futuresvt

I recall hearing that there was a handlign pak specific for the GT500.

Is it any different from the FR3 for the regular GT?

Also, can the FR3 handling pak for the GT be used on the GT500? Why not if no, what woudl be the problem?

crazyhorse

I don't have any idea, but, logically, it should be different. The Front end of the GT500 is way heavier than the GT. Handling characteristics and dynamics would require different tuning.

futuresvt

Agreed. But logic is not always the determining factor. Plus, the springs on the FR3 are so danm stiff that I would think the extra 100 lbs or so would be cake...

RCSignals

Does it need a handling pack?

1 COBRA

Improving traction and control is always possible unfortunately at the expense of the suspension's balance and comfort provided by the stock tune. It's a matter of choosing which accomodates one's needs.

futuresvt

It needs to have the body lowered to within a foot of the wheels...unfortunately Ford thought it was bringing back the Bronco with a blown motor...

crazyhorse

I don't agree. I think the ride height (on mine anyway) is perfect. It has just the right amount of forward rake and overall balanced proportional look to the car. I guess I'm old school, but, I don't like the "slammed" look that is popular today. It makes them look like the trunk is full of concrete.

1 COBRA

Lowering will not make the fenders or the wheel wells any smaller unless bigger wheels and taller tires are added.

snakebite500

This is the upgrade I did so far:

BMR LCA's
BMR Adjustable UCA
BMR 1.5 Lowering Springs
BMR Adjustable Panhard Bar
BMR LCA Relocation Brackets
Caster/Camber Plates
Swarr Bar

I have no more wheel hop and the car handles better in corners. The launch from a dead stop is nice. All the bushings are polyurethane and because I only lowered the car 1.5", I did not need to mess with the bumpsteer. All the parts came to around $1000. This is just what I did but I'm sure there is many ways you can attack this.

crazyhorse

Got any pics that show the ride height?

snakebite500

I can post some before and after pics after I get the car back on the 16th. I have a water leak that is coming from the passengers side kick panel area. The dealer said by the 16th. You know how that goes.

crazyhorse

Sorry to hear about your issue. I had the radiator hose clamp leak from day 1. It was easily fixed. Hope yours is too. I've seen other threads about that issue in the other forums on this site. Good Luck.

06GT

I'm surprised how many people in this thread AREN'T interested in the handling package.

Wow.

snakebite500

So share your view point

06GT

Well I don't own a GT500, but I do understand that it has even more weight over the front end due to the iron block and the supercharger. I don't even want to know how bad the GT500 understeers, because the stock GT (with even less weight on the front end) pushes pretty hard in corners.

The stock GT suspension (which I imagine the GT500 shares for the most part--the front spring rates are probably higher in the Shelby) is nothing to write home about, it body rolls quite a bit, and doesn't give a very responsive or "connected" feel to the road.

The FRPP handling kit for the GT did a number of things:

1. Lowered the car 1.5" all around and helped eliminate some of the 4x4 wheelgap.
2. Greatly reduced body roll when cornering.
3. Adds some negative camber to the front wheels to help maximization of tire contact patch during cornering.
4. Added polyurethane bushings to all swaybar and linkage points--allows the driver to feel the connection to the road more, and promotes more consistent turn-in and cornering. This is due to elimination of the deflection of the stock rubber bushings.

I don't know how many of the owners on this board plan to track their cars in a road-race environment (NASA HPDE, SCCA, etc), but it's certainly made the car more competitive and surprised a lot of people about how well Mustangs can handle when properly modified. I drive NASA HPDEs, so this is quite useful for me. For the casual driver, this will help your car stick to the road even better at high speeds when canyon carving or on road trips through high-speed curvy routes.

Plus it's a total package that's calibrated to work together--no guess work on matching multiple manufacturer's shock/strut calibrations to the spring rates and swaybar sizes.

There is an increase in harshness of ride, but I enjoy the firm feel of the car (I am 26 so some of our older Mustang owners might not share this feeling )

Black GT500

Wow, Perhaps you really should try driving a GT500. After you do spend some time behind the wheel of a new stock GT500, I wish you would come back here and talk to the rest of us GT500 owners about all of your required improvements. I’m sure you won’t be quit as baffled about the lack of interest in “improving” the GT500 suspension after you have tried it.

I can’t stand the “slammed” look. It looks the springs are broken or there is way too much weight in the car. Plus it really makes the car a real pain in the butt to drive on public roads. Maybe its popularity has something to do with our out of control obesity epidemic…

As far as a firm ride goes, my daily driver is a F-450 4x4, so nothing can be done to a Mustang that is going to give it a firmer ride. As for the GT500 having a “4x4 wheelgap” Mmmm… I suggest you don’t really know what a “4x4 wheelgap” is.

If a driver is not exceeding the capabilities of their suspension, they don’t need to modify it. Modifying something on your car because you need it to be better than it is is one thing. But simply modifying it for the sake of modifying or because you think making modifications is cool is kind of silly.

RCSignals

You can lower a car too much. You might get the 'look' you want but you may not get better ride and handling.

For the GT the Ford Racing FR-3 handling pack lowers the car 1.5" all around which, by Ford engineers own admission, is too much for the '05-up Mustang for optimal suspension geometry and operation. Recommended is no lower than a 1.0" drop in the front and a 1.25" in the rear if you don't want to compromise your ride characteristics.

It may be similar for the GT 500.

06GT

Seems like I hit a nerve there

Black GT500

A nerve? Yeah I guess, my I don’t suffer fools nerve. Seems like you were spewing BS about something of which you don't have a clue, and you got called on it.

crazyhorse

I don't race mine, so, I don't need to carve that .01 sec off my track times. It handles my country roads just fine. The front does not feel heavy or understeer at the speeds I drive mine.

The car comes from the factory with the correct stance. The forward rake is perfect on mine. It looks very "Muscle Car" as is. I don't want the Fast and the Furious look.