Suspension Advice

[Grover]

Hi just looking for advice regards a suspension setup.

My intentions/goals for the next 2-3 years are as follows (09 GT):

Eibach front and rear sway bars
KOOKS LTH
Airlift suspension kit (i live in speedbump city where my ride at stock height hits bumps on occasion!)
Brembo brake kit
McLeod RXT clutch
DSS Aluminium drive shaft
Either a Whipple SC or an Edlebrock Stage 1 from Brenspeed - just cant decide
(Maybe at a future point forged internals to push the hp beyond 500 safely)

Im not going to take the car to the drag strip and maybe once in a blue moon ill take it to the local track for a spin. All this is just to have fun on the street. Its not my daily driver, just something to give me a big *** grin when i get in.

I was going to go mostly with Whitelines products but the bloke that owns my local performance shop said to stay away from their stuff as its prone to failures... I did google it and he seemed to be right although nearly all the posts regards this are from 2013, nothing recent. Any thoughts on this? He recommend CorteX parts. I'd probably go with their Watts link.

What i'd like opinions on is simply what to get (brand not so important, but reliability vs cost is) and more importantly how necessary they are given my intentions with the car.

Eg)
BMR Subframe Connectors
BMR A-Arm support brace
BMR Chassis Brace
BMR Radiator Support
BMR K-Member
Cortex (or other brand) Watts link
Swarr Automotive Rear Support
Any recommendations on UCA front (ford racing?) and rear (eibach pro alignment) LCA's.

Appreciate any and all opinions and advice.

Have a great weekend!

 

[Wes06]

I hear bmr makes a watts link that is the same color as the rest of their parts

 

[stkjock]

moved - please review

http://s197forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1580410&postcount=1

 

[Boaisy]

Whiteline only had failures on an initial version of their UCA. They quickly went back to the drawing board and beefed it up to hell and back. The "version 2" hasn't had any issues. Those who had version 1 were given free replacements by Whiteline, and all Version 1 stock was recalled. Other than that, I haven't had any issues with their sway bars, watts link, or UCA.

 

[Pentalab]

Whiteline only had failures on an initial version of their UCA. They quickly went back to the drawing board and beefed it up to hell and back. The "version 2" hasn't had any issues. Those who had version 1 were given free replacements by Whiteline, and all Version 1 stock was recalled. Other than that, I haven't had any issues with their sway bars, watts link, or UCA.

this. I have the WL watts link. It's built very strong.. using CM tubing. That defective UCA gave them a bad rap. That issue was rectified quickly.

 

[Grover]

Oops apologies Stkjock... DoH!

Cheers for the feedback regards Whiteline, thats good to know, glad things are sorted out.

Yeah i also heard BMR are releasing an alternate version of the Watts Link. Lots of options!

 

[mike4.0]

Don't think you need subframe connectors.

 

[Boaisy]

Yeah, SFC would be the last thing to upgrade if you even need to. The S197 Chassis is pretty damn stiff to need SFC's.

 

[Department Of Boost]

I'm a little cross eyed with a headache so maybe I missed it. But what are your damper (struts/shocks) and spring plans?

Take a look at out GT450 blower kits. Same power as the other ones you're looking at, as good or better quality and a lot less money.

 

[Wes06]

DoB, he listed Airlift in the list, so I'd assume hes going with either the Latest revision from Airlift, or maybe another companies kit

 

[Department Of Boost]

DoB, he listed Airlift in the list, so I'd assume hes going with either the Latest revision from Airlift, or maybe another companies kit

I completely missed that. Doh!

I still have the crippling headache!!! Grrrrrrrr!

 

[Department Of Boost]

BMR Subframe Connectors Not needed (sorry Kelly)
BMR A-Arm support brace You may have one stock depending on year
BMR Chassis Brace Not needed (sorry Kelly)
BMR Radiator Support Cool
BMR K-Member Cool
Cortex (or other brand) Watts link Cool
Swarr Automotive Rear Support Not needed
Any recommendations on UCA front (ford racing?) Front UCA???
and rear (eibach pro alignment) LCA's. BMR

See above in bold.

