I am planning to upgrade my suspension soon. I have looked through the forums and so far I have made up my mind on the following setup.

1) 05-10 Koni STR.T shocks and struts(must use 05-10 part to work with the gt500 mounts correct?)
2) GT 500 front strut mounts(on AM)
3) Steeda Ultra-Lite springs (05-14) 1.25'' front 1.5'' back
4) SR performance adjustable panhard bar

First I want to mention that my car is a daily driver. I don't want my suspension to be too stiff but I do want it to be stiffer than stock, I feel the stock suspension is wayyyyy too soft. Are the above mods good for a daily driver?

I was also wondering do I need to adjust my pinion angle? Is there anything else I am missing here? Keep in mind I will most likely not track this car, I just want my daily driver to handle as good or better than the boss 302.

Any input appreciated, thanks

 

Sounds good, and yes, you will need the 05-10 Konis to work with the GT500 mounts.

Just FYI, the Konis drop the car an additional 1/4". Idk if that amount of drop would require CC plates.

You're also going to need an adjustable upper control arm to correct pinion angle, and lower control arm relocation brackets to correct their attack angle. Might as well get some beefier lower control arms, as they can be had for around $120.

You should also look into a strut tower brace if you don't already have one. Steeda has a nice rear X-brace that retains the rear seat. Just throwing ideas out there, since you'd like your car to handle like a Boss.

 

One question I always throw out there whenever I see a thread like this...if you're using Steeda springs, why not give their shocks/struts a go? I know they're more money than STR.T's, but really, it's not much more, and a properly matched spring/damper will ride MUCH better. And really, the 05-10 Steeda dampers aren't expensive, only $80 more at the regular price than the STR.T sale price right now. Because your primary concern is daily driving, and you're already choosing what's generally considered the best ride-quality spring out there, why not match them with the best dampers for the job?

As an FYI, the Steeda panhard bar is on sale right now for $135 (and their springs $199...all till July 7 only). I realize that's more than the SR bar, but the Steeda has the adjustment point in the middle of the bar instead of right on the ends where you can run into tight spaces adjusting it when on the car. Something to think about. I'd give them a call, maybe they can put a package together for you.

Sorry to sound like a bit of a brand *****, but when given the option to properly match components that were designed to work together, you will be happier with the results! I am definitely a fan of Steeda's build quality and warranty though. Like you I'm planning to use the GT500 mounts, but still deciding between Sports and Ultra-Lites. They'll be paired with their shocks/struts as well. My car has the Track Pack so the LCA's are already beefed up a bit so to start out I'll be doing just the UCA for pinion angle adjustment. When thats all done, if I've still got some wheel hop going on, I'll spring for the LCA's then.

 

I like my STR.T's with SR springs and GT500 mounts + BMR panhard. Handling is much improved over stock Track Pack suspension. I would say it's a touch firmer for daily driving, not uncomfortable at all, and it is confidence inspiring as opposed to a bit floaty and underdamped OEM TP setup. Can't speak to the Steeda springs personally, but if you're worried about matching spring rate with dampers, I'd suggest looking at the Koni Yellows which are rebound adjustable. You could dial them in to get the car to feel exactly how you want with whatever springs you put in. For reference, I was going to go that route, but I found a full set of STR.T's for $200 shipped, so I just simply could not pass on that deal. I'll be keeping these for probably 1.5-2 more years before going with adjustable shocks/struts based on my developing driver skills and fine tuning of the car in the upcoming years.

Like everyone else will tell you though - you will not be disappointed. Suspension should be the first upgrade because you feel it in every single corner, over ever bump, while braking and accelerating, during ever lane change, etc etc. Compared with power mods that are felt for a few seconds of acceleration (for the average driver on the streets). Just my $0.02

 

I have the Roush 1/2” drop kit which is a nice balance between handling and firmness. Suspension mods always seem subjective and debatable, but I’m satisfied with it’s performance compared to stock. It’s also the same suspension used in 2011-2014 Roush stage 2 and stage 3 mustangs. The Pro was a plug and play kit, with the Con being the cost. Worth a look:

http://www.roushperformance.com/parts/mustang-suspension-50l-v8-2011-2014.html

 

Thanks for the info. Looks like I will have to add some uca and lca to my list. Hopefully I can choose one to keep the NVH down. Strut tower brace sounds good i will also get one for the front.

