[Ke^in]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter one long bar and two joints

Enough about zip already.

[EscortSportage]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Lighter, certainly. Stronger? I don't believe so. All the stress on a panhard bar is going against one long bar and two joints. With a watts link, you have shorter bars (shorter is stronger, all else being equal), and 5 joints to spread that same stress across. More points of failure, sure, but I don't think it's inherently weaker because of it.

well im pretty much gonna have like everything from MM on my fox and i cant wait to feel how it handles, plus i need to do a 5 lug conversion, rear disc brakes, (cobra brakes) 10 pt cage


time and money....

[Warriorofice]

i just bought KYB shocks gas-a-just and i'm wondering how to match the right springs, from my understanding the shocks should absord the springs movements so the car doesnt swing all the time.

Do you guys have any suggestions for a set of springs?

Thanks

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by Warriorofice i just bought KYB shocks gas-a-just and i'm wondering how to match the right springs, from my understanding the shocks should absord the springs movements so the car doesnt swing all the time. Do you guys have any suggestions for a set of springs? Thanks

Well, to be perfectly honest, you went backwards. Spring choice should come before shock choice. Springs are much more determining of how the car is going to ultimately handle (ride height, wheel rate, roll rates) - determine what you need there, *then* pick your shocks accordingly.

Gas-a-justs are an entry-level shock, and are really designed to be paired with an OEM spring rate. I'd run 'em with stock springs or FRPP C-spings. You can probably get away with running a heavier spring, but the match will be less than ideal.

[Thumbie]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Gas-a-justs are an entry-level shock, and are really designed to be paired with an OEM spring rate. I'd run 'em with stock springs or FRPP C-spings. You can probably get away with running a heavier spring, but the match will be less than ideal.

possibly eibach pro-kit. those are made to run with stock shocks...to an extent

Edit: oops, didn't mean to make the text that big lol

[Warriorofice]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Gas-a-justs are an entry-level shock, and are really designed to be paired with an OEM spring rate. I'd run 'em with stock springs or FRPP C-spings. You can probably get away with running a heavier spring, but the match will be less than ideal.

Thx a lot Rev.

i'm not looking to build an awesome rear suspension, just replace the 11 years old springs and shocks. So i could go with Ford racing C springs, that would be your recommendations?

[ReverendDexter]

Yeah, if the C-springs are the ones I think they are, they're same rate as stock, only with a 7/8" drop. Would be a good replacement that's not a drastic change like a pro-kit or H&R super sports.

[Warriorofice]

Taken from ford racing website

"Fits 1979-2004 Mustang
Lower your Mustang and improve handling
The height on some cars will vary
PART NUMBER MODEL YEAR AMOUNT LOWERED (V-8) SPRING RATES (LB./IN.)
FRONT REAR FRONT REAR
M-5300-B 6 1979-04 5 .875" 1 .5" 2 425/530 200/300
M-5300-C 6 1979-04 5 .875" 1 .5" 2 650 200/300
M-5300-F 3,6 1979-04 5 1.2" 1.0" 460/570 170/310
M-5300-G 4,6 1979-04 5 1.2" 1.2" 500/570 170/310

NOTES: Expect some deterioration in ride quality 1 1994-2004 models – 1-1/8" 2 1994-2004 models – 3/4" 3 Coupe only 4 Convertible only 5 Will not fit 1999-2001 Cobra 6 Due to vehicle assembly tolerances these specifications may vary."

hmmm, by Expect some deterioration in ride quality, what do they mean exactly, i'll feel the bumps on the road more? if that's the case that kinda suck ?

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by Warriorofice hmmm, by Expect some deterioration in ride quality, what do they mean exactly, i'll feel the bumps on the road more? if that's the case that kinda suck ?

That's the tradeoff - if you up the spring rate, you get better body control (i.e. handling), and you can lower the car without fear of bottoming out, but because the suspension is stiffer, it's not going to absorb the potholes like a Cadillac. Figure the percentage increase in spring rate is the percentage increase in how much you're going to feel the bump in the road - 10% stiffer springs means 10% more impact when you hit a pothole.

The flipside of this is to increase the spring length such that impacts cause a 1 Hz oscillation in the spring. But I don't think many people here would want a Mustang on Baja suspension:


Bask in the AWESOME.

[Warriorofice]

lol, nice car...

btw how stiffer are the FR c-springs compared to the stock ones ?

