It FLOATS!

[WERA49]

Recently, I was driving at a brisk pace to learn about the 2019 GT that I bought two weeks ago. I did not expect it to FLOAT like a 1970’s Lincoln at high speeds. The road was smooth and did not have holes. It had a slight turn but was otherwise featureless.

What are the best improvements that will maintain a good ride? I prefer roadracing and autocross, but will occasionally run at the dragstrip. A Steeda G-Trac K-member brace and IRS subframe brace should help.

The GT has always felt soft. Even though it’s not a PP1, it should drive better than this. For reference, I have spent the last eight years in a BMW 335Xi and the last three years in a Porsche Cayman. Those cars are tight and nimble. The Porsche was essentially a luxury go-kart.

The Mustang is fun, nice looking and powerful, but sloppy.

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[K4fxd]

Stop the hop kit, better dampers and springs.

 

[ice445]

The float at high speed is from the lazy dampers/shocks. Upgrade to the Ford Performance track suspension kit or something similar to get rid of that.

Or stay out of the triple digits, lol.

 

[PC_GUARD]

Spherical toe bearings, and a better alignment.

My has only floated post spring change and pre clocking the suspension

 

[Howitzer]

As someone who came from a base gt...yeah the stock suspension is pretty floaty and you don't get a lot of feedback from it. Not for performance driving at all. When I changed my suspension out for FRPP shocks, struts and BMR sp083 springs there was no more float to be had and the car always felt planted.

To tighten it up more, I'd also recommend the firewall and strut tower bracing (along with the cowl extension) and lower K brace from the PP mustangs (info around on the forum).

 

[AvalancheSVT]

Recently, I was driving at a brisk pace to learn about the 2019 GT that I bought two weeks ago. I did not expect it to FLOAT like a 1970’s Lincoln at high speeds. The road was smooth and did not have holes. It had a slight turn but was otherwise featureless.

What are the best improvements that will maintain a good ride? I prefer roadracing and autocross, but will occasionally run at the dragstrip. A Steeda G-Trac K-member brace and IRS subframe brace should help.

The GT has always felt soft. Even though it’s not a PP1, it should drive better than this. For reference, I have spent the last eight years in a BMW 335Xi and the last three years in a Porsche Cayman. Those cars are tight and nimble. The Porsche was essentially a luxury go-kart.

The Mustang is fun, nice looking and powerful, but sloppy.

how fast were you going? i spent a little time at 120 or 130 and didn't notice anything odd.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Or stay out of the triple digits, lol.

Blasphemy!

 

[Andy13186]

Love my pedders adjustable coilovers. Can dial it in to exactly how you want it. Much more planted. Have done 194 mph and its smooth and controlled at all speeds. I also have most of steedas stop the hop kit other than the differential bushings.

 

[Järn]

Rob, here are some of my favorite suspension threads from the past 7 years.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/making-a-non-pp-gt-handle-like-a-gt350.102590/
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/fp-track-handling-pack.147572/page-3#post-3027351
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...ith-the-ford-performance-track-shocks.105570/
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/m6g-suspension-nirvana.122473/
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/bmacils-guard-gt-build.36260/
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/alignment-advice-for-2016-pp-street-autox-use.132879/

 

[TrackMustang]

I have made quite a bit of progress in purchasing every piece of chassis/suspension stiffening part that Steeda makes as well we the FP track kit. My base GT is planted quite well and shit tons of fun. Wider rims too-

 

[ay1820]

Coming off BMW 335 or Cayman what you are saying is not surprising to me. I am coming off of 15 years with an E85 BMW and I had the same exact impression even at sub-triple digit speeds. You just don't get the same level of connected feedback you get from European-style sport suspension. There is some "X" factor I can't quite describe, but my BMW just inspired confidence and control in a way that the Mustang does not.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Coming off BMW 335 or Cayman what you are saying is not surprising to me. I am coming off of 15 years with an E85 BMW and I had the same exact impression even at sub-triple digit speeds. You just don't get the same level of connected feedback you get from European-style sport suspension. There is some "X" factor I can't quite describe, but my BMW just inspired confidence and control in a way that the Mustang does not.

True, but on the other hand a sporty BMW will shatter your teeth and every bone in your body whenever there's as much as a wrinkle in the road surface. The Mustang can cruise in perfect comfort over long distances. No free lunch.

 

[ay1820]

True, but on the other hand a sporty BMW will shatter your teeth and every bone in your body whenever there's as much as a wrinkle in the road surface. The Mustang can cruise in perfect comfort over long distances. No free lunch.

I actually liked having a ride where you feel every wrinkle in the road, but it is more than just the stiffness of the suspension. For example, accelerating out of a corner, the BMW seemed to hunker down and grip, whereas the Mustang wants to kick out its ass-end.

I am sure that part of this is my own perception. I have too many flashbacks to my old Fox Body Mustangs which, shall we say, were not known for stellar handling

 

[Vlad Soare]

I actually liked having a ride where you feel every wrinkle in the road, but it is more than just the stiffness of the suspension. For example, accelerating out of a corner, the BMW seemed to hunker down and grip, whereas the Mustang wants to kick out its ass-end.

I know what you mean, and I agree it's an awesome feeling. I've experienced the same in a Mini Cooper S (which stands to reason, since it's also made by BMW). That little car was a real gem as far as handling and steering feel were concerned. But it dislodged all my tooth fillings over just a few miles, on a road that prior to that drive I used to think was perfectly smooth.
Perfect car for fun, but not something I'd take for a six hundred mile trip in one go.

 

[offroadkarter]

True, but on the other hand a sporty BMW will shatter your teeth and every bone in your body whenever there's as much as a wrinkle in the road surface. The Mustang can cruise in perfect comfort over long distances. No free lunch.

Maybe with low profile run flats, I can't say this is my experience with my E46 330 or my E39 M5, nor my fathers E85 Z4 or my mothers F15 X5.

For example, accelerating out of a corner, the BMW seemed to hunker down and grip, whereas the Mustang wants to kick out its ass-end.

There is certainly truth to this and I'm not a suspension tuning expert with the answers, but my M5 can power out of turns easier than the Mustang can. That car just grips and grips.

The S550 suspension is really really similar to a E90 though, Ford just had to give it a very average suspension tuning setup to make the masses mostly happy. The bones are there, you just need to add some subframe bracing and better springs/dampers. I'm still on the stock PP1 springs/dampers but the CB005, J&M shock mounts, BMR Vertical links and front K member brace made a tremendous change on how the car goes over bumps, hunkers down in a turn and gets rid of that floaty boaty feeling. I have Bilstein B8's and BMR minimal drop / handling springs going on this winter.

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