I need help!!!

[Sky Render]

I think if you're just starting out, you're not going to notice the difference. Hell, I've been doing this for years and I'm not sure I could.

I like the Konis because I can increase the damping for autocross and then turn it back down afterwards for a softer ride.

 

[DevGittinJr]

I got these to upgrade my FRPP adjustables and K springs, but I haven't installed them yet.

http://kennybrown.com/blog/11/january/kenny-tests-hr-rss-coil-over-suspension-kit-s-197-mustang-‘05

They come with 630/515 springs, and I also got the 570/460 springs because I drive the car daily. $1400 for the coil overs, and $400 for the extra springs. Everything looks really nice in the box. The struts have a dampening adjustment at the bottom with 12 clicks (2 full turns). The shocks don't have a dampening adjustment.

I wanted the AST 4150's from Vorshlag, but they're a bit pricey for my application. I'm hoping these will be a good compromise.

 

[DILYSI Dave]

Monotube vs. Twin Tube is as much a religious argument as Whiteline versus Fays2.

While I philosophically like a monotube from an engineering point of view (larger piston, better resolution, etc), in the price point that you are talking, I prefer the Koni yellow because of the adjustability. The Bilstein is a fine shock, but given a theoretically superior nonadjustable versus a theoretically inferior adjustable, I'll take the opportunity to adjust. And given his knowledge and experience on the Koni's, I'd call Sam to help you build a package around those shocks.

 

[2008 V6]

Bite the bullet & buy a good set of coil-overs. You will save money in the long run. Don't install everything at once. You will recieve a very good learning curve during your development.

 

[Sky Render]

NOT EVERYONE NEEDS COIL-OVERS. Good God. You act like they're magic or something. COIL-OVERS ARE STILL JUST SPRINGS AND DAMPERS.

If someone has a budget, they might not be able to afford to "bite the bullet" and "Buy a good set of coilovers." They might also just be autocrossing as a hobby and not care about being super-competitive and/or don't want to sacrifice street manners, etc.

 

[sheizasosay]

Post delete

 

[NoTicket]

For the record, I am not going to be performing any shock and spring modifications until I am sure I am okay dropping my car about 2 inches, because I intend to buy the MCS coilover system they offer.

But you would have to be insane to buy their bilstein setup over ground controls when what you are looking for is the best handling $1500 can buy.

It is not worth the sacrifice in spring rate, valving, and adjustability that you give up just so you can say "monotube" when people ask what shocks you have.

Good monotube dampers start at over $2000. Good twin tubes start at $750.

 

[Jucostud]

Sheizasosay... My current setup is a aquare18x10.25 setup with 275/40/18 NITTO nt05s. I'm gonna switch to 18x11 f14's with 295/35/18 rivals.

 

[sheizasosay]

Sheizasosay... My current setup is a aquare18x10.25 setup with 275/40/18 NITTO nt05s. I'm gonna switch to 18x11 f14's with 295/35/18 rivals.

Wheels and tires are #1. If you want to seperate yourself on the track that is by far the fastest way outside of driver skill improvement.

While coilovers aren't magical, the spring selection is the reason to go coilovers. Corner weighting or weight bias is an added benefit and a major plus.

All I know is next time I go coilovers it will be either JRi from Cortex or AST's.

 

[2008 V6]

NOT EVERYONE NEEDS COIL-OVERS. Good God. You act like they're magic or something. COIL-OVERS ARE STILL JUST SPRINGS AND DAMPERS.

If someone has a budget, they might not be able to afford to "bite the bullet" and "Buy a good set of coilovers." They might also just be autocrossing as a hobby and not care about being super-competitive and/or don't want to sacrifice street manners, etc.

Yes - They are just springs and dampers BUT multiple springs rates are available, ride height adjustability, re-bound and or compression and rate of compression adjustable, corner balancing capable and a larger oil reserve (Possible) on some to keep dampening consistent longer. Just a few of the many advantages available for good Coil-Overs.
I do not have any now on my Mustang – Didn’t want to send the coin. I have Koni sports modified so I can get more camber. If I want to further develop the car, I would spend the coin before anything else except Brakes (1) – Tires (2).

 

[Jucostud]

Wheels and tires are most important, but being that I already had a decent setup, they won't improve me most at the moment. I've had 1 autocross and 1 session at ecr on this and they do pretty well.

 

[Sky Render]

Yes - They are just springs and dampers BUT multiple springs rates are available, ride height adjustability, re-bound and or compression and rate of compression adjustable, corner balancing capable and a larger oil reserve (Possible) on some to keep dampening consistent longer. Just a few of the many advantages available for good Coil-Overs.
I do not have any now on my Mustang – Didn’t want to send the coin. I have Koni sports modified so I can get more camber. If I want to further develop the car, I would spend the coin before anything else except Brakes (1) – Tires (2).

Again, a lot of that stuff just isn't necessary for people who aren't trying to be competitive or just look at corner carving as a hobby.

I see a lot of people on this forum asking questions like "I lowered my car, my stock shocks suck, what's a good replacement?" And instead of saying "get some Konis or Bilsteins since you don't race your car," a bunch of suspension snobs start shouting "YOU MUST SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON COIL-OVERS!!!!1!!1!!!ONE!"

And that is a HUGE waste of money for a lot of people.

Granted, the amount of autocrossing I do, I should have coil-overs. But I've also seen people who have the same setup as me kick complete ass on a set of 305 A6s.

 

[sheizasosay]

Sky-As it turns out, the best dampers happen to be attached to coilovers. Better worded, the best dampers come with the ability to change spring rates and ride heights.

I'm not making an argument that everyone needs coilovers.

