P!ssing contest! Who has the best suspension?

DavidBoren

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To be clear, I am asking which member has the best, most complete, dialed in suspension... not which company makes the best.

Obviously, "best, most complete, dialed in" is relative, so I will say that I want to hear everybody's suspension story.

What parts, what settings, what adjustments have you made and why, real world impressions, streetability, etc.

The reason I ask, is because I saw 03DSGGT's mod list on the ROTM voting thread, and I had to look up some of the things he listed because I hadn't heard of them. The axle brace with adjustable lower control arm mounting points and the upper control arm relocation kit have peaked my interests.

Anyways, I just want to hear what everybody has done with their suspension and why. I definitely prefer the road racing type suspension and IRS swaps, but I am not prejudice against drag queens.

Kudos to anyone who has an adjustable suspension and is actually taking the time to dial it in. I think you have to be driving at a different level when out of the box suspension packages just don't cut it anymore and you start messing with the geometry to get YOUR desired results.
 

RichV

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OK, I'll bite. :)

IMO, this is a loaded question.

"Best Suspension", what does that even mean? 100% stock and functional is a great suspension on a daily or a show car. Straight line cars care about 1 thing, weight transfer and get the power to the wheels. Cars that turn for auto-x or open track is a completely different can of worms.

My 94 does not get driven on the street. Can it be? Sure. Would it be a good setup? No, way too harsh. A pebble would upset the suspension enough to feel it. Mine is built to rules of my race series, so I can't just put on whatever I please. I run:
950lb front springs
Koni SA front strut
offset del-alum front CA bushing
MM CC plates
Steeda bump steer
poly rack bushings
stock UCA
MM PHB
MM HD LCA
Bilstein rear shock

I have not had a whole lot of experience with dialing in the Konis. I had a set of Bilstein fronts before and they were great out of the box. I have the Konis set in the middle of the range. The biggest handling difference on the Fox Chassis is rear suspension bushings and the alignment. From what I've seen on track, a stockish HP Mustang will do very well with stockish suspension. Now, you add 1-200HP and it absolutely needs a lot.

But does that apply to a street driver or drag racer. No.

I, on the other hand, would absolutely do a kit from MM or Griggs. I guarantee they have done a lot more hours of testing than I ever will accomplish in my lifetime, and are much smarter on the setup end of the spectrum. I can drive, can I setup? Not so much. It's similar to someone great at art is not so great at math. So if I was building an American Iron Mustang, I would most likely have someone that knows their shit recommend the setup rather than experimenting with parts and loosing race weekends.
 

the5.ohh

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I almost thought this thread title said something else. I'll keep it to myself haha
 

hotmustang95

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FISH ON.......

I can't comment on my current set up consisting of MM coil overs 400# fronts and 250# rears on Koni SA's, MMPB, MMRLCA's, Steeda front swaybar and Steeda 4 bolt CC plates and no rear swayer because I have not tested it yet but many of my track buddies highly recommend this setup.

I can however talk about my previous setup which was Bilstein HD struts and shocks, H&R SR Springs, MMPHB, MMRLCA's, Steeda front swaybar, Steeda 4 bolt CC plates and no rear swaybar. The car was a great all out machine with this setup. Very nice on the streets and able to handle the track very well. The H&R super race springs were great for a double duty car. They actually weren't that harsh on the streets. The Bilsteins are some of the best you can buy. Very good quality hardware and can take a beating. No adjustment required with them. Just slap em on and drive. I do love my Steeda 4 bolt race CC plates. When I arrive for a track event I jack the car up, loosen the bolts on them and drop the wheels inward for track duty. After an event I put them back to street mode. They have markings on them for adjustments so it makes it real easy to change for track/street use. It'll save your street tires if you drive to events like I do. Most guys I know set their gear for track use and never touch it. Problem is when you drive on the streets the inside of your street tires will wear out fast.
 

ttocs

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mine is the best because I have no fear of speed bumps and can still drop it down.

