thanks, found more info on the FRPP shocks/struts....

"For all our FR3 Handling Packs, Multimatic, under their Dynamic Dampers brand, worked with Tokico to provide us dampers that use the OE housing and deliver OE quality, ” explained Ford Racing’s Jesse Kershaw. “The quality control achieved by using original equipment"

 

Not sure what the warranty is on the FRPP shocks, but Koni is lifetime. That was the tie breaker for me. Either way you go I guarantee you will be pleased. Good luck.

 

Cost has a lot to do with it too. Not saying the Koni's are bad, but they're a bit cheaper than the FRPP set.

 

After many delays (most had nothing to do with the car) I've got the suspension installed, minus the front sway. Decided to have my dealer do that as I don't have a lift...means I'd have to pull some front braces to get it out...plus, I couldn't get a breaker bar into the wheel well to break loose the lower nut on strut to sway link and w/my trashed right shoulder just couldn't put enough snot on it with my 3/8. They'll do it for an hour labor. Scheduled for Tues, then alignment shop on Wed. Will have them hook the strut links to the center set of holes.

Been realy busy w/all kinds of junk, including overtime callouts and did the rear one morning, psgr side front another, then finally finished w/drivers side this morning before coming into work.

Set the shocks midway between full soft and full hard. These are valved differently than stock D-Specs and there're only 6 full turns between the extremes, vice 8.5.

Only had a half hour to fart around w/it on a cool curvy lakeside road before heading into work but am extreemely pleased.

Quick measurement looks like the rear end needs to be moved towards the psgr side ~3/16" to be centered. Will look into adj. panhards but will also look harder at a Fays2 instead. I've never tracked the car but would love to. Closest one is ~ 80 miles from here.

Also, although I was prepared to do it, I decided not to slot out the lower strut holes for camber adjustment w/supplied bolts from FR. At the last minute I ordered a set of Eibach camber adj bolts, just in case, and will take them with me to the alignment shop. I know some don't like the thought of those as there's not as much diameter to the bolt w/compared to stock, but I'd imagine because of that they're made w/a stronger grade of steel. Have read the reviews on them and all are pleased, one guy using them on 3 sucessive S197's. In the future, I may end up regretting not just shelling out for a quality set of plates, but can always tear it back down.

Also, finally decided on wheels for summer rubber set and yesterday ordered silver Forgestar CF5's from Howey Industries. 4-6 weeks to mfgr/deliver. 18x9 +35mm and 18x10 +42. Weigh ~21 and 22# and now have a load rating of 1520# (used to be 1200#).

Will be running 255/45 and 285/40, most likely Conti Extreme DW's.

Really wanted to go w/19's and Michelin Pilot Super Sports but just can't justify spending that much. Note, they don't make a 285/35-19 but just came out w/a 295...so I'd have had to go w/an 11" wheel (I want to stay w/a 27" tire).

These 18's will clear big brakes if I decide to upgrade in the future (non-Brembo car), and overall are abviously going to be a bit lighter than the 19's.

 

Just got back from a weekend at Road Atlanta (road course) with the new FRPP handling pack installed. The new suspension was absolutely fantastic! The car handled so much better - tons of grip and a lot less body roll and weight shifting in the corners. Had the dampers set in the middle at 3 turns for now, but may experiment with that next time. Daily ride is stiffer but very acceptable to me and the 1" lower look is perfect IMHO. I havent tried softening it up for around town yet but will soon. Overall very very pleased with the handling performance, and the atrocious wheel hop in first and second seems to be gone with no other mods.

 

Great to hear and as you've got experience tracking that I don't will look forward to anything you can offer in the future.

 

I would drive the car for at least a few hundred miles before you align it. The spring will settle and through your alignment off. Mine settled an extra 1/4 inch after initial install.

 

Good tip, will do. Curious of thoughts on below...

Received my Eibach's taday. This set, 81260, can be torqued to 77 ft-lbs max. Fixing to call American Muscle to ask if these are the correct for my car. Their # 81280 and 90 max torque are 125#. Still well shy of factory bolts @ 165.

Just got off phone w/rep at H&R...I think I had Heckler and Koch on the brain more than one time, above. He couldn't give me a figure but assured me they can be torqued to factory equipment torque specs. I told him that's 165 and asked him if he was sure, he said yes.

Nuts...scheduled to align day after tomorrow @ 1p....thinking I'll go talk to them.

 

I'm just weary of camber bolts, I track my car a bit so they see more stress than your average DD.

