What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[skinnyb]

US Mustang’s don’t have the auto start/stop. Hopefully they never do…

See I wasn't sure, I knew the S550 didnt, but I didn't put it past Ford to try it on the S650...

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[MAGS1]

See I wasn't sure, I knew the S550 didnt, but I didn't put it past Ford to try it on the S650...

The new F-150’s have it believe. I’ve heard the programming is in S650, Ford just didn’t turn it on. Not sure if that’s actually the case or not.

 

[skinnyb]

The new F-150’s have it believe. I’ve heard the programming is in S650, Ford just didn’t turn it on. Not sure if that’s actually the case or not.

Yeah I have heard that. My 18 F150 had it. I HATED it... I disabled it immediately the first day I got home from the dealer...

 

[MACHtobers Very Own]

A clutch pedal is an easy fix to that

A little "car pro reset" porn.... if that's a category

 

[larr12]

Just ordered that for around $55 after applying some credits I had on my cc.

 

[skinnyb]

Just ordered that for around $55 after applying some credits I had on my cc.

The best . I love them so much, I bought 2 of them

 

[skinnyb]

A clutch pedal is an easy fix to that

A little "car pro reset" porn.... if that's a category

Have to admit, Reset is the GOAT.. I love many soaps, but always use Reset as the gold standard...

 

[DFB5.0]

While I'm most likely leaving the HP wheels on the car, I still wanted to tidy up the PP wheels I removed last week. These presented well, but once removed, the barrels were jacked up pretty bad. This is pretty remarkable considering the wheels have done less that 120km's.

The first job was to get them clean. After soaking with Gyeon Iron, and a surprising amount of iron reaction, they were rinsed and washed using undiluted Brake Buster. Tyre side walls front and back hit with Carpro ReTyre.

Now, I say "jacked up" because of how the rear wheels were covered in that pointless black paint Ford thinks is a great idea to be spraying on brand new cars. If these were going back on the car, I would be very annoyed and disappointed. Yes, you don't ordinarily see the barrels, but that's not the point. I have also seen cars where this paint ended up misted across the black side skirts and painted lower sills and doors. To be brutally honest, this is completely unacceptable. Why should you be needing to remove this stuff from visible parts of the car of a brand-new car, let alone having it caked all over the underside.

This paint doesn't seem to be very durable and appears to dissolve with the aid of a solvent. On the exhaust tips, I used KCx Eulex, but on these matte wheels I used Eulex M, which was designed to be safe on matte surfaces. I found wiping the barrel with the EUM, then allowed to dwell before coming back with more EUM and working the surface until the paint lifted into the towel. I didn't bother removing it from the rear sidewall ledge, it was smothered in the stuff. And the tyre sidewall.

Two completely ruined towels!

Afterwards, I then re-washed these two wheels with Brake Buster to remove the Eulex residue. They came up well, 98% removal. I plan to coat the wheels tomorrow, if nothing more than extra practice, then into storage.

And for those wondering, this video shows how cars are "prepared" for export, zone in on the 4.55 min mark. The two workers look like they were being careful for the cameras -



Just a warning when using Eulex -

This stuff is a potent solvent, so it's important to use it in well-ventilated spaces. This is especially important with the base Eulex, the M version is less volatile, but still packs a punch. Wear gloves and expect to bin the towel you use it with. Rinse or neutralize the treated surfaces after use. Also, the base Eulex has a very high evaporation rate, so put the cap back on between applications.

Having said that, I believe both are worth having, they were designed for heavy duty tar and adhesive removal above and beyond what TEA, Orange Power and Fleckenwasser can achieve.
Eulex -
Eulex Eu - Powerful Adhesive & Stain Remover - KCX Australia
Koch Chemie EU - Eulex Glue, Tar, Tree Sap, Oil Remover
Koch-Chemie - Eulex | The Rag Company

Eulex M -
Koch-Chemie Eulex M - Adhesive Remover - KCX AUS
Koch Chemie Eulex M Eum Glue & Tree Sap Remover

 

[DFB5.0]

Just ordered that for around $55 after applying some credits I had on my cc.

Well done!

Being the SG (non-live swivel) and not SGS (live swivel), if you want to add the swivel function to that gun, you can use either of the below -

SWIVEL SS AG45 3/8F X 3/8M 5,800 PSI, 12 GPM - MTM Hydro
SWIVEL BRASS AG35 3/8F X 3/8M - MTM Hydro

 

[DFB5.0]

Steering!

For S650, Ford made several changes to the steering system to improve responsiveness, teamed it with a new flat bottom wheel.

To start, Ford added a cross-car beam to improve chassis/body rigidity, less flex in this department helps deliver a more stable platform for the steering to work with. The steering shaft was redesigned and works with a faster 15.5:1 ratio. These major changes also meant recalibration for each model in the lineup. The quicker ratio and reduced compliance from the steering wheel to the tire means faster and more direct response. Like S550, drivers have the choice of three steering effort modes.

The very first thing you notice with S650 is the new flat-bottom steering wheel. For EcoBoost and GT, this new wheel is leather wrapped, with the outer ring finished in solid leather, the inner rim with perforated leather. For Darkhorse, there is solid leather on outer rim, the inner features “Performance Suede” inserts, capped off by Indigo Blue stitching instead of black. While it was briefly available on S550, Ford have reintroduced a heating function on S650 steering wheels, no doubt handy in winter. The wheel is overloaded with buttons, but that’s modern cars for you. For vehicles with the 10R80 automatic, you also get small plastic paddle shifters in a satin aluminum finish. In the future, I may look at adding extensions to improve reachability while cornering.

