This is why shocks matter.....
8/23/10, 04:55 PM
#21
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Koni's aren't 5 position adjustable for this car, and don't adjust with a screw. And Tokico does a lot of Ford's OEM dampers so I'm pretty sure you won't be seeing a Koni on the car as OE.
8/24/10, 08:22 AM
#23
Just in case you have any doubts Autoblog ran this article comparing the Mustang V6 + Performance Package against the Genesis Coupe and the 370Z Nismo. http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/17/b...oupe-and-370z/
This is what they have to say about the Mustang suspension
This is what they have to say about the Mustang suspension
The Mustang felt planted and the car's limits were surprisingly high, especially considering its size and history. However, when you did cross the Mustang's threshold, those same limits came up quickly. The other two cars were much more forgiving. Harley said, "Even though it was optioned with the so called 'Performance Package,' the Mustang wallowed too much – it still needs firmer shocks." We all felt the Mustang's bulk on the tight, constantly narrowing back road. While never a serious problem, the Ford's mass made for the sloppiest lines.
8/24/10, 09:09 AM
#24
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I'll post this video here too. Best Mustang test video yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOwSPccbzl4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOwSPccbzl4
8/24/10, 09:10 AM
#25
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I'll definitely be happy to ahve adjustable shocks, which will be at their softest setting around town. The roads around here can be C-R-A-P! As long as the car isn't porpoising then I'll keep the shocks soft to save the chassis for track duty.
8/24/10, 10:38 AM
#29
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I have to completely, respectfully, disagree on that one. Shocks and springs do different jobs. If you want to effect the rate of pitch, rate of roll and how quickly the car takes a set that's all shocks. Different shock damping can also effect rate of response (because the roll rate is changed). This is why you see us autocrossers working so hard on shocks, we transition a lot and run sites that aren't glass smooth too. That's why my 2011, which is on stock springs since I run a stock category, has some high-zoot dampers on it.
Springs just hold the car up....
8/24/10, 05:28 PM
#33
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Installing them is not that difficult. Well shocks are dead easy, struts are a little more involved, but I can help you through that as well. Also there is a very important detail regarding struts and 2011 cars that you need to know. So if you order via the website, PLEASE CALL ME for the details. Don't worry, there is no cutting or drilling or anything like that, but the 2011 mounts are different than the older ones and that means we have to incorporate one more step. 
8/24/10, 05:37 PM
#34
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Installing them is not that difficult. Well shocks are dead easy, struts are a little more involved, but I can help you through that as well. Also there is a very important detail regarding struts and 2011 cars that you need to know. So if you order via the website, PLEASE CALL ME for the details. Don't worry, there is no cutting or drilling or anything like that, but the 2011 mounts are different than the older ones and that means we have to incorporate one more step.
8/24/10, 05:39 PM
#35
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Rebound damping is what gives that locked down, taut, German car kind of feel. And the help comes as part of the service. You can always feel free to call me as well @ 81-849-3450 if you have any questions.
8/24/10, 05:42 PM
#36
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Funny you mention that German car feel. I had a 3 series several years ago with the sport suspension and that is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks again.
8/24/10, 05:49 PM
#37
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Sam, would you say go this route
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...199&ModelID=35
or this route
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...199&ModelID=35
I will not be on the track but just want a better feel on the street and prefer not to lower the car or sacrifice much in the way of ride quality if possible.
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...199&ModelID=35
or this route
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...199&ModelID=35
I will not be on the track but just want a better feel on the street and prefer not to lower the car or sacrifice much in the way of ride quality if possible.
8/24/10, 06:15 PM
#38
Legacy TMS Member
I have to completely, respectfully, disagree on that one. Shocks and springs do different jobs. If you want to effect the rate of pitch, rate of roll and how quickly the car takes a set that's all shocks. Different shock damping can also effect rate of response (because the roll rate is changed). This is why you see us autocrossers working so hard on shocks, we transition a lot and run sites that aren't glass smooth too. That's why my 2011, which is on stock springs since I run a stock category, has some high-zoot dampers on it.
8/24/10, 06:56 PM
#39
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Spring Experience (for what it's worth)
I'd be interested in Sam's opinion of the springs. By all means, listen to his advice regarding shocks/struts. He knows what he's talking about, it was a pleasure doing business with him, and he's very, VERY patient.
I'm currently running the Koni Adjustables on an '08 GT with a set of 2011 Brembo springs. I had Steeda Ultralites on the car, but I didn't care for the ride quality at all, even with the Konis. Sam's suggestion was to switch to Steeda Sports, if I still wanted the lowered look, or simply go back to stock. Because I was sick and tired of scraping my front bumper on parking berms and the occasional speed bump, I decided to return to stock.
