Need help picking lowering parts

[Ballistic]

Hold the phone OP i have bilsteins with h&r supersports and SR cc plates, my past mustang I had h&r supersport with tokico blues and mm cc plates. With that being said I can provide some answers for your questions.

Bilstein vs tokico blues?

Bilstein hands down, the ride is so dang smooth its rediculous. With the tokicos I was bouncing all over the place, which equated to a terrible ride. BTW bilsteins don't come in a "fox body" specific length.

the ever so loved MM cc plates vs other?

One question... will you EVER run coilovers? if the answer is yes, mm cc plates it is (4th bolt hole required for coilovers). if the answer is no, despite what others think, go with SR cc plates. I got mine for $140 i believe and my car is perfectly aligned (h&r's without isolators).

Isolators or no?

Kind of a double edged question.. I had prothane isolators on my previous stang and after a bit they squeaked badly. I had to disassemble and re grease them, which btw is very inconvenient.. My current car I wrapped the dead coils of the springs with electrical tape, its been a year, 0 squeeks.

Lower AND upper control arms?

Like mention, just buy the lowers. Get the LMR kit if you want, as it is cheaper, and only use the bottoms.

any questions feel free to ask.

Thanks man, I think i should just stick with what i wanted from the get go and get the Bilsteins..

Doing just the lower Control arms from LMR would that mean i should get some matching quad shocks?

Might aswell just get the MM plate for another like 50 bucks if i ever do coil overs down the road..

Not sure about what to do with the Isolators, but ill wait a few weeks before i start ordering stuff need to rebuild the bank account..

 

[Cpotts13]

Thanks man, I think i should just stick with what i wanted from the get go and get the Bilsteins..

Doing just the lower Control arms from LMR would that mean i should get some matching quad shocks?

Might aswell just get the MM plate for another like 50 bucks if i ever do coil overs down the road..

Not sure about what to do with the Isolators, but ill wait a few weeks before i start ordering stuff need to rebuild the bank account..

No! You wont need quad shocks with aftermarket lower control arms..

 

[McCloud]

Bilstein vs tokico blues?

Bilstein hands down, the ride is so dang smooth its rediculous. With the tokicos I was bouncing all over the place, which equated to a terrible ride. BTW bilsteins don't come in a "fox body" specific length.

the ever so loved MM cc plates vs other?

One question... will you EVER run coilovers? if the answer is yes, mm cc plates it is (4th bolt hole required for coilovers). if the answer is no, despite what others think, go with SR cc plates. I got mine for $140 i believe and my car is perfectly aligned (h&r's without isolators).

I agree with him on the Bilsteins. I've had tokico blues in mine with Eibach sportlines and I prefer the Bilsteins over them. They may be firm but they really are smooth.

 

[Ballistic]

No! You wont need quad shocks with aftermarket lower control arms..

Awesome! Saves me 200 bucks

Once i get paid and pay insurance ill start ordering shit, you got me unsure what to do about the Isolators, dont want to go to low for a DD..

I agree with him on the Bilsteins. I've had tokico blues in mine with Eibach sportlines and I prefer the Bilsteins over them. They may be firm but they really are smooth.

I got Bilsteins on my truck and they are awesome, i might aswell do this part right and not have to re do it later and spend more money down the road..

 

[Ballistic]

So after i got the new wheels on, when i stop a little harder than normal i get a like a knock sound think i got it figured out, and i think i need new bushings for my Front control arms and when i had it on the lift found out i need some new Steering Rack Bushings as well..

What are the best bushings to get? Oem ford parts?

Or

Steeda Front Control Arm Bushings w/ Offset Polyurethane

Prothane Front Control Arm Bushings w/o Metal Shells


and for the Steering Rack Bushings

Maximum Motorsports Aluminum Steering Rack Bushings, Stock K-Member


All this stuff is adding up gonna need to do some detail side jobs..

You can just get Moog ball joints for like $50. H&R super sports with isos, LCA's no quad shocks, and either of those CC plates will be just what you want for a daily. J&M has more camber adjustment, I know that much. You can't go wrong with either honestly.

What isos would you recommend?

