Loose steering after suspension upgrades

[Nutter281]

Hi Everyone,

Long time listener, first time caller

I'm looking to start getting into HPDE with my fairly new to me 2009 GT. The car has 39k miles but previous owner drove the crap out of it. The car was in pretty bad alignment but since I planned on getting suspension upgrades anyways, I decided to forgoe the alignment until I got my new parts in so I don't have a great baseline.

So this past weekend I installed the ford racing adjustable shocks (similar as D-specs) front and rear and also installed the the ford racing P lowering springs. As a side note, driver-side rear shock was completely busted and had absolutely no resistance or return. Anyway, immediately after install and torquing everything down, I took her over to our local Ford Dealer (mak Haik for Austin guys) for an alignment. I did ask for a touch of negative camber for better cornering so they put left/right at -1.5/-1.6.

After getting out on highway post alignment, the steering, while very quick and responsive seems loose. And to clarify, I don't feel any play in the wheel, but there is no resistance to steering (more like road feel). Feels like I could steer with my index finger alone.

Getting on some curvy back roads the car absolutely shreds the curves and feels very confident from a road grip perspective - I'm just not sure how concerned I should be by the steering wheel feeling so touchy and lacking resistance and what could be causing it.

Any thoughts? Or is this normal for this era stang with similar mods?


Thanks for any help!
Austin

 

[SlowJim]

What tires you running? When I switched from my 235 snow tires to 285 summer tires I was shocked at how touchy the steering became.

 

[Nutter281]

That could definitely be part of it - I just recently put Michelin Pilot super sport 255/35/20s front and 295/35/20s out back. I only drove those tires on the highway one time before the suspension mods and, as mentioned, car was pretty out of alignment so I don't have a good reference point, though, even then it didn't seem quite so touchy...

Attached below is a pic from Friday night just after I finished install

Thanks,
Austin

 

[claudermilk]

When you change things, the feel will change. After I put the Konis, Steeda springs, and Vorshalg CC plates the front end was way more responsive. After I put the Boss 302R rack in, again it was more responsive and I also have noted the lighter steering effort. I haven't really seen that mentioned any where else someone have made the rack change, but I definitely noticed the difference.

 

[Nutter281]

Makes sense, my experience with modding S197s is obviously quite limited so I just wanted to check that either myself or Ford dealer didn't mess something up during the recent additions/alignment that might result in a wreck at high speeds

Sounds like this is expected - thanks for the help guys!

Austin

 

[DocB]

You might want to think about checking your caster setting.

 

[SD07GT]

Have your ball joints checked

 

[mavisky]

With more static camber you roll on less of the tread of the vehicle as you drive straight. This means a reduction in rolling resistance and thus a reduction in the resistance to input change.

My old Autocross talon used to run -2.5 degrees up front and it would out corner any other car I've ever owned but could be steered off center with a finger.

 

[BlackMustang690]

My car use to be really touch too, but after I installed whiteline sway bar and end links. The steering got firm. I know when I removed the end links the joints would swivel real easily all around. the boots around the end links was completely gone too.

 

[Nutter281]

My end link boots are completely hosed too - pretty sad for an 09 with less than 40k miles!

I'm planning to upgrade front sway bar and end links in the future. You seem pretty pleased with the white line front sway bar? Did you also do WL end links?


Austin

 

[SlowJim]

the end links come with it

 

[Nutter281]

Even better! Lol

 

[Norm Peterson]

With more static camber you roll on less of the tread of the vehicle as you drive straight. This means a reduction in rolling resistance and thus a reduction in the resistance to input change.

This ↑↑↑

Something called 'self aligning torque' is also involved, which depends in part on the actual shape of the contact patch and the contact pressure distribution over it. The magnitude of this effect would tend to get smaller as static camber deviates further from zero.


Norm

 

[tsores]

Nutter281, claudermilk, et al: How would you describe the ride harshness when you upgraded your suspensions (springs, shocks/dampers)?

Thanks.

 

[Nutter281]

I put the adjustable ford racing struts/shocks on and set them at the middle setting for stiffness. The car rides a million times better (but a decent portion of that is my rear shock was broke from previous owner). Feels stiffer and nimbler but I wouldn't describe it as harsh at all - just way less sloppy.Pretty good chance when I get home from traveling I'll bump up the stiffness on the shocks a notch to see how it rides.

I do read a lot of seemingly over optimistic reviews on suspension components but I'd have to say this upgrade exceeded the hype from my perspective...


Thanks,
Austin

 

[claudermilk]

Pretty much what Nutter just said. It's definitely stiffer, and will be harsher over bumps. That's the tradeoff for eliminating the massive pitch on the OEM suspension.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Nutter281, claudermilk, et al: How would you describe the ride harshness when you upgraded your suspensions (springs, shocks/dampers)?

Thanks.

Shocks/struts, adjustable sta-bars (f/r), and rear LCAs only. When I crank the shocks & struts up to my track day settings, the ride does get a bit harsh over short, sharp bumps such as at poorly matched joints between concrete slabs. It rides much better with settings close to full soft. Also, after lubing the aftermarket LCAs, rear ride quality is noticeably improved. The bars added firmness but not harshness.


My experience with stiffer springs on other cars is that while the ride firmness does go up, the harshness does not. As long as you don't go crazy with the rates, anyway. It may matter that when I've swapped springs it's always been about the increased stiffness rather than any appearance aspect.


al . . .