2006 Mustang GT... Should I do springs or a full suspension kit?
I have a 2005 mustang gt auto. I dont race, basically just use it for everyday driving. Might take it to the track sometime but no plans in sight. I was debating over a full suspension kit like the saleen kit for $800 or getting just from springs to lower it. I dont want to sacrifice ride quality too much, but I want some handeling/cornering improvments. I was thinking maybe mixing it up and getting some seperate parts including springs and strut bar, but dont know the best brands and dont know exactly what I would need to make a good custom kit. So if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I have looked at other custom suspension kits such as roush and springs such as steeda and eibach, but I just dont know the best way to go for my every day driving. Thanks in advance!
For kits the FRPP kit is hands down the best one for the money!
If you wanna save some money and better handling a bit the Eibach Anti-Roll Kit is awsome, add the springs for even better handling and a lower ride...
Any lowering springs will make it ride rougher!
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KJ, poorer but happier
Thanks to: Modular Depot Fox Lake Racing Tunable Induction Power House 411 Sun Coast Creations
After all is said and done by now, are the guys that lowered HAPPY about the lower ride?
I know it handles better but, I have hit my front lower bumper many times with the tiniest of then thought yellow parking blocks and draft in driveways. I don't even have a front aftermarket spoiler and man, it must be a bish street driving that low. Also is the road noise higher with the stiffer suspension making the dash rattle more?
Also, I think the bumpstops must be jarring if lowered more than 1" but, this is only my impression as I am still stock height.
Thoughts?
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C&L CAI with MAF, Steeda UP's, FR 4.10's, Predator "C&L-MAF" Tune, Borla 3" tip catbacks, Kooks LT/ Catted X-pipe, Nitto 255/45/18(F) 285/40/18(R), Steeda Springs, Tri-Ax, Adj Pan Hard, Camber plates, Cowel Hood, Tokico Adj Dampers.
dyno; 315 RWHP/ 320 RWTQ
cant go wrong with a full IRS. bluemooncars.com makes a kit but its not advertised on their site.they had a couple mustangs at SEMA with the IRS equipped.
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2007 Mustang GT Peformance White
99 cobra motor swap w/ FR500 H/C/I
Bassani LT w/ custom fab to M55 exhaust
100 ZEX wet shot/Forged rotating assembly/Tremec 6 speed tranny
The ford kit looks nice, its a bit expensive so I dont know for the type of driving I do if springs would be good or not. How much more difference will I see from springs compared to the entire ford kit?
The swaybars are KEY for handling! As a guestimate with a 100% improvement 60 is the swaybars, 15 springs and 25 shocks/struts...
I have had mine lowered for 10,000 miles and never hit anything with the front facia! I have hit my highflow cats but that's a combo of them beeing large (sticking down almost an inch from the rest of the car) and the lowering springs.
I am convinsed the much better looks and handling overweigh the occational kidney shocking thump one gets hitting a pothole or sharp edge, in my case the 19s doesn't help either...
__________________
KJ, poorer but happier
Thanks to: Modular Depot Fox Lake Racing Tunable Induction Power House 411 Sun Coast Creations
I have posted in some other forums about the FRPP kit I put on my 06. I like it but it does make the ride much rougher. If you are just looking to lower your car, go with some springs from Eibach. If you want better handleing throw on the sway bars as well. The FRPP kit is essentially eibach springs, eibach sway bars, suspension dynamics struts and shocks, and a token strut bar brace.
Truthfully I am not convinced that a strut bar brace does much more than make your engine compartment look better. I am sure many disagree but at the end of the day there is very little flex between the strut towers.
I have posted in some other forums about the FRPP kit I put on my 06. I like it but it does make the ride much rougher. If you are just looking to lower your car, go with some springs from Eibach. If you want better handleing throw on the sway bars as well. The FRPP kit is essentially eibach springs, eibach sway bars, suspension dynamics struts and shocks, and a token strut bar brace.
Truthfully I am not convinced that a strut bar brace does much more than make your engine compartment look better. I am sure many disagree but at the end of the day there is very little flex between the strut towers.
Yeah, I can also save 50% by just going with springs and sway bar instead of the entire FRPP kit. Is it really that much rougher? You think springs and a sway bar would make it that much rouger as well?
What about going with lowering springs{eibach for example} and the new Tokico adjustable struts and shocks. I've gotten the impression from reading several other threads that with the adjustables you can kind of soften the ride a little? I'm sure somebody here has experience with Tokico's on their lowered stang. The cost might be more {750.00 for the Tokico's alone} but the ride might be better.
Yeah, I can also save 50% by just going with springs and sway bar instead of the entire FRPP kit. Is it really that much rougher? You think springs and a sway bar would make it that much rouger as well?
Springs and sway bars would be rougher than what you have now (factory). However, this setup would be less rough than the full kit. The shocks and struts really stiffen up the ride. Sounds like to me you should go with springs and if you aren't happy then add sways. Sways you can do yourself with some simple hand tools and a jack. Springs are pretty easy for those who are mechanically apt, but not so if you aren't.
