center height of a lowered car and second it improves the drability of the ball joints which are reportedly a weak point.

Did this answer your question?

Cheers!

Philostang

Spot on mate. Many thanks. I too had figured that the ball joint approach would be less demanding as far as installation (one reason I am favoring it as I look ahead), so thanks for bringing that up. I already have 18" wheels, and I'm only considering a 1.5"-1.75" drop, so the ball joints are the current front runner for me.

Best,
-j

DocVenture

You also need a 14mm drill bit and a right angle drill for the Front Control Arm Relocation Kit. Neither of which are something most people have laying around.