If you want to stiffen the chassis up put a roll bar in.

 

[travelers]

I still have the crippling headache!!! Grrrrrrrr!

I get them to but I can't even look at a computer or anything else when they happen.

I hope your feeling better..

 

[Pentalab]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grover
BMR Subframe Connectors Not needed (sorry Kelly)
BMR A-Arm support brace You may have one stock depending on year
BMR Chassis Brace Not needed (sorry Kelly)
BMR Radiator Support Cool
BMR K-Member Cool
Cortex (or other brand) Watts link Cool
Swarr Automotive Rear Support Not needed
Any recommendations on UCA front (ford racing?) Front UCA???
and rear (eibach pro alignment) LCA's. BMR


See above in bold.

If you want to stiffen the chassis up put a roll bar in.

The oem ford "A" arm brace came on early year verts, but not GT. Later on, the GT's all got the "A" arm brace. It's not really an A arm brace, it just ties the back end of the oem K frame together. BMR's "A" arm brace ( steeda's version is called a G trac) actually does tie the oem A arms together....and sits 4-5" in front of, and parallel to the Ford brace.
If you plan to install a BMR K frame, its all a moot point.

The BMR full length subframe connector's need to be welded in, and stuff removed b4 hand. I installed the steeda chromolly triangular subframe connectors instead. 3rd point of the triangle is bolted in 2 places at the front end of the lca mount, 2 bolts at side of car for 2nd point of triangle, and a single bolt on the inboard 3rd corner. Bolted in with thread locker, then for max effect, tig welded on all 3 x corners. Also installed the rear BMR tunnel brace + mating DS safety loop. Tunnel brace goes just aft of the oem carrier bearing on the oem 2 piece DS...so its not at the extreme rear, but in front of it a bit. The tunnel brace sits between the pair of steeda cm triangular braces..so the entire mess end up one continuous brace the entire width of the car.

Steeda rear STB between rear shock towers in trunk, also welded in. Back end of car is rigid, zero flex, stays straight. That bracing adds a bit of weight, but the DSS-DS weighs a lot less than the oem 2 piece DS, so it comes out a wash.

BMR lca's used, + BMR lca relocate brackets and also BMR adj UCA. Steeda cm front STB used, along with a pair of steeda cm front sway bar mounting braces, re-enforces each front corner. ( WL makes their own version, and both the steeda + WL is only used on 05-10 cars).
WL watts link + Eaton tru-trac installed on the same day..along with bob's autosports rear axle catch can. The above items are all on my 2010 Car..which was lowered with the roush suspension kit. 1" front, and 1.25" rear, roush springs + shocks. Stiff for a street /dd car, but handles good.

 

[Grover]

Wow thanks guys this is great info, really appreciate it!

Pentalab, i also have been looking at differentials. I see you installed the Eaton trutrac. Can i ask why that one over the Eaton Posi?

Hope that headaches cleared up Mr Boost! You have tweaked my interest greatly regards the gt450 blower and the R-spec...!

 

[Pentalab]

Wow thanks guys this is great info, really appreciate it!

Pentalab, I also have been looking at differentials. I see you installed the Eaton trutrac. Can I ask why that one over the Eaton Posi?

Hope that headaches cleared up Mr Boost! You have tweaked my interest greatly regards the gt450 blower and the R-spec...!

The oem ford... 'traction lok' is fubar. It uses loads of carbon fiber discs
( I think 13 per side). They will eventually melt, then u get the..'one wheel peel'. The rebuild kit is like $100.00 from AM, but you will just eventually get a repeat performance. IF you can manage to squeeze an extra disc in on each side, so it's packed really tight, you will fare better.

