S197 Suspensions - What's your setup?

[Uncle Buck]

Thought I'd start this thread to see what everyone is running on their S197's

Please note how you use your car and what you think of your setup. I also invite suggestions on my setup.

Here we go...

Car is 2006 Mustang GT
Used as a summer daily driver with 2-3 road course track days per year. I pieced my suspension together without any real plan and would like right any of my wrongs.

Current setup
Eibach Pro Kit Springs
GT500 strut mounts
Koni Yellow Sports single adjustable (set to soft)
Camber bolts
Steeda Competition adjustable front sway bar (set on the middle setting)
Rear sway bar is stock
BMR LCAs non-adjustable with poly both ends
BMR reloc brackets (set on the middle setting)
BMR adjustable panhard bar

Wheels are 20 x 9.5 Roush
Tires are Falken 452 (275 x4)

My impression

The good
Car has a nice stance, feels very planted on the street and tires never rub

The bad
Ride feels too harsh and I'm banging off the rear bump stops regularly
Car gets out of shape on the track if I push it in the corners and it feels like the rear end wants to slide out on me.

I've been told good linear rate springs and an adjustable rear sway bar will solve the bad and keep the good. What say you TMC?

[OneQwkStang]

SALEEN RACECRAFT SUSPENSION
Sport-tuned coil springs (Front/Rear)
Sway bars, 1.38” with HD bushings (Front), 0.79” (Rear)
Front struts (N2), rear shocks (N2)
Three-link, live rear axle with panhard rod
Saleen Chicane strut tower brace
Steeda billet rear lower control arms
Saleen 7 Spoke chrome wheels 20x9 (Front) 20x10 (Rear)
Ultra High Performance Pirelli P ZERO ROSSO tires 275/35ZR20 (Front) 275/40ZR20 (Rear)

BRAKING SYSTEM
Power assisted 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS
14” slotted & vented front disc brake system with 4-piston calipers
11.8” vented rear disc brake with single-piston calipers

My impression

The good
Car has a nice stance, feels very planted on the street and tires never rub

The bad
None =P

[Ray721]

2014 Mustang GT TrackPack

Stock everything [emoji53]

Good: Comfy ride, predictable, corners great.

Bad: 4x4 stance, wheel hop.

Biggest downfall is tires and appearance. The suspension itself is quite nice.

Just needs moar low.

Is it possible to lower a vehicle without making it ride like poo?

[Uncle Buck]

Is it possible to lower a vehicle without making it ride like poo?

I believe the answer is yes but all the bits need to work together. Hopefully this thread will uncover the best combinations.

I've heard on other forums that Steeda Ultra Lites springs and Koni yellows are a nice match but have no first hand experience with this combo.

[Stephen06GT]

2006 Mustang GT

Tokico D-Spec adjustable struts and shocks ( set in the middle right now)
MM caster/camber plates
Steeda strut tower brace
Steeda sport springs
Steeda rear LCAs with poly bushings at each end
BMR relocation brackets
Adjustable panhard bar

18x8.5 Bullitt wheels with 255/45/18 Nitto 555s on the corners

Car is a DD that currently sees at least 50 km a day and 3 or 4 track days a year

DD ride is compliant and not that harsh, but I'm thinking of softening up the Tokicos just a bit. ( getting' old don't ya know)

On the track, the ride is flat and controlled with good turn in and and rotation in the corners (really, really good rotation through the left hander after the chicane at TMP)

Wish list - 100 more HP

[Mellow Yellow]

2005 Mustang GT

Eibach Pro kit springs
MM caster/camber plates
Tokico D spec shocks and struts
GT 500 upgraded front lower control arms/ball joints
BMR adjustable pan head bar
UPR rear lower control arms
Stock upper
BMR strut tower brace

GT500 18 x 9.5 wheels (goodyear F1's...not happy with them)

Summer car, less of a DD than previous years (255,000 kms)

Some autocross, drag strip....bucket list to get on road course...transmission/clutch needs work first

[fast Ed]

07 Mustang GT purchased last year from a good friend, over the years I helped him with selecting many of the mods done to the car


FRPP 5300-K springs
MM revalved Bilsteins
Steeda lower ball joints
MM caster / camber plates, set at ~ 2.0 neg. camber
FRPP adjustable front bar
Whiteline lower rear arms and Watts Link
stock rear stab bar (FRPP bar interfered with the Watts Link)
(previously had GT-500 lower rear arms and a Steeda adj. panhard bar, that worked decently)
Torsen T2R diff, early GT-500 front brakes
18x9.5 Steeda wheels with 285/40R18 Continental DW rubber all around for street
18x10 LRS SVE Drift wheels with various track rubber for track events


Car is not my daily driver, just gets out on some weeknights / weekends, then run at various road courses. It is extremely well balanced front to rear, very easy and fun to drive at a brisk pace, but does not beat me up on the street. Part of that is the tire selection, those particular Continentals have softer sidewalls than some other max performance tires. They do work decently on track too, when it's a casual day or I'm too lazy to bring the other wheels and swap them, I will run around on the Contis.