I bought the 2011 Brembo springs because I thought they might be a good compromise between a ride that was too soft versus too harsh. Unfortunately, these springs are a bit on the harsh side, and even after experimenting with the Konis, I've found it almost impossible to reach a comfortable setting. The softer the settings, the car tends to be very jittery (a sort of up/down undulating motion) which gets worse at higher speeds. At the same time, if I hit a bump or expansion joint in the road, I won't feel it too much. On the other hand, if I stiffen the settings, this jitteriness will be reduced considerably, but then if I hit a bump or expansion joint on the freeway, it'll be a BANG and I'll really feel it. I currently have the settings at 1 turn from full soft at both front and rear, but I've experimented with 1/4-1/2 turn higher and lower at both front and rear.
The thing is, I think my experience is less related to how the '11 Brembo springs perform, but rather how the '11 springs are not meant for the '05-'09 chassis. I found an article on the '11's (from Jalopnik.com) which states that "a new X brace and Z brace were added to stiffen the 2011's so as to allow Ford to use stiffer springs without compromising ride quality". I asked Kevin Casey at Porterville Ford as to whether this Z brace could be retrofitted to an '08 and he confirmed that it would not work. He had tried it himself. After reading the Motortrend article, I wondered it their test drivers were noticing the same effect, despite the improvements to the '11 chassis.
To make sure I wasn't crazy, I went to the Ford dealer and test drove a non-Brembo 2011. It was a much, much smoother ride than my car. No jitteriness, and still soft when going over actual bumps in the road. I also went to Carmax and test drove a used Bullitt w/ 13K miles. Again, much smoother. I'm thinking that the fix to this problem is the Bullitt springs (which is what I should have purchased in the first place). I don't want another lowered ride, and I want some springs that will give the Koni's (which I don't regret buying at all) a little more room to work with.
This being said, I wonder if Motortrend's assessment would have been different had they run the non-Brembo 2011, or if Ford simply put better shocks/struts in the car.
I'm currently running the Koni Adjustables on an '08 GT with a set of 2011 Brembo springs. I had Steeda Ultralites on the car, but I didn't care for the ride quality at all, even with the Konis. Sam's suggestion was to switch to Steeda Sports, if I still wanted the lowered look, or simply go back to stock. Because I was sick and tired of scraping my front bumper on parking berms and the occasional speed bump, I decided to return to stock.
I bought the 2011 Brembo springs because I thought they might be a good compromise between a ride that was too soft versus too harsh. Unfortunately, these springs are a bit on the harsh side, and even after experimenting with the Konis, I've found it almost impossible to reach a comfortable setting. The softer the settings, the car tends to be very jittery (a sort of up/down undulating motion) which gets worse at higher speeds. At the same time, if I hit a bump or expansion joint in the road, I won't feel it too much. On the other hand, if I stiffen the settings, this jitteriness will be reduced considerably, but then if I hit a bump or expansion joint on the freeway, it'll be a BANG and I'll really feel it. I currently have the settings at 1 turn from full soft at both front and rear, but I've experimented with 1/4-1/2 turn higher and lower at both front and rear.
The thing is, I think my experience is less related to how the '11 Brembo springs perform, but rather how the '11 springs are not meant for the '05-'09 chassis. I found an article on the '11's (from Jalopnik.com) which states that "a new X brace and Z brace were added to stiffen the 2011's so as to allow Ford to use stiffer springs without compromising ride quality". I asked Kevin Casey at Porterville Ford as to whether this Z brace could be retrofitted to an '08 and he confirmed that it would not work. He had tried it himself. After reading the Motortrend article, I wondered it their test drivers were noticing the same effect, despite the improvements to the '11 chassis.
To make sure I wasn't crazy, I went to the Ford dealer and test drove a non-Brembo 2011. It was a much, much smoother ride than my car. No jitteriness, and still soft when going over actual bumps in the road. I also went to Carmax and test drove a used Bullitt w/ 13K miles. Again, much smoother. I'm thinking that the fix to this problem is the Bullitt springs (which is what I should have purchased in the first place). I don't want another lowered ride, and I want some springs that will give the Koni's (which I don't regret buying at all) a little more room to work with.
This being said, I wonder if Motortrend's assessment would have been different had they run the non-Brembo 2011, or if Ford simply put better shocks/struts in the car.
8/24/10, 07:18 PM
#40
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I'd be interested in Sam's opinion of the springs. By all means, listen to his advice regarding shocks/struts. He knows what he's talking about, it was a pleasure doing business with him, and he's very, VERY patient.
