Roadway 5.0
Strassejager
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2016
- Threads
- 57
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- 1,483
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- Location
- New York - USA
- First Name
- Mike
- Vehicle(s)
- 2016GT PP 6MT
- Vehicle Showcase
- 1
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- #1
***Note: There are updates at the end of the review***
I've had Steeda's Ultralite Springs and Pro-Action Fixed Struts/Shocks on the Mustang for about a month now and have driven hundreds of miles on the Autobahns, curvy roads, and traditional work commutes. Now it's time for a review. Please keep in mind that I do not track my car, but I certainly push it to the limit on the street.
Bottom Line: This is truly a performance setup, and it performs superbly. I recommend this setup for daily driver / spirited drivers like myself.
The Goods:
1) The car just digs now when I accelerate. The days of dramatic nose lift are gone. Same positive effect when braking hard -- no noticeable dive.
2) The car is incredibly stable now while cruising at 125mph, and I feel in total control at 150mph. Prior to installing these shocks, struts, and springs, the Mustang's steering and suspension felt "distant" above 120mph. Turns at 120mph once puckered me up quite a bit, now the high-speed turns are effortless (and I can leave an Audi RS3 in the dust).
3) Slalom style testing revealed how quickly the car can recover from left to right, and right to left, and respond to steering input. This is a HUGE improvement to the factory PP suspension.
4) The ride is firm but very controlled. No crashing in pot-holes or over speedbumps. The ride is absolutely beautiful when the temperatures are over 60 degrees Fahrenheit with the stock Pirellis. Word of caution: don't let anyone fool you that it is Bently-comfortable; this is a track suspension after all.
5) The stance of the car is exactly what I wanted. Mind you I installed 1/4" spacers in the back to give the dead-even look. As this is a subjective topic, I provided photos below so you can judge for yourself.
6) Ride height is surprisingly good, even with 19s, as I have not bottomed out on anything (and trust me, I drove in some dodgy parking garages in Czech during the testing phase). The front splitter barely clears European parking blocks as well.
The Bads:
1) With weather cooling quickly here in Bavaria (and tires hardening), I feel a touch less spring rate in the rear would make for an even better ride. At 60 degrees Fahrenheit and above, the suspension is absolutely glorious. At below 60, especially with cold tires (Blizzaks/Pirellis), the rear is a bit much.
2) As many have noted, the installation of the front springs left me confused when the spring didn't fully seat in the isolators. No ill effects in ride or safety, it's just an oddity. I may look into larger isolators in the future just to make things "perfect".
And that sums up my review. Great performing suspension overall from a company that I personally trust to deliver great products (and ship FAST to overseas...thanks for that). Have a good day, and drive on.
UPDATE: After driving an additional good amount of miles (1000+), I have to say this setup is flat-out amazing. The ride, even with 36-45 degree (F) weather is smooth and refined. It’s as if the extra miles gave the springs a chance to really settle and for the shocks and struts to find their groove. I still have a touch more bounce than I’d like on choppy roads, but what I feel is nothing more than stock. I may still try the Steeda shock mounts that many swear by; for sure I’ll be scooping a rear swaybar on black Friday to complete my setup. That’s all for now, enjoy the day and drive on.
UPDATE #2: I am happy to share that after clocking the mustang's bushings and realigning for a bit of toe-in (+.12 all around), the car's suspension has hit my goal: sublime. You heard it from me, and you can take it to the bank, Steeda's pro-action shocks are incredible and match perfectly to the Ultralite linears. The oscillations I was previously experiencing weren't due to the cold at all, they were due to my user error of not properly clocking the bushings after lowering the car. The ride is now perfect; firm, planted, and predictable. The car tracks great at high speed, mid-turn feedback is delicious, and cornering brings me closer to God. It's now up for debate whether I snag a rear sway-bar and shock mounts...I can't imagine things getting any better. We shall see! This wraps up my review on these parts, enjoy and drive on.