My suggestion would be to start by getting rid of the big 20" package, and go down to 18" or 19" in a better quality tire like Michelin PSS or the Conti DW.


cheers
Ed

[Scott]

2006 Mustang GT

Tokico D-Spec adjustable struts and shocks ( set in the middle right now)
MM caster/camber plates
Steeda strut tower brace
Steeda sport springs
Steeda rear LCAs with poly bushings at each end
BMR relocation brackets
Adjustable panhard bar

18x8.5 Bullitt wheels with 255/40/18 Nitto 555s on the corners

Car is a DD that currently sees at least 50 km a day and 3 or 4 track days a year

DD ride is compliant and not that harsh, but I'm thinking of softening up the Tokicos just a bit. ( getting' old don't ya know)

On the track, the ride is flat and controlled with good turn and and rotation in the corners (really, really good rotation through the left hander after the chicane at TMP)

Wish list - 100 more HP

Stephen this setup sounds like a WIN! lol

[Stephen06GT]

Stephen this setup sounds like a WIN! lol

It sure is, and it came at a great price from a very reliable source. Thanks again Scott.

[Uncle Buck]

My suggestion would be to start by getting rid of the big 20" package, and go down to 18" or 19" in a better quality tire like Michelin PSS or the Conti DW.


cheers
Ed

Thanks Ed. Others have mentioned the 20s as well but I really like the rims. I've been thinking its time for tires pretty soon as mine are getting older especially the front. I think they might be 2009, backs are 2012. I guess I better make the call on the rims before I invest in tires...

[ZR]

Difference in ride with 18" vs 20's, substantial.

[Uncle Buck]

:love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck::love-struck:
3149

[ZR]

Pure sex right there I tell ya.

[Stephen06GT]

^^ You can always change the 20s for 18s of the same wheel. It's only money Al. :D

http://www.roushperformance.com/i/parts/401305_385x270.jpg
http://www.roushperformance.com/i/parts/401305-1-385x270.jpg

[Parkway Ford Lincoln SVT]

There you go ... pretty wheels in 18" with lots of brake clearance.

[Scott]

Al the 07 - 09 GT500 rims would be a good choice in 18 by 9.5" for track rims and they often come up for sale used. Keep your 20" Roush wheels for DD activity.

[Uncle Buck]

Al the 07 - 09 GT500 rims would be a good choice in 18 by 9.5" for track rims and they often come up for sale used. Keep your 20" Roush wheels for DD activity.

Goal is really to improve ride comfort on the street. I enjoy the track but the car doesn't see it often. Still hoping there's a set up that will give a nice ride and still let me keep my 20s and a similar stance.

I expect Stephen has the answer but I'm too cheap.

[TheMustangShow]

Bilstein HD Struts
Bilstein HD Shocks
Maximum Motorsport CC Plates
OEM GT500 Strut Tower Brace
BMR Upper Control Arm Mount
BMR HD Upper Control Arm
Maximum Motorsports Aluminum Adj. Panhard Bar
BMR Upper Panhard Bar Support
Maximum Motorsports Aluminum Adj. Lower Control Arms (spherical rod ends)
Shelby PP Rear Shock Tower Brace
EIBACH Anti-Roll SWAY BAR KIT
Ford Racing GT500 Lowering Springs

[Scrape]

Mine is quite simple at the moment. Eibach Pro S Coilovers with GT500 strut mounts. Still to be installed is the Steeda UCA whenever I have time to go see Rick. Everything else is stock Track package equipment for now.

[bluetoy]

2007 GT convertible

$50 used set of kijiji Eibach prokit springs
Eibach camber bolts.
Alignment checked by string. Seems fine. Steering wheel still dead straight. Doesn't pull or wander. No irregular tire wear. Got about 5000 kms like this.

I know I should get it aligned and get a panhard bar. Too busy enjoying it to do that.

The good. It looks good

The bad. It's fine. Nothing really bad to say. The public roads aren't race tracks so I don't race it.

[NickD]

BMR lower control arms and relocation brackets
Steeda panhard bar and hd brace
BMR springs (similar to stock feel)
stock shocks

plans
BMR e'rything
Strange 10 way shocks and struts
Watts link -prob unrealeased bmr one

[Uncle Buck]

BMR lower control arms and relocation brackets
Steeda panhard bar and hd brace
BMR springs (similar to stock feel)
stock shocks

plans
BMR e'rything
Strange 10 way shocks and struts
Watts link -prob unrealeased bmr one

I've heard the BMR springs work very well on these cars

[allicedout]

2011 Mustang GT
H&R Super Sport springs
BMR LCA
BMR LCA relocation brackets

works pretty good for me..... you know guys pictures would be good to go along with your setups so we can see how much low you have going on!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/1sykhatch/TRACK%20DAY2_zpsl0b2mlgg.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/1sykhatch/media/TRACK%20DAY2_zpsl0b2mlgg.jpg.html)

[Stephen06GT]

^^Okay. Here's OL Paint in action on the RC at Spring Track Day

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc418/knightofcydonia11/012_zpsvdvzvj02.jpg

[Mellow Yellow]

The bright colour makes it a little difficult to see.


http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc26/05MellowYellow/IMG_0786_zpsvlxyu169.jpg

[Slick_89_Hatch]

Not sure if this would apply, but I found that increasing the dampening on my car to control the spring better improved ride quality.
Also, after some discussing with Rick realized that my fat sway bar on my 96GT is probably having a negative effect on my ride quality in the front. His analogy was the stiff sway bar kinda makes the front work like a solid rear axle.
Try either putting the stock front sway bar back on or moving it to the softer setting.

[fast Ed]

Exactly ... don't cheap out on dampers, get a proper set that are serious enough to do the job ... or you'll just end up wishing that you had spent the extra in the first place, instead of wanting to do it over again.


cheers
Ed