Is the Ford Performance Track Pack Really Worth It?

[Norm Peterson]

I know, I post excessively. But I don't like leaving out important details . Drives me bonkers for some reason, I guess that's why I became an Electrical Engineer, because I"m excessively anal on details and love to tap into the potential of things and create new designs!

Maybe it's 500% overboard, but cars are expensive and complex. I don't like changing things I don't understand and when I do, I like to fully understand the impacts. Hopefully my efforts can help others make more informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes and unintended consequences.

Might want to add a "flat ride" calc. Undamped is easy, damped a bit fussier but perhaps more useful.



Check line 173. Kind of nit-picky, but then again I was once a technical reviewer (aka "professional nitpicker").


Norm

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[BmacIL]

While I haven't tried the SP083 / FP Track damper combination yet, some food for thought (my next upgrade):

GT350R Track Pack Spring Rates: 240 lbs-in Front, 920 lbs-in Rear, F/R Ratio is 0.261

SP083 Spring Rates: 250 lbs-in Front, 980 lbs-in Rear, F/R Ratio is 0.255

Darn those are close! FP Track Dampers ARE GT350 valving. Pairs ideally with Steeda Bump Steer and Roll Center Correction Kit and either their spherical Tension Link bearings OR their Higher Durometer Tension Link Bushings (which i'm running now). Steeda's extended height ball stud lateral links are set to correct geometry for a 7/8" drop in ride height which is EXACTLY what the ride height drop of the SP083's and Steeda's Comp DR springs.

RC and Bump kit works well with stock PP struts an SP080's that I'm running now. Handling wise, I wouldn't lower my car without corrected geometry unless going to a much stiffer spring, but even then your still sacrificing geometry which optimizes tire contact patch. Case in point, the Ford Performance Track Suspension kit does NOT offer corrected geometry, but did you know GM offers a 1LE suspension Pacakge for 1SS owners? Guess what, they have extended ball stud lateral links in their package! Geometry matters as much as CG, ride frequency or any other aspect.

The ideal Track able Street Suspension setup for GT's:

1. SP083 Springs
2. FP Track Dampers OR Steeda Pro-Action Adjustable Dampers
3. Stock 22mm Performance Pack rear sway bar
4. BMR or any other 35mm 3 hole adjustable front sway bar (allows you to tune roll couple balance)
5. BMR CB05 or CB10 IRS lockout (cheaper than steeda's solution, weighs less and easier to install)
6. Ford Performance Spherical Bearings for outer end of the rear toe link (helps especially with power down traction)
7. MaximumMotorSports Caster / Camber Plates (cheaper than BMR's / Steedas but same specs)
8. Steeda Bump Steer and Roll Center Correction Kit (allows for ideal roll center and bump steer with SP083 or Comp DR springs)
9. Steeda Tension Links with BUSHINGS (higher durometer bushings, but not susceptible to debris like the open bearing), gives more on-center feel, sharper response (especially turn in) and better braking stability
10ish. APR Front Splitter if you do high speed cornering (increased down force will definitely help with traction and making the car feel planted, especially at higher speeds, but you increase drag)
11ish. Full Tilt Boogie Differential Cooler - it's one of only two options (Ford Performance), but half the cost of the FP option and the entire kit weighs only 12 lbs! Thermostat controlled pump. Either that or you run 75W-140 diff oil and some exhaust wraps to keep the diff from over heating which works for most but NOT all.
12ish. Air to Oil Cooler - Depends on how hard you push the car, for extended HPDE and an experienced driver, you probably should add an air to oil cooler. Otherwise follow the manual and just run 5W-30 for track sessions.

I have no issue with people adding RLCA bearings or opting for Spherical Bearings in the Tension Links, but I chose to avoid those changes because both are open bearings and susceptible to high wear rates from road salt, dust and debris. Unlike the Steeda high durometer bushing tension links and lateral link that uses a sealed ball stud. Their bump steer tie rod ends are open, however they do have cleaning wipers build into them unlike the open spherical bearings. I wasn't sure if I could find a proper seal for the open bearings to make them more durable in street use and I also wanted at least one point of compliance to avoid cracking any steel mounting points on hard impacts (aka pot holes).

And I can say this, the stock tension link bushings are SO soft I could literally push the end of the tension link up, down, left and right with two fingers a full 6 inches. So anyone saying the stock bushings binding has any meaningful impact ovbiously hasn't determined how little resistance there actually is in them. The steeda high durometer ones on the other hand required my whole hand to move half the distance, so they do add some bind, however it's still very minor compared to how much force the strut spring generates at ride height. Steering is just a smidge heavier, but I'm also running 275 Pilot Sport 4S tires in front (my 4 square summer setup) where I was running 255 Pilot AS3+ All seasons on stock PP wheels previously (my winter setup).

And I'm still on the soft SP080 springs and PP dampers, but am now running the higher durometer tension links and SB044 front sway bar (stock PP rear bar). The bind is pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things, it's contributing a fraction of a percent to roll resistance and effective spring rates.

