M-9602-M different feel and some questions

[sigma4g]

hey guys got this kit installed in the stang last week and me being the paranoid person i wanted some input on people that have done this install.

my findings:

car is stiffer in all modes, not unberable, but pretty stiff.

rear is exceptionally stiff than the front

when doing the software update my shifting also changed and became more harsh....does this update completely flash the pcm? of so i wonder if the transmission is in its "learning" process again

do these kits require shorter bumpstops or to cut them down?

all in all it feels like its a stiffer rider and from other people that ive seen talk about it, normal mode doesnt really change for them, but for me, its definitely for stiff especially in the rear.

also, applying some throttle through corners i can feel the back in trying to hop through the corner.

this is my first time ever lowering a car and i could be paranoid but i just want to make sure i did everything properly.

i tried to email ford performance with these questions but of course they havent responded.

please all experiences and knowledge is always helpful

Sponsored

 

[Norm Peterson]

Firmer springs, and to a lesser extent, firmer sta-bars, do call for slightly more damping.

I have no idea about any effect on shifting, but I can see where the 'learning' feature could be involved. I guess time will tell for that.


Norm

 

[NightmareMoon]

Did you cut the bumpstops? If you lower the car at all you want to shorten the bumpstops too so you aren't hitting them all the time over little stuff.

Also make sure you're set on the softer of the two rear swaybar settings if you feel the rear is hopping around too much.

 

[sigma4g]

i believe the sway bars are on the softer settingand i havent cut the bumpstops yet cause in the install sheet it never said anything about cutting them or replacing them. going to try and call them tomorrow to see if i am supposed to.

 

[sigma4g]

so just got off the phone with ford performance, literally no help at all :(

 

[MagCoyote5.0]

Not sure why your shifting is different. Thought the cal was just remapping the MR shocks.

 

[kz]

Magneride dampers don't really have bumpstops from what I remember. Don't have an auto so can't tell anything about shifting but it's the VDM that is being flashed, not PCM (although can't say for sure that it is VDM only). All of the modes do become stiffer but part of it are stiffer springs, part the VDM tune.

It's hard to talk about individual impressions because what is stiff to you may not be stiff to someone else, but rear isn't super stiff by any means - those are dual rate springs btw.

If you had unbolted any of the bushings, have you clocked them properly ? If you used procedure that manual suggests (and not the CJ Pony method of lowering subframe to replace the springs), note everything need to be tightened at right height for that reason (bushing not being preloaded) - if you're on sphericals everywhere - never mind.

 

[sigma4g]

Magneride dampers don't really have bumpstops from what I remember. Don't have an auto so can't tell anything about shifting but it's the VDM that is being flashed, not PCM (although can't say for sure that it is VDM only). All of the modes do become stiffer but part of it are stiffer springs, part the VDM tune.

It's hard to talk about individual impressions because what is stiff to you may not be stiff to someone else, but rear isn't super stiff by any means - those are dual rate springs btw.

If you had unbolted any of the bushings, have you clocked them properly ? If you used procedure that manual suggests (and not the CJ Pony method of lowering subframe to replace the springs), note everything need to be tightened at right height for that reason (bushing not being preloaded) - if you're on sphericals everywhere - never mind.

i did have all the bushing clocked at the alignment shop for sure. i can feel the car getting more stiff if i put it into sport+ mode. i personally am ok with the extra firmness of the car BUT when i here that other users say that its not that much more stiff than stock, to me, i have a different opinion and that is why im so concerned with my outcome vs everybody else. this is the first car ive lowered before so i dont know what to expect. Im assuming you feel the road more in the steering wheel. I also can hear the suspensions sounds more clearly when there are bumps in the road. im assuming that all comes with lowering the car as well?

 

[kz]

Im assuming you feel the road more in the steering wheel. I also can hear the suspensions sounds more clearly when there are bumps in the road. im assuming that all comes with lowering the car as well?

I can't really tell honestly - I've done year and half ago and since then few other things so don't remember my exact impressions - but if you just installed the package, you should not have any additional sounds from the suspension unless something isn't tight - strut mounts ? sway bar links like to routinely get loose where they bolt to the strut in the front...

 

[sigma4g]

can anybody confirm with this kit that the vdm resets the magride baseline?

 

[kz]

can anybody confirm with this kit that the vdm resets the magride baseline?

What do you mean ? Calibrates ride height sensors ? Can't confirm, but I think the programming procedure has to (since every single thing in the manual that's being done with suspension requires that procedure carried out).

 

[sigma4g]

What do you mean ? Calibrates ride height sensors ? Can't confirm, but I think the programming procedure has to (since every single thing in the manual that's being done with suspension requires that procedure carried out).

I agree i would assume that it would do that too, but i cannot get confirmation from any sources that it does that or not. It is quite annoying that the company that developed this kit can not give me the correct answers. Im getting for luck from these forums than them lol

 

[sigma4g]

making an appointment at a ford dealer with ford performance. apprently they have a reading tool to read the magneride as its driving to see its characteristics and see if its zeroed out or not. they will be also getting it on a lift to make sure everything looks good and the height sensors are in good shape (which they should be) if anything else, this will give answers to other magneride cars on what you can do and what hardware ford has to use on our cars

 

[TeeLew]

making an appointment at a ford dealer with ford performance. apprently they have a reading tool to read the magneride as its driving to see its characteristics and see if its zeroed out or not. they will be also getting it on a lift to make sure everything looks good and the height sensors are in good shape (which they should be) if anything else, this will give answers to other magneride cars on what you can do and what hardware ford has to use on our cars

If the sensors were in bad shape, the controller would have already thrown an error code & limited you to 80mph.

 

[bankyf]

hey guys got this kit installed in the stang last week and me being the paranoid person i wanted some input on people that have done this install.

my findings:

car is stiffer in all modes, not unberable, but pretty stiff.

rear is exceptionally stiff than the front

when doing the software update my shifting also changed and became more harsh....does this update completely flash the pcm? of so i wonder if the transmission is in its "learning" process again

do these kits require shorter bumpstops or to cut them down?

all in all it feels like its a stiffer rider and from other people that ive seen talk about it, normal mode doesnt really change for them, but for me, its definitely for stiff especially in the rear.

also, applying some throttle through corners i can feel the back in trying to hop through the corner.

this is my first time ever lowering a car and i could be paranoid but i just want to make sure i did everything properly.

i tried to email ford performance with these questions but of course they havent responded.

please all experiences and knowledge is always helpful

Just finished my install and I have the same experience as you. I am not really pleased with how stiff the car is, particularly the rear and it is not at all what I expected after reading all of the feedback from others. I am seriously considering going back to stock. I wouldn't worry about the transmission though, its highly likely that the process of flashing reset the adaptive tables.

Sponsored