Drifty, floaty sensation at speed

[Daryl]

That's not what I meant. ANyone can slap on a splitter and some rods but it doesn't mean it's correct or even efficient. AJ Hartmann is actually taking his car to the wind tunnel chasing the real thing. Seems to me most street people put stuff on either because it looks cool or they think there's benefit to doing it without truly knowing if it's even working.

Interesting, thanks!

 

[badass98svt]

There's also the ABC Exclusive lower spoiler/splitter for the 94-98 Cobra bumper.

1994-1998 MUSTANG CHIN SPOILER FITS COBRA BUMPER ONLY

Find fiberglass parts for your mustang.

fiberglassspecialtiesnv.com

 

[joemomma]

It may just be some "slop" in the system, which is amplified at higher speeds. I feel like mine gets a little flighty at higher speeds as well. I've got new springs and struts all around, but ball joints, end links, bushings, etc. are all still stock and likely due for replacement.

 

[cobrajeff96]

Control arm bushings will be your biggest culprit.

Years ago did MM's Kmember and delrin coilover arms. Difference was yuge.

 

[MyLittlePony]

I had this problem back when my car was a stock v6. I didn’t know if it was the factory wheels, or the hood, or the convertible top. The suspension was factory, but 8yo. With wider tires, a new hood, and a new chin spoiler, that floating feeling went away.

My chin spoiler is actually molded into the bumper, and is the GT version of the ABC Exclusive cobra add on suggested earlier. ABC Exclusive actually stopped selling those at one point, probably due to morons trying to blend it themselves into the bumper rather than just buy it already done. But now they don’t sell any of these at all. If I ever need to replace it, and can’t find exactly what I have, I would purchase a Mach style chin spoiler. It sucks because I have bought loads of stuff from them as they were local, but they don’t seem to care about our vehicles any more.

 

[cobrajeff96]

Is that a detachable hardtop I see?

 

[joemomma]

I'll add that this is my first car with a staggered setup, so that might have an effect on "feel"? 245/315 is a pretty big difference in width, but I don't know if that would play into it or not.

 

[cobrajeff96]

The wider tires will grip more, hunt the road imperfections more. But nothing matters when there's slop in the suspension linkages. Any gain in traction is negated because the weight of the car is transmitted through the pivot points. It's known that the factory suspension along with the chassis itself in an SN95 is 'the fifth spring'.

 

[MyLittlePony]

Is that a detachable hardtop I see?

Indeed it is. Aftermarket though. Not the rare factory black Cobra one.

I'll add that this is my first car with a staggered setup, so that might have an effect on "feel"? 245/315 is a pretty big difference in width, but I don't know if that would play into it or not.

tire width helps, but NOT on asphalt roads. Given the environment, over time, the pavement sinks, and develops deep grooves. Everyone else fits into them just fine, but if youre running like 9-10.5” wheels, the tire won’t fit into the groove and you will be fighting the lane the entire time, regardless of speed.

 

[RAU03MACH]

I had this problem back when my car was a stock v6. I didn’t know if it was the factory wheels, or the hood, or the convertible top. The suspension was factory, but 8yo. With wider tires, a new hood, and a new chin spoiler, that floating feeling went away.

My chin spoiler is actually molded into the bumper, and is the GT version of the ABC Exclusive cobra add on suggested earlier. ABC Exclusive actually stopped selling those at one point, probably due to morons trying to blend it themselves into the bumper rather than just buy it already done. But now they don’t sell any of these at all. If I ever need to replace it, and can’t find exactly what I have, I would purchase a Mach style chin spoiler. It sucks because I have bought loads of stuff from them as they were local, but they don’t seem to care about our vehicles any more.

View attachment 18716

Car is looking sharp

 

[96blak54]

Dont the shocks play a major roll as well?

Thinking out loud, if the shocks dont control the rebound, the springs will jack the car up from the reverberation....so to speak. Their might be some technical language to describe this. I dont know. I could be talking out of my butt. Just an idea

Tire pressures, tire load handling, tire type may also play a roll.

 

[cobrajeff96]

Everything from tires to chassis itself is all one machine. Without a stiff enough frame (Fox, SN95 lol) the whole car will flex under enough load. Hardtops are usually ok, but verts absolutely need SFCs.

When it comes to shocks, you want them neither overdampened or underdampened. The expensive ones let you adjust either comp or rebound or both, but if you find a shock with proper valving for the spring rate you have, then you can get away with cheap ones.

 

[MyLittlePony]

Everything from tires to chassis itself is all one machine. Without a stiff enough frame (Fox, SN95 lol) the whole car will flex under enough load. Hardtops are usually ok, but verts absolutely need SFCs.

I noticed a significant handling improvement after the exterior mods I mentioned. Can’t say that I’ve driven triple digits since adding subframe connectors, so I honestly don’t know if these have helped at all beyond showing off to random people servicing the car, such as when the car was lifted for any reason, and I would open the door to get something, closing the door perfectly flushed with the rest of the car. It also helps when jacking up the car, as the existing jack points aren’t floor jack friendly. It may have better handling at say autocross events, but none of this has been tested personally since the upgrade.

I really believe the floating feeling is air going under the car. That air has to go somewhere, and at high speeds it’s pushing the front upwards, versus down. You need downforce. A chin spoiler of any kind will help significantly, more so than some flat splitter.

 

[Randall Garner]

I noticed a significant handling improvement after the exterior mods I mentioned. Can’t say that I’ve driven triple digits since adding subframe connectors, so I honestly don’t know if these have helped at all beyond showing off to random people servicing the car, such as when the car was lifted for any reason, and I would open the door to get something, closing the door perfectly flushed with the rest of the car. It also helps when jacking up the car, as the existing jack points aren’t floor jack friendly. It may have better handling at say autocross events, but none of this has been tested personally since the upgrade.

I really believe the floating feeling is air going under the car. That air has to go somewhere, and at high speeds it’s pushing the front upwards, versus down. You need downforce. A chin spoiler of any kind will help significantly, more so than some flat splitter.

Yes your subframe connectors should help in many ways , cornering, straight line hard acceleration, and the easier lifting as you mentioned. I have a set of mmd on a 98 I added a couple more weld flanges, just to increase ridgity , since I am caged and drag race the car. You will like the added stiffness ,