Need rear spring/suspension advice

[Gabe]

I'm running Steeda Sport springs all around with Koni Sport shocks/struts.
My new rear tires, Nitto 555R 305/35/20, are rubbing over bumps.
The adjustable panhard bar turned out to be a bit too much to the right, re-centered it but I still think I'm gonna have rubbing considering that the tires are sticking out beyond the fender on both sides.
Wheels are 20x10 with 40mm offset.

Looking at getting a different rear spring that will lower the car .75-1" after settling, instead of the Steeda Sports which are rated for a 1.25" rear drop.

OR, was wondering about adjustable rear spring perches that might work with the springs I have now.
Steeda makes some, they sell them for $180/pair (gasp!), and depending on who I talk to over there, they may or may not work with the Sport springs

Any thoughts?

 

[csamsh]

"That's a pretty cheap adjustable perch" is my first thought. Running a stock-style front with a lowering spring, and then an adjustable rear perch with a coilover style spring is a great way to easily tune rear spring rate...you can change rear springs in about 10 minutes with a good adjustable perch setup.

Made in Texas:
http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=700

My second thought is that your wheel does not have enough offset, and that a 305 is probably too big for a 10.

You can fit that tire under the fender, without rubbing, on an 11" wheel if you want.

Just my $.02, I wouldn't compromise your suspension in order to fit a compromised wheel/tire setup. I'd start with an optimized wheel/tire and then work the suspension from there.

Good luck!

 

[Gabe]

"That's a pretty cheap adjustable perch" is my first thought. Running a stock-style front with a lowering spring, and then an adjustable rear perch with a coilover style spring is a great way to easily tune rear spring rate...you can change rear springs in about 10 minutes with a good adjustable perch setup.

Made in Texas:
http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=700

...

My second thought is that your wheel does not have enough offset, and that a 305 is probably too big for a 10.

You can fit that tire under the fender, without rubbing, on an 11" wheel if you want.

Just my $.02, I wouldn't compromise your suspension in order to fit a compromised wheel/tire setup. I'd start with an optimized wheel/tire and then work the suspension from there.

Good luck!

I'm really not looking to change wheels or tires.
Just got both, and they're pretty much my dream wheels, so they're not going anywhere.
I've used the 305/35/20 555R on a 20x10 before, but those rims were 48mm offset, so they tucked in a bit more.
I REALLY wish these wheels were 45+ offset, but it is what it is.

As far as my gasping at the $180 price of the Steeda perches, that was my first time hearing how much a set can go for, so yeah I was a bit shocked.
I know they're billet aluminum and that's never cheap, so I probably shouldn't have been shocked.
I like the look of that Vorshlag stuff but it seems like it will require new springs and at $200 plus the springs, it's getting really expensive, just to lift the car a 1/4"

 

[Champale]

You might what to talk to the wheel manufacturer and see if you can have a few mm milled off the inside of the rim where it meets the hub. HRE allows 3mm, I have heard of other allowing even more.

 

[LS1EATINPONY]

Im with Champale... That might be your only option. Downside is you will have to run similar size tires all the time from now on to get the look you want .

 

[oldVOR]

Probably the cheapest means to accomplish your goal is to get spring blocks or spring spacers. Several companies make them in various materials (rubber, urethane, etc) to suit the desired goal. Allows you to gain a little height and not compromise (too much) the action of the suspension. It's not the ideal situation but it doesn't appear you're willing to go away from the wheels/tires so, it might well be your best choice.

 

[TaylorGT]

I had a similar issues trying to get my setup dialed in with my coilovers. I endued up buying a poly isolator for my rear springs that lifted the car up just a hair under 1/4". My rear wheels are 10" wide +39 with a 285/35/19.

I got all my stuff from Energy Suspension:

Amazon.com: Energy Suspension 9.6116R Coil Spring Isolator Set: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31xkdEw8XhL.@@AMEPARAM@@31xkdEw8XhL

Amazon.com: Energy Suspension 9.6112R Coil Spring Isolator Set: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31%2BRijphTiL.@@AMEPARAM@@31%2BRijphTiL

 

[Gabe]

You might what to talk to the wheel manufacturer and see if you can have a few mm milled off the inside of the rim where it meets the hub. HRE allows 3mm, I have heard of other allowing even more.

That's something I've thought about too.
If I did that, I'd probably do all 4 wheels, which would basically change the offset of the wheels from 40mm to 43mm.
That wouldn't change anything about what tires somebody might be able to run on a Mustang.

Probably the cheapest means to accomplish your goal is to get spring blocks or spring spacers. Several companies make them in various materials (rubber, urethane, etc) to suit the desired goal. Allows you to gain a little height and not compromise (too much) the action of the suspension. It's not the ideal situation but it doesn't appear you're willing to go away from the wheels/tires so, it might well be your best choice.

That's a great idea and will look into it.

I had a similar issues trying to get my setup dialed in with my coilovers. I endued up buying a poly isolator for my rear springs that lifted the car up just a hair under 1/4". My rear wheels are 10" wide +39 with a 285/35/19.

I got all my stuff from Energy Suspension:

Amazon.com: Energy Suspension 9.6116R Coil Spring Isolator Set: Automotive

Amazon.com: Energy Suspension 9.6112R Coil Spring Isolator Set: Automotive

Thanks for the links!
Funny review on that spacer:

 

[TaylorGT]

That's something I've thought about too.
If I did that, I'd probably do all 4 wheels, which would basically change the offset of the wheels from 40mm to 43mm.
That wouldn't change anything about what tires somebody might be able to run on a Mustang.




