Ford Racing Adjustable Suspension Recomendations

[jonthewick]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here so I figure I'd take a moment to introduce myself and my car. I'm a product validation engineer working for a large engine manufacturer. I have a 2008 Bullitt Mustang that I have just recently given into upgrading it when I couldn't bring myself to sell it to buy a Boss 302. I am quite confident with my ability to upgrade an engine but am totally clueless on suspension upgrades.

I am looking at getting Ford Racings Adjustable Suspension, http://www.americanmuscle.com/frpp-adjust-handlingpack-0514gt-assembled.html. Does anyone have any experience with the kit? I am also looking at getting the Boss 302R Lower control arms, http://www.americanmuscle.com/frpp-boss302r-lca-0514.html. Is there anything else that I need to buy to get full advantage of the upgrades? Upper control arm? Caster camber plates? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[stkjock]

Nice to have ya here at S197forum! Please read through these:

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30272

http://s197forum.com/forum/announcement.php?f=19

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89602



I'd suggest that you search the site on this topic as it's likely been covered

 

[csamsh]

Oh boy...resisting the urge to leave "Mark's sausage and crawfish gumbo" here...but it's your first post so I'll be nice.

Do yourself a favor and skip the Ford handling package. I'm using the 302R arms and they seem to do the job. It's a steel tube with a bushing at each end...not rocket science.

Give us your budget, your intended use, and your goals, (but mostly your budget) and we can recommend parts for you.

 

[Sky Render]

What are your goals with the car? What "problems" in its handling are you trying to solve? What types of racing are you doing in it?

You can't engineer a solution if you don't know the requirements.

-Systems Engineer for a large telecommunications company

 

[sheizasosay]

Fellas, he has a 2008. Those boss 302R arms would require reaming the knuckle for the larger ball joint.

 

[Sky Render]

Fellas, he has a 2008. Those boss 302R arms would require reaming the knuckle for the larger ball joint.

Front BOSS arms:
http://www.steeda.com/store/05-10-mustang-front-lower-control-arms-with-bushings-777-4902/

Also, I believe he was referring to the Boss rear lower control arms.

 

[sheizasosay]

Front BOSS arms:
http://www.steeda.com/store/05-10-mustang-front-lower-control-arms-with-bushings-777-4902/

Also, I believe he was referring to the Boss rear lower control arms.

Shit. Guess I should click on the link. I saw CSamsh say he had the 302 "R" arms and immediately thought fronts. My bad.

Edit- BTW Sky, those arms you linked comes with a drill bit. Wanna guess what it's for?

 

[GallopingFord]

Is the car a DD, weekend warrior? Do you compete in it? What would you like to get out of it.

Cam, glorified door greeter.

 

[frank s]

Well, here's my chance to round out the panoply of advices for Mr One-Post the newcomer.

Welcome.

Everyone is right except you; all the conflicting suggestions can be resolved by following one simple rule: Don't Modify Your Neat-O Bullitt until you have used it in a manner that teaches you to discriminate among the performances and sensations so you can select appropriate areas to work on.

If your tires are almost at the point of replacement, pick some good-quality summer super-meats that are known to transmit intelligible contact-patch messages. Once they are nearly worn out, you'll likely have enough information to make viable choices for suspension mods.

The biggest and most expensive error to make in modding a car for performance is the "I Can't Wait To Begin" plus "Because I can" syndromes. Be patient, be persistent, be consistent, change only one variable at a time, and begin with a modification of the Driver Attitude.

Hardware isn't magic; it's science, which means empirical observation and logical choices.

(Sometimes I wished I'd got the Bullitt rather than the GT/CS. I might still have the Bullitt.)

 

[sheizasosay]

I like it Frank. What kinda vino we got tonight sir?

 

[csamsh]

Well, here's my chance to round out the panoply of advices for Mr One-Post the newcomer.

Welcome.

Everyone is right except you; all the conflicting suggestions can be resolved by following one simple rule: Don't Modify Your Neat-O Bullitt until you have used it in a manner that teaches you to discriminate among the performances and sensations so you can select appropriate areas to work on.

If your tires are almost at the point of replacement, pick some good-quality summer super-meats that are known to transmit intelligible contact-patch messages. Once they are nearly worn out, you'll likely have enough information to make viable choices for suspension mods.

The biggest and most expensive error to make in modding a car for performance is the "I Can't Wait To Begin" plus "Because I can" syndromes. Be patient, be persistent, be consistent, change only one variable at a time, and begin with a modification of the Driver Attitude.

Hardware isn't magic; it's science, which means empirical observation and logical choices.

(Sometimes I wished I'd got the Bullitt rather than the GT/CS. I might still have the Bullitt.)

This. Listen to this.

