Tire cupping on the passenger side

[bujeezus]

I think I've found what I'm looking for (thanks eighty6gt and norm).
http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=642

 

[Norm Peterson]

Who's still turning wrenches on old beater 2008 cars?.

See post #17.

It's still fun to drive, fun to continue developing, and I really do enjoy not having to deal with things like EPAS, SYNC, or AdvanceTrak AT ALL.

Should be saving for the new GT500. Supercharged 5.2! Lots of power

and slower through the corners than a GT350 or even a decently developed 6th gen GT.


Norm

 

[Pentalab]

I think I've found what I'm looking for (thanks eighty6gt and norm).
http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=642

This. The pistons on those Bilsteins are massive... 36mm...and that's both the struts..and the rear shocks. 1.25" more travel on the struts..and 1" more travel on the shocks. I ran into somebody local, who trashed their rear koni yellow shocks. They were lowered 1 3/4" on the rear. Koni's set on full soft..which is one helluva lot softer rebound than ford oem struts /shocks. Then the back end bottoms out, hits the bumpstops, and trashes the shocks. Lower the rear of the car 1-2"..and you just lost 1-2" of piston travel = bad news. Same deal at the front.

The Bilstein rear shocks use bigger 12mm threaded shafts, where it comes into the trunk area. The bilstein shocks come with new rear shock mounts and hardware. For $806 it's a good deal..and the correct length vs the oem length Bilsteins. I could not find the shorter ones on Bilsteins site either, so don't know how Vorshlag found em, unless they were spec'd for a different car. Regardless, for a non adjustable strut /shock, they are as good as it gets..esp being a monotube.
http://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Product-Pictures/Bilstein-Shocks/i-t3XzfkS/0/XL/1_DSC8420-XL.jpg

BTW, why don't the Koni yellow struts come with protective covers for the piston ? That is the only strut I have seen on the market, that doesn't depict covers.

As for the front strut mounts, the GT and GT-500 ones don't allow for any camber adjustment....and are one time use only, which really makes em semi useless. Not being able to tweak camber drives me nuts. The steeda HD unit is good, and allows for camber adj. The Vorshlag version allows for camber + caster adj.... the damned thing is built like a tank. http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=274

 

[bujeezus]

As for the front strut mounts, the GT and GT-500 ones don't allow for any camber adjustment....and are one time use only, which really makes em semi useless.

I did not know this about the strut mounts. I've changed my front springs twice on the original mounts. Could bad mounts be the cause of my bad tire wear?

 

[07 Boss]

I've got a set of Bilstein HD's sitting on my garage floor. I don't have any comparison except for the stockers and my current ones which are like comparing apples to oranges. BUT, I can say I was always happy with the way they performed whether I was at the drag strip or cruising down the boulevard. The variable valving makes them a great all around shock. Well worth the extra few bucks IMO.

 

[bujeezus]

So I've been looking at those Bilstein's from Vorshlag for a while now. Haven't pulled the trigger yet because that a pretty big hit to my budget. Today I was drooling over them again an it struck me. If the Bilstein's are 1.25" shorter than the OEMs, wouldn't that drop the front more? Looking at this pic, it looks like the OEM strut mounts sits around 22.75" and the Bilstein's sit around 22". Am I just lookin at this wrong? I hit Vorshlag up, but wanted to see what you guys thought.

[/url][/IMG]

 

[cbass]

Full extension would be less by the difference in height, but your car doesn't usually sit at full extension.

 

[bujeezus]

Yeah, I understand that. I also understand they make the body shorter so as not to bottom out on a normal stroke. But looking at that picture, my spring is going to actually be compressed more, isn't it? 22" as opposed to 22.75". Am I just having a brain fart here? Or does the OEM strut compress more with the weight of the car than the Bilstein?

 

[Pentalab]

The oem is 3/4" taller on that pix..not 1 3/4". It's 22.75" NOT 23.75" on the pix.

The Vorshlag bilsteins won't lower it any more than oem. The distance between the
very bottom of each strut....and the lower spring perch is identical. With identical springs..and same weight, the springs will compress the same amount ! Your ride height will not change.

 

[travelers]

The oem is 3/4" taller on that pix..not 1 3/4". It's 22.75" NOT 23.75" on the pix.

The Vorshlag bilsteins won't lower it any more than oem. The distance between the
very bottom of each strut....and the lower spring perch is identical. With identical springs..and same weight, the springs will compress the same amount ! Your ride height will not change.

And IIRR the 11-14 strut top and the 05-10 is different length.

