Wheels or Suspension mods?

Robstercraws

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Car: 97 Cobra. HR SS springs and Koni STR T shocks/struts. No other suspension modifications. Stock 17 inch Cobra wheels. My plan for the car is to get a set of staggered FR's in 17 inch with the 10.5 in the rear. I"m also planning on sub-frame connectors, rear LCAs, Panhard bar and torque arm. Not all at once of course, I'm saving to do this in different phases I guess you can say.

So my question: Would it be more beneficial to put the sub-frame connectors, pan-hard bar and LCA's on first, or new wider wheels? The price is about the same for Wheels or the Suspension mods, I want the car to handle better around a corner and be more predictable on uneven road surfaces. I know if I get the wheels first, I'll have the gratification of the way it looks every time I look at it. But will my driving experience be better with the suspension mods?

Maybe a dumb question, but I just wanted some other opinions from people who have those suspension mods. And hear some thoughts maybe I haven't thought of.
 

Sinned83

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I'd go the suspension 1st starting with SFC's
 

wildman97

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I kept my stock wheels and did suspension. H&R SS Springs, Strange Adjustable shock/struts, baseline relocated uppers, team-z street launch lowers. The car handles nice now.
 

Ferocious

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I would do the wheels first.

Instant gratification without even having to turn the car on.
 

LilRoush

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Suspension first, and then if you set it up correctly, don't get staggered wheels. You can squeeze much better handling out of it with the same size wheels/tires all around.
 

g36 monkey

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Suspension first, and then if you set it up correctly, don't get staggered wheels. You can squeeze much better handling out of it with the same size wheels/tires all around.

I kick myself a bit for getting staggered wheels for this reason. I will eventually get a dedicated track setup and then a street driving set up. Staggered does look good, I think we can all agree on that, but its functionality is hindered.
 

Burninriverdiver

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I'm gonna vote wheels. If it was maintenence vs wheels always go maintenance, and it's not like your suspension is completely stock
 

Win

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I'd go the suspension 1st starting with SFC's

agreed suspension first.


I kept my stock wheels and did suspension. H&R SS Springs, Strange Adjustable shock/struts, baseline relocated uppers, team-z street launch lowers. The car handles nice now.

yep a good set of springs and struts/shocks first


Suspension first, and then if you set it up correctly, don't get staggered wheels. You can squeeze much better handling out of it with the same size wheels/tires all around.

yeah I wish I could get a set of y2k r's for mine.


I kick myself a bit for getting staggered wheels for this reason. I will eventually get a dedicated track setup and then a street driving set up. Staggered does look good, I think we can all agree on that, but its functionality is hindered.


Yeah just as I said above I want y2k r's
 

RichV

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Do you have track experience? When you say more predictable, what are you comparing to? Or what does handle better mean?

A T/A and PHB are very track oriented mods. That's why I ask. A well setup quadrabind can actually work well. Even on track.
 

Michael Plummer

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Suspension. The TA and PHB will dramatically change the way the car handles and drives. Couple it with a set of full length sub-frame connectors from MM or Stifflers suspension and you'll be good to go.
 

Michael Plummer

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When you say more predictable, what are you comparing to? Or what does handle better mean?
Great questions, and the same questions I was faced when I decided to upgrade my suspension on my daily driver. I have a friend that basically had the same suspension setup I had. He made the switch to a full MM setup (front & rear), and the car doesn't even feel or drive like a Mustang anymore. His car is more stable at highway speeds, over bumps and ruts it road better without the driver get thrown around (if that makes sense), hard braking was vastly improved where the car's rear stayed planted (no more nose diving), etc. Those improvements made me start my switch to a full MM setup, and I thought I had a good handling vehicle. Drove my car for the first time yesterday with my new suspensions mods, and the car feels amazing.

Old suspension:
Front struts: Tokico 5-way adjustable
Sway bar: Eibach
Lowering springs: H&R SS
CC plates: Hotchkis
Stifflers: Full length SFC, and their FIT system

Rear
Shocks: Tokico 5-way adjustable
Lower springs: H&R SS
Swaybar: Eibach
Upper control arms: Steeda double adjustable
Lower control arms: Steeda
 
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Robstercraws

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Thanks everyone for the input and opinions!