Realistically I am looking forward to some real suspension upgrades hopefully shortly
 

Ferocious

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Mine is the best because I didn't spend $2500 to press a button to go over speedbumps. Also I got the stance to make em dance. And finally if I needed to I could raise the car up an inch all the way around and still hit the track in a very well mannered ride. 10 way adjustable dampeners all the way around, 300# front coilovers which to me is a good median, 4 bolt cc plates, adjustable lower control arms, stock uppers, cobra swaybar, and a camber kit for that extra contact patch :eek:

Definitely designed for the streets but I do intend to hit up Willow Springs track sometime this year to actually get a feel for the car when it's not slammed on its face.
 

wmfateam

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REAR:
UPR Double Adjustable Uppers with all Spherical Bushings
MM Road Race Lower Control Arms
Yaw Power Re valved Bilstein HD Shocks with 225lbs Coil over Springs
Steeda adjustable rear sway bar (Fully backed out so it is very soft)

Front:
Stock Control Arms with Poly Bushings
Steeda X2 Balljoints
Steeda Bumpsteer Kit
Steeda Front Sway Bar
Poly Steering Rack Bushings
Tokico Illumina Struts(Just had one blow out on track, almost caused a fire, was followed back into the pits smoking by the Safety truck)
Steeda Full Comp Front Springs with Spring Rubbers installed(Increased to 1,150 lbs)
MM Castor Camber Plates
No Strut Tower Bar

Is this the best set up? No. But I sure can get this ***** to turn in, rotate and accelerate out. Seat time and knowing why/if you should replace things is the way to set up a suspension. Having a two road race suspension/fab/racers to ask questions and help, doesn't hurt either. Tires can also cover up a suspensions weak points(they can also covers a drivers weakness). Getting the valved shocks and rear coil overs is in my opinion one of my best modifications. Those things soak up so much crap and really help the car to be able to keep grip during the corner and help drive off. I think it is definitely best to drive your car with decent tires, RS3-Rival-StarSpec-XS, and get a feel for what the car is doing/not doing, and attack that way. Also if you are trying to fit in a class that has modification limitations, find out what you can live with, and what you can not.
 

Pete@FTR

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[MENTION=10532]MadStang[/MENTION]. Because watts link :thumbsup:
 

MadStang

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Pete you're right for road race/autoX. doubtful that too many others have as much engineering and research time into the suspension of the sn95 that the Roush has. This being said there's always room for improvement.. cost just out weights the gains of course.

The proof is in the two SCCA national event 1st place trophies I took home from the last two weeks in a row of racing!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

slow90coupe

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Me. Parts store replacement shocks/struts, cut springs in the rear, $100 coilover kit up front with stock cc plates. Rides AMAZING.
 

Burninriverdiver

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Mine... Summit racing springs and the factory original shocks from 1996 with only 156k miles on them. When I hit a bump it feels like you are riding a water bed
 
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DavidBoren

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Congratulations MadStang. It's hard to argue with those results.

I know that what the car is going to be used for greatly influences what suspension is best for it. I did say that "best, most complete, dialed in" is relative. Obviously the stock suspension in it's OEM greatness is the best, most complete, dialed in suspension for a high school girl.

But for those of us that aren't running around with ribbons in our hair, I think that some adjustments need to be made.

If I had deep pockets, and was building an SN to handle, it would be a Griggs SLA front suspension, and a cobra IRS with everything Kenny Brown makes for it. That is what I consider the "best, most complete, dialed in" suspension available for the SN.
 
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DavidBoren

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Pete you're right for road race/autoX. doubtful that too many others have as much engineering and research time into the suspension of the sn95 that the Roush has. This being said there's always room for improvement.. cost just out weights the gains of course.

The proof is in the two SCCA national event 1st place trophies I took home from the last two weeks in a row of racing!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

By the way, unless it's all secret squirrel can't tell nobody status, what does your suspension set-up consists of?
 

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