Hey guys and gals, Badandy here. I know I haven't posted in a while, I've been real busy but I've been reading alot of yours!


Anyway, I think I am going to drop my car to improve appearance and handling.



Let me first say I want to do a MODEST drop, meaning I want to drop it to look good but I don't want to hit curbs and stuff if possible. Here are my questions:


-Is what I want to do possible?
-Which set offers 1 inch or 1/2 inch drop?
-I have heard differing opinions on what I need once I get springs, to adjust alignment and other suspension geometry. What are all the things I need to do what I want to do?

-Are there any other cheap mods I can do besides springs to improve handling?



The main part of this, is exactly what I need along with the springs to keep the geometry correct, keep the car aligned but also improve handling and appearance.


Thanks a lot



PS-Will just springs help handling?

 

I would go with the Steeda springs. About an inch drop, not too low.

A panhard bar will center the rear if need be. Maybe a strut tower brace for the front. That's my plan anyways, modest drop and adding a little stability. Also check out BMR. They've got tons of reinforcements for the frame.


Edit:
Steeda also has 3 different springs sets for the 05, all about an inch drop.

Street/comp springs = 3rd best ride comfort, 1st in handling
Sport springs = 2nd in ride, 2nd in handling
Ultralite = 1st in ride, 3rd in handling.

I'm gonna go with the Sports for medium handling and comfort.

 

So Steeda is only an inch while the Eiback's are more?


Also, I think I too would go with the sport springs. Will that give better handling than my current stock setup or will it be the same?


Also, all I need is a strut tower and panhard bar? I don't need anything to help align it. I remember a while back there was a thread about how it wouldn't work unless you got these plates to adjust camber and stuff and how it threw alignment off. No problems with that anymore?


Anyone with any setup want to weigh in?


Thanks

 

I would go with the Steeda springs as well, I have them and the panhard bar/control arms setup and except for the braking differences in the corners my car did just as good with me driving as Steeda's with Dario Orlando driving at the road course in Tulsa OK! We might have had a little horsepower edge on Steeda which made up for the slower corner speeds.

 

Steeda is supposedly an inch or a little less, while Eibach Pro-kit is a little more at around 1.2-1.4" (my drop measured at 1.125 and I have to be quite careful going over speed bumps and the like, especially with my 3" tubes and 4" CAT's underneath now)
Saleen's kit, which includes shocks/struts and front sway bar, also lowers "about 1 inch".
If you want camber to be exactly the same as stock (-.75), then you'll have to do something to correct it, whether that's Ford's camber bolts, Steeda's billet camber adjusters or Ground Control's caster/camber plates. Steeda's springs will throw out your camber less than the Eibach's will and will likely fall within Ford's +/- specs for camber. I'm still trying to determine from Saleen how/if their struts compensate for camber and lowered ride height. My camber is still -1.75 and it corners real nice...

 

Forgive me but I'm not acquainted with Steeda's springs. I am however very aware of Eibach's product.

Does anyone know Steeda's spring rate's for the 3 levels of springs mentioned above, and or if they are progressive or linear or any combination?

And how they directly compare to the Eibach offerings?

 

Yes, the Eibach drop is more than the Steeda.

You don't need a strut tower brace, I just threw that in because you said you wanted some improved handling. It doesn't really relate to lowering your car or the springs but the Ford Racing Strut tower brace I ordered will help to prevent body flex between the towers in your engine bay, thus improving handeling a bit. It also looks sweet. I don't think it'll fit with an intake cover, though.

Here's a link for the Ford Racing Strut Tower Brace: http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?showtopic=25756
BMR and Steeda also have strut tower braces that all look good.

And here's a link with some Steeda Spring info: http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?sh...=steeda+springs

 

There's also H&R: 1" front and 3/4" rear.
http://www.mrt-direct.com/2005/Pages/suspension.php
(This page lists Eibach as 1.3 front and 1.4 rear)

 

Also, I almost forgot about the panhard bar. When lowering the 05 or putting wider tires on some people have noticed their rear axle is shifted slightly to one side. The panhard bar will correct this, shifting the axle back to center.

 

<!--QuoteBegin-SteedaGus@June 29, 2005, 6:03 PM
Hi guys. Weve been getting alot of questions about our Ultra-lite springs lately. Here is some info on them.

Sport springs give you 1 inch lowering. Spring rate is 200lb front, 175lb rear.

The Ultralite sport springs are also 1 inch lowering, slightly lower spring rate at about 195lb front, 175lb rear. They are also a lighter weight wire for less unsprung weight. This reduces inertia. The slightly softer rate combined with the low inertia make the Ultra-lite sport springs the best choice for ride quality.

