HOTLAP

What do you guys/gals think about the stock '05 GT suspension. I'm trying to figure mine out and just having about 1,000 miles on it haven't reached a conclusion yet. For the most part it feels pretty solid and MUCH more composed than my '00GT was - but after my LS Sport V8 there is a handling trait or feel in the front end that I don't really care for - can't quite get my finger on it - but it feels high centered - like it wants to fall to either side - not a lot - just not nearly as steady as my LS was. The '05 requires more steering input/correction at freeway speeds than I would think as well - not wandering - just that you have to stay on it to keep it in a straight line. I realize the LS had 4 wheel independent with dual wishbone suspension and an almost 50/50 weight distribution so it's not apples to apples comparison.

Help me set a "suspension baseline" with this new '05 and let's see if we can develop some sort of concensus on suspension areas that need to be addressed immediately and those that are fine stock (considering normal use & abuse) not autocrossing or serious drag/track use......let the comments/opinions fly!

wild stray

I ordered the strut tower brace which I know will improve handling. Then when that's installed I'll have a better idea what else to consider.

LordBritish

It needs stiffer suspension, the car sways too much when turning.

Unfortunatley, ride quality will suffer if you get stiffer suspension.

wild stray

You can stiffen the unibody up in areas without going to heavier suspension which will help. Overall the car performs pretty well, so I'll just take one thing at a time.

05silverGT

Brad you know I'm your bro and all but are you sure about your facts?

You mentioned the weight distribution on the new stang oppossed to the LS was a distinguishing factor. You sure? From everything I know and have read there is about a 1% difference between them. What year LS was it?

Mustang 53.0/47.0%
Lincoln LS 52.0/48.0%

diablito_69

actually, eibach offers some great springs. They lower the car to an awesome stance, they wont break your wallet, and ride quality in my opinion is a lot nice and smoother and ragular drives, and nice and stiff when you put the pedal the metal. Ill post some pictures later

Vegasjay

IMO, I think our Pony's handle great! I just want to stiffin everything up. BMR Fabrication is going to take care of that. I also want every thing bullet proof, for drag racing ect... First up will be a shock tower brace, adjustable lower control arm's, and sub-frame connector's. Then the rest of thier product's to follow. That ought to do it!

Import-Slaya

Larger sway bars should help eliminate the roll and vague feeling, if you want to keep the stock springs/struts. Stiffer springs with matched struts (or a set of coilovers) can do the same, but at the cost of ride quality.

MrMorden

Everything I am about to say is based on the technical aspects of the chassis/suspension...I have not even driven an 05 stang yet.

The stiffer chassis should make things more predictable and stable. Stiffening it up more with subframes, tower brace, etc can only make it better.

The coilovver front suspension reduces unsprung weight and allows higher wheel rates with much less spring rate. This should immensely improve ride quality and handling. One of the reasons the older stangs feel so heavy up front is the bastardized control arm/spring setup. The reason for the feeling of "falling to one side or the other" as you describe might be that the improved suspension actually *wants* to turn now, at opposed to the old one which would rather snowplow... If it doesn't suit you, changing the front wheel camber should allow you to fine tune how "twitchy" the steering feels.

Good luck!

SteedaGus

Although you have never driven an 05, you are absolutely right. The stiffer chassis of the 05 along with the new true McPhearson strut coil over fron suspension make the ride quality and handling MUCH better than the 04-earlier cars.

Lowering and increasing spring rate on the 05 will reduce body roll to improve handling but will not have the ride quality degradation you would expect like in the previous car. In fact the 05's ride quality with lowering springs from most reputable manufacturers will be excellent.

The 05 chassis is much stiffer than previous models. So much so that we do not feel subframe connectors are required. We have found the weakest area to be the front chassis. A strut tower brace and a front lower K-member brace will take care of these areas. Subframes are the first thing you would do on the 04 and earlier cars... but not on the 05.

max2000jp

I have a plan mapped out for the direction I want to take my car.

1. Upgrade the tires. Probably one of the biggest improvements you will notice. The stock tires have too much sidewall flex. I am going to put 275 or 285 mm's all around wrapped in "max" performance tires like S03's.

2. Stiffen the chassis. I am going to purchase a FSTB and G-trac brace to stiffen the front. Then probably some of BMRs products to stiffen the subframe.