 

Here's a pic of the car in turn 1 at Road Atlanta - ~90 mph, suspension fully loaded...

http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/43...600x600Q85.jpg

 

AM assured me these Eibachs are what my calls for. I'm going to send them back.

Talked w/my alignment shop and those are what they sell. According to the H&R site, they (Les Schwab) are also an H&R distributer, which was news to them.

For now I'm going to do nothing other than get the front sway installed by my dealer tomorrow morning then get the car aligned the next day @ 1. I'm guessing I'll come out like Devil @ ~ -1.5. I'll then have 30 days w/in which I can drive, observe and think about things and bring the car back for a re-alignment. My guy knows I may install bolts or plates in the mean time if I decide I need to do that. Not crazy about the notion of shelling out $350-$380 for plates. W/the suspension (even the deal I got on it), wheels, summer tires I've yet to purchase, then the 2 service apts in the next couple days, that's just shy of 4 large already.

 

post up some pics when you get her all squared up Dave

 

Certainly. Picked up the car after the sway install and had a chance to hotdog some curvy little mountain roads for a couple hours before coming into work. This girl's smokin'.

Confident the springs have had a chance to settle now. Will be 5 days and 4hrs on the car by the time it's aligned. Have put 250 miles on it, some of them pretty hard. The neg camber as a result of the drop is easily discernable. Anxious to see how it measures out.

Want as good as handling as I can get out of the front without excessive wear so am thinking of bolts or plates but I'm thinking even if it's as much as -1.7, how much accelerated can the front tire wear be? Certainly no more than 20%? The Conti DW fronts will run me ~ $450 mounted/balanced...so figure an extra ~ $90 due to wear? That's cheap, I'm thinkin'.

 

If your in the -1.5 range and hit a few corners pretty hard as well as rotate every 3K they should wear fine. Toe is the real enemy.

 

How many settings do these have? My Boss had 5 ..

 

Infinitely adjustable.

 

Cant wait to see pics with the new wheels too Dave. I've been looking at the same ones and would love to see em on your ride.

 

After adjusting toe here're my values, L/R;

camber -0.98/-1.36 (range -1.50 to 0)
caster 7.33/6.84 (range, L/R 7.85 to 6.35 / 6.35 to 7.85)
toe 0.04/0.05

Tech told me that although these are in range (note, for OE spces the camber is in kind of a warning area between what looks like ~ -1.2 to -1.5). Said they like to see;

-the R (psgr side) 0.1 more neg than L.
-the R caster value a little more + than the left...don't remember what he said how much...you see mine's reversed

He seemed to know what he was doing and was confident in his measurements.

Now I'm thinking I should consider investing/installing quality plates that'll allow adjustment of both.

Max Motorsports seem to be the best, but I've done little research and only looked at American Muxcle and Latemodel Restoration.

The Steeda's on the AM site look sturdier, but only allow camber adjustment.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/mustan...ates-1112.html

The more senior alignment tech was off for family reasons. The day before he had told me that you can get a little movement by loosening fastners and holding the assembly in the direction you want it moved before torqueing, and I"m wondering if perhaps when I installed, snugged then torqued, I perhaps had one sides hub held up a little further than when I did the other. Don't know. But this doesn't seem like a viable option for a couple reasons.

They provide a 30 day warranty and even knowing I may install bolts/plates to allow for some adjustment, will realign for free within that time frame.

I've printed off the install instructions for the Max Moto's (pdf on AM's site).

My concern after briefly looking it over is step 18, which has me pry apart the upper strut mount. Would like to ensure I can do this to the GT500 mounts that came with this pkg w/o trashing something. Anyone done this to these?

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts...KeyField=12451


Overboost is correct. They've no 'clicks', like the blurb on the FR site states. Note that these are not standard 'D' specs. These have only 6 turns from full hard to soft, vice 7.5.

Looking forward to them, myself. They do have a simulator where you can upload a pic of your own car and stick their wheels on it. I've done that but have those pics on a different puter.

Here's some before (taken a year ago) and after pics. Sorry about the filth. Cars had 2 baths in the last 2 weeks but after last few days (500+ miles on the suspension, now), it's ready again and will get one tonight.

BTW, don't recall if I mentioned it but a quick measurement shows the rear end needs to scooch over ~ 3/16" towards the psgr side to be centered, so I'm thinking of also getting the BMR adj panhard w/greasable poly bushings. Thoughts on this and all my other blathering?

http://www.americanmuscle.com/bmr-adj-panhard-0512.html

having trouble w/pic attaching deal...will try again below.

 

first couple..............

 

couple more.........