Mods to complete suspension setup

[Coyote Red]

I'd like someone to confirm install of BMR cradle lockout requires cutting of the J&M aluminum subframe bushings of 1/2 " to combine with the cradle lockout kit?

Sponsored

 

[BmacIL]

I'd like someone to confirm install of BMR cradle lockout requires cutting of the J&M aluminum subframe bushings of 1/2 " to combine with the cradle lockout kit?

Yes, or just remove the front bushings (what I would do). The front mounts for the BMR lockout do a decent job centering the cradle anyway, and the rear bushings would keep it centered.

 

[Bluemustang]

Agreed on tires, but I would add that a premium tire, such as the SS, offers vastly more than just dry grip. What you get is a refined ride quality, incredible response, predictable break-way, long life AND the ultimate in wet grip. Seriously, the wet grip is almost as good as dry such that a wet road simply becomes a non-issue, within reason of course. They are easily worth the money because they literally transform a car. No other suspension mod comes anywhere close to a good tire.

OP - there's honestly no point in going any further without better tires. And with better tires you'll likely see no need to go any further - at the very least your direction will change after good tires. Size and square are secondary - most important is to just get a good tire on that thing.

One of the biggest problem I've had with the car is the wet grip. Now I know it's a front engine mounted, RWD car with 435+ hp I get it but the wet grip is so bad it's almost unsafe.

I've got almost 17,000 miles on these crap tires now. Time to get rid of em. Strongly considering the MPSS.

 

[BmacIL]

One of the biggest problem I've had with the car is the wet grip. Now I know it's a front engine mounted, RWD car with 435+ hp I get it but the wet grip is so bad it's almost unsafe.

I've got almost 17,000 miles on these crap tires now. Time to get rid of em. Strongly considering the MPSS.

The P-zero Nero is surprisingly terrible in the wet. MPSS is expensive, and hard to swallow, but boy are they great tires. When I got a set for my last car I was astounded how good they were over Michelin's own "high-performance" all-season. Quieter, better riding, way more dry grip and way more wet grip, all while lasting for nearly 30,000 miles (that's how long my 18" Neros lasted, too).

 

[ForTehNguyen]

the tires on the base car are a laughable 235 width, when you start going up to 275/285 square with better tires, its a total transformation. If MPSS is out of your budget there are plent of other good summer tires: Sumitomo HTR III. Continental is coming out with a new tire to replace the DW

 

[Bluemustang]

the tires on the base car are a laughable 235 width, when you start going up to 275/285 square with better tires, its a total transformation. If MPSS is out of your budget there are plent of other good summer tires: Sumitomo HTR III. Continental is coming out with a new tire to replace the DW

Agreed the 235s are laughable. Equally laughable is my willingness to mod my suspension out w/o 1st addressing tires.

The reason I did was because it's expensive stuff. I felt that if I didn't do the suspension right away I would get cold feet and never do it. And I wanted to upgrade the suspension but tires and rims were always on the list from the beginning. Just got to do it when spring comes around. No point in doing it now when the temps are in the 20s and 30s

 

[BmacIL]

Agreed the 235s are laughable. Equally laughable is my willingness to mod my suspension out w/o 1st addressing tires.

The reason I did was because it's expensive stuff. I felt that if I didn't do the suspension right away I would get cold feet and never do it. And I wanted to upgrade the suspension but tires and rims were always on the list from the beginning. Just got to do it when spring comes around. No point in doing it now when the temps are in the 20s and 30s

There's also a lot of the stuff you've done that have real, tangible benefits during daily use. Don't beat yourself up too much! The point is that you've done the big stuff already: springs & dampers, cradle stabilization. Do tires and then evaluate. It will change the car drastically for the better, and then you'll just have to see if there's anything else nagging you. For sure, there are a ton of parts out there to eek more and more performance out of the car, but at some point many of us say, "I'm happy where it's at".

 

[Bluemustang]

There's also a lot of the stuff you've done that have real, tangible benefits during daily use. Don't beat yourself up too much! The point is that you've done the big stuff already: springs & dampers, cradle stabilization. Do tires and then evaluate. It will change the car drastically for the better, and then you'll just have to see if there's anything else nagging you. For sure, there are a ton of parts out there to eek more and more performance out of the car, but at some point many of us say, "I'm happy where it's at".

Thanks man! I appreciate your kind words and input. I feel like I have done a lot good. I'm finally happy with the ride now. It's a real firm riding car now but it doesn't feel oddly damped in the shocks and no more bouncing sensation that I had with my previous Koni setup. I liked them but this Ford Racing springs and shocks I like better for this car.

It feels like a firm sports car now but isn't beating me up too badly. It reminds a little bit of a BMW. You feel every undulation but there is a little refinement to it. The Konis set firm felt like a race car, and it beat me up over time. With right adjustment they're ok but this combo fits me better I think. Still get on bad roads and you pay the price, but that's a side effect of feeling the road regardless.

