steelcomp

IMO, your first heardle is getting good performance and ride quality from the 20" rims/tires. A 35 aspect ratio tire on a 20" rim is going to be harsh riding at best. 20" rims are typically very heavy, which is contradictory to good handling/ suspension response. However, they do look cool in the Mustang wheel wells.
From there it's just a matter of choices...I'd pick an adjustable shock first. I don't think I'd go with the Koni if ride quality is of concern. The D-Spec would be a better choice. I wouldn't change the "sway bars". The Eibach spring kits seem to be the most popular, and choose depending on how much you want to lower. I believe the FRPP springs are Eibachs.
The more you lower, the more you'll have to address issues like rear end offset, which will require an adjustable panhard bar; pinion angle which will require either adjustable lower or upper control arms (or both) and lower control arm relocation brackets to correct your rear instant center (control arm angle). I would suggest simple replacement LCA's with poly bushings, and some performance adjustable UCA like the Steeda street arm. For adjustable lower control arms and panhard bars I'm a Spohn fan, but that's just preference. There are others who bow to everything Steeda...I'm just not one of them.
On the front end, you might need some sort of camber adjustment upgrade, depending on how low you go, and bump steer may become an issue. A realignment would be the first thing to get and check to see that everything is within spec. For the street, you can stay within factory max recommendations on camber which is a max of -1.5* at which you probably won't notice much negative tire wear. You may want to upgrade to an adjustable top strut mount as well.
Each one of these components has been discussed in depth as far as the differences between designs, applications and manufacturers. It would be beneficial for you to do some research and learn about what you're doing, and what it's effects are gong to be. Understanding what's happening and why makes the driving experience even that much better.

Give a man a fish, or teach him to fish...one is definitely a better solution than the other.

F1Fan

My point exactly! Not to mention the auto trans and the flexible vert chassis.

HTH!

F1Fan

Hey quit picking on me! LOL!

Cheers!

steelcomp

LOL...didn't mean to...

Carsten89

Here's what I did, just put on the Shelby CS40s, I weighed the front wheel and tire combo at 57.5 lbs, the rears weighed 63.0 lbs. The wheels I took off were the factory 18" polished aluminum bullitts with 235/50 tires. They weighed 58.0 lbs a piece. I think most of the weight difference in the rear wheel combo comes from the tire itself and not the wheel, I didn't weigh the wheels by themselves, probably should have. I can't tell much difference in ride quality, slightly worse, but not by much. I have the Eibach pro plus suspension kit, it is rougher than stock but there's hardly any roll in the turns and no brake dive under normal braking.

archangel76

Carsten...nice ride man! Btw...did you have the dealership do your Eibach Pro Suspension plus or take it somewhere else (e.g. Midas)?

At this point, I'm down to either buying a full kit like Eibach or FRPP, or grabbing something like on Stage3 Motorsports and getting their Tokico/Steeda combo (springs, struts, shocks) and then adding swaybars.

Any takers on advice?

Carsten89

Actually I put the suspension on myself in my one car garage. It took me all weekend to do it, since I didn't have all the tools that I needed, I ended up making 3 or 4 trips to the parts store to get more tools. If you do it yourself you'll have to rent a spring compressor, which cost me about $60. I looked at a lot of forums for instructions on how to do the install, there's plenty of info out there if you do some digging around. I replaced the rear first since it's easier to do, that way when you get to the front you'll have a little more confidence in what you're doing. I got the Eibach kit from Stage 3 Motorsports, and I bought Maximum Motorsports caster/camber plates from American Muscle. I spent around $1200 for the kit and plates. That's the first suspension work I've ever done. I wouldn't pay to have someone install it unless you have no mechanical ability what so ever, it really doesn't take much to do it.

Norm Peterson

Good to hear you got through it successfully.

Now, about this
I think that as long as you work on cars you never get completely away from that happening; you won't always have enough tools or the right tools - or else it'll be needing small parts that sends you there.


BTW, be alert for any little rattles that you never heard before, track them down, and tighten up whatever is loose. Don't have the radio up so loud that you can't hear them.


Norm

marcuskeeler

I run 20" TSW Vortex with Nitto 555's on mine. My setup;
- FRPP Handling package on mine. that's Springs, shocks/struts, swaybars, poly links.
- Steeda Billet Rear trailing arms
- GT500 LCAs
- Fays watts linkage

I find the ride to be somewhat compromised, coupled with the harsher suspension the tires are more 'slappy' on bumps etc and the overall feel is on the hard side.
Handled really well though on road-course-track, in fact I've only recently retired them from track use electing to drop down to 18's for this year.

I do notice a big difference in the ride quality when running on the 18's, it IS smoother.

So in summary, 20's look fine if that's your taste but there is definately a penalty to be paid in ride quality, especially with a lower/harder setup.

Roy_R

Steeda Sport Springs with Koni STR.T shocks...talk to Sam Strano.