What handling mods for street driving on a stock S550

[mookieit]

I am interested in enhancing my handling experience.

I think the handling on the Mustang is perfect, but I never had the opportunity to experience any mods that claim to improve handling.

What mods would you suggest that can improve handling for street driving and what would that mod improve?

I do prefer OEM parts but will consider aftermarket if OEM is not an option.

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[NightmareMoon]

I am interested in enhancing my handling experience.

I think the handling on the Mustang is perfect, but I never had the opportunity to experience any mods that claim to improve handling.

What mods would you suggest that can improve handling for street driving and what would that mod improve?

I do prefer OEM parts but will consider aftermarket if OEM is not an option.

Well if its perfect, then leave it alone. Suspension is all compromises. Most of the improvements have downsides, and cost is one.

Handling could mean faster transitional response, could be more grip, could be better ability to put power down. Downsides would be a stiffer ride where you feel a lot more of the bumps, could be more noise from the suspension, could be a ride which is twitchy and not relaxing because you have to have two hands on the wheel at all times, could be tires which wear out a lot faster, or it could just be the mods cost a lot to buy and/or install for what little they do.

For a daily driver, you can do a lot worse than to upgrade the shocks and swaybars, but it really depends on where you're starting from. If you have a base V6, chances are your car has quite a few miles? If so the shocks probably are where I'd start, they tend to wear out over the miles and stop doing a good job of smoothing things out when they get too old.

 

[mookieit]

Well if its perfect, then leave it alone. Suspension is all compromises. Most of the improvements have downsides, and cost is one.

Handling could mean faster transitional response, could be more grip, could be better ability to put power down. Downsides would be a stiffer ride where you feel a lot more of the bumps, could be more noise from the suspension, could be a ride which is twitchy and not relaxing because you have to have two hands on the wheel at all times, could be tires which wear out a lot faster, or it could just be the mods cost a lot to buy and/or install for what little they do.

For a daily driver, you can do a lot worse than to upgrade the shocks and swaybars, but it really depends on where you're starting from. If you have a base V6, chances are your car has quite a few miles? If so the shocks probably are where I'd start, they tend to wear out over the miles and stop doing a good job of smoothing things out when they get too old.

Thanks for the input.

I have 120K miles on my V6 and had replaced all struts and shocks recently with OEM due to wear.

 

[MrMike]

What wheels and tires are on the car?

Typically the best handling upgrade you can make is wider wheels and stickier tires.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Thanks for the input.

I have 120K miles on my V6 and had replaced all struts and shocks recently with OEM due to wear.

Good good. Yeah that was a missed opportunity to upgrade to the Ford Performance track shocks since you had to replace them anyway. Oh well.

Swaybars are a pretty easy way to tiptoe into handling, but I agree with MrMike, tires are the only part of the car that touches the road, and they are the limit for mechanical grip, so they're the most important component. Every other component is just trying to help get the most out of those tires.

Rode in a student's car last weekend (stock ecoboost with the only mod being fantastic 200 treadwear tires) and it was cool to remember what a bone stock mustang can do with only great tires.

 

[tj@steeda]

Springs are a great upgrade as they are the foundation for most of our suspension packages & you can build up from there - the IRS is another area that needs improving on the S550. Take a look at this video & it can help provide some guidance:

 

[shogun32]

I have 120K miles on my V6 and had replaced all struts and shocks recently with OEM due to wear.

pity. should have posted here earlier and upgraded to Bilstein.
Fixing the warts in the IRS is also helpful for consistent behavior, which the stock car does not have.

There is a whole section on chassis/suspension. You might peruse the thousands of posts therein.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Just get one of the ford performance kits and call it a day. I like the track pack-it’s not too stiff for the street in the slightest. The shocks are really nice on it and the springs don’t lower you a crazy amount.
If you want you can do it piecemeal but these cars are so soft and squishy out of the box you should be able to tell what you’ll be satisfied with if this isn’t your first rodeo.

 

[mookieit]

What wheels and tires are on the car?

Typically the best handling upgrade you can make is wider wheels and stickier tires.

The stock 17 inch wheel and are on a second set of the Hankook noble 2 tires 235/55R17H

 

[shogun32]

The stock 17 inch wheel and are on a second set of the Hankook noble 2 tires 235/55R17H

you have much to learn/experience glass-hoppa.

 

[MrMike]

The stock 17 inch wheel and are on a second set of the Hankook noble 2 tires 235/55R17H

Lots of room for upgrade there. 19x10 with 285/35R19, 19x9.5 with 275/40R19.

 

[Decosse]

Glad to see a V6 with 120K on the clock. My 2016 has 47K. Not sure how you are optioned, mine is an 051A (fogs, 6-way dr seat, 18s w/Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics) and 3.55 diff. Four years ago, I replaced the tires with Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4s. They stop faster, turn quicker, and cornering grip is much better. You can still break them loose, but it's harder (lol, not something I do often, tires are too expensive and don't like to abuse the car). There is this strange interchange I go on frequently, it's a sort of cloverleaf that is marked 20 mph, diving down as you enter and climbing up as you exit. I don't know how fast I go through it (too busy driving) but have passed on the inside and outside, and much faster than OEM. You can feel the tires gripping. I bought the same 235/50 18 size as OEM. May get them at 255/45 18s when it's time to replace. OD is within .18" of OEM.

edit- while writing this I see you have another response, and you have 17s- most S550s have tires around 27+/- a few 10ths inch OD, use that and your wheel size to figure out what you may want.

 

[mookieit]

you have much to learn/experience glass-hoppa.

I agree, it’s harder when I can’t try new things on existing setups so I can get a feel on what would be a good thing to install

 

[mookieit]

Glad to see a V6 with 120K on the clock. My 2016 has 47K. Not sure how you are optioned, mine is an 051A (fogs, 6-way dr seat, 18s w/Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics) and 3.55 diff. Four years ago, I replaced the tires with Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4s. They stop faster, turn quicker, and cornering grip is much better. You can still break them loose, but it's harder (lol, not something I do often, tires are too expensive and don't like to abuse the car). There is this strange interchange I go on frequently, it's a sort of cloverleaf that is marked 20 mph, diving down as you enter and climbing up as you exit. I don't know how fast I go through it (too busy driving) but have passed on the inside and outside, and much faster than OEM. You can feel the tires gripping. I bought the same 235/50 18 size as OEM. May get them at 255/45 18s when it's time to replace. OD is within .18" of OEM.

Good to know about the tires, thanks. will check them out.


Yes, been running strong and is as stock as it gets mechanically. I wish I had fog lights

I have added a ton of mods but all interior and cosmetics no mechanical mods and all wear items were replaced with OEM

 

[paulm1]

stiffen the chassis first before throwing suspension parts at it. up front install the factory 3 piece strut tower brace on top and bmr or steeda lower subframe brace. If you dont have the strut tower brace already they're plentiful and cheap on ebay. Rear IRS chassis braces also, again bmr and steeda make good parts. wider rims, 19-20" and wider sticky tires with a performance alignment. That's all you need for the street.

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