Steeda Comfort Suspension + other stuff

[jjsotolongo]

Just had the following Steeda items installed on the car last week at their shop in Fl:

• Sport progressive springs / Active shocks (comfort suspension package)
• Camber Plates
• Subframe alignment and support kit​
• Front roll center and Bumpsteer correction kit
• G-Trac K member brace
• Jacking Rails
• Rear spring spacer for vert
• Pre-cut Bumpstops

This is my attempt at making a more competent “GT” suspension. 100% a street car but with more control, and better manners. I’m very pleased with the results.

The spring and damper combo is much better at controlling secondary motions over bumps. Bumps are felt once, not two or three times like with the stock set-up. There is no added NVH at all. My wife actually prefers how this setup rides over the OEM deal. Pitch and dive under acceleration and braking is vastly improved as well. The steering is more responsive with a more natural load up in turns particularly in Sport steering. I suspect this is a side benefit of the bumpsteer and roll center pieces.

The car is also just more cohesive in how it behaves overall. It feels like I’m controlling one piece of mass as opposed to having to think about the front and rear of the car separately if that makes sense. I admit this could uniquely be a convertible problem that the added bracing alleviated.

The tech at Steeda was able to get the street alignment dialed in perfectly thanks to the camber plates. Again this is a street car so tire wear characteristics matter. Speaking of tires… I now am finding that the suspension severely outclasses them. Can you guess what my next purchase will be?

For those of you looking for a suspension setup for the street, I highly recommend this combo. It wasn’t cheap but I’m of the “buy once cry once” mentality. Shout out to Rod at Steeda who helped me piece all of this together during our phone call!

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[shogun32]

It feels like I’m controlling one piece of mass as opposed to having to think about the front and rear of the car separately if that makes sense. I admit this could uniquely be a convertible problem

It's not. The solid roof comes with a hinge in the chassis as well.

Can you guess what my next purchase will be?

19x9.5 or 10 wheels with 275 or 285 width tires.

 

[jjsotolongo]

It's not. The solid roof comes with a hinge in the chassis as well.

19x9.5 or 10 wheels with 275 or 285 width tires.

Yeah I’m looking at a 10” setup. Might do 11” in the back but I’m not sure yet. I will need the meat in the back when the boost bug inevitably bites me. The plan as of today is to make sure the rest of the car can keep up.

 

[Jonv828]

Just had the following Steeda items installed on the car last week at their shop in Fl:

• Sport progressive springs / Active shocks (comfort suspension package)
• Camber Plates
• Subframe alignment and support kit​
• Front roll center and Bumpsteer correction kit
• G-Trac K member brace
• Jacking Rails
• Rear spring spacer for vert
• Pre-cut Bumpstops

This is my attempt at making a more competent “GT” suspension. 100% a street car but with more control, and better manners. I’m very pleased with the results.

The spring and damper combo is much better at controlling secondary motions over bumps. Bumps are felt once, not two or three times like with the stock set-up. There is no added NVH at all. My wife actually prefers how this setup rides over the OEM deal. Pitch and dive under acceleration and braking is vastly improved as well. The steering is more responsive with a more natural load up in turns particularly in Sport steering. I suspect this is a side benefit of the bumpsteer and roll center pieces.

The car is also just more cohesive in how it behaves overall. It feels like I’m controlling one piece of mass as opposed to having to think about the front and rear of the car separately if that makes sense. I admit this could uniquely be a convertible problem that the added bracing alleviated.

The tech at Steeda was able to get the street alignment dialed in perfectly thanks to the camber plates. Again this is a street car so tire wear characteristics matter. Speaking of tires… I now am finding that the suspension severely outclasses them. Can you guess what my next purchase will be?

For those of you looking for a suspension setup for the street, I highly recommend this combo. It wasn’t cheap but I’m of the “buy once cry once” mentality. Shout out to Rod at Steeda who helped me piece all of this together during our phone call!

Question for you. I am thinking of doing a very similar suspension package. But also thinking about “stop the hop kit”.
I’m trying to think which to do first. Any thoughts on which would be better to do first? Is stop hop the kit something you will consider in the future?

 

[Dana Pants]

The stop the hop kit is very not comfortable, but is absolutely excellent.

 

[shogun32]

Question for you. I am thinking of doing a very similar suspension package. But also thinking about “stop the hop kit”.
I’m trying to think which to do first. Any thoughts on which would be better to do first? Is stop hop the kit something you will consider in the future?

there are tiers to STH kit. At the very least you want the alignment dowels and IRS bushing lockouts. Steeda, BMR, and WHiteline all have solutions. Whiteline has the softest and easiest to install, IMO. And it is sufficient. BMR/Steeda are considerably more money but are also adding bracing to various extents.

For cheapest possible solution that does enough for most people: Whiteline bushing inserts + Steeda or BMR alignment dowels + Steeda IRS brace.

If you don't address the hinge in the chassis that Ford politely calls the IRS, your suspension improvements will be suboptimal. Even the "fancy" magneride benefits significantly once you fix the IRS even with zilch other changes.

 

[Dana Pants]

@shogun32 Im surprised you recommend the big braces over these bushing limiters. They certainly do something good and also do nothing bad for NVH that I have noticed.

 

[shogun32]

Only because they are pain to install vs others. I had them on my gt before I want to full bushing replacement. And I even have another new kit I forgot I even had...

 

[K4fxd]

Steedas IRS braces add zero NVH and tie the rear of the car to the front. If I could only have one mod it would be the IRS braces.

 

[jjsotolongo]

Question for you. I am thinking of doing a very similar suspension package. But also thinking about “stop the hop kit”.
I’m trying to think which to do first. Any thoughts on which would be better to do first? Is stop hop the kit something you will consider in the future?

Like others have said there are tiers to the stop the hop kit. With that said, that kit is geared towards maximizing rear-end traction, not necessarily overall handling/balance.

I would say that the first tier STH kit is a good starting point to build from. You’re most likely going to want those parts regardless of what else you decide to do in the future. I have the subframe alignment kit and bushing support. Plus the vert already has some underbody brace. Meaning I have to some degree the first tier kit already. I don’t plan on doing the second tier STH kit because the car is very well mannered at the moment.

From the tier 1 kit you can decide if you want to build the suspension for hard launches and pick up the second tier items, or do a street/handling build. What you add after the tier 1 kit will depend on your goals for the car.

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