 

I understand where your coming from, I would like to stick to one brand but with so much aftermarket support it becomes a real challenge. I think i will call Steeda and see what they tell me. Thanks

 

I am thinking of getting the koni yellow now. Sounds like a good idea to play with the firmness to get the best possible dampening for a daily driver. Thanks. I totally agree with you, as much as i want to make it faster I feel the suspension is a weak link. I feel like the car is extremely capable but its held back by the soft smoshy stock suspension.

 

Interesting, i havent looked at the roush kit. Thanks for the info and link. I feel like the price is a little steep since I will still need to Add the uca and lca.

 

Koni yellows are going to be a better bet to allow you to dial in your suspension to what you like. Even if you only dial in once, its that one time to get it to your liking. I'd opt for the BMR PHB and with the steeda springs you should be able to get your alignment back into spec with the need of CC bolts.


Let us know if we can help you out We have plenty of Konis in stock as well as BMR PHB's


www.hypermotive.com


We also have a discount code hyperfan6off!

 

Wild5.0, I forgot to mention this in reply #5 ... the 1/2” drop Roush kit uses your stock strut mounts and UCA/LCA. Since the drop is minimal, pinion angle does not need adjusting and the stock panhard bar is retained. The Roush recommendation for street use, is to set the front alignment toe at +.03 on each side, the remaining stock alignment specs still apply.

Since going forced induction, I added the Roush wheel hop kit and Ford racing LCA because they use rubber bushings which don’t add extra NVH into the mix. Take your time, shop around and consult with the suspension pros for the setup that’s right for you.

 

+3 toe will shred tires. Check that spec please.

 

This is an interesting statement. If you'll pardon my ignorance...

Why is this the case? Unless the springs have air bags on 'em (like KYB adjustables) or have coil overs that can be adjusted... they're not for controlling height, they're for controlling bounce and jounce, and nothing more.

As the STR.Ts that were being contemplated are non-adjustable shocks/struts... this 1/4" drop bit confuses me.

Is it the front struts swap from 11-14 to 05-10 and the GT500 mounts a physical change to the setup that produces the drop?

I would think rear won't change, as the shocks are the same 05-14... but hey, I'm asking because I don't know now for sure.

I appreciate the info to further my learning of things!

 

Will do. I’ll double check with Roush tech when they open on Monday.

 

The struts and shocks are physically a 1/4" shorter than the stockers on the car. When you see the advertised drop amount for springs, add a -1/4" drop when paired with the Koni Str.ts.

 

Wow. That's interesting indeed!

Is Koni the only one, or is there a chart about the internet that's easily attainable or...?

I mean.. extra dropping of the car isn't what I'd like to do, to be honest. I like the 1". I purposely didn't get 1.25 or 1.5.

Thanks again for the info!

 

Great thanks for the code, I will take a look.

Thanks, I will look into the Roush kit but I think the drop is minimal especially for the price.

oh wow interesting I did not know this. So basically with the Steeda ultralights I am looking at at a 2'' drop.

 

I'm not sure if any other brands do, nor do I know of a chart, sorry.

If you read around in the threads pertaining to Koni Str.ts, you'll see mention from other members of the extra 1/4" drop. I think it's just how the Str.ts are designed, and I'm sure other brands(even other Konis) are OEM height.

This is my first time dealing with another company other than Bilstien, so I can only say that their stuff is OEM height....just pricey lol.


Pretty much. You're looking at an approximate drop of -1.50" in the front and -1.75" in the back. I have Koni Str.ts pared with Steeda Sports and I have about a -1.25"/-1.50" drop.

 

I'm still confused about this, for the strut I can grok. Obviously Steeda put the perch on the strut for the spring a tad lower, so you wind up with the 1/4" drop added in.

But the back shocks... that.. It just doesn't make any sense. There's no spring perching. Just the shocks. Springs are on the axles. That shouldn't be happening...

Suspensions are weird, man.

 

I'm thinking about pulling mine off tomorrow and measuring them with the OEM struts/shocks again.

Though you make absolute sense, I don't see how rear shocks would make a ride lower. All they do is dampen the springs, which actually dictate your height.

Here's another thread about Konis, though short, adds a bit more info.
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...t-KONI-STR-t-s