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Suspension drag/street setup

3K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  Whiplash7 
I'm looking into getting a reasonably priced suspension setup. I already have some suspension for launching (see signature). I've read many of Sqidd's posts on springs & struts. I want to do the V6 rear springs & V6 front struts with my existing GT rear shocks & front springs. I've called my local Ford dealer & the new V6 parts will run me about $290 plus S&H. I've had a want ad for the V6 parts & a guy from UK has offered to sell me the V6 parts for $160 shipped. I'm leary about difference from US & UK parts if any. Does anyone know if they are different/compatable? Have not been able to find any online(takeoffparts.com). Anyone have more options?
Setting up a suspension with good launch characteristics that is lowered is a tough one as far as expense goes. All of the springs available are the same rate or more than the stock ones (except for coilovers) and you want springs with less rate than GT springs. Fortunately and unfortunately V-6 springs are great for setting the car up to launch. Problem being they don’t lower the car.

The hot inexpensive launch setup is to run stock GT springs and V-6 struts up front and V-6 springs and GT shocks in the rear. Then either remove or disconnect the front swaybar. With good control arms and tires this setup will 60ft like crazy because it will transfer a lot of weight and “hold” it there. And it works great o the street aside from trying to bur up some corners.

If you want it lowered (I would) and to launch good you have two things working against you. First all the lowering springs are not ideal. Second the lower the car is the harder it is to transfer weight.

The least expensive way to go would be with BMR springs (pn SP009) which will lower the car and have almost the same rate as the stock GT springs. Then run V-6 struts up front and GT shocks in the rear. And either remove or disconnect the front swaybar. This setup will work about as well as stock GT springs and shocks/struts.

The only way to get a good launch and have the car sitting low would be to go with coilovers set up for launching. You can pick your spring rates that way, the ride height is adjustable and in most cases coilovers also have adjusters too. QA1’s seem like the best bang for the buck. With those at all four corners you could set your car up to launch like crazy. And of course eliminate or disconnect the front swaybar. Obviously this is not the cheapest way too go.

It sucks but the bottom line is that if you want to get that sucker hooked up and sitting low you need to break the piggy bank open and go with coilovers.

If I were you I would want mine lowered also but I would be hard pressed to go with coilovers and I love to spend money. The first option with the mix and matched V-6 and GT springs works great and close to free. If I was setting up a car that ran as low as 11’s flat I would go with the mix and match setup then get myself some wheels and tires that fill the fenders out better. A lot of the “drag” tires are taller than “street” tires because they need soft flexi sidewalls to allow the tire to spread out and have a huge contact patch. They would fill up the fenders a lot better than “street” tires will.

If the car ran in the 10’s or faster it would be time to break out the good stuff anyway. At that point you would want to go with some adjustable coilovers so you can get good weight transfer and adjust it to go straight down the track. A good fast drag race setup has the rear shocks adjusted differently to compensate for the car twisting when it launches. At the 10 sec point a good drag style rear roll bar would be a great thing to go with.

Sorry I couldn’t give you the answer you were looking for.

You are going to need to decide if you want it to launch like mad and sit “high”, launch OK and have it sit low or launch like mad and be lowered but having to crack the piggy bank open.
 
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