FRPP Handling Package installed and impressions

[Toothless]

I preordered the M-FR3A-M8 handling package from FRPP. I have to wait about 2 months to get it, but finally got it and got it installed. The install was supposed to be done at Ford Dealer, but there are no instructions yet at Ford Racing (only a rough draft). So ford dealer wanted to go STRICTLY by the Ford Service manual, and there are also no labor rates on the 2015 Mustang yet (from what I was told). So it was going to be about $800-$900 for install at the dealer. They wanted to remove the front sub assembly to get the front sway bar out, and remove the lower control arm to get the lowering springs in the rear. I showed them the videos that showed the sway coming out without removal, but they insisted the must do it that way. So I ended up putting it in mostly myself. The install is very simple, other than knocking the front lower bolts out of the strut where it connects to the front knuckle/spindle. They were cemented in it seemed like. Once they were out, it was a piece of cake. I used the rough draft version of the install that a tech at Ford Racing sent me. It wasn't 100% complete, but good enough to see what needed done and what order. The dealer didn't even make the effort to call Ford Racing.

So once installed and driven a few miles and after alignment, the car lowered about 1.25" in the front and about 3/8 to 1/2" in the rear.

I was coming from a 2013 Camaro SS 1LE (Track package) car, so I was used to a razor sharp handling car. The GT w/ PP was nowhere near the 1LE. The suspension on the 1LE is the best I have ever driven stock.

So I was in the search of making the Mustang handle equivalent. A tough task, but lets give it a try.

Driving impressions:

The car still doesn't have the immediate turn in that the 1LE has, but is better than the PP stock. I think this may have to do with the narrower rubber on the front (255 vs 285 on the 1LE). So it pushes slightly on really tight slow speed turns.

At speed the car is MUCH MUCH more settled. Still more lean that I would like, and it still feels soft, but will carve much harder. I hit an on ramp today about 10 mph faster than when stock and it felt planted and could have gone faster. (Now we are getting somewhere). It seems like the more you push the harder is carves. I love that about it. I would say it felt every bit as solid and planted as the 1LE, and may have been a little better. Not bad considering less rubber and not as high a quality of tire on the Mustang.

It is much easier to go fast, and you do it without thinking twice as it just feels comfortable, smooth, and much more planted to the road. The bounciness is gone, and the car actually feels smoother to me. Meaning the ride is maybe a little more plush if not equivalent to the stock GT PP suspension.

The car is much more enjoyable and feels like a sports car now. It felt like a bouncing bull before I put the new suspension on.

I haven't driven a PP car with just lowering springs, so I cant compare to that. Nor a car with upgraded sway bars and springs. So I am not sure whether you can get the same improvement with stock PP shocks and springs and sway bars. But the kit seems to be well thought out and put together. I would love to get this thing on a road coarse now.

BTW, there are two adjustment holes on the sway bars. I am running them on the softer of the two settings on both of them. I may try them at the stiffer setting and see how that does, but I am having too much fun driving it the way it is now.

That's all I have to say about that. :cheers:

First 2 pictures are before and 2nd two pictures are after.

Brian

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[Poppacapp]

Wait for the update on the square 275 tire setup.

 

[Old 5 Oh]

The car still doesn't have the immediate turn in that the 1LE has, but is better than the PP stock. I think this may have to do with the narrower rubber on the front (255 vs 285 on the 1LE).

The ride is maybe a little more plush if not equivalent to the stock GT PP suspension. The car is much more enjoyable and feels like a sports car now. It felt like a bouncing bull before I put the new suspension on.

BTW, there are two adjustment holes on the sway bars. I am running them on the softer of the two settings on both of them. I may try them at the stiffer setting and see how that does, but I am having too much fun driving it the way it is now.

Great review. Glad the install went well. Seems overall this car is easier to work on than the Fox, suspension-wise.

I think you really need to try the tighter bar settings. Very likely that will go a long way to solving your turn-in issue, and will reduce lean as well.

You mention tire. Tires are the NUMBER ONE factor in handling. The P-Zeros are OK, but you know that if you went to something like a Pilot Super Sport you'd get another big step up. And even more so if you square up the widths. An understeering car just shouldn't have larger tires in the rear.

The ride height looks awesome. When you go to larger wheels and square tires, it will be ridiculous. Nice work.

