houtex

Hey folks.

So I have been reading and reading and reading and tryin' to get a handle on what I need to do, but dang it all, there's just to much, and much disjointed, information out there. Galaxie's thread, LMRs, AM's, Motorz... litany of places and info... and somewhat contradictory in a lot of areas. As they say, more ways to skin a cat...

Short version of my quandry (Honest. I could seriously fill a page up... I'm sure some of you have seen that... )

Currently stock 2006 Ford Mustang GT 5sp in every way except the wheels and a couple of cosmetic items. Wheels are the '10 Vert GT500 18x9.5" wheels. Love those. Downside is offroad effect is now in play visually speaking, and as it happens, the right rear LCA rubber is shot, so new, upgraded LCAs are going to be acquired. And a UCA while I'm at it, might as well, wanna get rid of the wheel hops if I'm swappin' the stuff out.

I'm going with either Ford P springs for a 1" all 'round drop, or the Steeda 1" front, 1.25" rear drop. Still thinking on that. This is to rid the car of the offroad look. I don't want to drop much, just enough to make it look better. Clearance is a worry for me on that, though. Speed bumps. Garage entry.

The 1" drop in the front. Will that make bumpsteer happen, and do I need a kit for that? And will I need to get the adjustable caster/camber plates, or will upgrading to the GT500 upper mounts solve that (I was going to get them anyway)? And while I can get the camber bolts, I just... really don't like that much. But if y'all say it's ok, then I would use those. I know they are used a lot, but seems that is a recipie for pothole adjustments.

The 1 to 1.25 inch drop in the back. Already commiting to UCA and LCAs and adjustable Panhard upgrades. I've heard the pinion angle can be compromised by the change in geometry... is a set of LCA relocation brackets in order? Or is adjustable LCAs the answer? Or is the UCA required to be adjustable? Any/all/some of that?

I don't want to eat pinion seals or mess up the drive train with this cosmetic thing I want, and I'm a little paranoid about messing up the car in general. This will be my first ever dropped car, I don't like going from stock much.. but she's a little different than other cars I've had. Still, I drive here everywhere, so longevity is something I concern myself with.

One last thing. Seems a 1" drop for mostly cosmetic reasons doesn't really require changing out dampers unless you just want to? So the stockers are good? Or should I do those too?

I don't want a track car. Not a drag racer or road course junkie. I don't mind being able to flick the car into a turn, or launch and leave from a stoplight, that sort of thing, so believe me when I say I really don't have a problem with stock. If it's a little harsher ride, but still acceptable, hey, that's cool. I did that with the 18s vs the old 17s I had, shorter sidewalls.

Ok, all caveats and thoughts out there. Lemme have it, and thanks muchly for y'alls input. I'm sure, though, that a lot of it will be "get the springs and arms and see what happens." And that's fine too.

Glenn

You didn't say how many miles are on the current struts and shocks. See my sig. I have other set ups on this car but this one I like the most.
If your going to do springs get the struts and shocks too.
Camber bolts will get you where you need to be. Make sure you tell the alignment shop that you have them, otherwise they won't even look to adjust your camber.
Pinion angle will be just fine from everything I have seen and read about with a small drop.
I have been watching these LCA's and have been told they are very good
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251135175734?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I recently picked up a steeda UCA just for the fun of it. You won't need one unless you want to tighten things up a bit. I also picked up a used pan hard bar. Which I did need to center things up.

Jarrod@latemodelresto

Stay away from the adjustable LCA's. For what you are doing with the car, there is no need for them. I run these.

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...r-Control-Arms

I have road raced, drag raced and daily drive my car. They work perfectly.

I ran the K springs with a BMR panhard bar.

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...ing-Spring-Kit

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...hard-Bar-Black

I never ran CC plates though. The shop was able to align the car with no problems. In the past I have used the camber bolts.

Here is how my car sits with 18x10's and a 285 tire on all four corners. No rubbing issues either.

houtex

Thanks, guys, for your answers. They really help a lot. Muchly appreciated.

Glenn, Awesome has 109,200 miles or thereabouts on her original stuff. Stock suspension. She seems to ride quite well for a girl her mileage, bounce and jounce on all four corners seem to be what they ought.

Just that right rear body connection LCA bushing has had it, excepting that, no issues to really report 'cept she's wearin' highwaters.

Oh yeah, tire size. I decided to go with the 275/40 18s, as I was concerned about the rubbing of a 285 setup, and didn't really like the staggered 285/40 rear, 255/45 front looks. So that's not helping the 4x4 issue. :| they are a little shorter than 'normal', I guess.

