Has anyone tried the Steeda S550 Mustang Front Control Arms (Lateral and Tension Links w/ Bearings)?

[Dbrabas]

Has anyone tried the Steeda S550 Mustang Front Control Arms (Lateral and Tension Links w/ Bearings)? I’m trying to get a tighter suspension and more steering feel and maybe weight. I’ve dropped my vehicle using coilovers maybe an inch and a half in the front and inch and a quarter in the back. So it feels wonky I hear these should help. Any information will be helpful

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[KingKona]

I'd like to help, but I know nothing about those LCAs, and I'm mezmorized by that rear wing.

Transfixed.

 

[Dbrabas]

I'd like to help, but I know nothing about those LCAs, and I'm mezmorized by that rear wing.

Transfixed.

No sure if that’s a good thing or bad thing it’s a GTC500

 

[Red65]

They will help correct your roll center after dropping the car that much. They just offset the balljoint to keep the lateral link level. Normally, if you just lower the car it will place the link pivot point below the balljoint on the hub, which causes the car to have excessive body roll in corners. Alternatively, you can get the steeda road race front K member that has mounting holes specifically for lowered cars to correct roll center, but you can use stock offset lateral links and you get the weight loss benefit. Just depends on what your budget is.

 

[Dbrabas]

They will help correct your roll center after dropping the car that much. They just offset the balljoint to keep the lateral link level. Normally, if you just lower the car it will place the link pivot point below the balljoint on the hub, which causes the car to have excessive body roll in corners. Alternatively, you can get the steeda road race front K member that has mounting holes specifically for lowered cars to correct roll center, but you can use stock offset lateral links and you get the weight loss benefit. Just depends on what your budget is.

Do you feel they are worth it? Thinking about buying but price is almost 700$

 

[Red65]

Do you feel they are worth it? Thinking about buying but price is almost 700$

Either those or the K member are necessary if you want to correct your roll center. Obviously, you can drive the car as-is, but it won't perform well unless the roll center is corrected one way or another. Personally, I feel like the K member is the best way to do it, but guys here have used the offset lateral links with great results.

 

[NightmareMoon]

You don't need the tension link, only the lateral link, and people say the bumpsteer kit is kinda manditory if you get the lateral link, so that's this kit here.. Its cheaper too.

I have it, and although my car is only lowered 3/4", steering is fantastic (i.e. very stock-like). I drove an S197 lowered w/o anything to correct the geometry and the steerring was really off-putting, and my car drives nothing like that. I'm assuming that's similar to what you're feeling.

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-555-4915-s550-roll-center--bumpsteer-correction-kit

 

[Dbrabas]

What about

You don't need the tension link, only the lateral link, and people say the bumpsteer kit is kinda manditory if you get the lateral link, so that's this kit here.. Its cheaper too.

I have it, and although my car is only lowered 3/4", steering is fantastic (i.e. very stock-like). I drove an S197 lowered w/o anything to correct the geometry and the steerring was really off-putting, and my car drives nothing like that. I'm assuming that's similar to what you're feeling.

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-555-4915-s550-roll-center--bumpsteer-correction-kit

So do you think there’s a benefit to getting the bearing on the lateral link?

 

[shogun32]

I went bearings all around, as well as the roll-center-correcting link AND the bumpsteer kit. The front-end is now very, very good. Bearings or not is up to you but definitely get the latter 2 parts.

 

[NightmareMoon]

What about


So do you think there’s a benefit to getting the bearing on the lateral link?

Sure, but its a pretty small detail. You mentioned the cost.. well you can save some money by not upgrading that one part, as its tangential to what it sounds like your issues are (geometry issues).

If your control arm bearings were shot, then I'd say go ahead and replace with the marginally better part, but in this case...

 

[Dbrabas]

Sure, but its a pretty small detail. You mentioned the cost.. well you can save some money by not upgrading that one part, as its tangential to what it sounds like your issues are (geometry issues).

If your control arm bearings were shot, then I'd say go ahead and replace with the marginally better part, but in this case...

Thanks i ended up ordering, came out to $450 which isn't to bad. Also thinking about picking up the Steeda Rear subframe support braces

 

[NightmareMoon]

Thanks i ended up ordering, came out to $450 which isn't to bad. Also thinking about picking up the Steeda Rear subframe support braces

Let us know how they feel when you get them on the car. I'm very curious what your experience is.

 

[KingKona]

....I drove an S197 lowered w/o anything to correct the geometry and the steerring was really off-putting, and my car drives nothing like that....

The suspensions on S197s and S550s are completely different. Drastically different.

 

[BluePonyGT]

I spent most of the pandemic rebuilding the suspension on my car using progressives from steeda, tow links, swapped the bushings with bearings, new struts/shocks, sway bars, end links, etc. I initially bought a kit from them, and left the front alone.

This turned out to be a fixable mistake, but a gap in my plan nonetheless. The car was lower, stable, and cornered better for sure, but the front was "bouncy". You had to "steer" the car more than before, or actually drive it. This was originally a function of un-adjustable camber and bump steer, but also the fact that those huge rubber bushings that connect the front tension arms to the frame now are an obvious weak link to what would otherwise be a very solid suspension.

It's kinda like riding on the back of a grocery cart. You can feel the front of the cart wanting to lift off the ground.

The front needs the same treatment. In fact there should be a follow-up kit that includes not only these two components:

555 4908 - Steeda S550 Mustang Front Control Arms Tension Links w/ Bearings (2015-2020)

555 4915 - Steeda S550 Mustang Front Roll Center & Bumpsteer Correction Kit (2015-2020)

But also camber plates that have adjustable camber/castor.

You don't NEED the lateral links, but kinda like you don't NEED the rear camber arms either. If you want a solid suspension that has stability and steering set up properly I think this is the minimum. Beyond this you're swapping the lateral links and those rear camber arms, and you're also putting in spherical bushings wherever they are lacking.

Later I added the K member, but by then the REAL improvement was those huge spherical bushings on those tension links, bumpsteer kit and the camber adjustment on the camber plates (Sorry Steeda - I went with Maximum Motorsports on those).

 

[Red65]

The suspensions on S197s and S550s are completely different. Drastically different.

Granted, but improper roll center affects both in the same way. It’s more of a general suspension tuning principle than an effect of a specific suspension design.

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