Boss 302 springs on 2014 GT. Any benefits?

DudeStang

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I did a couple of searches and couldn't find anything addressing this specific question on these forums (though I did see some related discussions on a few other forums and nothing seemed conclusive).

If what I did read is accurate, I understand the spring rates are a little bit stiffer on the Boss 302 vs. the stock Mustang GT (mine is a 2014) but the ride height difference is pretty minimal. I've been on the fence about getting lowering springs for my Mustang period, because I use it on a lot of road trips and the roads around here aren't always the best, but I saw someone selling springs from a Boss 302 for pretty cheap and am wondering if the difference in spring rate would be beneficial in terms of handling (I mostly do autocross at the moment).

Would adding just the Boss springs be beneficial or would it require upgrading shocks as well? My thinking is that adding slightly stiffer springs without really lowering the car too much would allow me some minor increased performance benefits, but please tell me if I'm mistaken. Thanks.
 

redfirepearlgt

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Boss Springs will be fine with the factory shocks. You have the rest figured out. Enjoy.
 

Sky Render

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I don't think you'll really get that much performance benefit out of those springs. I would only bother if you get the springs super cheap (or free).
 

dre256

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I have front Boss 302 LS springs, my came with brembo brake package. I went with LS as there only 4 pounds stiffer than brembo springs. Normal boss springs are like 15 more. (Brembo springs are like 8 stiffer than GT). They lowered my car 1/2 inch. I have highway 66 rear brembo brake upgrade springs that lowers brembo brake cars in the rear 1/2 inch so set compliments each other. I noticed no increased handling or stiffer ride. Just lowered front 1/2 inch.
 

DudeStang

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I don't think you'll really get that much performance benefit out of those springs. I would only bother if you get the springs super cheap (or free).

The guy is selling them for 50 bucks (but not sure how much for shipping). I kind of assumed the performance benefits would be minimal so the only reason I was considering them is because of the low cost. Thanks for chiming in.
 

kcbrown

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Going to the Boss springs alone probably won't do much. Going with that plus the LS rear sway bar will make the car much sharper for turn-in. On mine (a 2014 Track Package GT), the time to take a set went from being very noticeable to not noticeable. I'm using Koni Sport dampers and did notice that they seem happier with the Boss springs than with the GT springs -- they feel better matched in terms of damping (since Konis are rebound-adjustable, I suspect the benefit is with respect to compression damping).

Note that I'm using the stiffer standard Boss springs in front and the stiffer LS springs in the rear because I'm running the same size tires on all 4 corners and figured this would get me about the same balance as the LS on its staggered setup.

I like the improvement so much that I don't foresee changing it.



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stpete

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I have the Boss springs and shocks on my 2014. I can't say what changed because I bought it that way, but it rides fine. It's still ass high, but I think it's slightly lower than a stock GT. I also have the 285/255 wheel/tire setup from the Boss. I do get some axle hop autocrossing. I think springs that level the rear would help, so I would rather have that than the Boss setup.
 

DudeStang

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I have the Boss springs and shocks on my 2014. I can't say what changed because I bought it that way, but it rides fine. It's still ass high, but I think it's slightly lower than a stock GT. I also have the 285/255 wheel/tire setup from the Boss. I do get some axle hop autocrossing. I think springs that level the rear would help, so I would rather have that than the Boss setup.

Is axle hop the same as wheel hop? I've got some bad wheel hop on my car but the suspension is currently stock. I just picked up a panhard rod and brace and my next purchase is a set of control arms. Launching at the autocross and having all the wheel drop drives me crazy.
 
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DudeStang

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Going to the Boss springs alone probably won't do much. Going with that plus the LS rear sway bar will make the car much sharper for turn-in. On mine (a 2014 Track Package GT), the time to take a set went from being very noticeable to not noticeable. I'm using Koni Sport dampers and did notice that they seem happier with the Boss springs than with the GT springs -- they feel better matched in terms of damping (since Konis are rebound-adjustable, I suspect the benefit is with respect to compression damping).

Note that I'm using the stiffer standard Boss springs in front and the stiffer LS springs in the rear because I'm running the same size tires on all 4 corners and figured this would get me about the same balance as the LS on its staggered setup.