 

[BmacIL]

Thanks man! I appreciate your kind words and input. I feel like I have done a lot good. I'm finally happy with the ride now. It's a real firm riding car now but it doesn't feel oddly damped in the shocks and no more bouncing sensation that I had with my previous Koni setup. I liked them but this Ford Racing springs and shocks I like better for this car.

It feels like a firm sports car now but isn't beating me up too badly. It reminds a little bit of a BMW. You feel every undulation but there is a little refinement to it. The Konis set firm felt like a race car, and it beat me up over time. With right adjustment they're ok but this combo fits me better I think. Still get on bad roads and you pay the price, but that's a side effect of feeling the road regardless.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to a good solid feeling like that with the setup I'm installing soon.

For a non-PP car, you know when you bought it that the tires were the weak link. That said, if you threw sticky rubber on first, the base suspension would be immediately overworked and unable to handle the grip well. What you did was smart considering you drive this daily, and throwing away tires, no matter how poor they are for limit handling, doesn't make any sense. Given that, and knowing that the stock suspension was not going to cut it, why not get the benefits from that first, which will come alive with more grip?

 

[Bluemustang]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to a good solid feeling like that with the setup I'm installing soon.

For a non-PP car, you know when you bought it that the tires were the weak link. That said, if you threw sticky rubber on first, the base suspension would be immediately overworked and unable to handle the grip well. What you did was smart considering you drive this daily, and throwing away tires, no matter how poor they are for limit handling, doesn't make any sense. Given that, and knowing that the stock suspension was not going to cut it, why not get the benefits from that first, which will come alive with more grip?

Very astute observations [MENTION=10281]BmacIL[/MENTION]. That's pretty much what I was thinking.

What are you thinking in terms of your suspension?

 

[BmacIL]

Very astute observations [MENTION=10281]BmacIL[/MENTION]. That's pretty much what I was thinking.

What are you thinking in terms of your suspension?

GT350R front springs & BMR SP085 handling rears (ordered and in-transit)
Steeda Pro-Action Fixed shocks & struts (in house waiting for install )

I was strongly heading towards the FRPP track shocks and struts with those same springs, just as Rebellion did, or the GT350 front monotube and PP rear, but the Steeda sale came up last week and after doing more research on them, came to the conclusion that they would be quite similar in terms of damping performance to the FRPP setup. They are valved to be equivalent to 1.5 turns from soft on Steeda's adjustable versions, which is right on or a little stiffer than folks are running them with handling-range springs.

 

[Bluemustang]

GT350R front springs & BMR SP085 handling rears (ordered and in-transit)
Steeda Pro-Action Fixed shocks & struts (in house waiting for install )

I was strongly heading towards the FRPP track shocks and struts with those same springs, just as Rebellion did, or the GT350 front monotube and PP rear, but the Steeda sale came up last week and after doing more research on them, came to the conclusion that they would be quite similar in terms of damping performance to the FRPP setup. They are valved to be equivalent to 1.5 turns from soft on Steeda's adjustable versions, which is right on or a little stiffer than folks are running them with handling-range springs.

Sounds very intriguing. Look forward to your reaction on it. I wonder how the handling springs would go with my shocks/struts, very well I bet. But I don't want to worry about cutting bump stops anymore. Went through that before. That's why I didn't keep my BMR perf springs on the car. I wanted springs that were made for the shocks specifically. Switching from one setup to another was very expensive so I didn't want to have to tinker with it further.

The BMR springs likely would have been excellent but as I said before I wanted a wholesale change and don't want anymore hassle.

 

[BmacIL]

Sounds very intriguing. Look forward to your reaction on it. I wonder how the handling springs would go with my shocks/struts, very well I bet. But I don't want to worry about cutting bump stops anymore. Went through that before. That's why I didn't keep my BMR perf springs on the car. I wanted springs that were made for the shocks specifically. Switching from one setup to another was very expensive so I didn't want to have to tinker with it further.

The BMR springs likely would have been excellent but as I said before I wanted a wholesale change and don't want anymore hassle.

They'll work very well with your shocks/struts. Like I said, [MENTION=26233]Rebellion[/MENTION] has the GT350R fronts (chosen for the same reason as I did - only spring in that rate range with minimal, 3/4", front lowering) and SP085 rears with the same shocks/struts. Excellent feedback from him.

I'm excited to see how mine works out.

 

[Coyote Red]

Thank's BmacIL, I cut those billet bushings myself last night and cleaned them up witha grinder and sandpaper for install Thursday. Can't wait for better handling in the twisty's as I can already get the rear end sliding and did a mini "power slide" yesterday. That "drop" feeling is uncomfortable and this should fix it.

Sponsored