Is there a street/track handling setup package that does NOT lower the vehicle?

[GJarrett]

I am looking to "tighten up" my stock suspension and have been considering something like either the Ford Performance track handling package or the Steeda Dual Rate HPDE Suspension Pack (2017 EcoBoost, daily driver, NX2 Turbo / MAP shortblock build w/PD Tuning tune: about 4 HPDE events yearly, intermediate driver using 275 width 300tw tires). I'm not an advanced driver on 200tw tires but am at the level I can tell I want to feel a lot more more planted on the track, while keeping my Mustang semi-comfortable for the 95% daily driving that it is usually used for. I've got a BMR front K-brace installed and will probably get the Steeda IRS kit soon to tighten the rear.

I have a DrawTite hidden hitch installed and am already "slightly" dragging going up my driveway and would greatly prefer not to go lower, but it seems all suspension upgrades lower the vehicle.

Looking for suggestions to upgrade the suspension for mixed daily driver/HPDE use without lowering it.

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[NightmareMoon]

I ran with stock ride height for 3 years. You don't need to lower the car to make huge gains in handling. I absolutely loved the car with this full height setup.

GT350* or PP1 springs are both full height I believe. GT350 are slightly stiffer. If you have a base car, nothing wrong with moving to the PP1 springs. They're not super stiff, but we'll address that with the next parts.

Pair with stiffer swaybars (I like BMR for the front bar) and a mildly stiffer rear swaybar (perhaps a GT350R rear bar) and rebound adjustable shocks (Koni yellows or Steeda adjustables are easy to find and not too expensive). Dial the shocks to a stiff setting for track/autox/sporty drives and its a heck of an upgrade. You can then lower them to a low or middle setting for street comfort. The swaybars and shocks make up for the soft springs in most practical ways except for dive and squat, which can only really be changed by going to much stiffer (and shorter) springs. Alternatively you could experiment with lowering springs, but add spring rubbers to get some extra height and rate. I've not done much experimenting with that route, but know it's there. Probably go ahead and pick up aftermarket front swaybar endlinks, as the stock ones tend to bend.

Finally, upgrade the alignment with more aggressive camber with front camber plates. The rear camber is already adjustable. Something like 2.75 front, 1.9 rear will give you a ton of corner grip and if you keep the front toe 0 or ever so slightly toe in, there isn't much tire wear penalty at all. Dial slight toe in at the rear for stability putting power down in a corner.

Don't neglect the tires. square 10" wide ET35 wheels with 200TW 285 tires would be a really easy setup. You can stick with your 300tw tires if you like, but tires are a huge factor.

I didn't do the IRS braces, but I DID do the lower rear control arm bearing (with the steeda replacement), and the ford performance toe link.

*(GT350 springs can be used on a non-magnaride car, but you need to buy two of one side for the rear springs because they wound counter on one side compared to what you use on a non-magnaride car.)

With the above mods you'll have a car with full height compliant springs which suck up the bumps, but you'll have extremely responsive handling, ready for the track or autocross or any twisty back road, and you'll have zero regrets about making the car less street worthy.

 

[steathv]

I agree with the above suggestions. Used Shelby GT350 194#front springs, Ford racing struts, Shelby GT350 front sway bar, Ford Racing front control arms, stock rear springs with Koni shocks, Hotchkis adjustable sway bar on soft setting, and PP2 alignment specs, think this will do the trick.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

The Ford Racing Track kit lowering is very minimal. It's definitely not an inch all around though I didn't measure it. Maybe .5-.75 inch in the front and the rear less than that.

 

[GJarrett]

Wow, thank you so much for the replies... exactly the type of info I was hoping for. @NightmareMoon you are a wealth of knowledge

 

[TeeLew]

I'd go for the Mach 1 springs rather than the Shelby ones, but basically, you have to choose one of them.

 

[Dave2013M3]

The Ford Racing Track kit lowering is very minimal. It's definitely not an inch all around though I didn't measure it. Maybe .5-.75 inch in the front and the rear less than that.

My Ford Performance Track Kit lowered the front .875" and the rear .75". It definitely drops it. Thats what I love about this kit, is that it doesn't slam it.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

My Ford Performance Track Kit lowered the front .875" and the rear .75". It definitely drops it. Thats what I love about this kit, is that it doesn't slam it.

Not to derail the thread, but the latest versions of the spring don't lower the rear as much anymore. For whatever reason. More suspension travel perhaps? Funny how Ford has failed to update the advertising specs.

Same, I love it too. I wish it were maybe 10-15% firmer if anything. Extremely livable even when driving over potholes and railroad tracks. I've never had lowering springs feel so compliant before.. usually the damping feels off. Guess that's the beauty of getting a tuned package.

 

[mavisky]

Steeda sells ride height adjusting shims for the rear springs and their front springs that will correct up to 1/2" of ride height loss. I run about 3/8" of correction on the front of my car at the moment.

 

[shogun32]

And Steeda adjustable comes in coilovers config. And you can get similar for rear. The Steeda front coilover spring I believe is rather too short. But talk it over with them. I would target a 7in spring in the 300lb range. Or at least over 250.

Some experimentation may be required.

 

[TeeLew]

Every one of these canned spring packages just makes me roll my eyes either from the rate or rake. Everyone lowers the front too much and makes it too soft while making the rear too stiff and not lowering it enough. Who here did he BMR 300/750 combo? That's about as good as you're going to find in a stock-style spring, but I think this combo will lower the car more than you'd want.

 

[GJarrett]

Steeda sells ride height adjusting shims for the rear springs and their front springs that will correct up to 1/2" of ride height loss. I run about 3/8" of correction on the front of my car at the moment.

I looked on their site and could not find the shims. Can you provide a link? Thanks

 

[mavisky]

I looked on their site and could not find the shims. Can you provide a link? Thanks

This is their front kit for stock top hats. They also make one foe their camber plates.

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-555-8254-s550-front-ride-height-spacer-kit

The rears are sold individually. Note that the thickness if the spacer results in double the increase due to the springs being so far inboard on the IRS.

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-mustang-billet-rear-spring-spacer-1-8.html

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-mustang-billet-rear-spring-spacer-1-4-inch-555-8251.html

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-mustang-billet-rear-spring-spacer-3-8-inch-555-8250.html

 

[GJarrett]

Thanks - I had used "shim" for search instead of "spacer".

 

[Dana Pants]

Definitely go for stiffest springs you can find and shim as needed. Even the stiffest drop-in springs are really quite soft.

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