I like the improvement so much that I don't foresee changing it.

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LS = Laguna Seca?

I'd eventually like to upgrade both the front and rear sway bars but I don't anticipate being able to do that for at least a few months.
 

kcbrown

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LS = Laguna Seca?

Yep.




I'd eventually like to upgrade both the front and rear sway bars but I don't anticipate being able to do that for at least a few months.


Note that the front bar on the Brembo-equipped GT is the same as for both models of the Boss 302.

If you upgrade both bars, you should get adjustable ones, and you should ensure that the adjustment range includes a setting that closely matches your GT. You might find that you prefer the current bar stiffness amounts in the end. No way to know except through experimentation.

I went with the LS rear bar because it was relatively inexpensive, a known quantity (Ford could have used any setting they wanted for their track star car and chose that one. I figured they probably had really good reasons for finally settling on that one), and I wanted to see for myself what the handling characteristics of the Boss 302 are, while not having a real one I can flog on the track.

Ford did very VERY well with the combination of parts they selected for the Boss 302, and it's impressive indeed that the suspension differences between it and the GT (with good dampers) are so minimal, but the feel, responsiveness, and balance is so much better.




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Sky Render

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The best way to eliminate wheel hop is to upgrade your LCAs to poly bushings and use relocation brackets to get a bit more anti-squat. You'll also have improved roll steer characteristics.
 

DudeStang

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The best way to eliminate wheel hop is to upgrade your LCAs to poly bushings and use relocation brackets to get a bit more anti-squat. You'll also have improved roll steer characteristics.

I spoke with someone from BMR on another forum and he suggested going with an LCA that has a spherical bearing on one end because the quick, extreme and repeated transitions seen during autocross can be pretty rough on poly bushings and cause them to deform/cold flow over time.

Before I started considering lowering options, I was thinking of going with the TCA022 from BMR.
http://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=products&productid=159

I also considered the whiteline LCA's because it seems like the material for their bushings might be more durable for autocross and are a bit more affordable than the BMRs. I am still researching though.
 
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DudeStang

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Yep.

Note that the front bar on the Brembo-equipped GT is the same as for both models of the Boss 302.

If you upgrade both bars, you should get adjustable ones, and you should ensure that the adjustment range includes a setting that closely matches your GT. You might find that you prefer the current bar stiffness amounts in the end. No way to know except through experimentation.

I went with the LS rear bar because it was relatively inexpensive, a known quantity (Ford could have used any setting they wanted for their track star car and chose that one. I figured they probably had really good reasons for finally settling on that one), and I wanted to see for myself what the handling characteristics of the Boss 302 are, while not having a real one I can flog on the track.

Ford did very VERY well with the combination of parts they selected for the Boss 302, and it's impressive indeed that the suspension differences between it and the GT (with good dampers) are so minimal, but the feel, responsiveness, and balance is so much better.
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Thanks for this advice. I haven't done as much reading on sway bars but plan to do my research before making any purchases. Suspension is a lot more complex than I ever imagined so I'm trying to make sure I pull together the right mods to make my car perform the way I want it to perform. Basically I'm trying to keep it comfortable enough for regular driving but improve overall handling/performance for occasional autocross usage (and maybe some day road racing).

I haven't had the opportunity to drive a Boss but I've read some good things.
 

stevbd

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Basically I'm trying to keep it comfortable enough for regular driving but improve overall handling/performance for occasional autocross usage (and maybe some day road racing).

If this is your goal I would move better dampers to the top of your list. Personally would be step 1 for me, before springs, roll bars, LCAs, etc. Good shocks are everything.
 

DudeStang

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If this is your goal I would move better dampers to the top of your list. Personally would be step 1 for me, before springs, roll bars, LCAs, etc. Good shocks are everything.

I'd definitely like to do dampers/shocks but I've had the car for almost three years and now that I can finally start modding, my first priority is to get rid of the wheel hop. It drives me insane. :mad:
 

ddd4114

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I had really bad wheel hop when my car was stock, and when I got new springs and shocks, it was almost completely eliminated. I would suggest replacing those first and seeing if that does the job - especially since there are also noticeable performance benefits. With quality dampers, ride quality shouldn't be bad unless you have way too little or too much spring.
 