[BakerFX4]

That stangsuspension.com company in the OP has closed the doors.

[ModMustang97GT]

Yeah. Unfortunately I am not able to edit the first post of this anymore. Really too bad. It would be nice to take the re-assembled list of information and put it as the first post so everyone wouldn't have to search so much for it.

[stangboy33]

so if i went and got the ford racing springs i wouldnt need much, i believe the only lower the car around an inch witch is all i want becuz of were i live lol

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by stangboy33 so if i went and got the ford racing springs i wouldnt need much, i believe the only lower the car around an inch witch is all i want becuz of were i live lol

Most likely all you'd need is an alignment afterwards. Really depends on what shape your shocks are in now, and how sensitive you are to bumpsteer.

[94-Cobra]

Hello, I am new to the forums and have a 1994 Cobra. Great information in this post and I found this in looking for information on my next suspension mod, unfortunately, based on what I have read on this forum, I think I made some mistakes on the mods I made past year.

My car has a little over 100,000 miles and the suspension was original and stock and was in need of some updating. I installed/added the following parts last year:

- The Ford Racing Bullitt suspension kit (M5400A)
- MM Full length subframe connectors
- MM Strut tower brace
- UPR Upper and lower control arms (79-98 Mustang Elite Chrome Moly Urethane Control Arm Suspension Kit)

The car see mostly street use with occasional trips to the drag strip, so while hooking up is important, street handling is most important.

Based on what I have read, the UPR kit was a mistake. I don’t think I have pushed it hard enough in the corners to experience the binding, but I don’t want to experience the problems first hand.

Am I right, was the UPR kit a mistake on a mostly street driven car? If so, what is the best avenue to correct the problems? Would it be to keep the UPR lowers and go with something like this, Rear Upper Control Arms, solid axle, 1979-04 [M-5500-A] : Maximum Motorsports, the Latemodel Mustang Performance Suspension Leader! for the uppers? Or should I also replace the lowers as well?

Thanks for all the great information in this thread.

[ReverendDexter]

Honestly, I'd keep your current lowers, and just get a set of uppers with a spherical joint. The ones I've seen are usually around $180/set, and for the MM UCAs (which are stock arms with slightly stiffer rubber bushings) you're already looking at $130 of that.

[CaliStang27]

Great write up, thanks!

[ModMustang97GT]

The Rev has the right idea. the UPR Uppers are going to be worse bind than the stock set up. Mind you it will come much later now, it will also be more violent. That being said, its not going to cut your car in half or some catastrophic thing.

Here a good idea of what the feeling we are describing in the snap steer.

I'm sure everyone has at some point decided, "I'm going to take off out of this driveway, and power slide it out, then eas off of it and take off down the road".

Then when you try to do that, the car goes a little further than you expect, and to recover, you spin the wheel to opposite lock, the rear end rebounds in the other direction following your lead. As you do this, instead of the car really settling down, it snaps to each side and your traction gets worse and worse, the only hope is that you have lost enough speed to get the car within the limits of the suspension again.

With a PHB or Watts link, this doesn't happen. With the stiffer aftermarket uppers, your still going to get the same effect, but the tollerance of the suspension is higher, so you will need to be pushing harder to get the suspension to snap from side to side. But when you do, it will be much harder than the stock suspension does it. Most likely in a way that you will not be able to recover from, spinning you around on the spot.

[94-Cobra]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Honestly, I'd keep your current lowers, and just get a set of uppers with a spherical joint. The ones I've seen are usually around $180/set, and for the MM UCAs (which are stock arms with slightly stiffer rubber bushings) you're already looking at $130 of that.

Thanks for the information. I will keep the UPR Lowers with poly bushings on both ends and am looking at uppers with a spherical rod end. What do you think about this one?

79-04 TRACK ADJ UPR CNTRL ARMSSPHERICAL ROD ENDS 1979-2004 - CJ Pony Parts, Inc.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by 94-Cobra Thanks for the information. I will keep the UPR Lowers with poly bushings on both ends and am looking at uppers with a spherical rod end. What do you think about this one? 79-04 TRACK ADJ UPR CNTRL ARMSSPHERICAL ROD ENDS 1979-2004 - CJ Pony Parts, Inc.

Looks like it'd do the job. I'm not familiar with that brand in ought but name, though, so I can't speak to the quality, strength, or longevity of their parts (good or bad). Based on price alone, they should be pretty good, though; most of the knock-off crap sells for around half that.