I do get a teensy bit of rub at full right lock. Just a little fender liner rub, don't even care. Gonna attack that with a dremel soon enough.

I think that's full disclosure now. If that makes any change in the answers, well, lemme know.

Sounds like the camber bolts maybe, and cheap enough to just get anyways. And definitely the panhard bar. Got it.

That, LCAs in the back, springs and get new shocks/struts to finish it all off, with the GT500 strut mounts.

Would the GT500 or other front control arms be something to bother with, since I'm doin' all that?

Thanks again, y'all. Really 'preciate the de-confusing.

/Likin' the car's setup there, Jarrod.

Glenn

Oh I like Jarrod's lca's and for 40 bucks less too. I'm in

zipperhead

My two cents

Lowering these cars make them look better and potentially handle quite well assuming the spring rate is matched to a set of good dampeners and good stiff panhard bar. Don't expect the ride to be better unless you like stiff.


I would give your ball joints a good look why everything is torn apart. If your lucky, yours have already been changed as these are a quick wear item on the S197.


Work with the site sponsors. Most are very knowledgeable like Jarrod

Lous2006LegendLime

Just finished my suspension today! I have a 2006 GT as well (convertible) and I went with the Koni STRT shocks/struts which are currently on sale, Steeda springs, Steeda adj panhard bar and brace, Steeda lcas and adj rear uca, GT 500 strut mounts and BMR relococation brackets. Drives amazing! You're on the right track - go for it. FYI - Steeda is having a memorial day sale, believe it ends at midnight on monday! Good luck.

Glenn

Here's what Hypermotive had to say about these LCA's

dly

Just installed Maximum Motorsports Performance springs. I do autocross and just put these on so I can't report on how the work yet but todays ride was smooth.


http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM...ings-C323.aspx

Glenn

DLY what springs did you have on there before? How do they compare? What S/Shocks are you running?




HouTex did you buy any parts yet?

roegs

I purchased P springs for my car, and so far have just done the rears. To be honest, I kinda like the look and am not sure that I want to lower the front. The P springs gave just the right drop to level the car. Measuring at the wheel-wells, the rear is about 1/4 inch higher. In my case, I used the stock shocks for now. I also installed FRPP bump stops which allows a little more travel before the rear bottoms out.

houtex

Thanks all again for your inputs!

I've already pulled the trigger at LMR, thanks to Jerrod's input, and frankly, the pricing is the best on most of the stuff I picked. Plus, y'know, sekrit forum diskount.

These are the items I'mma put on Awesome, and I feel just dandy about it:


Ford P springs, 1" drop, as a kit that comes with the GT500 upper strut mounts, so bonus savings, that.

GT500 Front control arms (as the ball joint on the right made the pop this afternoon, ended my waffling on the matter.)

Eibach camber bolts, just in case I need them, as I don't know for sure, sounds like it's a 50/50 chance. Cheap enough, though.

BMR Black Hammertone poly/poly bushing'd rear lower control arms.

BMR Black Hammertone poly/poly bushing'd adjustable panhard bar.

Ford Take Off 05-10 Coupe Shocks and Struts. I am not unhappy with the current ones, to be honest, but since I'm there, I figured for $100, just swap 'em out with 'new' anyway.


Just pulled the trigger on all that a little bit ago.

I think I'll be fairly pleased with the outcome overall. I'm going to bolt all that in the next Saturday I have available, and see where I'm at.

I have been looking very critically at different lowering results, and I think the 1" all 'round is going to be right. I do like the slight raked look, so while I missed out on the Steeda 1"/1.25" springs on sale, I am not regretting my waffling causing me to choose the Ford P springs.

I have the feeling, though, that I'm going to go ahead and later acquire a Steeda upper control arm and either the Eibach or Ford sway bar kit to finish the suspension off. Maybe. I'm... still thinking.

Last year was the year of the motorcycle... this year is the year of the car, I suppose.

I'll check back in when I get it in and installed.

Thanks again for all y'alls inputs and helps.

Glenn

I agree the uca can wait. Sounds like a plan

dly

[QUOTE=Glenn;6808627]DLY what springs did you have on there before? How do they compare? What S/Shocks are you running?




I had the steeda comp springs. They have no drop at all in them. Thought the car sat a little high so I looked around for a good autocross spring. The S/Shocks are Koni Yellows, I adjust them to all soft for the street and full hard for the autocross.

houtex

Just in case anyone's wondering....