Those are the specs, but what impresses most is the quality feel of this new steering wheel. Compared to my early-build S550, the leather used here is softer and less glossy, making it a pleasure to hold. I also like the smaller diameter and thicker padding. While there was some theatre twirling that huge, thin S550 wheel, it made the car less modern and more retro. This S650 steering wheel is the best I have used since those lovely Momo wheels used on the AU Falcon, with honorable mention to the FPV-style wheel.

We now arrive at probably the most controversial aspect of the S650, how the steering “feels”. Upon release, most media outlets heavily criticized the new steering. Most complained about it being too light, almost all about how it lacked feel. With a Mustang, neither S550 nor S650 have much feel through the steering wheel. To mask this to some degree, Ford offers three steering “effort” modes, Comfort, Normal and Sport.

Normal – Developed to complement vehicle response during daily driving.
Sport – Slightly less assist and damping for improved steering feel during spirited driving.
Comfort – Slightly more assist for driver preference and daily driving ease.

The steering effort selection is dependent on the current drive mode, but the default steering mode can be altered and stored within the Custom mode presets. For example, you can select Normal base mode, then change the steering to Comfort. To access steering mode selection, you can do it by a button on the steering wheel, or via the My Mustang button and then Custom Modes.

All these modes do is increase/decrease the steering weight, not actual feedback filtering through to the drivers' hands. For me, on both S550 and S650, I prefer the Comfort setting for how it makes the car appear more agile and responsive. Sport and Normal modes in comparison make the car feel lazy. So, long story short, Comfort makes the car more responsive, Track makes the car feel heavy and uninterested in turning.

DFB RANT TIME -

I’m not sure who decided “sporty” steering should equate to a heavy feel, but I don’t agree with that. Heavy steering reminds me of the truly horrible steering Holden used on VT – VZ Commodores. With Holden pushing its race-car image, they gave the cars heavy steering to give the impression of a sportier car. All this did was mask the ancient suspension design or highlighted it depending on who you ask. The equivalent Falcon’s in comparison had much lighter steering, which most non-car people thought was a weak point. If there is one area where Ford held an advantage during those years, it was steering. Ford’s steering was much lighter than the Holden, but it delivered more consistency and superior feedback through the wheel. In press-on driving, you would much rather a car conveys what the front wheels are doing, not a simulated notion of sportiness. Those Holden’s were all kinds of nasty, I hated that springy off-center heaviness, it was also inconsistently weighted lock to lock, giving it a lumpy feel overall. I have to say, those Holden’s would have to be the worst steering I have ever encountered, the equivalent Falcon would be one of the best.

So where does that leave us? Well, I don’t necessarily agree with the press reviews regarding the S650 steering. I have driven very few modern cars with electric steering that have had any feel transferring from the road to steering wheel, including Mustang’s. The best electric steering I have personally sampled would be the modern Jaguars, I love that light and pointy nature they deliver. So, what are the journalists comparing the Mustang’s steering to, what is their steering benchmark? I can almost guarantee they are benchmarking a Porche 911, Boxster or Cayman. While I have doubt those cars steer with greater precision and feel, they are considerably more expensive and come from a company that has spent decades perfecting the steering of their cars. A Mustang, well Ford know who their target customers are and what they want, so expecting a Mustang to deliver Porche steering feel and response is silly.

From what I have sampled, yes, in the heaviest Sport mode, the new S650 steering is slightly lighter than before. But to me, that is not the problem the press would have you believe. In Comfort and Normal modes, its about the same as before. And despite it still lacking real feel, it’s more direct and responsive than before. Combined with that lovely steering wheel, it’s certainly an improvement over the previous model.

 

[Evolvd]

Here ya go Deyon, no need to go to the concert

 

[larr12]

Well done!

Being the SG (non-live swivel) and not SGS (live swivel), if you want to add the swivel function to that gun, you can use either of the below -

SWIVEL SS AG45 3/8F X 3/8M 5,800 PSI, 12 GPM - MTM Hydro
SWIVEL BRASS AG35 3/8F X 3/8M - MTM Hydro

Thanks for the links.

 

[radar]

Yeah - tend to agree with this. Too busy

I don’t like black wheels. The only Ford option available in Australia with my vert was this

Even Ford people told me the general consensus was Lightning Blue with Nickle alloys was considered best option.
But I always felt these made my car look “too pretty”. Kinda two door Fairmont - what a female Real Estate
Agent would drive - then fitted these from 2018

Indy Pace Car
Not far off - only needs Ford logos, white stripes, promotional model holding checkered flag.
More sports oriented

 

[DFB5.0]

Yeah - tend to agree with this. Too busy

I don’t like black wheels. The only Ford option available in Australia with my vert was this

Even Ford people told me the general consensus was Lightning Blue with Nickle alloys was considered best option.
But I always felt these made my car look “too pretty”. Kinda two door Fairmont - what a female Real Estate
Agent would drive - then fitted these from 2018

Indy Pace Car
Not far off - only needs Ford logos, white stripes, promotional model holding checkered flag.
More sports oriented

I nearly ordered those Nickle Lustre wheels, I was dead against black wheels. I remember the salesman saying to me in a labored way "are you suuuuuure?". At the time, I didn't really understand why he seemed against the silver wheels, but went ahead anyway. Two weeks later I called to change the order to the standard black, he seemed relieved but not surprised. I think I remember him telling me about delivering a car with the Nickle Lustre wheels and they not suiting the car. Anyway, he now sells houses instead of cars.

 

[radar]

I saw this at recent Knox Ford day. Complimented owner saying how I removed them from my car, yet they looked great on his Race Red.
Anyway, still got them, four roadworthy tyres and 2 new TPMS. Another option

Then this - 2022 Atlas running the previous model wheels

Looks ok too but prefer mine

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