UPDATE #3: I scooped the rear shock mounts and sway bar. The review is here:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96787&highlight=steeda+shock+mounts
Note: my rear swaybar is set on soft
UPDATE #4: It's now 27 March 2019 and I have put on MANY miles with this setup. To date, other improvements are adding the Steeda roll center correction arms, bumpsteer kit, and bumpstops. First and foremost, the Steeda bumpstops made a surprisingly noticeable difference -- especially for the rear response on very big bumps. The write-up is here: https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/impressed-surprised-w-steeda-bumpstops.117695/ . I recommend everyone pay the small price to add these to their new springs/dampers.
The roll center/bumpsteer kit thus far is awesome, but I'm going to give it a few weeks (and a good alignment) before writing a review. Sneak preview: front "tilt" vanishes and...the steering becomes BEAUTIFULLY progressive! Anyway, back to the springs: the overall ride and handling from the Ultralites paired with the Steeda ProActions is simply a comfortable, responsive, and proven street-performance application. At ~30% more stiff than an OEM PP, the ride is more than manageable for long drives to some groovy mountain roads. Another added bonus I have realized is with the 1/4" spring spacer I installed in the beginning. When the car is loaded down with my two kids and luggage, the strength of the 880 rear springs along with the higher ride height give some breathing room for suspension travel before there is any danger of the tire colliding with the wheel well.
Are there bads? Yes, but I would say they apply to any car: the only time I have cringed with this setup is while cruising on the highway at ~45mph in a construction zone. The road had raised splits approximately every 10 meters, and at this particular speed the perfectly spaced bumps put the car into an uncomfortable seesaw. I knew the root of the cause, so I sped up 5mph and the resonate frequency changed enough to completely stop the odd oscillation. To note, my stock PP suspension did this too, just at a difference speed and was a touch less abrasive as it had less spring rate.
Would I change anything now if I had it to do over again? Yes, I would have installed the Steeda bumpstops in the beginning to save myself from tearing the car apart again. And, while generally not necessary, I would have thrown on camber plates just so I can get my alignment 100% symmetrical (I'm a bit anal with this).
That's all for update #4. I'll have a review of the roll center/bumpsteer kit up in a few weeks and maybe a few review videos to go along with it. Have a good one - Mike
I've had Steeda's Ultralite Springs and Pro-Action Fixed Struts/Shocks on the Mustang for about a month now and have driven hundreds of miles on the Autobahns, curvy roads, and traditional work commutes. Now it's time for a review. Please keep in mind that I do not track my car, but I certainly push it to the limit on the street.
Bottom Line: This is truly a performance setup, and it performs superbly. I recommend this setup for daily driver / spirited drivers like myself.
The Goods:
1) The car just digs now when I accelerate. The days of dramatic nose lift are gone. Same positive effect when braking hard -- no noticeable dive.
2) The car is incredibly stable now while cruising at 125mph, and I feel in total control at 150mph. Prior to installing these shocks, struts, and springs, the Mustang's steering and suspension felt "distant" above 120mph. Turns at 120mph once puckered me up quite a bit, now the high-speed turns are effortless (and I can leave an Audi RS3 in the dust).
3) Slalom style testing revealed how quickly the car can recover from left to right, and right to left, and respond to steering input. This is a HUGE improvement to the factory PP suspension.
4) The ride is firm but very controlled. No crashing in pot-holes or over speedbumps. The ride is absolutely beautiful when the temperatures are over 60 degrees Fahrenheit with the stock Pirellis. Word of caution: don't let anyone fool you that it is Bently-comfortable; this is a track suspension after all.
5) The stance of the car is exactly what I wanted. Mind you I installed 1/4" spacers in the back to give the dead-even look. As this is a subjective topic, I provided photos below so you can judge for yourself.
6) Ride height is surprisingly good, even with 19s, as I have not bottomed out on anything (and trust me, I drove in some dodgy parking garages in Czech during the testing phase). The front splitter barely clears European parking blocks as well.