 

[bujeezus]

Thanks Jim, it finally "clicked". Sheesh, I feel like an idiot. Lol!

And Traveler, you're close. According to Vorshlag...

"Note: 2005-2009 Mustangs can use their stock top mounts; 2010-2014 mustangs will need to order the GT500 top mounts in the options below if not ordering with Vorshlag camber plates."

 

[Pentalab]

Thanks Jim, it finally "clicked". Sheesh, I feel like an idiot. Lol!

And Traveler, you're close. According to Vorshlag...

"Note: 2005-2009 Mustangs can use their stock top mounts; 2010-2014 mustangs will need to order the GT500 top mounts in the options below if not ordering with Vorshlag camber plates."

I have the steeda HD strut mounts (that allow for +/- 1deg of camber.)
http://www.steeda.com/steeda-mustang-upper-strut-mounts-555-8120/

These fit the 05-10 GT's..and also the 07-14 GT-500 cars. I believe they will also work with the Vorshlag Bilsteins.

I just saw another Koni yellow.... where the piston had zero resistance in one direction, defective....brand new....right out of the box....pita. (could be pushed in, with hardly any effort..vs the mating koni).
Then another koni yellow, where the adjustable portion just ceased to rotate... after it had been installed months earlier.

Dunno if koni yellow qc has gone to hell, or if we just hear of the very few that are defective? If you are paying somebody to remove + install the items... then a front end alignment, reliability becomes a major issue. (koni yellow struts don't come with protective rubber bellow style covers either)

For a NON adjustable strut / shock, the Vorshlag Bilsteins are looking more and more like the ideal ticket. Sure, they cost more, but the monotube construction, allowable increased piston travel, and the massive 36mm pistons (front+ rear) appear to be well spent money...vs everybody else's twin tube, non adjustable struts + shocks.

$807 vs $543 ( vorshlag bilsteins vs Roush) is a $264 difference... and $264 well spent.

http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_179&products_id=642 http://www.roushperformance.com/parts/Mustang-Strut-Front-2005-2010.html http://www.roushperformance.com/parts/Ford-Mustang-Rear-Shocks-2005-2012.html

The rear shafts on the Bilsteins are 12mm....and come with oem style rear upper shock mounts.. (pistons are still 36mm)

Ok, I just climbed into the trunk....and with the flashlight + plastic ruler, my roush rear shocks use a 10mm threaded shaft and a 15mm nut. The Vorshlag Bilstein rear shocks use a 12mm threaded rear shaft, the mating nut will be 18mm. That's a substantial increase in rear shaft diam. ( it's also a 44% increase in cross sectional area = 44% stronger).

 

[Norm Peterson]

II just saw another Koni yellow.... where the piston had zero resistance in one direction, defective....brand new....right out of the box....pita. (could be pushed in, with hardly any effort..vs the mating koni).

Right out of the box . . . what you describe does not generally mean that the shock is bad, only that it lost its prime. I think the following quote came courtesy of Brake & Front End magazine, earlier this year. I'd noticed the effect a long time ago, without understanding why until seeing this.

Priming Twin Tube Shocks and Struts Differs from Priming Monotube Units
Occasionally, light-vehicle twin tube shocks and struts are misdiagnosed as faulty when removed from the box for installation. On the initial stroke of the product you may notice a dead band or erratic damping at the top of the stroke of the twin tube shock or strut. This is a normal occurrence and the shock will function properly once it has been primed.
This characteristic occurs in all twin tube shocks and struts because they lie on their sides during shipping and storage. Over time, the oil and gas inside twin tube shocks or struts moves between chambers while the product lies on its side. When the oil and gas are mixed in the working chamber, the damping effect may be irregular. Priming the unit removes the gas from the working chamber and moves it back into the reservoir. This is a normal operation that occurs once these twin tube shocks and struts are installed in their proper upright position in the vehicle.

You prime them again by compressing/extending the piston a few times by hand with the shock oriented vertically. Basically squeezing the gas back to where it belongs.

This is only a twin-tube issue, assuming that in all monotube shocks the oil and the gas are physically separated in some manner.


Norm

 

[NUTCASE]

FWIW I have strange front struts.

If I was all about handling I might go different, but these shocks work for drag, street, and can be adjusted stiff enough to become uncomfortable. I have set them up 2 clicks over street and had some fun carving up some back roads before.

Also with a previous post, I too have done an eyeball alignments in my driveway. Car tracked straight to the shop and barely needed any adjustment.

 

[bujeezus]

Thanks again Jim.