 

[Ferocious]

Isos were actually the first thing I got rid of when I got rid of my stock springs. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it doesn't matter though. They're virtually all the same. Energy suspension, SR, SVE are a couple brands you can go with. Just get the cheapest to save yourself some money. If you're current ones are also in good condition, you can just reuse those.

 

[ElrodKTPQ_89]

I vote no iso's.

 

[Ballistic]

Guess ill just use electrical tape, seems more people do that than use isos, after some more research seems like alot of people get squeaky with them in..

 

[Ballistic]

Whats another good lower control arm to get? It doesnt look like AM or LMR will have theirs in stock within the next 2 weeks..

 

[OnyxCobra]

Whats another good lower control arm to get? It doesnt look like AM or LMR will have theirs in stock within the next 2 weeks..

can't go wrong with MM.

 

[Pete@FTR]

Whats another good lower control arm to get? It doesnt look like AM or LMR will have theirs in stock within the next 2 weeks..

MM LCA's are great. I actually have a used set for sale if you'd like. They're in great condition, have just been sitting around for about a year now. Shoot me an email if you're intrested [email protected]

 

[Ferocious]

All the J&M ones on LMR seem to be in stock, including the weight jackers.

 

[ttocs]

ever considered air ride? I ask because I am getting ready to swap from bags to ridetechs new shockwave to upgrade and will be selling the bags, cups, and m&m CC plates. You would need the compressor and managment/switches and lines but who doesn't love air ride? If you or someone else is interested pm me. I was going to pull them from the car this weekend but I am sick in the hospital which might slow things down but it will all be listed with pics shortly. All the parts were used for a little more then a year and maybe has 7k miles on them.

 

[DavidBoren]

There are people on this forum running tubular upper and lower arms in the rear with spherical rod ends all around. No binding issues whatsoever. No unruly vibration or noise in the cab. So, the real question is, why not get double adjustable tubular control arms? Screw that OEM upper nonsense.

 

[Ballistic]

ever considered air ride? I ask because I am getting ready to swap from bags to ridetechs new shockwave to upgrade and will be selling the bags, cups, and m&m CC plates. You would need the compressor and managment/switches and lines but who doesn't love air ride? If you or someone else is interested pm me. I was going to pull them from the car this weekend but I am sick in the hospital which might slow things down but it will all be listed with pics shortly. All the parts were used for a little more then a year and maybe has 7k miles on them.

I have, I'm a Train Horn dealer and i got train horns on my Truck, i wanted to put them on the mustang but, the trunks are so small as it is..
If the trunk was bigger i would already have an air compressor and tank in.. would make it much easier to put air ride on..

And i think i would rather have the ridetech kit too , but ill take a look at your kit when its posted..

There are people on this forum running tubular upper and lower arms in the rear with spherical rod ends all around. No binding issues whatsoever. No unruly vibration or noise in the cab. So, the real question is, why not get double adjustable tubular control arms? Screw that OEM upper nonsense.

Im still unsure on doing uppers, im going to have a ford dealership install all my stuff and ill ask a few buddies there what they think when its time to install..

MM LCA's are great. I actually have a used set for sale if you'd like. They're in great condition, have just been sitting around for about a year now. Shoot me an email if you're intrested [email protected]

Im not very big on using used parts for anything i do, but if the price is right and they look good MAYBE, got any pics and a idea of how much you want?

 

[ttocs]

well I have good news fer ya it is a ridetech kit! I am just upgrading from the traditional bag style to the shockwaves so I can do some performance suspension upgrades as well. It probably will not happen as much as I would like but I will be taking it down the track a time er two for sure and if I could find an small scca event locally it seems like it would be fun All you would need is the tank/compressor/lines and switches but if you want to have the E3 autoleveling sytem(and really now who doesn't?) system I am need to double check but I am 90% sure the level sensors are built into them so I would be selling the ride height sensors as well as the m & m CC plates and the mounts for the bags.

 

[DKblue98GT]

I recently went through my suspension.

In the rear I already had MM HD lower control arms, Eibach Pro kit springs with poly upper iso's and no lower iso, Eibach swaybar and Tokico blue shocks.

After lots of reading about upper control arms I decided to replace the axle bushings with stock style rubber ones instead of poly ones and the upper arms with J&M. The J&M arms have a ball in the center of the poly bushing. The stock uppers are so flimsy looking I can't believe they are that great.