 

[jonthewick]

I have owned the Bullitt for 4 years now and the only reason I am upgrading it vs getting a Boss is I couldn't bring myself to sell it. I have been drag racing it for years and with the new 5.0s it's just not as powerful as it used to be. As far as the handling goes I have no immediate plans to upgrade it but I have recently started scca autocross and the engine mods I am installing makes bringing a stock suspention to the class like taking a knife to a gun fight. I don't plan on selling the car ever so the money invested into it isn't an issue. I plan on spending about $5k on the engine and about $3k on the suspension, along with some more on the brakes and a new drive shaft. I know by buying Ford racing parts I will probably be paying more but money isn't a big concern for me at this point in my life.

 

[csamsh]

I have owned the Bullitt for 4 years now and the only reason I am upgrading it vs getting a Boss is I couldn't bring myself to sell it. I have been drag racing it for years and with the new 5.0s it's just not as powerful as it used to be. As far as the handling goes I have no immediate plans to upgrade it but I have recently started scca autocross and the engine mods I am installing makes bringing a stock suspention to the class like taking a knife to a gun fight. I don't plan on selling the car ever so the money invested into it isn't an issue. I plan on spending about $5k on the engine and about $3k on the suspension, along with some more on the brakes and a new drive shaft. I know by buying Ford racing parts I will probably be paying more but money isn't a big concern for me at this point in my life.

You are aware that those mods (engine, driveshaft) will put you into the science-project SCCA classes, correct? SM, CP, and above? Why not just start with tires and go from there? Also, fwiw, for an autox build, I would suggest $0k on engine, and $8k on suspension/tires/wheels/brakes

 

[jonthewick]

Yes I am aware that the mods I am planning put me into classes I could not possibly compete in for autox but I use it for drag racing as well and don't expect to be winning any national events or even regional ones. Mostly just looking to have fun and enjoy the car as it was designed to be enjoyed, by racing.

 

[csamsh]

Yes I am aware that the mods I am planning put me into classes I could not possibly compete in for autox but I use it for drag racing as well and don't expect to be winning any national events or even regional ones. Mostly just looking to have fun and enjoy the car as it was designed to be enjoyed, by racing.

In that case, rock on, but don't go nuts buying suspension until you figure what the car does that you don't like. Then, once you have a problem to solve, there are people that can help you solve it.

 

[jonthewick]

Well I have a feeling that rear end grip will be a problem with an extra 100hp so I'd start with that. Our autox track doesn't have the best pavement and the back end comes around pretty easy when upset over bumps. Any ideas for fixing that?

 

[csamsh]

Well I have a feeling that rear end grip will be a problem with an extra 100hp so I'd start with that. Our autox track doesn't have the best pavement and the back end comes around pretty easy when upset over bumps. Any ideas for fixing that?

More tire, better throttle control, better shocks

 

[Norm Peterson]

Well I have a feeling that rear end grip will be a problem with an extra 100hp so I'd start with that. Our autox track doesn't have the best pavement and the back end comes around pretty easy when upset over bumps. Any ideas for fixing that?

More tire, better throttle control, better shocks

That, and a tune designed for corner-carving instead of for impressing Mr. Harry-High-School-Show-Off and his buddies. Even a stockish 4.6L car on R-comps can bring the tail around in 2nd gear if you squeeze too deep into the throttle while you've still got much cornering going on.

Most of the early improvement at autocross comes from accumulating seat time, and nothing in street driving (short of slaloming around/through truck tire or other debris at highway speeds) even comes close.

Given that chasing an SCCA class championship isn't particularly important***, is there any chance you'll ever run the car out on a real road course at an HPDE? Think about it, and plan on doing the appropriate brake upgrades. If you end up doing more of this, plan on doing considerably more brake system maintenance than you've ever had to before.

No matter where this ends up going, you'd better add a budget line item for tires, and given the non-importance of autocross classification, wider wheels. Same size tires all around for the cornering stuff. Assuming that you stick with this (and you get better/faster), a separate set of "competition" tires and wheels will eventually make sense, just like having a set of DR's and skinnies would for those dragstrip forays.


*** I never worried about what autocross class my cars ended up in either. Built them the way I wanted them to drive the rest of the time and let them fall wherever they fit (typically CP or EP). Occasionally beating more heavily prepared "real Prepared" cars . . . priceless.


Norm

 

[jonthewick]

Thanks guys for the advice, I just bought larger brakes today, not sure if they are enough for road courses but for autox they will help a little. As for driving seat time I agree I could certainly use more in autox, drag racing however at this point my times seem to be car not driver limited. Looking forward to more seat time with turns involved.

 

[csamsh]

Thanks guys for the advice, I just bought larger brakes today, not sure if they are enough for road courses but for autox they will help a little. As for driving seat time I agree I could certainly use more in autox, drag racing however at this point my times seem to be car not driver limited. Looking forward to more seat time with turns involved.

Size isn't nearly as important as proper pad and fluid selection, along with some cooling, but it never hurts either!