3. Coilovers and Shocks/Panhard Bar. Right now the only company I know of that makes coilovers for our car is Ground-control. My brother has them on his M3 and they are a nice product. GC offers Koni shocks, which are great from my experience. I will corner weigh the car at my friends shop. I will probably go with BMR's adj. pahard bar and brace

4. Sways. Not too much out there right now, but should be soon. BMR offers a huge rear bar, but no front. I am going to go front/rear.

That's my ultimate plan, just need the money to do it all. The end result should be produce a great handling car.

ManEHawke

That sounds good.
If it can pull .89 g's stock, I wonder how close to 1.0 you'll be with those, or maybe exceed it

MrMorden

Although you have never driven an 05, you are absolutely right. The stiffer chassis of the 05 along with the new true McPhearson strut coil over fron suspension make the ride quality and handling MUCH better than the 04-earlier cars.

Lowering and increasing spring rate on the 05 will reduce body roll to improve handling but will not have the ride quality degradation you would expect like in the previous car. In fact the 05's ride quality with lowering springs from most reputable manufacturers will be excellent.

The 05 chassis is much stiffer than previous models. So much so that we do not feel subframe connectors are required. We have found the weakest area to be the front chassis. A strut tower brace and a front lower K-member brace will take care of these areas. Subframes are the first thing you would do on the 04 and earlier cars... but not on the 05.
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Thanks Gus, good to hear that I'm right about that from somebody who actually knows! Thanks for the feedback!

Conundrum

"The 05 chassis is much stiffer than previous models. So much so that we do not feel subframe connectors are required. We have found the weakest area to be the front chassis. A strut tower brace and a front lower K-member brace will take care of these areas. Subframes are the first thing you would do on the 04 and earlier cars... but not on the 05."

Thanks for the tips, you just reinforced my plan of attack.

HOTLAP

Paul I did the same to my '00GT Vert and it did help quite a bit - I had read an earlier post where someone was saying that the strut tower brace might not help this stiffer chassis as much?

HOTLAP

Thanks everyone for your input on the suspension of our beloved '05 Stang!! Great comments and you have helped me to understand better what we are working with and some reasonable areas to start with.

Already have lower profile tires (and the corresponding improvement by reducing sidewall flex) next will be strut tower brace and then I have to decide on the rest.

I'm not familiar with the "coilover front suspension" - how is it different from the stock set up and does it replace springs/struts?

And Matt - your figures are correct as far as the diff between weight distribution - I should have clarified that that single diff is not the primary reason for the difference in handling - I think the dual wishbone and independant suspension account for the major diff between the LS and the Stang - thanks for keeping me honest

rhumb

Just as a thought, you might double-check your alignment, perhaps that is off for some reason, which may give you some of the odd handling traits you mention. The '05 does have a pretty quick steering ratio with apparantly a bit of gain off center -- great for quick responses but at the risk of being a touch over reactive/sensitive, especially if things aren't set just so.

As for upgrading, well, the '05 frame already provides a very stout starting point, not nearly the need to truss it up with all manner of bracing like the SN95. Probably some low profile tires would sharped things up a lot. Stiffer anti-roll bars would also tighten up lateral response without too much effect on compliance.

From there, perhaps some stiffer shocks though, which, depending on the valving, could have varying degrees of effect on ride/compliance. Hopefully some that are a bit more aggressive on rebound than jounce, at least for street use.

Springs would be next, after/with shocks, but these will invariable have some negative effect on ride and compliance, though progressive rate springs would be better in this regard. Go too stiff and you might actually get a negative handling effect on rougher roads, so you ought to well consider where and how you'll be driving before deciding how aggressive to go with springs (and shocks).

Firmer bushings, if they're available yet, would take it up another notch, but at a cost to ride harshness. Polyurethane bushings can get a touch squeaky too. If you're going this far, a strut tower brace would probably be on the to-do list too.

You might also want to be looking at upgrading your brakes at this time too as any increase in speed capability, whether through increased power or cornering, ought to be properly balanced by an increased capacity to retard that velocity quickly and repeatedly.

wjones14

Vegas, why the adjustable lower control arms?

I thought I read in another thread that the BMR (or Steeda) lower control arms are great to eliminate wheel hop during burnouts, but no one knew why anyone would want/need the adjustment.

To me, the $119 BMR lower control arms should do the job as well as the $239 adjustable Steeda arms.

S197 GT

Who would be better for lowering springs? Eibach or Steeda. This is my first Mustang and I never heard f Steeda before I bought it.

DarkRed

Yeah, I was considering a set of Eibachs for my next mod.