The street/comp springs increase the spring rate to 225lb front, 185lb rear. Also about 1 inch lowering.

For reference, factory spring rates are 165lb front 142lb rear for hardtop, 144lb front, 122lb rear on the convertible.

Gus :drive:

Quoted post

[/quote]


Thankyouverymuch, just what I was looking for.

Now you can compare rates with drops and see what fits your budget and requirements a bit better.

I'm guessing by the rates reported that everything including stock is linear though. :scratch:

 

Since I was taking my car in for the strut bearings, I couldn't wait for the Steeda Ultralights so I did the "regular" Steeda Comps. Also, buying them locally was a lot cheaper [thanks California Mustang] than paying for shipping from Florida, though I spent some time on the phone with Steeda, and they gave me the local supplier. I also have the camber adjusters installed, not the Steeda $200 version, but the local Ford dealer's $40 version which doesn't require elongating the holes in the car. And then the suspension man aligned all four and set the camber slightly straighter than Ford spec to improve tire wear. BTW, he is a Ford tech and has 25 years in suspensions.

I am pleased with the handling, and I can't feel any difference in the ride. That 1-inch makes a big difference though. My girl's apartment complex has a steep drive and I can only go over it in one place no matter how slow I am going, or I rub [three times so far, darn it].

Imagine my surprise when I still hear a clunk when I am coming to a stop... From what the tech [and Ford] said when I brought it back and from what I've been reading on other posts, it is the drive shaft play. Much cursing.

Mike Elia
SoCal

 

I went with the H&R springs for the same reasons/concerns as the original poster. My car is in transit to the dealer, but I should have it soon. I'll report back with my results once I get the car and install the springs.

I will say this - I plan to install the rears only first, and then see how it looks. I have 19" ROH Drift R wheels going on as well.

Does anyone have the Ford part number for the camber adjuster kit, and is it readily available? I would like to have that in hand if/when I do the front springs. Thanks.

 

It isn't a Ford part number, but it is a part that the dealers use. I thought I had it written down, but can't find it. If you do a search here, you should find it from about a month and a half ago, as it was posted then. "Afixer" [aka Tom R] did a really nice write up on the work done on his car and a few others chimed in at that time.

Mike Elia

 

I went with Steeda Sport Springs. It worked out well. My rearend is only slightly shifted to the drivers side. Haven't had alignment checked yet. I have 255/45 tires so they are wider than stock so it shows a little. Steeda said to wait till I have 150 - 200 miles on the springs before I decide to purchase a panhard bar. They said it will probably re-center after the springs break-in. There will be thoses that doubt that statment but, remember this the guy I spoke to could have sold me a bar the day I called.

 

Darn? Doesn't sound like my writing...

Mike Elia

 

There has been quite a bit made of "re-centering" the axle under the car after lowering springs are fitted. I just did the rears Saturday (steeda ultra-lite) and this is what I was told by steeda when I called on Monday to ask which end of the spring was up (see my other post "help with steeda springs").

The rear ultra lites don't look like the spring pictured in the installation instructions that steeda included...I assume they are the standard sport spring. The springs I received are wound closely at one end and more widely at the other. You can orient them either way when re-installing, unlike the rears on previous year cars. When I called to find out the answer, the fellow (Frank) told me that the more closely wound end goes to the body of the car. He knew this off the top of his head, so I was obviously not the first caller with that question. :scratch:

When I asked him about using the panhard bar (I have that too) to bring the axle back under the center of the car, he consulted with their technicians. What they said is that the axle is not centered under the car as it comes from ford, so you must put the car on an alignment rack and adjust it back to factory specs or it can result in some driveline vibration.

My axle is off center approximately 1/4 inch toward the driver's side and I have no decernable increase in driveline vibration, but I plan to have the dealer check it anyway when I have the strut tower TSB addressed and the front ultra-lites installed Thursday. They'll have to align the car for the front, so I'll just have them check the back too.

At the moment, the car measures about 28.5 inches from the ground to the top of the fender wells at all four wheels. I assume the front will drop to about 27.5 with the new springs and I'll get my slight rake back. I'm not a fan of slamming a car for looks, but this car really does sit slightly high from the factory. I have not noticed any rougher ride out back, so I think I'm going to like this mod all around.

 

I wonder why Ford does this?

 

K. I think I'm gonna get Steeda sport springs and the rear adjustable panhard bar. What should I get for the front?

I was thinking the front swaybar, is there a better mod for the front to increase handling for the best price?

 

I still have to go with the Strut Tower Brace. http://www.bmrfabrication.com/2005Mustang.htm

BMR, Steeda, and Ford Racing all make their own version.

 

Why is that better than a front swaybar? Is it just a better