The eaton tru-trac for street use is the bomb. Zero maintenance. It's uses helical pinion gears, 3 per side. That's the standard 31 spline version. The extreme heavy duty version is like $150.00 more, and has 4 pinion gears per side, and a heavier casing. VMP tuning sells both versions. The heavy duty version is a bargain, albeit you would have to replace both axles with 33 spline versions.

The standard version is ample, and used by Roush in it's 700 hp car.
31 spline standard version. http://vmptuning.com/07-12-gt500-drivetrain/dts-913a561/

33 spline version. http://vmptuning.com/07-12-gt500-drivetrain/dts-913a701/

This is how they work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZmsY2YvVsc

On both versions, NO friction modifier is used. Also NO synthetic oil is used in the differential. Only dino oil used.

Don't mess with any version of the Torsen, they cost double the money and don't hold up very well with hard launches. Don't mess with the wave track either, it uses clutch plates and is a maintenance item

Either version of the tru-trac has a 3.5:1 bias ratio. In normal operation, it's totally transparent, and tq shifts to the wheel with the most traction, in the correct ratio. Works great in the dry, or wet, rain, one tire on the wet, with other wheel on the dry etc.

One wheel starts to slip, tq shifts to the other with traction. Works great powering out of corners, like on ramps to a hwy. Even works when I tried it on a right hand sweeper on the hwy, with left side tires in the wet, and right sides in the dry.

It's plug and play, install it correctly, use the correct dino oil and qty, then forget about it.

 

[Grover]

Thats brilliant thanks Pentalab, the Trutrac is now in my shopping list!

 

[Department Of Boost]

Thats brilliant thanks Pentalab, the Trutrac is now in my shopping list!

If you want to go around corners fast look into the Torsen T2 and T2R.

 

[Pentalab]

If you want to go around corners fast look into the Torsen T2 and T2R.

He only has a DD /street car. The Torsen T2 only has a 2.7:1 bias ratio, and cost double the eaton. I wouldn't drag race with it anytime soon. The T2R is the much cheaper unit, and has a 4:1 bias ratio, great for 180 deg autocross stuff....in a parking lot full of cones.
I def wouldn't drag race with that either.

The eaton is 3.5:1 + is 'cheap' and superb for street use /autocross /drag racing /light to light racing, dd use, etc.

Skyrender posted several pix, a while back of a Torsen T2 blown to bits. The 13/14 GT-500 came with the kilobuck torsen, and we have already had one crap out here in town.

The 3.5:1 bias ratio of the eaton is more than ample. That would be like having 450 ft lb tq coming down the DS...with 100 ft lb on the left..and 350 ft lbs on the right ( or vice versa). That would be worse case, maxed out offset tq, with one wheel slipping on a lousy surface.

 

[Department Of Boost]

He only has a DD /street car. The Torsen T2 only has a 2.7:1 bias ratio, and cost double the eaton. I wouldn't drag race with it anytime soon. The T2R is the much cheaper unit, and has a 4:1 bias ratio, great for 180 deg autocross stuff....in a parking lot full of cones.
I def wouldn't drag race with that either.

The eaton is 3.5:1 + is 'cheap' and superb for street use /autocross /drag racing /light to light racing, dd use, etc.

Skyrender posted several pix, a while back of a Torsen T2 blown to bits. The 13/14 GT-500 came with the kilobuck torsen, and we have already had one crap out here in town.

The 3.5:1 bias ratio of the eaton is more than ample. That would be like having 450 ft lb tq coming down the DS...with 100 ft lb on the left..and 350 ft lbs on the right ( or vice versa). That would be worse case, maxed out offset tq, with one wheel slipping on a lousy surface.

I've just had really good luck with my T2R. The way it "biases" makes a high HP car with the tires spinning a lot less dramatic even when going straight. The other diffs seem to want to "come around". I agree they are not the stoutest thing in the world. I would never bolt up a set of drag radials to mine, heat them up and go for a killer 60ft time. But it's not that kind of car.

Mine has stayed alive with anywhere from 450-1000hp for 13K miles so far. Fingers crossed.