No track experience, no. I also drive a Mazda 6 every day. I know the Cobra will never handle like that thing. But I know it can be better than what it is now.

What I mean is I'd like to be able to take a corner (not even at a fast speed) with confidence that the rear end of my car isn't going to do it's own thing if I hit a bump. On uneven road surfaces and turns, I feel like the car steers itself from the rear. I'd like to fix that.

Idk if going with a PHB and TA setup is overkill for my uses, but I want to do something to try and fix it. As far as I know, all the searching I've done the only other option would be a watts link. And that seems even more track oriented.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 

the5.ohh

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I'd go with suspension first. You going to track the car at all? If not, you might not need a phb. I'd think a set of full length sfc's, beefier rear sway bar, lower control arms and good shocks and struts should be what your looking for.
 

RichV

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A stock-ish Mustangs track manners when driven at limit is a tendency to push, aka understeer. It means you're steering and the car is not, still going straight. This is due to more grip in the back, less in the front. So it seems like that's backwards of what you are saying.

The Cobra can handle like a Mazda3, no question about it. It just needs to be setup for the application.

Lastly, ever think of going IRS? That will really make the car more streetable, and you can put a more street oriented suspension tat will still feel better in the handling department.
 

RichV

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Great questions, and the same questions I was faced when I decided to upgrade my suspension on my daily driver. I have a friend that basically had the same suspension setup I had. He made the switch to a full MM setup (front & rear), and the car doesn't even feel or drive like a Mustang anymore. His car is more stable at highway speeds, over bumps and ruts it road better without the driver get thrown around (if that makes sense), hard braking was vastly improved where the car's rear stayed planted (no more nose diving), etc. Those improvements made me start my switch to a full MM setup, and I thought I had a good handling vehicle. Drove my car for the first time yesterday with my new suspensions mods, and the car feels amazing.

Old suspension:
Front struts: Tokico 5-way adjustable
Sway bar: Eibach
Lowering springs: H&R SS
CC plates: Hotchkis
Stifflers: Full length SFC, and their FIT system

Rear
Shocks: Tokico 5-way adjustable
Lower springs: H&R SS
Swaybar: Eibach
Upper control arms: Steeda double adjustable
Lower control arms: Steeda

I've always wondered how a track suspension would do on the street, as far as ride, comfort, and NVH. What level of bushings do you run? I know I can find the rates, but you know the spring rates off the top?
 
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Robstercraws

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I've thought about IRS, and I'd love to do that. But I figured setting up the SRA suspension would be cheaper than an IRS swap. Are you saying a PHB won't make any noticeable difference in street driving? What can I do to get less understeer then?
 

RichV

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Truthfully I question the PHB even in track cars, I should re-word that, in track Fox/SN Mustangs. If you do a T/A and completely dump the UCAs, that's ideal. At that point, a Watts or PHB would shine.

We have several Mustangs in our region that run and don't run a PHB. There is no track where laptimes between the PHB and non-PHB cars differs. But, our class cannot use a T/A. A PM3L is something that can get you close, but is still not a true 3 link. And it tears up the torque boxes. IMO the PM3L still allows the axle to shift creating a understeer in particularly right hand turns, lefts not as much. But that depends which side of UCA you are using. This is particularly noticeable at higher speeds. But this is all track related info, on the street these suspensions would be very uncomfortable IMO.

But there is definitely a compromise, you don't need hardcore track suspension.
 

Michael Plummer

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I've always wondered how a track suspension would do on the street, as far as ride, comfort, and NVH. What level of bushings do you run? I know I can find the rates, but you know the spring rates off the top?
Front coil springs: 300lbs
MM rear springs: 240-260 (that's what MM stated)
I'm running polyurethane bushings for the following: sway bars, end links, lower control arms.
I run stk. Rubber bushings in the following: engine and transmission mounts, and upper rear axle housing.

Again, my car is a driver. I have over 275,000 miles on it, and we love taking it on long trips out of state, so the ride needs to be comfortable. My main reason for using MM is it's built with strength in mind vs. lower weight.

I hope this helps.
Michael Plummer
 

Win

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Lastly, ever think of going IRS? That will really make the car more streetable, and you can put a more street oriented suspension tat will still feel better in the handling department.


Yep ;) i agree it's what I'm doing.
 

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