Suspension setup advice

[Nicu7]

I have right around $2500-3000 I want to spend on my suspension over the winter months. I have an 06 GT 5spd with 24k miles. Mods are:

Eibach sportlines
Gt500 mounts
Steeda CAI
H-pipe
Mac axle backs
Adj panhard bar
Bama 93 race tune


Future mods:
Bmr front control arms
Steeda balljoints
Steeda bumpsteer kit
Steeda g trac brace
Bmr panhard brace
Koni yellows/tokico d specs
Bmr uca
Steeda sway bars

Anyone have any suggestions of what to actually get? I drive the car around 8 miles a day and go to the local track around one-two times a month. Putnam raceway. I do autocross also. I'm trying to get the best bang for my $$ I really don't care about the comfort lvl. I just hate the Cadillac handling of my car. Thought about doing a k-member and radiator support also but don't think those are currently in the budget. Only had my car for around 7months and wanted to hear your feedback or opinions. Thanks guys, Jeremy.

 

[Whiskey11]

I have right around $2500-3000 I want to spend on my suspension over the winter months. I have an 06 GT 5spd with 24k miles. Mods are:

Eibach sportlines
Gt500 mounts
Steeda CAI
H-pipe
Mac axle backs
Adj panhard bar
Bama 93 race tune


Future mods:
Bmr front control arms
Steeda balljoints
Steeda bumpsteer kit
Steeda g trac brace
Bmr panhard brace
Koni yellows/tokico d specs
Bmr uca
Steeda sway bars

Anyone have any suggestions of what to actually get? I drive the car around 8 miles a day and go to the local track around one-two times a month. Putnam raceway. I do autocross also. I'm trying to get the best bang for my $$ I really don't care about the comfort lvl. I just hate the Cadillac handling of my car. Thought about doing a k-member and radiator support also but don't think those are currently in the budget. Only had my car for around 7months and wanted to hear your feedback or opinions. Thanks guys, Jeremy.

Just thinking out loud here but a lot of your future mods land you in a pretty "race" oriented class in autocross (Prepared or Modified, NOT Street Prepared or Street Modified) which I suppose if you are cool with that then go for it!

That said, if it where me I would do the following in this order:
-Good lightweight wheels and good tires (if you don't already)
-Koni Yellows with proper camber plates (Maximum Motorsports, Vorshlag, Ground Control, etc) and a good alignment
-Strano front and rear swaybars
-Fays2 Watts Link (if you want to get more serious)

With what you have, those mods keep you in a sane class for autocross (STX or ESP depending on wheels/tires size) but give you a very well rounded car on a road course.

You also realize that the BMR front control arms come with taller and stronger ball joints (like the Steeda units) right?

 

[Nicu7]

Didn't know about the bmr control arms. Thanks for the heads up that saves me about $150. I really don't care so much about autocross. Just for fun. I go to Putnam raceway alot with a friend he is a club member so we can go when ever through out the week. He has a boss and it feels so much more composed than my car on the track. I just want to get my car some where closer to that. I figured with 3k I could make a big difference in the way mine drives. Thanks for the input.

 

[Nicu7]

Where Is the best place to buy the fays2 watts link? I saw it on silver horse racing. Never bought anything from them.

 

[Department Of Boost]

http://www.americanmuscle.com/eibach-multipro-r2-coilovers-0510gtv6.html

 

[FR500GT]

This might sound like a stupid question but...When you went to the track, what did it feel like your car could improve on?

That's really how you want to go about "throwing" a bunch of new parts on your car. Does the front feel loose, rear end feel loose, is the braking sufficient, is the ride too soft, too firm...

 

[Whiskey11]

Where Is the best place to buy the fays2 watts link? I saw it on silver horse racing. Never bought anything from them.

Sam Strano or direct from Jim Fay at www.fays2.net

Most of the composure of the Boss 302 comes from the right balance of springs, swaybars and dampers (shocks/struts). Shocks/struts are one of the most important upgrades to the car. The stock shocks/struts are barely adequate for daily driving let alone performance driving, you definitely could benefit from the added control. The watts link will help more in autocross with lots of transitions, on a road course it should help with rear end grip and calming down the rear axle over bumps.

I stand by my recommendation order:
Tires
Shocks/struts and Camber adjustment
Swaybars
Watts Link

Forget about control arms for a moment, forget about the geometry change, get the basics down and run that! The largest changes will come from those changes.