It sucks I have to wait until Saturday to put it all in. Parts guys have them tucked away where I can get at 'em, though, out of the way...

But overall? That it's all here, and I'm about ready to do this?


Edit: I dunno about any of you, but Kermit's Youtube thumbnail is creepin' me out a little there... o.0

05gtowner

IMHO the only area you should evaluate again is the camber bolts and the shocks and struts. At a minimum you should have gotten some Koni STR.T's to work with the lowering springs. I didn't think so either at first but this made the handling of the car when lowered better then it was when it was at stock height. Also the camber bolts are a poor way to get these cars back into alignment. The GT500 strut mounts are fine on stock vehicles and anything lowered about an inch but for something lowered further you would need to go with a camber plate of some sort. You can turn the GT500 mounts around the opposite direction of which they are supposed to go to get some camber back but in reality a camber plate is going to get you the adjust-ability to really get back into the correct spec range. If you have expensive tires I would consider them an investment. I went with roush springs, steeda hd strut mounts, an adjustable panhard bar, shelby adjustable sway bar end links, koni str.t's and frpp bumpstops. The car handles like it should now and the bouncy ride, unable to adjust in spec alignment or unnecessary tire wear gone for good.

Glenn

With a slight drop camber bolts were just fine in the setup I had more adjustment than needed to get it into spec. To bad spec on these cars wears the inside of the tires down before the outside. I actually had my wheels stood up a little more using the camber bolts. Tires are wearing fine. I have to agree on what 05gt has to say about the shocks and struts. I also ran stock s/s for a while and they seemed like they didn't dampen all the way when hitting a bump. Mine did have some miles on them when I put the springs on. Never looked back when I got the Koni's

houtex

Noted. I do appreciate the input. But for now, I'm gonna have to wait on any further stuff, so I'll put up with the shock/strut situation. It'll be what it'll be. Reminder: It's a 1" drop all 'round. From what I can read overall, it won't be horrible on the dampers. Perhaps I've been mislead.

Also, the panhard bar and the cambers are supposedly 'maybes' with the 1". Some do, some don't. It's a mixed bag on that, seems. As in they may not be needed at all. I plan to put it all back together without the camber bolts, and with the panhard bar set to the stock length, no changes, and then get it on the rack and see where it wound up. And then make adjustments and/or add the camber bolts. Of course, I won't even have to go to the rack to see if the axle's off, that's an easy measurement, and (I hope) easy adjustment.

If it still won't line up, then flip the GT500 strut mounts about.

If it still won't, then darn, I just wasted the GT500 mounts, sounds like.

So yeah. I'm just going to have to see where it winds up this go 'round. *crosses fingers*

---

So, yeah, anyway, I went ahead and got the Take Off struts and shocks, and that's fine, as I said. I was half a mind to keep the 110K ones, so I figured for the price... probably shoulda just kept the currents, but hey. Easily resolved later.

But they didn't come with any hardware for the rear shocks. Not that I really expected them, but... yeah, I kinda did. I called LMR and they said that ya'd just reuse the 'shock isolators' (as Ford calls them), washer and nut.

Sounds... odd. Of course, excepting Ford themselves, nobody stocks those isolators...nee bushings... except as maybe a generic 'universal', and even then, you'd have to match it up.

Guess I should take a look at those tomorrow sometime, and maybe make plans regarding that.

---

And then finally... I've read and read on this, still a little confused... but it appears that one can use Mobil 1 synthetic red grease, or the Green Grease, or maybe even Marine grease, on these Polyurethane bushings. For sure synthetic, no petroleum based. There'll be 6 to grease up, the two on the Panhard, and the two each for the LCAs.

I think I'mma go with the Green stuff. It sounds like it's the stuff. But I could be swayed into thinking differently. Lots of people says Mobil 1 red.

More I get into this, the more it's more complicated that I was thinking. :P I mean, I just wanted to lower an inch, and fix a couple of problems. Geez.

But it's fun learning.

dly

Are you looking for these
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/Bumpstops-C564.aspx

houtex

No, sorry. I'm lookin' for the shock tower bushings for the rear shocks. But it's ok. I looked at 'em, they're ok to reinstall this time.

Thanks for the help!

---

I decided on the Mobil 1 red synthetic. I hope I did good. There was also the green grease, but the can was dented, so that sorta was a *sign* to get the Mobil 1 stuff. I think. Either that, or I was tired of debating and just grabbed it. Also got a 'just for it' grease gun with the flexible hose. I'll make sure to tell the oil changin' place DON'T grease my zerks.

Or else, Simon Phoenix.