Wanting To Upgrade Suspension.

OLD 96

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My 2008 Mustang GT is new to me with 70,000 miles on it. It has all OEM suspension. I just want to replace with better. I was thinking about the SR Shock Strut kit. And. GT 500 strut mounts. As a start. For a daily driver. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
 

stkjock

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what's your intent with the car? cruiser, racer, comfort.... etc?
 

Forty61

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My car is just a weekend cruiser, I pieced my setup together from all over. I lowered it with some used Eibach springs on new struts/shocks from RockAuto. I replaced the front lower arms with standard units and used GT500 strut mounts flipped 180 degrees up top to offset the camber. I added the cheapest adjustable panhard I could find but I’d recommend finding one that has the adjustment in the center and not at the ends, then you can adjust it on the car. I added the Whiteline sway bar kit which is nice but by no means a necessity. Last thing I have to do is replace my inner/outer tie rods to try and fix the damn shake my steering has at freeway speed.
 

DieHarder

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Then look at getting some GT500 strut mounts and pair that with B6 Bilstein front struts and rear shocks. Best handling combination I've run across so far for your intended application. If you're planning on lowering the car as well look at adding Roush springs. Not too stiff yet do a good job and slightly firmer than stock. And add an adjustable panhard; especially if you go with lowering springs. You'll be pleased with the setup. If you do lower the car then flip the strut mounts 180 per Forty61's advice.
 

86GT351

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My 2008 Mustang GT is new to me with 70,000 miles on it. It has all OEM suspension. I just want to replace with better. I was thinking about the SR Shock Strut kit. And. GT 500 strut mounts. As a start. For a daily driver. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
Tell us more about what you are looking to do with the car. Daily? Racer, etc.
 

OLD 96

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Thanks to all. Not going to lower it. It already has enough damage to front lower bumper from previous owner. Gotta watch out for those parking stops. Not going to race it. Just want to replace the OEM parts with some thing a little better. Without breaking the bank. Thanks.
 

tabstang

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It's your car of course, but I gotta say these cars' ride and handling is vastly improved by suspension lowering with quality springs etc. My 07 GT was on stock suspension (with Roush M90 SC, odd combination) when I bought it, had 37k mi. and rode like a trampoline IMO. I upgraded all components and now the car handles as a sports car should - tight, flat cornering, no wheel hop on acceleration, and competent (but a little bit stiff) ride over bumps. Maybe you could drive someone else's lowered S197 to feel the difference before you start spending $ you might reconsider later. Lots of good used Mustang performance parts on the interwebs BTW.

My setup is also a pieced together mishmash of brands that I got used or on sale but they all do essentially the same thing and work together just fine.
 

stkjock

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My suggestions for an upgrade:
BMR Springs/LCA/UCA
Koni/Bilstein shocks
 

Smokievol

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I vote to lower also, looks 100 times better than the stock set up.
Many packages out there, Steeda has a nice street set up, Whiteline, BMR. I went with the Steeda sports with Koni yellows and they are adjustable, which was very popular 10 years ago. I can't believe it's been that long.
Then added WL Watts Link, which was overkill, but had to scratch that itch.
 

Midlife Crises

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It's just going to be cruiser. Street and highway. No racing. Thanks.
Not going to lower it. No racing. Not a corner carver. For cruising, there is nothin you can do to the suspension that will not make the ride more stiff or harsh. If you want to keep the rubbery, smooth ride stick with the OEM drivetrain.
 

07 Boss

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Not going to lower it. No racing. Not a corner carver. For cruising, there is nothin you can do to the suspension that will not make the ride more stiff or harsh. If you want to keep the rubbery, smooth ride stick with the OEM drivetrain.

I agree. If you want to keep it smooth and comfy just refreshen the oem parts. Maybe upgrade the struts and shocks to Bilsteins, but that would be it.
 

Smokievol

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Thanks to all. Not going to lower it. It already has enough damage to front lower bumper from previous owner. Gotta watch out for those parking stops. Not going to race it. Just want to replace the OEM parts with some thing a little better. Without breaking the bank. Thanks.


Yeah, I'm on my third Chin Spoiler. Need to add a camera up front.
 

Mustang Terlingua

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I have Koni struts & shocks GT upper mounts on my '08 Bullitt with stock springs. It only has 15,000 miles but the stock ones sucked. It made is handel so much better & no harsh ride.
 

GlassTop09

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Hi OLD 96,

If you're gonna stay at stock ride height, want to retain OEM ride quality but at the same time do get some improvement in suspension performance, here is a list of all Ford OEM\Ford Performance OEM upgrade & "aftermarket" suspension parts to get for your '08 GT (all these parts are for\based off 07-14 GT500 thus from Ford's SVT program) that will provide much better performance than any OEM 05-09 GT parts to improve handling:

Front:
FP M-18183-C (Upper Strut Mounts)
FP M-3075-E (Front Lower Control Arms)

Rear:
FP M-5538-A (Rear Lower Control Arms)
Ford part# DR3Z-5A638-A (Upper Control Arm Axle Bushing)
Aftermarket part.... Roush 3rd Link assembly (a Roush modified Ford OEM 07-09 GT\GT500 Upper Control Arm assembly complete w\ mounting bracket & new hardware)

Optional OEM Ford parts:
BR3Z-5482-A (Front)
CR3Z-5A772-Q (Rear)
(these are the base 11-14 GT\Boss 302\GT500 Track Pack Front\Rear Sway Bars)

Use the adjustable panhard bar of your choice.................

All these parts provide a vast platform improvement in handling vs the OEM 05-09 GT replacement parts while retaining OEM ride quality\rear axle articulation & since these parts were designed for engine packages putting out at least 2x the HP\TQ output, will also provide very solid rear axle control under loads from a NA 4.6L V8 so not as soft as most may think.

Costs will be relative (some will be less than aftermarket, but most will be a little more) so be aware but all are direct replacement parts so will bolt up (the exception is the UCA Axle Bushing which will need to be pressed in).

Hope this helps.
 

BottleRocket

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I bought my '08 with 29K miles. Original owner had installed Ford lowering springs which my wife hated. I had the high school shop auto teacher replace them with BMR and Koni. It rides great now, even sits a little lower. My wife loves the ride.

20190509_181911.jpg
 

tabstang

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I've lowered a lot of cars and every single one rode better by far after lowering. Smoother, more solid, more comfortable, NOT in any way worse than factory. The key is the quality of the springs, the stock springs are super bouncy. I find it puzzling and curious why the stock setup is so bad - but it is.
 

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