The Bads:
1) With weather cooling quickly here in Bavaria (and tires hardening), I feel a touch less spring rate in the rear would make for an even better ride. At 60 degrees Fahrenheit and above, the suspension is absolutely glorious. At below 60, especially with cold tires (Blizzaks/Pirellis), the rear is a bit much.
2) As many have noted, the installation of the front springs left me confused when the spring didn't fully seat in the isolators. No ill effects in ride or safety, it's just an oddity. I may look into larger isolators in the future just to make things "perfect".
And that sums up my review. Great performing suspension overall from a company that I personally trust to deliver great products (and ship FAST to overseas...thanks for that). Have a good day, and drive on.
UPDATE: After driving an additional good amount of miles (1000+), I have to say this setup is flat-out amazing. The ride, even with 36-45 degree (F) weather is smooth and refined. It’s as if the extra miles gave the springs a chance to really settle and for the shocks and struts to find their groove. I still have a touch more bounce than I’d like on choppy roads, but what I feel is nothing more than stock. I may still try the Steeda shock mounts that many swear by; for sure I’ll be scooping a rear swaybar on black Friday to complete my setup. That’s all for now, enjoy the day and drive on.
UPDATE #2: I am happy to share that after clocking the mustang's bushings and realigning for a bit of toe-in (+.12 all around), the car's suspension has hit my goal: sublime. You heard it from me, and you can take it to the bank, Steeda's pro-action shocks are incredible and match perfectly to the Ultralite linears. The oscillations I was previously experiencing weren't due to the cold at all, they were due to my user error of not properly clocking the bushings after lowering the car. The ride is now perfect; firm, planted, and predictable. The car tracks great at high speed, mid-turn feedback is delicious, and cornering brings me closer to God. It's now up for debate whether I snag a rear sway-bar and shock mounts...I can't imagine things getting any better. We shall see! This wraps up my review on these parts, enjoy and drive on.
UPDATE #3: I scooped the rear shock mounts and sway bar. The review is here:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96787&highlight=steeda+shock+mounts
Note: my rear swaybar is set on soft
UPDATE #4: It's now 27 March 2019 and I have put on MANY miles with this setup. To date, other improvements are adding the Steeda roll center correction arms, bumpsteer kit, and bumpstops. First and foremost, the Steeda bumpstops made a surprisingly noticeable difference -- especially for the rear response on very big bumps. The write-up is here: https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/impressed-surprised-w-steeda-bumpstops.117695/ . I recommend everyone pay the small price to add these to their new springs/dampers.
The roll center/bumpsteer kit thus far is awesome, but I'm going to give it a few weeks (and a good alignment) before writing a review. Sneak preview: front "tilt" vanishes and...the steering becomes BEAUTIFULLY progressive! Anyway, back to the springs: the overall ride and handling from the Ultralites paired with the Steeda ProActions is simply a comfortable, responsive, and proven street-performance application. At ~30% more stiff than an OEM PP, the ride is more than manageable for long drives to some groovy mountain roads. Another added bonus I have realized is with the 1/4" spring spacer I installed in the beginning. When the car is loaded down with my two kids and luggage, the strength of the 880 rear springs along with the higher ride height give some breathing room for suspension travel before there is any danger of the tire colliding with the wheel well.
Are there bads? Yes, but I would say they apply to any car: the only time I have cringed with this setup is while cruising on the highway at ~45mph in a construction zone. The road had raised splits approximately every 10 meters, and at this particular speed the perfectly spaced bumps put the car into an uncomfortable seesaw. I knew the root of the cause, so I sped up 5mph and the resonate frequency changed enough to completely stop the odd oscillation. To note, my stock PP suspension did this too, just at a difference speed and was a touch less abrasive as it had less spring rate.
Would I change anything now if I had it to do over again? Yes, I would have installed the Steeda bumpstops in the beginning to save myself from tearing the car apart again. And, while generally not necessary, I would have thrown on camber plates just so I can get my alignment 100% symmetrical (I'm a bit anal with this).
That's all for update #4. I'll have a review of the roll center/bumpsteer kit up in a few weeks and maybe a few review videos to go along with it. Have a good one - Mike
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