First suspension upgrade ?'s
#1
First suspension upgrade ?'s
I have $600 to spend. I am going home for new years and live like 30 min from brenspeed. I am getting the paxton in april and want to do suspension until then. What would be best to get first? Im not worried about lowering the car, I just want to have optimum grip with minimum wheel hop like we all want. I could do the D-spec but pretty much that only. Or I could do Tokico and some LCA's. Does the full adjustablily of the D-spec outweigh the control in relation grip. I would go into this with the guys at the shop as well, just looking for some great input from the great suspension guru's out there! Appreciate any input guys. Thanks!
#2
RE: First suspension upgrade ?'s
you will need LCAs....so those and d specs.....
D-Specs
http://www.hotpart.com/index.php?p=show&id=131
GT500 LCAs
http://www.stangsuspension.com/store...idproduct=1516
D-Specs
http://www.hotpart.com/index.php?p=show&id=131
GT500 LCAs
http://www.stangsuspension.com/store...idproduct=1516
#4
RE: First suspension upgrade ?'s
Hey Cobra443,
If you want to increase your "grip", there are a couple of different ways to do this. First off, components such as Lower Control Arms help eliminate wheel hop and maximize hp put down to the wheels. Now, shocks and struts do help in cornering but are most effective when coupled with lowering springs and adjusted to complement them; they are generally purchased almost as if they are a by-product of lowering springs. Lowering your car will help handling a fairly noticeable amount while enhancing the stance of the car and maintaining relative cost efficiency. But of course, it is up to you if you want to lower the car or not. Depending on whether you do a lot of cornering, one of the best bang for the buck suspension mods is the Sway Bars. They really eliminate much of the unwanted body roll for optimized handling.
Shocks & Struts
http://www.steeda.com/products/tokico_d_spec.php (Howarmat's site is the best pricing ive seen yet!)
LCAs
http://www.steeda.com/products/bille...iling_arms.php
Sways
http://steeda.com/products/swaybar_kit_s197.php
If you want to increase your "grip", there are a couple of different ways to do this. First off, components such as Lower Control Arms help eliminate wheel hop and maximize hp put down to the wheels. Now, shocks and struts do help in cornering but are most effective when coupled with lowering springs and adjusted to complement them; they are generally purchased almost as if they are a by-product of lowering springs. Lowering your car will help handling a fairly noticeable amount while enhancing the stance of the car and maintaining relative cost efficiency. But of course, it is up to you if you want to lower the car or not. Depending on whether you do a lot of cornering, one of the best bang for the buck suspension mods is the Sway Bars. They really eliminate much of the unwanted body roll for optimized handling.
Shocks & Struts
http://www.steeda.com/products/tokico_d_spec.php (Howarmat's site is the best pricing ive seen yet!)
LCAs
http://www.steeda.com/products/bille...iling_arms.php
Sways
http://steeda.com/products/swaybar_kit_s197.php
#5
RE: First suspension upgrade ?'s
Thanks! Im not much for cornering, I am concerned about straight line traction. I am defiently doing the steeda LCA's and more than likey the D-spec would new springs help with traction or are the stock springs sufficient?
#8
RE: First suspension upgrade ?'s
They are not as good as BMR or Steeda probably, but remember what the GT500 puts out in HP.....they are a lower priced alternative to that of BMR or Steeda and will help out with wheel hop....I have BMR adjustables that were $260, I am also lowered with relocation brackets also. Not the same path as the OP pricewise and perfermance wise.
#9
RE: First suspension upgrade ?'s
I believe the GT500 LCA are stamped steeljust like the stock GT so they can flex easier than a tubular design. They havebetter bushing and look a little beefier but a couple of Ford mechanics have said they are crap and not as good as BMR or Steeda.
#10
RE: First suspension upgrade ?'s
Comparing the GT500 LCAs to Aftermarket such as the Steeda ones for example. Well, there really is no comparison. While the GT500 ones will provide some gain over the stock GT ones, the gain will be minimal and really not worth the dollars spent. Ford tends to cut corners on such components as it doesn't concern the "average" buyer and saves the company a good amount on the mass production scale. Aftermarket ones on the other hand, while more expensive, are significantly stronger and more functional in term of providing the traction and transmitting the power to the wheels; performance gain vs price ... the aftermarkets LCAs are a much better value. Not to mention that the Steeda Billet ones look b!ctchin. (Billet/Adjustable/Tubular are all variable choices which suit specific applications differently)
Cobra443, as for the stock springs for traction; it depends on what kind of traction you are referring to. For example, if you would like more straight line traction such as for the drag strip, your stock springs will yield better traction upon hard/strong acceleration because the rear springs are softer than aftermarket lowering springs thus allowing more vertical deflection otherwise known as compression of the rear. The softer the spring, the more it will compress before transmitting the weight transfer to the wheels (when you floor it, notice how the front of the vehicle plunges up while the rear of the vehicle seems to go down, this is due to the weight transfer under hard acceleration). A stiffer spring which is better for handling and traction on the turns and road racing etc, does not allow as much flexibility for straight line pulls from 0mph causing the wheels to be more susceptible to spin. This becomes significant if you are rather serious about drag times, other wise lowering springs provide better control/handling over all in a general use.
TacoBill's got a good install write up
Cobra443, as for the stock springs for traction; it depends on what kind of traction you are referring to. For example, if you would like more straight line traction such as for the drag strip, your stock springs will yield better traction upon hard/strong acceleration because the rear springs are softer than aftermarket lowering springs thus allowing more vertical deflection otherwise known as compression of the rear. The softer the spring, the more it will compress before transmitting the weight transfer to the wheels (when you floor it, notice how the front of the vehicle plunges up while the rear of the vehicle seems to go down, this is due to the weight transfer under hard acceleration). A stiffer spring which is better for handling and traction on the turns and road racing etc, does not allow as much flexibility for straight line pulls from 0mph causing the wheels to be more susceptible to spin. This becomes significant if you are rather serious about drag times, other wise lowering springs provide better control/handling over all in a general use.
TacoBill's got a good install write up