Better handling without impacting ride quality?

[MontelG]

So after reading dozens and dozens of related threads, I could still use some input. My 2015 GT Convertible will be delivered in a few weeks, hopefully, and I'm planning my first round of upgrades. It does not have the performance pack, for a couple reasons, and I'm looking to accomplish three things with the suspension upgrades.

1. The ride quality must stay very nearly identical to stock. My wife will drive the car fairly often and we take it on longer summer road trips regularly. The ride has to be very comfortable and can't have any additional harshness, noise, vibrations, etc.
2. Improve the rigidity of the chassis as much as reasonable since it is a convertible.
3. Reduce body roll and improve handling, cornering, etc.

Since it is a convertible, it will come with the strut tower brace already. I can't do the rear sub-frame braces since they don't fit the convertibles. Right now my plan is for...

A. New stay bars front and back
B. Steeda billet sway bar mounts front and back
C. Steeda k-member brace

I thought about new lowering springs but it sounds like those will make the straight line ride too stiff. I'm looking for things that will help me with spirited driving but not something my wife would notice.

Does anyone have suggestions on other upgrades to help with rigidity and handling without impacting ride quality?

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[gundam83]

I installed sways, k-brace and strut tower bar all at once and noticed a pretty significant change in ride quality. I was told that the k-brace should not have done much to affect ride quality, and from my own past experience, a strut tower bar won't do much either. So that leads me to believe the thicker sway bars changed the ride quality the most. I had the bars set on the middle setting if that helps.

 

[MontelG]

I installed sways, k-brace and strut tower bar all at once and noticed a pretty significant change in ride quality. I was told that the k-brace should not have done much to affect ride quality, and from my own past experience, a strut tower bar won't do much either. So that leads me to believe the thicker sway bars changed the ride quality the most. I had the bars set on the middle setting if that helps.

Very interesting gundam83. I wouldn't have thought the sway bars would have made that much of a difference. Especially on the middle setting, which from what I've read isn't too aggressive. I was looking at the sways and k-brace as very "safe" upgrades that wouldn't have a noticeable ride effect. I may have to rethink my plan for the sways.

Anyone have other suggestions on how to beef things up without impacting ride quality? I read a few places that progressive springs can help without really impacting the ride.

 

[BmacIL]

Heavier sway bars will negatively effect ride quality for single-wheel bumps. If you're going over expansion joints in the highway and such, where both left and right wheels see the same thing, there won't be a difference. The braces simply make the frame stiffer and subjectively made my ride quality better overall, even though I could feel more from the road. The bigger bumps are handled much better by the suspension as there is less flex in the body causing inconsistency. You feel some of the smaller ones more than before, but it's not harsh.

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