I'm researching the following upgrades and appreciate any feedback. Usage will be primarily street (not a daily driver) with 1-2 road course events per year. I already have the FRPP Handling Pack.

CHE Street/Comp Control Arm Pack
CHE Upper Control Arm Mount
CHE Panhard Bar Brace
CHE Adjustable Panhard Bar
CHE K-Member Brace with Torque Limiters

My first big question is adjustable UCA versus LCAs. UCA seems like the better option because it is a single adjustment. How hard is it to adjust on the car?

My second question is if there are any gotchas in the install. I have read the installation instructions it is seems straightforward. I am planning to install these (with help) with just ramps and jackstands.

 

Well, not sure about adjusting the UCA on the car, but I know that when I looked under there before installing mine I chickened out. You have to drop the fuel tank to install the UCA, and looking under there with the car on stands made it look like the UCA was really hidden up there. I ended up taking the car to a shop to have it installed. I think you could definitely adjust two LCAs in the time it took to get underneath the car to adjust the UCA.

I would say the biggest thing is to get new hardware from Ford since the fasteners that come on the car are "one time use."

 

I have a HD BMR upper control arm mount and adjustable UCA. The install is a big PITA but doable, like you I did it with jackstands. If you remove the driveshaft and exhaust it gives you much more room. Make sure your fuel tank is empty before beginning and have an additional jack, like the screw jack in your trunk, to help lower and raise the tank. What year? Sometime in 07 Ford started using special bolts to hold the fuel tank straps, its a torx head 50 pt - expensive bit. Having an impact wrench is almost mandatory, some of the bolts are very tight and you have little room, long extensions are needed. Several of the bolts are big, like > 20 mm. I didn't have a wrench big enough and had to use a cresent (not ideal). IMO don't even think about replacing the stock differential bushing, its almost impossible to get out without removing the rear axle, it pretty much has to be melted out with a blow torch.

If you are installing an UCA then adjusting it is something you do at the same time - i.e. you only need to do this once (unless you add a one piece DS later), therefore I prefer an adj UCA over adj LCAs (its easier to get one adjustment right rather than two).

 

You don't need any of that stuff, and if you go out and get it anyway get anything but CHE. That stuff is CRAP. They make a bunch of blingy sh*t that people get eall googly eyed over and buy. The torque limiters are a joke, and have cracked more than one block. Their jungle-gym-what the **** is that-strut tower brace tells me all I need to know about that company.

Save your money for things like tires, brake pads, driver attire - things you will NEED.

I would go ahead and get a k-member brace, since they do help. Find one that's cheap. You can get the factory one for something like $60 at the dealer.

The FR500S has been turning impressive laps close to AI times. That's a heavy car on 245mm tires. They still have stock (ok GT500) control arms and stock panhard bars. They of course also have the FRPP strut tower brace, since sheep will see it on the car and then go out and buy it. My point is that those cars are inherently fast with only a small handful of modifications that you already have.

 

Thanks for the replies so far.

BlackBetty - About how much was the installation?

Argonaut - Exact the type of gotchas I was looking for, thanks.

RodeoFlyer - I'll start by stating I don't want to start a debate with you. I do have some questions to help me understand your comments and some responses to yours.

1. My motivation for the rear upgrades is to (a) adjust my pinion angle to get it back to the stock configuration and (b) to recenter my rear axle in preparation for wide tires. Right now it is about 3/8 difference between the two side. My assumption is that both of these will translate to a real benefit.

2. Brakes and tires are also on the upgrade list, but I already know what i am getting there so I don't need any feedback.

3. I have the stock k-member brace that is on the late 07s+, but it looks pretty flimsy. My assumption is stronger component = more rigid suspension = more stable handling. Right? I also don't understand how the torque limiters would crack the block - I would assume it would crack the mount points on the transmission before affecting the block. Is this incorrect?

4. Why is CHE "crap"? Based on all the reviews I have read they seem like quality pieces... is there evidence from an engineering perspective that shows they are low quality? I obvioiusly don't want to buy "crap", but I like to have actual data to support the opinion.

 

subscribing

 

Regarding CHE -

What sort of "engineering" do you think went into the strut tower brace in the attached photo? It looks to me like they had a drunken contest to see who could use the most feet of tubing and number of rod ends. What a joke.

The torque limiters go through the bellhousing and into the block. There have been multiple cracked blocks at the threads. I wonder why.....


Regarding your pinion angle -

It's fine. That's about the only good thing about the factory 2-piece driveshaft. If you were switching to a 1-piece shaft or lower springs I would worry about it. A better benefit and investment to you would be relocation brackets.

Regarding the k-member brace -

If you already have the factory piece I would leave it be. At the driving level I presume you are at I doubt you would notice it. I also ASSume that you wont be using tires that generate enough grip to present the difference if you could recognize it anyway. That's not meant as an insult, it's just that 95% of guys aren't half the drivers they would like to believe they are.

Regarding the panhard rod -

Absolutely get one. Many 'stangs are off from the factory. My comment about the FR500 is only to say that one isn't NEEDED. Sure it will help and is a cheap mod.

 

Note that I had the rearend bushing, UCA mount, and UCA all installed at the same time (all BMR parts). I also had them look at a few other things on the suspension. I think it came out to a little over $300. I definitely wouldn't attempt that install without a lift (my driveway is a bit sloped and jack stands scare the crap out of me).

 

OK thanks all for the feedback.

 

Just a quick (and late) note - the K-member brace is primarily loaded in compression, not bending. IOW, it may *look* fragile (because when you look at it you probably are thinking that you could bend it with your hands), but if it doesn't buckle while doing its job it really is good enough.

FWIW, the PHB brace at the rear should be looked at the same way (the governing load is compression, not bending).


Norm