Suspension recommendations

[Drenath]

Looking to replace suspension all around. I realize this thread may be asking a very specific question and it's okay if it doesn't get a ton of traffic. I've got time to decide.

• Street/strip setup (not a trailer car)
• Drag launching important. Handling not.
• Hooking up on the street is important.
• Don't want to mess with adjustables.
• Appearance not a concern.

Please note: I am only looking for recommendations from people who have experience with an aftermarket setup like this. Also, let me know if a setup did NOT work for your goals if similar to above.

[lcaptmorg]

If you primary goal is strictly straight line here is the simple remedy.
Front:
CC plates
coil overs
12 or 14" 175 lb spring
Ditch the sway bar.

Rear:
Weight jacker lower (maximum motorsports)
relocated upper (kevin at baseline or team Z)
stock rear spring 1/2 to 1 coil cut depending or teams Z drop in rear spring.


Only 1 caveat you listed was you dont want to mess with adjustable. Almost impossible to get a drag car dialed in with not way to adjust the shocks. You will get decent performance but no where near what a good adjustable will give you. Strange, takico, any of which are great choices and making adjustments are pretty easy. Of course dont over look tires. Best suspension on earth wont fix that. Some good sticky DRs at a min.

I have had dozens of setups on many mustangs through the last 20 years. Car went 1.56 60ft on the stock long block. 1.49 with cams and intake and current best is 1.41 with all motor setup and that has had very few adjustments done to it.

[Drenath]

Thanks for the suggestions, very much appreciated.

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

(front) 12 or 14" 175 lb spring

Would I choose one length or the other based on tire size? Rear springs?

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

Strange, takico, any of which are great choices and making adjustments are pretty easy.

You make a good point about adjustables. As long as they 'hold' their settings and don't require a ton of maintenance once dialed-in, I think that's workable.

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

Of course dont over look tires. Best suspension on earth wont fix that. Some good sticky DRs at a min.

Currently on 28" M&H Racemasters with a 4.56 gear. I know that's a lot of gear for my power levels but I've had success with traction on the street in the past with 26" 555R's and a 4.30 (about 3 rear ends ago...) which was good for 1.67 on the stock clutch/suspension/rear back when the car was my DD.

I keep the tires around 20psi for street driving, but even so if I power-shortshift into 2nd on the street the result is 100+ foot rolling burnouts. Even if I ease into WoT they will break halfway through 2nd. So either I need something a bit stickier or maybe I just have a bad tire for street driving. But 100k+ mile stock suspension might be the issue also. I know there are cars plenty faster than mine that hook up well on the street.

For the record I do not intend to street race, this is just a fun car that I've retired from DD duty and decided to get a little more radical with. That said, a street racing setup would probably hit most of my goals. For the dragstrip bogging the car a little on the launch actually gave me the best 60's and E.T's even if I lost some MPH. Which I suspect is due to the power curve from the Eaton SC. I only made around 100 passes total and while I'm convinced there's a lot more room for improvement with the driver mod at the dragstrip, this car will mostly see sunny day street duty and I just prefer it to not be all over the road.

[lcaptmorg]

Originally Posted by Drenath

Thanks for the suggestions, very much appreciated.

Would I choose one length or the other based on tire size? Rear springs?
You make a good point about adjustable. As long as they 'hold' their settings and don't require a ton of maintenance once dialed-in, I think that's workable.

They will hold their setting just fine. You will find that being able to change setting basted on street conditions and track conditions hugely beneficial.

Front length and rate is chosen based on car wt and how fast and far you want the front end to rise. For "street" performance lighter and taller will help as dead hooking rarely if ever happens. At the track if the front end is coming up to fast or to far that can be tamed with tightening the front shock, shorter or heavier front spring and or limiters(not needed on a street car)

The stock rear spring rate works very well on these cars. Removing a little bit of coil along with the weight jackers can help change the orientation of the upper and lower control arms which changes how the car reacts on a launch (ie Instant center and anti squat.) with the stock set up IC is to far out in front Anti squat % is to low and the car doesn't apply enough leverage to the back tires. Relocated uppers fix this problem and allow the suspension to hit the tires much harder. There is of course a point of diminishing return here.

Currently on 28" M&H Racemasters with a 4.56 gear. I know that's a lot of gear for my power levels but I've had success with traction on the street in the past with 26" 555R's and a 4.30 (about 3 rear ends ago...) which was good for 1.67 on the stock clutch/suspension/rear back when the car was my DD.

