Rear Suspension Advice

[jr50rider]

Hello All,
I am new to the forum and need some advice. my car in question 98 GT, procharged. 51K on the clock.

Back history: I bought this car as a x-mas present to myself after i sold my motorcycles. this was supposed to be my weekend car, shows, etc. over the winter, i did the PI intake, all fluids, filters, plugs, new brakes and tires, etc. Runs great!!!

Anyways 3-weeks ago i find out my wife is having our third child. so since then i have traded in her camry and my new tacoma for a brand new Sienna and my summer car (Mustang) has temporarily turned into my daily driver. which i don't mind except that i don't want to put the miles and wear on it as a DD.

So here is my question:
The car has Eibach springs for suspension mods, that's it. the front needs CC plates, i know that for sure. the real issue is the rear, feels like it isn't even connected to the car. i have read new control arms, shocks, etc., etc. But the real question i have is where do i start??? the biggest thing i notice is the rear-end feels like it sways back and forth by itself. it is awful... any suggestion are appreciated. Also like everyone else in this time and economy i need to be budget minded.

Thanks in advance.

 

[GDTrumbo]

Tighten up the chassis with a good set of SFC's and a strut tower brace. That will take care of the rattles some have. Then add a panhard rod kit to control the "rear steer" feel your experiencing. The factory 4-link cannot control the transversal axle movement on their own. Don't just add LCA's w/o the panhard rod as it will usually feel looser than if you just left the OEM LCA's in place.

Good Luck & welcome, GT

 

[CompOrangeSN95]

I would recommend changing your bushing for polyurethane first, it will make a world of difference, if you want to go even farther, get after market control arms (hotchkis are nice) this will substantially stiffen the rear and get rid of that sloppy feeling.

 

[badass98svt]

MM C/c plates, MM LCAs, MM sfc's, replace the bush's in the uca's, and go from there.

Don't forgrt some gearing too. Either 3.73s or maybe 4.10s

 

[jr50rider]

Thanks for the advice. i should have added as mentioned, i have the strut tower brace and it's geared already. so it sounds like a panhard bar set-up and lowers would be the way to go? are the upper arms o.k.? i am sure that the bushings are wiped out of all of the arms.

Also is MM the only ones making the panhard kits?

 

[badass98svt]

I'd steer away from a PHB. LCAs alone are a large improvement. Don'y understand how anyone could say they are worse than OEM.

 

[GDTrumbo]

^ I was told this by 2 "techies". One at MM and another from Griggs Racing. I never realized how bad the rear axle movement was until after I installed the PHB kit. At least now the rear follows where I point the car, no matter how hard I push it. All 79+ Mustangs should have had PHB's from the factory. Just too bad Ford didn't finally make it a factory installed item until the '05 cars. Hell, even GM & Chrysler used them on their 4-link mid-size & full sized cars..... 40 years ago. Now if we just didn't have a Pinto type fuel tank design.

GT

 

[badass98svt]

I keep reading that people have unpredictable steering with a PHB. it'll turns left differently than it turns right, etc.

 

[GDTrumbo]

This is true by the inherant design. But, it's so slight you will never really notice it, especially with a 38" long Bar. I even installed mine before I ever bought the LCA's. Took me 11 hrs. to instal it myself but was worth every penny. Now just for some "B" springs, CC plates and an alignment. Oh, and lets not forget the front Cobra LCA's too.

GT

 

[jr50rider]

I was king of thinking of doing the PHB first as well. i know the lowers are a must as well. but the PHB seems like it would make the biggest difference. now to start shopping for deals... thanks for the advice.

 

[cntchds]

I did a Watts link in my rear, and it was night and day how it handled after. I would really suggest getting a axle centering device and see if that solves your problems. My plan was to get control arms and the Watts, but the Watts cleared up so much of the slack that I still haven't bought control arms.

 

[badass98svt]

What watts did you go with?

 

[Flar]

I think the only company that makes a watts for are cars now is griggs, but in all honesty unless you are going to race the car you will never tell the difference between a watts and a PHB, you will probably actually prefer the PHB because of less NVH transfered into the cabin on the street due to erethane bushings in the PHB.

 

[GDTrumbo]

The MM panhard kit will transfer some axle noise due to the use of heim joints at the rods ends. I may install a poly bushed unit at the axle end if one can be found to fit it.

GT

 

[cntchds]

It is very very true what is stated above. The Watts, although very cool to brag about, is nothing more than a pumped up Panhard bar. I would definitely suggest picking one up if you find one on the cheap like I did, but a Panhard bar will do more than enough for anybody on the street, and most people if they are new to the track. The only reason I even brought up Watts links was because I have one. My suggestion to you and everyone else on this board is to go with a Panhard bar. The erratic steering difference left to right would be apparent with a short bar, but I think that the ones on our cars are 32"... You will not notice the minute difference until 10/10ths of what your car can do, and even then it will never be erratic.

As for my Watts, it is from Evolution Motorsports. There are still companies that make a Watts for SN95s like Griggs and Fays2, but they are very upmarket, and not really something for the everyday DD Mustang. Just so I can put this in a post, Fays2 is awesome for customer service, or in my case, non customer service. I was having trouble setting up my Watts, emailed them and John Fay emailed me back with his number to help me work out the kinks I was having setting mine up. Nobody in the business better to work with. Try calling Griggs and you'll see the polar opposite.