hello guys,

09 gt with 45000 miles

been driving my girlfriends bmw a lot lately and cant help but notice how stiff the steering is. My car seems very sloppy on the highway, and was curious what i could do to stiffen it up. would i need everything? shocks, struts, control arms, sway bars? any insight is appreciated!!

 

Stiff steering feel and response is different than a stiff riding chassis so if you could be more specific that would better focus the advice.

Things that will stiffen the steering feel would be wider front rubber as the power steering needs more effort to turn the wheel and therefore you need to use more effort in turning the steering wheel.

Things that improve steering response (turn in response) are stiffer sidewall softer compound tires.

Things that firm up the chassis so there is less frame flex is frame rails and chassis braces, strut and A arm braces.

Things that improve handling are wider wheels, stickier tires, springs, shocks, sways.

A mustang will not steer like a BMW as BMW has different variable steering rates and I think a different power steering system.

 

Good tires, poly bushings on the a-arms, UPR tubular k-member (don't laugh, it tightened my car up!).

 

Poly bushing from Whiteline with the rear bushing set for an additional degree of caster gave me much better feel to the steering.

 

well going from a BMW to your mustang, of course your going to notice how sloppy the mustang is!

 

I was pleasantly surprised at how much better my car felt with Strange adjustable shocks and struts. I bought them for drag racing but on the street my car feels so much better/tighter. Basically the stock shocks just plain suck.

 

I know it's not going to feel like a BMW, but how do they manage to get such a tight feel? I plan on upgrading the shocks and struts, but was just wondering if there was anything else that I would really feel in the steering to get rid of some of the sloppiness

 

I put coilovers on my car and its a lot stiffer. Those with some way bars and and low profile tires and I would argue that it doesn't drive much different then a bmw. The steering wheel feels different then a bmw because of the steering rates mentioned but it's extremely responsive. And i can adjust it to change the responsiveness at different speed points. It can certainly keep up with a BMW in the twisties

 

its more or less the shocks/springs. they are garbage stock.

I cant wait till the weather warms up for me to put my parts in.

K-springs, and konis should make it handle like a dream

 

Will the non adjustable konis do the job?