 

[Nicu7]

Awesome! I totally agree the stock shocks and struts aren't fit for daily driving. My car feels really loose front and back. I upgraded the pads with hawks and they seem fine on the road coarse here in Indy. Sounds like I'm going with new shocks and struts, fays2, and sway bars. What's your guys opinions on koni's vs d specs? I would like to get koni yellows but everytime I go to order them they are on backorder.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Screw that “standard shock/strut” and lightish spring business. You have the money to put a set of coilovers on your car, do it. The Eibach R2’s are a LOT better than any stock style shock/spring combination…..period. And since springs/dampers are the core of a good setup put the money where it will do the most good.

If you were not driving at the track so much I would not push coilovers so hard, but you are, and that is where they shine (and the street ride is not bad at all). Plus you will get better tire wear (and therefore spend less money) running a good quality coilover that is set up correctly.

Putnum is a high speed, high load track with some pretty aggressive transitions…..with bumps. Exactly where a set of good dampers and higher than “street” rate springs shine.

I agree that a Watts link would also be a good addition, I like mine a lot. But I would not prioritize it over good dampers/springs. The panhard bar setup works pretty damn good on a road course (FR500, BOSS 302R/S anyone)?

And if you go with a set of coilovers that have some appropriate spring rates (350F/250R ish) you will probably find that you do not need a big fat set of roll bars. Fat roll bars are for cars without enough spring rate for the job they are being asked to do. Did you know that the FR500’s, BOSS 302 R/S’s, etc sometimes don’t even run a rear swaybar and if they do its about the same rate as a stock V-6? If your spring rates are set up correctly the roll bars are mainly for adjusting balance and only partially for limiting roll.

Another huge improvement is either getting a replacement front lower control arm with urethane bushings or replacing the stock control arm bushings with something like the Whiteline setup. The improvement in steering response and feel are DRAMATIC. And they eliminate the issue of the stock bushing deflecting so much under braking/high loads that they toe the front end out and make the car real darty.

 

[Mike K]

http://www.americanmuscle.com/eibach-multipro-r2-coilovers-0510gtv6.html

Me want!

 

[Department Of Boost]

Me want!

Me have!

I did the whole upgrade the stock style struts/shocks/springs thing in a few different configurations. Yes it was a improvement over stock. But putting the R2’s on transported me to an entirely different level! And then once I dialed the compression and rebound in things got even better. I don’t “cheerlead” stuff just because I need to justify my purchases (which a lot of people do). In fact you will hear me slam some of the components I have on my car from time to time if they are not performing (my POS KB blower for example).

I am really happy with the R2’s, and for the money they are a steal. When I was roadracing and designing suspension components $2000/damper was not out of the question. The R2’s are pretty fantastic for $2000 a set.

I wish I skipped all the “half steps” and went right for the R2’s. And as a bonus because they are a monotube design and can pass a lot of fluid through the valving the ride is incredibly good for something with spring rates near double what most people run. I’ve been driving them around on the street and they are no worse than the FRPP damper/K spring combo I had on the car.

 

[Mike K]

Looks like I'm saving for those over the winter.

 

[Nicu7]

I was reading about the fays2. It says might interfere with axle back exhausts? Anyone had an issue with this? Will the stock swaybars fit this? Thanks again.

 

[Powered by Ford]

I was reading about the fays2. It says might interfere with axle back exhausts? Anyone had an issue with this? Will the stock swaybars fit this? Thanks again.

Fays2 is a great system. However, have you looked at the Cortex Watts link? I have it on my stang its great. I chose it over the Fays2 because of the following:

- no clamps to slip or fail
- upgraded differential cover
- options for rod ends and poly ends
- easily adjustable
- does not require an enormous brace from side to side like the Fays2 (over-built)
- no clearance issues with the over axle pipes
- and lastly not a big deal but a website that I could actually understand without huge pages and pages of text lol

http://www.cortexracing.com/shop/xtreme-grip-watts-link-system-street-2005/

Give Cortex a call and ask to speak to Filip (owner). His customer service is excellent it.

 

[SD07GT]

Fays2 is a great system. However, have you looked at the Cortex Watts link? I have it on my stang its great. I chose it over the Fays2 because of the following:

- upgraded differential cover
- options for rod ends and poly ends
- easily adjustable
- does not require an enormous brace from side to side like the Fays2 (over-built)
- no clearance issues with the over axle pipes
- and lastly not a big deal but a website that I could actually understand without huge pages and pages of text lol

http://www.cortexracing.com/shop/xtreme-grip-watts-link-system-street-2005/

Give Cortex a call and ask to speak to Filip (owner, used to work at Griggs). His customer service is excellent it.

The Fays unit was designed for auto cross not serious road racing . The clamps slip under high stress G loads ...My clamps slipped at the last corner before hitting the straight at 160 and almost going into the wall. There have been more people who have had the clamps slip up in the Big Bear mountains in California . (Its really a junk piece) people just buy it because they dont want to drop the coin on the Griggs unit or the Cortex unit. The Steeda watts link has a better clamping set up puts its heavy and I wouldn't trust it either. I have the Griggs unit on my car and just installed the Cortex unit and for the money its a great piece.