I think that with stock wheels and Pro Springs the ride will be fine! My problem is the 19's...
Adj shocks/struts might help but as you say is pricey... I'll eventually get them but am putting all on the motor now...
For handling I am sure the sway bars is the way to go! I have Eibachs Pro Springs and Anti-Roll Kit and LOVE the handling! VERY good bang for the buck! I paid about 450 for it all!
__________________
KJ, poorer but happier
Thanks to: Modular Depot Fox Lake Racing Tunable Induction Power House 411 Sun Coast Creations
For kits the FRPP kit is hands down the best one for the money!
If you wanna save some money and better handling a bit the Eibach Anti-Roll Kit is awsome, add the springs for even better handling and a lower ride...
I've been running a "sample" set of Tokico Spec-D adjustable struts and rear dampers on my '05 GT since early August. They are, IMO, the best struts & dampers available for the S197 chassis. Of course this could be due to the fact that the Tokico Spec-D kit is the ONLY fully adustable S197 specific kit available unless you are willing to work with Moton and pay Moton prices (very high), to develop your own struts and dampers.
I installed a set of Eibach Pro-Kit springs right after I got my car in April and while they were not stiff enough to hurt the ride they way too stiff for the stock GT's struts and dampers even when they were brand new. Don't believe it when someone tell you that the stock struts and dampers are good enough, that guy doesn't DRIVE his car. Stiff springs and stock struts and dampers make you go pogoing down the highway and when you drive the car hard in the turns it's downright dangerous. The reason is of course that the Eibach sport springs have the highest spring rate of the all sport spring kits (all of them, even Steeda's Competition rate springs), out there from the major players (H&R, Steeda, Saleen etc.), which is really good for handling, reducing brake dive and body roll. But it's really a bad spring to buy if you cannot get struts and dampers with valving that actually match or can be adjusted to match the spring rate.
So you can see why I was banging on everybody's doors, Koni, Bilstien, Tokico, Eibach, H&R and even KW but NOBODY had struts and dampers for the S197's for what seemed like a long time. I almost had to go back to the stock springs until there were decent struts and dampers made available, almost. But eventually all my calling and hammering on people paid off when I got a phone call saying that a set of Tokico's new fully adjustable Spec-D dampers could be available if I talked to the right person at Tokico to arrange it. I did this right away and installed them the same day in my garage.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE! You have no idea what you are leaving on the table in terms of grip and handling if all you are doing is replacing your stock springs with sport springs. For a sports car guy (me, who developed sport and race suspensions for German sports and performance cars for many years), the Eibach springs looked to be a very good match to these new wide range adjustable dampers. Being very easily adjustable (unlike Koni Sports or Bilstien Sport struts and dampers), the Spec-D struts and rear dampers allow me to correctly dampen virtually any sport or competition spring set for my new GT while they are still in the car front AND rear.
The Eibach Pro-Kit springs lower the car perfectly for a SoCal car but don't dump it like the Eibach Sportline or H&R Super Sport spring kits do. This means that while the car is lowered I can still drive it almost anywhere except in the snow in reasonably high comfort without that pogo and bob motions of the stock struts and dampers, YEAH! Oh, I can also get my 3.75" saddle height all aluminium racing jack under the car no problem!
Steeda's Sport springs are a good match for the stock struts and rear dampers because the stock Ford dampening rates are actually too high for the spring rate of the stock car and the Steeda rate is not too much higher than the stock GT springs. Steeda's sport springs also do not lower the car more than an inch which prevents all sorts of issues with the suspension geometry and ground clearance of course. Overall the Steeda sport springs are an excellent compromise between good handling performance and the needs of the daily driver or one car owner's needs.
The real beauty of the Tokico Spec-D adjustable struts and dampers for the S197 is that they can be adjusted to suit your need and whatever spring you happen to have installed at the time. The Spec-D's range of adjustability is so wide that you will not find a better set of dampers for the car from the drag stip to the mall and everything in between. O.K. O.K., yes you can get a better set of dampers for a single type of driving like drag racing but I would never drive a car on the street with real drag shocks front and rear, you'd get killed on street!
The Tokico Spec-D kit for the S197 cars are $600 all over the web and Eibach and Steeda sport springs are both about $230 or so. Let me also tell you that the stiffer Eibach springs are actually stiff enough that you may decide you don't really want to install larger anti-roll bars. This is preferable because it makes your car much less sensitive to bumps and irregularities in hard corners. Other spring kits like Steeda's sport springs allow more body roll, especially the springs that do not lower the chassis as much as the Eibach Pro-Kit.
A lot to consider but take your time, it will save you money in the long run. Trust me, I've been there and bought a lot of stuff two and three times even.
Cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by MN. SCOOTER
What about going with lowering springs{eibach for example} and the new Tokico adjustable struts and shocks. I've gotten the impression from reading several other threads that with the adjustables you can kind of soften the ride a little? I'm sure somebody here has experience with Tokico's on their lowered stang. The cost might be more {750.00 for the Tokico's alone} but the ride might be better.
__________________
'05 S197GT Premium Coupe, Mineral Grey, M5, IUP, ICAP
Mods: too much to list here but see my profile if interested
I've been running a "sample" set of Tokico Spec-D adjustable struts and rear dampers on my '05 GT since early August. They are, IMO, the best struts & dampers available for the S197 chassis. Of course this could be due to the fact that the Tokico Spec-D kit is the ONLY fully adustable S197 specific kit available unless you are willing to work with Moton and pay Moton prices (very high), to develop your own struts and dampers.
I installed a set of Eibach Pro-Kit springs right after I got my car in April and while they were not stiff enough to hurt the ride they way too stiff for the stock GT's struts and dampers even when they were brand new. Don't believe it when someone tell you that the stock struts and dampers are good enough, that guy doesn't DRIVE his car. Stiff springs and stock struts and dampers make you go pogoing down the highway and when you drive the car hard in the turns it's downright dangerous. The reason is of course that the Eibach sport springs have the highest spring rate of the all sport spring kits (all of them, even Steeda's Competition rate springs), out there from the major players (H&R, Steeda, Saleen etc.), which is really good for handling, reducing brake dive and body roll. But it's really a bad spring to buy if you cannot get struts and dampers with valving that actually match or can be adjusted to match the spring rate.
So you can see why I was banging on everybody's doors, Koni, Bilstien, Tokico, Eibach, H&R and even KW but NOBODY had struts and dampers for the S197's for what seemed like a long time. I almost had to go back to the stock springs until there were decent struts and dampers made available, almost. But eventually all my calling and hammering on people paid off when I got a phone call saying that a set of Tokico's new fully adjustable Spec-D dampers could be available if I talked to the right person at Tokico to arrange it. I did this right away and installed them the same day in my garage.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE! You have no idea what you are leaving on the table in terms of grip and handling if all you are doing is replacing your stock springs with sport springs. For a sports car guy (me, who developed sport and race suspensions for German sports and performance cars for many years), the Eibach springs looked to be a very good match to these new wide range adjustable dampers. Being very easily adjustable (unlike Koni Sports or Bilstien Sport struts and dampers), the Spec-D struts and rear dampers allow me to correctly dampen virtually any sport or competition spring set for my new GT while they are still in the car front AND rear.
The Eibach Pro-Kit springs lower the car perfectly for a SoCal car but don't dump it like the Eibach Sportline or H&R Super Sport spring kits do. This means that while the car is lowered I can still drive it almost anywhere except in the snow in reasonably high comfort without that pogo and bob motions of the stock struts and dampers, YEAH! Oh, I can also get my 3.75" saddle height all aluminium racing jack under the car no problem!
Steeda's Sport springs are a good match for the stock struts and rear dampers because the stock Ford dampening rates are actually too high for the spring rate of the stock car and the Steeda rate is not too much higher than the stock GT springs. Steeda's sport springs also do not lower the car more than an inch which prevents all sorts of issues with the suspension geometry and ground clearance of course. Overall the Steeda sport springs are an excellent compromise between good handling performance and the needs of the daily driver or one car owner's needs.
The real beauty of the Tokico Spec-D adjustable struts and dampers for the S197 is that they can be adjusted to suit your need and whatever spring you happen to have installed at the time. The Spec-D's range of adjustability is so wide that you will not find a better set of dampers for the car from the drag stip to the mall and everything in between. O.K. O.K., yes you can get a better set of dampers for a single type of driving like drag racing but I would never drive a car on the street with real drag shocks front and rear, you'd get killed on street!
The Tokico Spec-D kit for the S197 cars are $600 all over the web and Eibach and Steeda sport springs are both about $230 or so. Let me also tell you that the stiffer Eibach springs are actually stiff enough that you may decide you don't really want to install larger anti-roll bars. This is preferable because it makes your car much less sensitive to bumps and irregularities in hard corners. Other spring kits like Steeda's sport springs allow more body roll, especially the springs that do not lower the chassis as much as the Eibach Pro-Kit.
A lot to consider but take your time, it will save you money in the long run. Trust me, I've been there and bought a lot of stuff two and three times even.
Cheers
Wow, some of the best info I have read yet. Thank you for taking the time and writing some good stuff, helped me out a bunch! Instead of Eibach Pro-Kit, what about putting in the tokico adujustable struts and shocks, and also using their lowering springs with a 1.4 FRONT 1.5 REAR inch drop? Can get it on eBay for $850 all together. Or I could get the adujustable shocks and struts for $530 and then get the eibach pro kit for $220. What do you think would be better? Only about 100 dolalr difference, but I dont know which would be the best. Also suggest any sway bars? Or if I went with one of those set ups would I be fine?
2006 Mustang GT... Should I do springs or a full suspension kit? 