OP-

Good springs and dampers are way up on the list. Seat time is more valuable though. Either way you go, higher spring rates are needed for the new stickier tires. Adjustable, good dampers that you can tune with are such an important piece. You are wanting $1500 to seperate you from the rest of the world in performance and I say tires, driver skill and good coilovers. $1500 is not a lot of money.

I can tell you I wouldn't go looking at LCA's and UCA's and mounts at this point.

 

[Jucostud]

Sky render, I am wanting to run either CAM or STU this year and do a fee sessions at ecr. I'm not expecting to win everything, but I do want to be competitive.

 

[NoTicket]

Again, a lot of that stuff just isn't necessary for people who aren't trying to be competitive or just look at corner carving as a hobby.

I see a lot of people on this forum asking questions like "I lowered my car, my stock shocks suck, what's a good replacement?" And instead of saying "get some Konis or Bilsteins since you don't race your car," a bunch of suspension snobs start shouting "YOU MUST SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON COIL-OVERS!!!!1!!1!!!ONE!"

And that is a HUGE waste of money for a lot of people.

Granted, the amount of autocrossing I do, I should have coil-overs. But I've also seen people who have the same setup as me kick complete ass on a set of 305 A6s.

I agree with your sentiments completely. However, OP has stated that his car is not daily driven, and he wants the best handling option for the money.

Ground Control Coilovers - $1600
Includes shortened struts and shocks, new bump stops, caster/camber platesm and new rear shock mounts. You can choose your valving and your spring rates. If memory serves Whiskey11 is running this setup. You have all the advantages of a coilover system, easy to pick new springs at your whim, and able to corner balance etc. I believe you can get 440/250 springs with the kit.

Koni Struts and Shocks - $770 is the best deal I can find.
Maximum Motorsports Caster/Camber Plates - $330
Steeda Ultralite Springs - $265
Total - $1365
If you add the FRPP Bumpstops that will put you up to $1400
Here you get 195/175 springs and some good solid dampers.

Vorshlag Bilstein StreetPro Kit - $1500
Includes non-adjustable Bilstein dampers, and your choice of Eibach, Bilsteing, or FRPP lowering springs. All springs in the realm, or in spitting distance of 200lbs/in.

Now, if the car is going to be driven on the street a lot, and the streets in your area are shitty, then it is not very straightforward on how to proceed. If, however, your two criteria are budget/performance, then it seems clear to me which setup to choose.

 

[Sky Render]

For your budget, your best bet is either the Ground Controls (which use modified Koni Yellows) or a set of springs and plates with Koni Yellows.

 

[Apex50]

$1,500? Simple.

Steeda Ultralite springs
Koni Yellows
Maximum Motorsport Caster/camber plates
BMR Adjustable panhard bar
And Eibach sway bars

Done.

What he said!

 

[2013MustangGT]

@Jucostud

When I had whittline put on my car I started with their PHB and support bar because I didn't have the money for the Watts link. It handled fine on the track. I would wait and save up and get the struts/shocks, springs, and CC plates you want and not the ones you can afford right now. The reason for this is you will eventually save up and get them any way and spend even more money.

Have you taken your car to the track yet? If not not take it to ECR in it's stock form. Then put shock/struts, springs and CC plates or coilovers on it and take it back to ECR. You'll see how much better it is just from doing that. Then save up and get the Whiteline stuff you want and keep going to the track in the meantime.

BTW, here's what I have done to the suspension-

AST 4150s with Hyperco springs F 550 r 250 and Vorshlag CC plates
Whiteline: Front and rear sway bars
UCA ( new and improved)
LCA
relocation brackets
Watts link

On a side note I run BC Racing coilovers on my Challenger. They are better than the stock struts and shocks. However, there is a night and day difference between the ASTs I have on the mustang and the BC coilovers I have on the Challenger (and yes they are set up correctly, even corner balanced). I know it's tough to make that comparison because the two cars are so different.

I did a GTA event at TMS and met Reed from Whiteline there. They sponsored my Challenger because I was beta testing their bushings. He told me that he would never use BC Racing coilovers and that I should get something better. He doesn't sell coilovers or struts and shocks. So, I talk to others that day, including Terry@Vorshlag, and made the decision not to get the BC Racing coil overs for my Mustang.

Also, if you plan on racing in an organization such as NASA or SCCA don't look at the Whiteline Mustang as a starting point. It was designed as a SEMA car and not a track car. Don't get me wrong it's a nice looking car and Mike does nice custom cars. However, the way it's set up it would be placed in TT1 because of all that HP and it wouldn't be able to keep up with the cars in TT1. I believe Mike told me the Whiteside Mustang did a 2:07 at ECR with street tires and it has a S/C in it. Terry drove a customers car around the track with the customer in it, with MCS-197-TT1s and no engine mods, on worn out street tires and they did a 2:07. There's even video somewhere here on S197.

Good luck on your choices.

 

[Jucostud]

Well I talked with Terry fair today and decided what I'm gonna do. If I can come up with the money in the next few week 's I'm gonna do the MCS Coilovers. If I just can't swing that much, I'm gonna do the $1,500 bilsteins package and run that till Terry releases there bilsteins coilover package in a year. He has 100% convinced me to not touch anything koni(ground control) related.

 

[sheizasosay]

Don't touch koni's? Wow. They are good dampers. Not to be confused with top tier dampers, but good. What reasons did he cite for them being so bad? If he said side loading or fade I won't argue, but outside if that I would love to hear it.

You get what you pay for. Koni's at the current price *are* worth the money. Anybody that uses them will likely agree with what I'm saying . And trust me, I don't give a shit about pushing a product because I own it. If Bilsteins were adjustable, even single adjustable we would all jump on them instead of the konis. I actually wish they were.