Norm Peterson

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I'd definitely like to do dampers/shocks but I've had the car for almost three years and now that I can finally start modding, my first priority is to get rid of the wheel hop. It drives me insane. :mad:
Maybe if you could replace the drag racer's "just stomp on the gas" approach with the road racer's "squeeze into the throttle", wheel hop would be much less of a problem. "Squeeze" does not mean slow here but it does mean smoothly rather than abruptly all the way down as fast as you can move your foot toward the floorboards.

Koni yellows, adjustable sta-bars, aftermarket front endlinks, and poly/spherical rear LCAs (only because the OE rubber bushings were dying at the time) were the only suspension mods on my '08 well past the point where I was signed off to run solo. Yes, still on the OE springs. Tires were 255/45-18 on 18x9.5 GT500 wheels, and I had performance alignment specs. I was (still am) running track pads and Motul brake fluid. Still on the OE springs when one track day organization OK'ed me for their next level at least at my home track.

I suppose I could still get wheel hop out of my car - I know I could in the wet (because I was curious about how good or not the TC was (it was worthless). But I've spent a lifetime of driving avoiding wheelhop occurrences almost entirely and it isn't that hard to learn.

My point being that you don't have to do a lot of mods, and you can adapt your driving to "drive around" some amount of traction deficiency.


Norm
 
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DudeStang

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Maybe if you could replace the drag racer's "just stomp on the gas" approach with the road racer's "squeeze into the throttle", wheel hop would be much less of a problem. "Squeeze" does not mean slow here but it does mean smoothly rather than abruptly all the way down as fast as you can move your foot toward the floorboards.

Koni yellows, adjustable sta-bars, aftermarket front endlinks, and poly/spherical rear LCAs (only because the OE rubber bushings were dying at the time) were the only suspension mods on my '08 well past the point where I was signed off to run solo. Yes, still on the OE springs. Tires were 255/45-18 on 18x9.5 GT500 wheels, and I had performance alignment specs. I was (still am) running track pads and Motul brake fluid. Still on the OE springs when one track day organization OK'ed me for their next level at least at my home track.

I suppose I could still get wheel hop out of my car - I know I could in the wet (because I was curious about how good or not the TC was (it was worthless). But I've spent a lifetime of driving avoiding wheelhop occurrences almost entirely and it isn't that hard to learn.

My point being that you don't have to do a lot of mods, and you can adapt your driving to "drive around" some amount of traction deficiency.


Norm

Norm, I appreciate the perspective and I won't claim to be the best driver, or anything close to it, but I have tried launching in different ways and the wheel hop is difficult to avoid. I had a heavy foot years back when I did a fair amount of drag racing in my TransAm but these days I certainly don't stomp the pedal from a dead stop very often. I'm probably getting old..

It's also an issue many times I've done spirited driving on normal streets. It's probably the only thing that's consistently bugged me about the car since I bought it. I try to remind myself regularly that seat time is more important than lots of mods but control arms are definitely something I want to do.

Once I get the control arms and panhard rod installed, I plan to focus on getting a better set of tires and then as much seat time as possible before doing any other significant modding.
 
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stpete

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My car has the entire suspension, axle, and brakes swapped from a Boss 302. The wheel hop I get during an autocross happens accelerating from an apex onto a short straight. It isn't heavy because I don't mash the throttle, but it is a limiting factor to how hard I can get onto the throttle exiting some turns. I'm sure it's a combination of ass high stance and worn stock LCA/bushings. On a straight launch things aren't too bad.
 

Norm Peterson

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Start with the LCAs - preferably something with one end a spherical pivot (which may not have to be a rod end). Turn a suspected maintenance item and traction upgrade into an axle location and articulation improvement. It may or may not do anything to your classification that the Boss parts swap hasn't already done (it could depend on "the ratio of metal to non-metal").

With somewhere near the right damping, front spring rates at least up to 260 lb/in and rear spring rates up to 220 lb/in can remain entirely streetable. I'm talking about stock-style "big springs" here, not coilover springs.


Norm
 

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