The old upper bushings were so deformed I could barely get them out with the MM tool.

In front I have Pro kit springs, poly upper iso's with no lower iso, poly control arm bushings, MM steering shaft, MM solid rack bushings, Steeda bump steer kit, MM camber caster plates, Tokico blues struts, Eibach sway bar, Moog ball joints, new inner tie rod ends and a good alignment. The car also has MM subframe connectors and strut tower brace.

The front control arm bushings were also wasted.

The car is now very fun to drive and very predictable. At this point the only changes I would make would be H&R SS springs, Bilstien shocks and struts and a MM panhard bar.

My car is just a street car but I drive it 500+ miles a week and like to do some spirited driving on twisty roads. There is definitely some NVH from all of the poly bushings but for me the way the car drives makes it ok.

 

[Ballistic]

I recently went through my suspension.

In the rear I already had MM HD lower control arms, Eibach Pro kit springs with poly upper iso's and no lower iso, Eibach swaybar and Tokico blue shocks.

After lots of reading about upper control arms I decided to replace the axle bushings with stock style rubber ones instead of poly ones and the upper arms with J&M. The J&M arms have a ball in the center of the poly bushing. The stock uppers are so flimsy looking I can't believe they are that great.

The old upper bushings were so deformed I could barely get them out with the MM tool.

In front I have Pro kit springs, poly upper iso's with no lower iso, poly control arm bushings, MM steering shaft, MM solid rack bushings, Steeda bump steer kit, MM camber caster plates, Tokico blues struts, Eibach sway bar, Moog ball joints, new inner tie rod ends and a good alignment. The car also has MM subframe connectors and strut tower brace.

The front control arm bushings were also wasted.

The car is now very fun to drive and very predictable. At this point the only changes I would make would be H&R SS springs, Bilstien shocks and struts and a MM panhard bar.

My car is just a street car but I drive it 500+ miles a week and like to do some spirited driving on twisty roads. There is definitely some NVH from all of the poly bushings but for me the way the car drives makes it ok.

I didn't even notice the JM ones had a different setup with the Cup style bushings and a Lifetime bushing warranty..

J&M Rear Upper Control Arms

J&M Rear Lower Control Arms

VS

Maximum Motorsports Non-Adjustable Rear Lower Control Arms w/ Spring Perch & Sway Bar Mount
or
Maximum Motosports Extreme Duty Non-Adjustable Rear Lower Control Arm Kit w/ Spring Perch & Sway Bar Mount (are the Extreme duty ones even worth it for a DD?)

JM ones are not looking too bad at this point

so many to pick from, i take it the Heim style ones are more for track use?

I have been thinking about doing the MM Panhard Bar Kit but will most likely be for another time after i get all the other stuff on and rebuild the bank account..

 

[Pete@FTR]

Im still unsure on doing uppers, im going to have a ford dealership install all my stuff and ill ask a few buddies there what they think when its time to install..

They're pretty simple. Plus you'll want to switch to a solid upper or delete your uppers and add a torque arm if you go with a panhard or watts link.

Im not very big on using used parts for anything i do, but if the price is right and they look good MAYBE, got any pics and a idea of how much you want?

Don't have any recent pics, they are the Heavy Duty LCAs (one solid joint, one bushing joint). Im thinking probably like $150 shipped; list price is $250 I believe. If you're not into buying used, I totally get that. I'm the same way about some things, so no offense taken!

I have been thinking about doing the MM Panhard Bar Kit but will most likely be for another time after i get all the other stuff on and rebuild the bank account..

If you have the extra money to spend, our Watts Link has been proven to be a better performing alternative to the PHB. Lower roll center possible, identical cornering characteristics left & right, more adjustable, roll center is static rather than moving. Just a thought

 

[DKblue98GT]

Ballistic, I like the MM HD control arms because of the single heim joint on one end and poly bushing on the other.

The J&M lower has poly on both ends which seems more likely to bind and the MM extreme has heims on both ends which seems like too much for a street car. Just my opinion. ..

Pete, that Watts link looks sweet. I will definitely consider that in the future.