That's a great idea and will look into it.




Thanks for the links!
Funny review on that spacer:

Lol well for the record I ordered mine and got them in about 3 days from that exact seller. But that is a pretty funny review. You can also just grab the part numbers from there and order through Summit Racing etc.

 

[Gabe]

Lol well for the record I ordered mine and got them in about 3 days from that exact seller. But that is a pretty funny review. You can also just grab the part numbers from there and order through Summit Racing etc.

Do you have any pics of them installed?
And why would I grab the second thing you linked? The long tubes?

 

[TaylorGT]

This is the only photo I have. These isolators were much thicker than the stock ones.

 

[Gabe]

This is the only photo I have. These isolators were much thicker than the stock ones.

Cool, thank you.
Enegry Suspension lists that part number as a 1/4" thick spacer

My tire rub would probably go completely away with them ... this is what it looked like after about an hour drive on the highway with the Konis stiffened up to almost full-stiff (2 full turns toward stiff)
This was also with the panhard bar adjusted toward this side a bit too much

 

[modernbeat]

I'll reiterate what was said earlier. The 305 tire is not a good fit on a 10" wheel, particularly when you go with a 20" wheel and short sidewall tire. Next, to fit a 305 you need MUCH more offset to get it in the fender.

You are trying to put a band-aid on the issue to half-ass it so it might work in a compromised way. Instead you should be fixing the real issue. Get the right wheels.

 

[Gabe]

I'll reiterate what was said earlier. The 305 tire is not a good fit on a 10" wheel, particularly when you go with a 20" wheel and short sidewall tire. Next, to fit a 305 you need MUCH more offset to get it in the fender.

You are trying to put a band-aid on the issue to half-ass it so it might work in a compromised way. Instead you should be fixing the real issue. Get the right wheels.

I've already made it quite clear I think that I'm not changing the wheels.
I love the look and not changing it.

Now, as a vendor that offers all kinds of suspension parts, maybe you could give me some ideas and/or links to products you sell that might do what I want, and that being to lower the back of the car 1/4-3/8" LESS than it's lowered now.

I have used these tires on other 20x10 wheels with 8mm more offset with NO issues whatsoever, so I know the combo can work.
The 40mm offset wouldn't be an issue if the car was on stock suspension, but with the lowered set-up it is.

So I want to lift it a bit, not to the height of the stock suspension, but enough that over 99% of the bumps it won't rub anymore.

One more thing I haven't mentioned yet: the adjustable panhard bar will soon get replaced by a BMR Watts Link. It's here, I just haven't had a chance to install it yet.
As far as I know Watts Links don't have any adjustability to raise or lower a vehicle, correct?
Also, if I can't center the axle enough so the tires won't rub with the current set-up, I'm not gonna be able to do it with the Watts Link installed either, right?

 

[Gabe]

Found a post on svtp from a Seth @ Steeda that says any of their Mustang springs will work with their billet adjustable perch:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?1012498-Springs

I asked around and this is what I found out for you. Part # 555*8132 is probably the part you were looking for, however it is only for the rear of the car.

http://www.steeda.com/store/steeda-mustang-rear-ride-height-adjuster-kit-555-8132/

And it will work for any 2-1/2" coil spring and we have many to choose from.

http://www.steeda.com/store/mustang-springs/


Thank you for your post and again sorry for the delayed answer.

Seth

 

[TaylorGT]

Found a post on svtp from a Seth @ Steeda that says any of their Mustang springs will work with their billet adjustable perch:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?1012498-Springs

I tried this route FYI, the problem was those perches are like 1" thick, lifting the car more than I wanted. In fact I just sold a set of adjustable perches for 20 bucks to a guy locally bc I had no use for them.

You can give them a shot, but it may lift it up more than you want. If the Energy Suspension components didn't work for me I was planning to buy a shorter spring and helper spring and use it with the perches. But that was an additional $300 option.

 

[retfr8flyr]

I have this kit http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-adjustable-rear-spring-mount-05.html on my car and it works great with infinite adjustment capability. I run 28.8 inch dia rear tires in the summer and 27's in the colder months, so I like to be able to adjust the rear height with the tire change.

 

[Gabe]

I tried this route FYI, the problem was those perches are like 1" thick, lifting the car more than I wanted. In fact I just sold a set of adjustable perches for 20 bucks to a guy locally bc I had no use for them.

You can give them a shot, but it may lift it up more than you want. If the Energy Suspension components didn't work for me I was planning to buy a shorter spring and helper spring and use it with the perches. But that was an additional $300 option.

I'll have to make it clear with Steeda whether their adjustable perches along with their Sport springs will do what I need them to do.
Thanks for the heads up.

I have this kit http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-adjustable-rear-spring-mount-05.html on my car and it works great with infinite adjustment capability. I run 28.8 inch dia rear tires in the summer and 27's in the colder months, so I like to be able to adjust the rear height with the tire change.

I saw that set-up, but I have 2 issues with it: it needs to be welded in, and it's a UPR product, which I absolutely refuse to put on my car.

 

[KonaBlueBryar]

I will aslo add that BC racing makes a rear spring perch that is thinner than all the others ive seen but is still adjustable. and I think they are only like 50 bucks. I may be wrong... let me look reall quick..

 

[KonaBlueBryar]

cant find them now lol