First Autocross in an S197

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I used the 3-way adjustable rear sway bar from Strano Parts. Very easy to install and only cost $180.

You can only change one sway bar in F-Street. Also, the camber plates aren't allowed in F-Street either. There's a new class called STP and there's a CAM class that may work for you.
 

El_Tortuga

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...
picture.php



Norm

Trust me, I'm a professional. Even my tools say so.
 

oldVOR

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Personally, I'd recommend these:

Vorshlag CC plates:
http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=274

Swaybars from BMR:
http://bmrsuspension.com/?page=products&productid=184&superpro=0
http://bmrsuspension.com/?page=products&productid=1308&superpro=0

Swaybars from Strano:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetails.php?PartID=870&CategoryID=200&ModelID=35

Nothing wrong with Maximum Motorsports parts as I have some of their items but, I think there are some better options to be had from other vendors.
 

kcbrown

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Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the help. Thanks to all your great info, I have decided to go with suspension parts first. And low key though, Steve and Kcbrown, you guys were in my head. Like weirdly so. We've got engineers and psychiatrists on this forum! Lol.

Any recommendations on CC plates and sway bars? Jack hidley from Maximum recommended me these three items, anyone have a reason I shouldn't go with these?

If you intend to keep the car for the long haul, then for CC plates, I'd go with Vorshlag. They're quite a bit more expensive than the Maximum Motosports units, but there's a good reason for going with them: they're modular. If you later upgrade to coilovers, you'll be able to use those same camber plates, and will only need to purchase the appropriate lower fittings from Vorshlag for them. You won't need to replace your CC plates in that case.

If the Maximum Motorsports plates are modular in the same fashion, it certainly isn't obvious from reading their site.

On the other hand, the Vorshlag plates are, if you get them set up for OEM style struts initially (which is what we're talking about here), twice as expensive as the Maximum Motorsports units, which means you'd be out the same amount of money for the MM units even if you have to replace them when performing a switch to coilovers. So the Vorshlag plates won't necessarily save you any money for such a switch -- they're just more nicely engineered in that respect.
 

Goose428

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That's some good info with the CC plates. Thank you.

Are the BMR units that much better? The rear bar is $160 more than the price of the unit Jack from maximum suggested, and I have a hard time believing it's $160 better if that makes any sense. I guess it's more expensive because of the adjustability? Willing to spend more if it if it is that much better, but if not....

Thanks
 

740weapon

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For all the folks recommending just a rear bar, have you tried competing like that?

I've driven some Mustangs with more oversteer than mine and it seems that in the end you just can't put the power down if you tune out the understeer with rear suspension stiffness.

Another option would be to do front camber plates and koni yellow shocks all around at the same time. If you don't go to coil-overs, these parts should serve you well for a long time into the future.
 
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For all the folks recommending just a rear bar, have you tried competing like that?

I've driven some Mustangs with more oversteer than mine and it seems that in the end you just can't put the power down if you tune out the understeer with rear suspension stiffness.

Another option would be to do front camber plates and koni yellow shocks all around at the same time. If you don't go to coil-overs, these parts should serve you well for a long time into the future.

That's another good option, but yes an adjustable rear sway bar is the first thing I installed. I don't remember the numbers, but I did see a nice improvement in PAX and the car was much easier to drive.
I drove it that way for a few events to get used to the handling and then installed Koni Sport shocks along with the Ford front strut crash bolts.

I like to change one thing in the car at a time to kind of get a baseline of how if changes the handling.
 

Goose428

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Hello everyone,

It's been a very long time since I've gone on here. Sorry about that. Hopefully you missed me???? Maybe??? Lol jk.

Anyways. I was able to pick up a used Ford Racing Handling Pack (K springs, ford tuned shocks+struts, rear sway bar, etc.) for the car in october .I know this isn't the BEST I could have bought, but I got the whole kit for $500, so I really couldn't pass it up. It really made the car feel a whole lot better. I actually have control over the car now, and it communicates with me much better than it did before. So I just wanted to say thank you for the advice on suspension before tire.

Next up on the list is (in this order):
1.) More track time
2.) More Auto-x time
3.) GT500 Strut mounts
4.) CC Plates+alignment
5.) Tires!!!

Does this order of business sound good? Also, does anyone have tire recommendations in the $700 range? I don't have the $$ to get wider wheels, so my 8.5" will have to do for now.

Also, where are people putting front tow hooks? I've heard you have to cut into the bumper+weld one...Is this true? It's a 2008 Bullitt btw. Any ideas? I haven't tracked this car in a while due to the tow hook incident. I've only been autocrossing it.

Thanks everyone!
 
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SoundGuyDave

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I STRONGLY support the list you put out, with one exception: The GT500 strut mounts. Depending on whose CC plates you use, you may not need the strut mounts. It's been forever since I ran factory-style springs, but IIRC, the Maximum Motorsports CC plates only require the isolator portion of the strut mount, which is easly salvageable from your stock piece. I also believe this to be true for the Vorshlag plates, though I can't say for sure.

Tow hook: There are a LOT of options out there that don't require cutting the fascia, a bit of searching on the forum will turn them up.

And while we're on the subject: If you're going to be tracking your car regularly, then yes, I would opt to invest in a tow hook of some form. That said, unless you're in a competition group, it isn't strictly necessary. In a race group, if a car becomes disabled (and it's safe to do so), the safety crew will dash out, grab it, and drag it back to the paddock. No time to mess around with cars whizzing by, so tow hook is MANDATORY. In an HPDE setting, though, they have a little more control over the track, and can take the time to figure out how to hook you up, with minimum risk of damage to themselves OR your car. If you've been avoiding the big track strictly because you don't have a front tow hook, stop. Go out, have fun, and improve your skills.
 

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