 

[Clink]

Nice write up, you're probably better off doing it yourself after all that bs the dealer was going to do.

 

[BobbyV]

Thank you for the fantastic review and insight.

I am pleasantly surprised that the back was dropped by 1/2" and the front 1.25". This was the EXACT drop I was looking to use with coilovers. It looks like I may go with this kit instead since I can get sway bars too.

Did you wind up using the toelinks? The description in the kit say they are what's found in the stock PP.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Great info and great write-up. Glad you are enjoying it.

 

[Toothless]

Thanks for all the kind words. The Toe Links are the exact same as the one that came on the car stock. You can even see the p/n match. There is an including loose bearing that goes in the rear knuckle to toe rod connection. I've asked Ford Racing tech if that needs replaced on the PP car or if it already in it stock with the upgraded toe rods. They didn't know the answer and that part of the install manual is completely blank. So if it has to go on, it will be a lot more work to take the rear knuckle off to press that bearing in.

I do eventually want to get wider wheels and a rubber, and increase the track width. The wheels with increased negative camber stick in even further inside the fender.

I'm at -1.7 and -1.8 degrees camber in the rear. No adjustment method in stock configuration.

Brian

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Thanks for all the kind words. The Toe Links are the exact same as the one that came on the car stock. You can even see the p/n match. There is an including loose bearing that goes in the rear knuckle to toe rod connection. I've asked Ford Racing tech if that needs replaced on the PP car or if it already in it stock with the upgraded toe rods. They didn't know the answer and that part of the install manual is completely blank. So if it has to go on, it will be a lot more work to take the rear knuckle off to press that bearing in.

I do eventually want to get wider wheels and a rubber, and increase the track width. The wheels with increased negative camber stick in even further inside the fender.

I'm at -1.7 and -1.8 degrees camber in the rear. No adjustment method in stock configuration.

Brian

Wonder what the max camber one can run on the rear of these cars for a DD? I am at -1.8/-1.6.

 

[VTECSAUCE]

Still looks like the front needs to come down a fraction of an "

 

[Rv-Junke]

Toothless...AWESOME write up, and the feedback I was looking for. The bouncing is my biggest pain point, and I am wondering if you did some of the IRS bushing stuff that Steeda sells, and the Vertical drops Steeda makes the bouncing would go away. I BELIEVE the bouncing is a few issues, one being the soft rubber bushings on the IRS...I have NO proof or engineering background, but it seems those that have altered springs and bushings seem to have eliminated the bounce. At any rate, I'm either going full Steeda solution, or the FRPP with Steeda solution (less the Steeda Springs and sway bars). Thanks again!

 

[Toothless]

Thanks. My car has only the FRPP handling package on it as far as suspension or handling mods. Everything else is stock PP equipment.

BTW, I got the instructions to install the rear knuckle to toe rod bearing (outer wheels side bearing). It looks very easy but requires a ball joint press and a 1 1/4" socket. Ball joint press looks like a C clamp, with a big open pusing end. But can be removed on the car. And even PP cars need it. So that is the next thing to do.

 

[OctopusWrangler]

Thanks for the great write-up.
I'm leaning towards this handling package as well, but I believe that at least some of the "upgrades" within the package are already included in the PP. how much of a true upgrade over the PP do you think this package represents?

 

[Niz55]

Love the drop. Do you know which springs are the ones that come in the package?

Also, make sure to torque your wheels to 150lbs

 

[Toothless]

Everything in the kit is new except for the toe rods which are standard on PP. Shocks are monotube as are the PP ones, but with this kit there is more damping to match wit the track springs. They have standard and track springs. The track springs say "not for use with stock shocks". The kit also comes with a new outer rear toe rod to knuckle bearing. The sway bars are larger and have 2 adjustment holes front and rear.

I kind of like the drop too. I think it will look sick when i get some wide wheels with proper offset and some fat rubber. And I did torque them properly. Being a mechanical engineer, I can't help but be a torque freak.

 

[BMR Tech]

Sweet review! It is cool seeing that drop amount, it's almost exactly where I ended up putting our springs. Great companies think alike. ;)

The toe bearing is better than OEM. Definitely install it - these cars have horrible toe deflection issues.

The rear camber IS adjustable in stock form. There are inner camber link bolts that you can loosen, and they are sitting in a slotted mounting bracket. Definitely put some positive camber back in that thing.

Glad to see you like the kit overall.

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