You'll find most people on this forum has the money to do things twice or three times but never the money to do it right the first time (LOL).

 

[Powered by Ford]

The Fays unit was designed for auto cross not serious road racing . The clamps slip under high stress G loads ...My clamps slipped at the last corner before hitting the straight at 160 and almost going into the wall. There have been more people who have had the clamps slip up in the Big Bear mountains in California . (Its really a junk piece) people just buy it because they dont want to drop the coin on the Griggs unit or the Cortex unit. The Steeda watts link has a better clamping set up puts its heavy and I wouldn't trust it either. I have the Griggs unit on my car and just installed the Cortex unit and for the money its a great piece.

You'll find most people on this forum has the money to do things twice or three times but never the money to do it right the first time (LOL).

Agreed! I knew I was forgetting something in my post about fays2. Cortex doesn't have any clamps! Editted my post lol

Yeah it's interesting about having spent the money the first time instead of redoing it many times LOL

 

[Nicu7]

I would rather do it right than having to waste abunch of money figuring it out myself. $995 does seem too bad for the cortex if it out shines the others. Doesn't Kenny brown have a rear setup too? Cortex, sways and coil-overs. I will be throwing some 18x10's on front and back with 285x40's too. I think I should feel a big difference with this setup to start. Like I said before I go to Putnam for fun at the moment, with an occasional autocross thrown in.

 

[Sky Render]

Wait, I'm getting ready to install a Fays2 on my car. I'd like more info on the problems with it...

 

[Sam Strano]

Way to go internet... Someone posts something and it becomes true, even when it's not.

The idea that the Fays2 is weak and slips and is "only designed to autox" the most ignorant thing I've read in weeks.

Seriously.

The clamps don't slip, I've pound the hell out them, as have many of my customers with no such issue. Let me be very, VERY blunt. The car has NO IDEA if the 1.3 g it's pulling on Hoosier's is on an autocross course, or a road course. And in fact, I will point out that road racers now run A6's on their cars because they generate MORE grip than the R6 Hoosier Road-race compound.

You can watch me pound my 2001 Z28 around a track, hopping curbs and so on, with a Fays2 link... which didn't slip and that was also on Hoosier's.

This is typical track guy attitude, and it goes to show how blind folks are. FWIW, I like track days too, in fact I'm going 2 in the next 2 weeks in my FR-S (no more Mustang and the Z06 is prepped for the 2 National events I have "just autocrossing" so I'm not changing brake pads, etc to do those).

As for the idea that the upgraded differential cover is a bonus. Ok, but you don't need it if you aren't putting the lateral load of the car though it.

And the roll center height is dead easy to change on a Fays2 as well. FWIW, I use them (had 3 between the Z28, and two Mustangs). I know they work, I recommend the hell out of them. And because you don't have a massive cover on the diff, the diff runs cooler. And that does matter. See the fact that the biggest baddest S197 now has a diff cooler on it with the track package.

 

[Sam Strano]

The Fays unit was designed for auto cross not serious road racing . The clamps slip under high stress G loads ...My clamps slipped at the last corner before hitting the straight at 160 and almost going into the wall. There have been more people who have had the clamps slip up in the Big Bear mountains in California . (Its really a junk piece) people just buy it because they dont want to drop the coin on the Griggs unit or the Cortex unit. The Steeda watts link has a better clamping set up puts its heavy and I wouldn't trust it either. I have the Griggs unit on my car and just installed the Cortex unit and for the money its a great piece.

You'll find most people on this forum has the money to do things twice or three times but never the money to do it right the first time (LOL).

If the clamps slipped they were not properly torqued or something else caused it (see next paragraph). Now the clamps on Lakewood units, those slip because they don't have much contact area.

And here's the other reason they can slip.... setup incorrectly. If you bind the watts due to the arms being setup wrong the weakest thing will move. I had a guy do his wrong (set it up with the axle hanging/car in the air). he didn't slip his clamps even, he just destroyed the center bolt in 15 seconds of "just autocrossing". I looked under the car, saw the angle the clamps were on and knew what he did. He fixed his error and it's been over a year with no issue, at all.

I also find it utterly amazing that folks get all squirmy when no such claim has been made before that I can find.... As with most things on the web, you need to think about what you read.

Again, set aside the autox/track/big bear mountain thing. Is X amount of G X amount of G no matter where or how it's generated? Yes. Keep that in mind when assessing statements like you read that something is inferior because it was designed to "only" do this. That's faulty logic, and in this case also a flat out untruth.