I'm currently running the Koni Adjustables on an '08 GT with a set of 2011 Brembo springs. I had Steeda Ultralites on the car, but I didn't care for the ride quality at all, even with the Konis. Sam's suggestion was to switch to Steeda Sports, if I still wanted the lowered look, or simply go back to stock. Because I was sick and tired of scraping my front bumper on parking berms and the occasional speed bump, I decided to return to stock.
I bought the 2011 Brembo springs because I thought they might be a good compromise between a ride that was too soft versus too harsh. Unfortunately, these springs are a bit on the harsh side, and even after experimenting with the Konis, I've found it almost impossible to reach a comfortable setting. The softer the settings, the car tends to be very jittery (a sort of up/down undulating motion) which gets worse at higher speeds. At the same time, if I hit a bump or expansion joint in the road, I won't feel it too much. On the other hand, if I stiffen the settings, this jitteriness will be reduced considerably, but then if I hit a bump or expansion joint on the freeway, it'll be a BANG and I'll really feel it. I currently have the settings at 1 turn from full soft at both front and rear, but I've experimented with 1/4-1/2 turn higher and lower at both front and rear.
The thing is, I think my experience is less related to how the '11 Brembo springs perform, but rather how the '11 springs are not meant for the '05-'09 chassis. I found an article on the '11's (from Jalopnik.com) which states that "a new X brace and Z brace were added to stiffen the 2011's so as to allow Ford to use stiffer springs without compromising ride quality". I asked Kevin Casey at Porterville Ford as to whether this Z brace could be retrofitted to an '08 and he confirmed that it would not work. He had tried it himself. After reading the Motortrend article, I wondered it their test drivers were noticing the same effect, despite the improvements to the '11 chassis.
To make sure I wasn't crazy, I went to the Ford dealer and test drove a non-Brembo 2011. It was a much, much smoother ride than my car. No jitteriness, and still soft when going over actual bumps in the road. I also went to Carmax and test drove a used Bullitt w/ 13K miles. Again, much smoother. I'm thinking that the fix to this problem is the Bullitt springs (which is what I should have purchased in the first place). I don't want another lowered ride, and I want some springs that will give the Koni's (which I don't regret buying at all) a little more room to work with.
This being said, I wonder if Motortrend's assessment would have been different had they run the non-Brembo 2011, or if Ford simply put better shocks/struts in the car.
I'm currently running the Koni Adjustables on an '08 GT with a set of 2011 Brembo springs. I had Steeda Ultralites on the car, but I didn't care for the ride quality at all, even with the Konis. Sam's suggestion was to switch to Steeda Sports, if I still wanted the lowered look, or simply go back to stock. Because I was sick and tired of scraping my front bumper on parking berms and the occasional speed bump, I decided to return to stock.
I bought the 2011 Brembo springs because I thought they might be a good compromise between a ride that was too soft versus too harsh. Unfortunately, these springs are a bit on the harsh side, and even after experimenting with the Konis, I've found it almost impossible to reach a comfortable setting. The softer the settings, the car tends to be very jittery (a sort of up/down undulating motion) which gets worse at higher speeds. At the same time, if I hit a bump or expansion joint in the road, I won't feel it too much. On the other hand, if I stiffen the settings, this jitteriness will be reduced considerably, but then if I hit a bump or expansion joint on the freeway, it'll be a BANG and I'll really feel it. I currently have the settings at 1 turn from full soft at both front and rear, but I've experimented with 1/4-1/2 turn higher and lower at both front and rear.
The thing is, I think my experience is less related to how the '11 Brembo springs perform, but rather how the '11 springs are not meant for the '05-'09 chassis. I found an article on the '11's (from Jalopnik.com) which states that "a new X brace and Z brace were added to stiffen the 2011's so as to allow Ford to use stiffer springs without compromising ride quality". I asked Kevin Casey at Porterville Ford as to whether this Z brace could be retrofitted to an '08 and he confirmed that it would not work. He had tried it himself. After reading the Motortrend article, I wondered it their test drivers were noticing the same effect, despite the improvements to the '11 chassis.
To make sure I wasn't crazy, I went to the Ford dealer and test drove a non-Brembo 2011. It was a much, much smoother ride than my car. No jitteriness, and still soft when going over actual bumps in the road. I also went to Carmax and test drove a used Bullitt w/ 13K miles. Again, much smoother. I'm thinking that the fix to this problem is the Bullitt springs (which is what I should have purchased in the first place). I don't want another lowered ride, and I want some springs that will give the Koni's (which I don't regret buying at all) a little more room to work with.
This being said, I wonder if Motortrend's assessment would have been different had they run the non-Brembo 2011, or if Ford simply put better shocks/struts in the car.