Upgrading stock suspension

mrappe · May 30, 2011

I just bought a 98 Coupe because my son's jetta cratered on the way home from college. He can drive the car until he gets a job but when we drove it home I noticed the suspension was moving al over the place like a boat so i thought i would replace the shocks. I have worked on many cars over the last 40 yrs but i have never do much with suspensions. i would like to fix the existing problem and improve the suspension some without spending too much time and money on it if possible since we have to fix the clutch on his Jetta and I need to fix some things on my 93 VR4. I was looking for some spring/strut/shock recomendations for a car that would be driven daily for now.

Thank You

Mustanger · May 30, 2011

Eibach Prokit is a nice setup...is the car lowered?

2v_takeover · May 30, 2011

Mhm, I've got eibach shocks/struts, and prokit. Rides nicely, but a bit firm on some bumps depending. I'd recommend the sportlines over prokit if you were going more towards the looks of the car though. My car was fairly easy to do besides a few nasty bolts.

Win · May 30, 2011

Bilstein Hd Struts/Shocks all 4 corners. For a good streetable ride a 12" 250lb coilover in the front with either a Steeda Spring matched to the front or H&R Super race spring in the rear,or if you can afford it coilovers in the rear also.

mrappe · May 31, 2011

I am not familiar with "coilover". Could someone tell me what that is?

Musturd · May 31, 2011

They give you adjustable ride height And much improved handling the coil actually runs on the shock or strut with a sleeve. I'm pretty sure you could do a upr coilover kit with strange 10 ways for cheaper then the pro damper shocks and struts with pro kit springs as well.

Woody6799 · May 31, 2011

I just did the KYB struts/shocks from a fox with the pro kit springs. Next step is to replace all the rubber bushings with poly and it should handle decent enough for a daily driver if that is all you are looking for... I won't be stopping there though...

mrappe · May 31, 2011

KYB struts/shocks from a fox with the pro kit springs

I am not sure what the fox and pro kit springs are. The fox is another mustang? Any particular year model or does it matter. What are the pro kit springs?

2v_takeover · May 31, 2011

Eibach prokit? Lowers the car a bit, Reduced my bodyroll, nosedive alot over my stock ones. improved grip. Also they are progressive springs.

Spring Rates:

Front: 456-570 lb/in.
Rear: 200-251 lb/in.

*american muscle information*

Win · May 31, 2011

Here is mysetup to give you an idea.

Upr Front Coilover Eibach 12" 250lb Spring
Bilstein 03/04 cobra take off

Steeda 5558200 rear Springs has a 250lb spring rate.

Bilstein HD rears.

This should yield a very comfortable ride for the street but hook decent at the strip the few times i go. I also have a set of Full length Subframes installed and i am looking into a Panhard bar also.

Musturd · May 31, 2011

Yea I've been looking into the panhard bar from mm to go with my subframes and cage.

Woody6799 · Jun 1, 2011

mrappe said:
KYB struts/shocks from a fox with the pro kit springs

Click to expand...

I am not sure what the fox and pro kit springs are. The fox is another mustang? Any particular year model or does it matter. What are the pro kit springs?

Fox body is the previous mustang body style, 87-93. If you lower the car with the Eibach "Pro Kit" springs you should use the shocks and struts from an 87-93 mustang. The "Fox body" shocks and struts are an inch shorter and therefore allow an inch more travel space before bottoming out. The Eibach springs will help stiffen the ride and make it more stable and improve handling. These items can be found all over the web but def. check out Americanmuscle.com

Mustanger · Jun 2, 2011

How can you get an inch more travel from an inch shorter shock or strut? I was under the impression Fox Bodies shocks/struts were the same length but the mounting brackets on the struts were a bit lower thus giving more travel...I can't figure the shocks out unless they are just plain longer...mor info needed please I'm in the dark.

Woody6799 · Jun 2, 2011

they are built an inch shorter bc the fox rides an inch shorter. the springs determine your ride height. therefore, if you lower your sn95 mustang an inch, you are the same height as a fox (full travel for the purpose built fox struts). if you use sn95 struts and lower one inch, your struts are now already compressed an inch, meaning that is one inch less travel space before hitting the bottom of your strut.