That is a nice 60ft with 555Rs

I don't think that is two much gear at all. Espcecially with 28" tire. Is that the DR? or cheater slick? Although our power application is very different (ie NA vs PD blower) our power level is similar. I run 4.56s with a 26" slick, and 4.88s with a 28" slick. Some suspension work will benefit you greatly.

I keep the tires around 20psi for street driving, but even so if I power-shortshift into 2nd on the street the result is 100+ foot rolling burnouts. Even if I ease into WoT they will break halfway through 2nd. So either I need something a bit stickier or maybe I just have a bad tire for street driving. But 100k+ mile stock suspension might be the issue also. I know there are cars plenty faster than mine that hook up well on the street.

For the record I do not intend to street race, this is just a fun car that I've retired from DD duty and decided to get a little more radical with. That said, a street racing setup would probably hit most of my goals. For the dragstrip bogging the car a little on the launch actually gave me the best 60's and E.T's even if I lost some MPH. Which I suspect is due to the power curve from the Eaton SC. I only made around 100 passes total and while I'm convinced there's a lot more room for improvement with the driver mod at the dragstrip, this car will mostly see sunny day street duty and I just prefer it to not be all over the road.

100k, definitely time for upgrade.

[Drenath]

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

Front:
CC plates
coil overs
12 or 14" 175 lb spring
Ditch the sway bar.

Rear:
Weight jacker lower (maximum motorsports)
relocated upper (kevin at baseline or team Z)
stock rear spring 1/2 to 1 coil cut depending or teams Z drop in rear spring.

Hope you don't mind me posting this (link was in your sig) but is that the setup you were running when this pic was taken?

[slojunk91]

^^^Love this pic!!! His car probably '60's better than anyone on this site.

[littlemags]

^^ ummm good but I know someone that does it better...
lol

[slojunk91]

Originally Posted by littlemags

^^ ummm good but I know someone that does it better...
lol

I knew you would be the first response to that !!! How about best '60 with a STICK car lol!!

[lcaptmorg]

There are far far better 60fts than mine lol. The car has a best of 1.41 currently. But honestly I didn't mess with the suspension much that weekend. I was sorting out new motor, trans, clutch etc so I just set what would work to start.


That is all UPR front 12/175 coil overs, strange adjustables,

Rear is 100% Kevin at baseline suspension, Relocated upper, Tubular lowers, ARB, Track locator to center up the rear. IC brackets on the lowers.

Only difference is I have QA1 DA coil overs with 110# in the rear. The DA definitely help but honestly coil over make no difference.

Setting up a stick car is definitely quite different than an auto.

[jeffrey1]

I here so many mix reviews about coils over for a street/track car What do guys think. What would be the best setup for both worlds

[Drenath]

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

They will hold their setting just fine.

Front length and rate is chosen based on car wt and how fast and far you want the front end to rise. For "street" performance lighter and taller will help as dead hooking rarely if ever happens. At the track if the front end is coming up to fast or to far that can be tamed with tightening the front shock, shorter or heavier front spring and or limiters(not needed on a street car)

This is great info, very useful. Thank you.

As far as weight my car is basically factory, minus however much the eaton weighs more than the stock intake adding a little bias toward the front. So I think lighter/taller will work out great.

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

The stock rear spring rate works very well on these cars. Removing a little bit of coil along with the weight jackers can help change the orientation of the upper and lower control arms which changes how the car reacts on a launch (ie Instant center and anti squat.) with the stock set up IC is to far out in front Anti squat % is to low and the car doesn't apply enough leverage to the back tires. Relocated uppers fix this problem and allow the suspension to hit the tires much harder. There is of course a point of diminishing return here.

I'm still figuring out the whole geometry thing, but it sounds like relocated uppers are a silver bullet.

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

That is a nice 60ft with 555Rs

Thanks. Maybe I'm not the worst driver ever

Originally Posted by lcaptmorg

Is that the DR? or cheater slick?

DR.

[lcaptmorg]

Originally Posted by jeffrey1

I here so many mix reviews about coils over for a street/track car What do guys think. What would be the best setup for both worlds

The better it gets for the track the worse it gets for street driving. Front coil overs absolutely. For the simple sake of being able to adjust ride height.

Rear are hugely debatable as the rear shock towers were never intended to hold the weight of the car. I personaly have not had any problem with my set up over the years and don't know of any one who have structural problems. Problem is its also not the ideal coil over location. I prefer it because of the adjust ability but honestly I have not seen better 60ft times with rear coil overs.

Adjust ability is about as close as you can come for both worlds. I tighten my shocks down for street driving and I disconnect on of the down links on the ARB.