But the quite soft stock bushings do allow for some deflection, even if it's not huge that makes the car feel like it's never quite on center. I also noticed a little bit of road vibration in the floor and steering wheel now with the high durometer tension links (even more would be experienced with the spherical bearings over the bushings). The stock ones isolate any road feedback. The car feels more like my 1997 MX-5 M-edition, which had some pretty stiff springs and bushings stock. That car was very connected with the road and that was one of the trade off's is a little more road noise / refinement. Lastly, I didn't want to mess with pressing out the OE bushings or pay double for the tension links with spherical bearings already in them. But each his own, I have no issue with them, I just thought the higher durometer tension link bushings were better suited to my goals as are the stock RLCA bushings (which are also rubber bushings on the GT350). No need to change parts if I don't have to!

Avoid stiff rear bars, you'll end up with chronic over steer. Also the front roll couple has very little change between spring rates from BMR, so if you decide to try a softer spring setup first with stock struts (or want a little softer ride) and get the front to rear roll couple balance tuned in, stepping up to the SP083's will likely not require any more or less front bar.

Stock PP GT Front Roll Couple: 55.3%. Note that most track cars run around 60% front roll couple. Some a little more, some a little less depending on many other factors. Auto X is more extreme at 70~75% front roll couple (too much push for track)

Front Roll Couple SP080 / PP Strut / BMR 35mm Front Bar / PP 22mm Stock Rear Bar:
Soft BMR Bar Setting: 57.7%
Medium BMR Bar Setting: 59.4%
Stiff BMR Bar Setting: 60.9%

Front Roll Couple SP083 / FP Track Strut / BMR 35mm Front Bar / PP 22mm Stock Rear Bar:
Soft BMR Bar Setting: 57.3%
Medium BMR Bar Setting: 58.6%
Stiff BMR Bar Setting: 59.9%

As you can see, it's very close. See the attached excel sheet.

Nice sheet. Where'd you get this number?

 

[Roadway 5.0]

Nice sheet. Where'd you get this number?

The logic behind the spreadsheet is here. Very detailed:

https://robrobinette.com/Suspension_Spreadsheet.htm

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@TheLion70x77

Thanks for sharing this spreadsheet and for populating so much Mustang-specific data into it. Team player award for sure. Did you enter actual Mustang data for the bumpstop rates or were these numbers from another car? How did you calculate damping forces into your posted numbers (i.e. PP vs track pack)?

Entering only prominent data from my car, I'm sitting at a 58.03 (dampers not included)

 

[BmacIL]

The logic behind the spreadsheet is here. Very detailed:

https://robrobinette.com/Suspension_Spreadsheet.htm

-----------------------------------------

@TheLion70x77

Thanks for sharing this spreadsheet and for populating so much Mustang-specific data into it. Team player award for sure. Did you enter actual Mustang data for the bumpstop rates or were these numbers from another car? How did you calculate damping forces into your posted numbers (i.e. PP vs track pack)?

Entering only prominent data from my car, I'm sitting at a 58.03 (dampers not included)

I'm more than familiar with all the formulae and content in the spreadsheet. I was asking about a specific number (the motion ratio of 0.589, which doesn't exist on the S550).

 

[Roadway 5.0]

I'm more than familiar with all the formulae and content in the spreadsheet. I was asking about a specific number (the motion ratio of 0.589, which doesn't exist on the S550).

I'm not saying you aren't familiar. The link I provided shows that much of the data on the OP's spreadsheet is for a Miata.

 

[TheLion70x77]

No, the data for the bump stops is a case of "I have no clue", so I left it. I didn't care about roll resistance on the bump stops has I haven't gotten the car to lean that much. If anyone has them, please share. I'm running the Ford Performance shortened versions for their lowering kits.

 

[TheLion70x77]

BTW the spring rates data etc. at the bottom I did not enter the mustang data. It's not part of the roll couple calculations or ride frequency calculations. It's just there to calculation that specific aspect as a stand alone variable. So it doesn't affect my roll couple calculations. Bar rates are from BMR, I called them.

Stock PP front bar is 295 lbs rate, rear PP bar is 123 lbs rate. All of the calculations on the upper half are mustang numbers including sprung and unsprung masses and spring rates and bar rates.

 

[hlh1]

I have a GT without the PP. It's comfortable on the road but I'm betting it's going to be soft on the track, as it does bounce around on the street and doesn't feel planted. I'm looking to get some track time, just for fun. I'm thinking that the Ford Track package might be the best way to start, with a balance for street and track. Am I thinking correctly? I really don't want my GT to be harsh on the street.

 

[BuDuH75]

I have a 2019 EcoBoost with Performance Pack and Active Exhaust. I have tracked my car and am looking to upgrade suspension. I was under the assumption that the FRPP Track Pack was pretty much the same as the Performance Pack Suspension with the exception of the Y Springs. I was thinking getting the Y Springs to complete the Package and some adjustable Toe Links to start with. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[HeelToeHero]

I have a 2019 EcoBoost with Performance Pack and Active Exhaust. I have tracked my car and am looking to upgrade suspension. I was under the assumption that the FRPP Track Pack was pretty much the same as the Performance Pack Suspension with the exception of the Y Springs. I was thinking getting the Y Springs to complete the Package and some adjustable Toe Links to start with. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

No the street kit is the gt performance pack suspension with the lowering springs. The track pack includes better dampers than the PP cars got.

 

[808muscle]

No the street kit is the gt performance pack suspension with the lowering springs. The track pack includes better dampers than the PP cars got.

The Ford Performance track dampners are a great upgrade. I put my car together one piece at a time, in this order BMR Performance springs, BMR swaybars BMR endlinks, BMR cradle lockout. Adding the FP Track dampners truly brought it all together. I have no regrets.

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