Suspension Upgrades Suggestion

[S550HPP]

Do you recommend that I go with Ford PP shocks and struts? I want to upgrade them from stock, but I thought B6 was the answer. I sometimes get into the highway during weekends, but most of the time, I'm on crappy streets...

If that's the case, I think I need these:

Track strut and shock kit (M-18000-F)
Track sway bar kit (M-5490-G)
PP rear toe link kit (M-5972-M)
Knuckle-to-toe link bearing assembly (M-5A460-M)
Track sway bar bushing kit (M-5490-BKD)
Steeda Minimum Drop Spring (555-8223)
Eibach front/read bump stops
PP front control arm kit (M-3075-F): I don't know if these are more beneficial than the deflector that I can't use.

Those are literally all massive downgrades for crappy streets, except track front sway bar. All great upgrades if it's a track car 90% of time.


Just get Koni active and replacement control arms (even chia ones are better) if you want to maintain enjoyable ride on crappy streets.

You will not notice a difference on the highway unless you are at 9/10 in which case losing licenses being detailed or crashing would be greatest concern.

I wasted my money on B6 and Steeda end links, on the bench about Performance control arms but like you I wanted to make the car better haha....it was opposite for 80% of my use on crappy roads.

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[SBR70.3]

I need to upgrade my suspension,

Why?


Step 1 is to properly identify the knocking sound. It could be a bad wheel bearing (a very well known issue with the S550). It could be a bushing in the control arms. It could be something with your steering. If it were me, I would not go spending money on suspension parts, hoping that will fix the issue, when you do not know what is actually causing the issue. Take it to a reputable non-Ford shop in your area.

 

[omiga]

Hey buddy

I went with Steeda and couldnt be happier. Quality parts and customer service from @tj@steeda and the team is excellent.

I went with Steeda Pro-Active Shocks/struts, Minimum Springs, Alignment Kit, IRS Bushing, Subframe Braces, Rear Shock Mounts, Vertical Links.

You want to address the IRS first. Then the struts/springs. If you can do it all at once, great. No need to use camber plates for the minimum springs but I installed J&M because why not.

I live in PR so the streets here are worse than in NY but I have zero complaints running that setup.

Shoot TJ a dm and he will come with a setup for your needs.

Thanks, nice car, and color...
Mine is a convertible, so I have read that I don't need and actually can't install many parts of the stop-the-hop kit.

Why did you go for pro-active? I don't know that one very well.

 

[omiga]

There are multiple issues with your plans.

Doesn't bother you that technician couldn't find the source of the knock but said "change suspension" ? If knocking is an issue, then replace with the stock parts but better yet have someone look at the control arm bushings, make sure sway bar links are tight (as that's what typically gets loose).

"Better" is highly subjective for suspension components - is 1000 in/lb spring even more better than whatever rate Steeda's minimum drop are ?

Aftermarket dampers will generally give you better controlled ride but just about any mod you are considering will make the ride on terrible streets worse.

A lot of people on this forum mod to mod (literally - "I just bought new car, what mods should I do ? "). Question that anyone should ask is what they want to achieve.
If you want to fix suspension knocking, find the source of it, because switching dampers and springs may not fix it at all.

Well, I wanted to improve the suspension at some point to remove this boat feeling and increase the feedback from the road. To my understanding, everyone is trying to get to the numbers 350R provides, but the drop is huge (1.2", I think). Steeda looks at something in the middle, while BMR has closer numbers at the expense of a 0.75" drop.

Here in San Diego, I have many bumps that I should go over every day, and for that reason, I prefer to minimize the drop.

You're right, but the technician commented that he couldn't identify anything obvious. The next stop was asking him to change it with an identical one and then upgrade, while I could upgrade at the same time, fix the obvious, and see if the mysterious one went away.

I'm not the kind of guy who randomly spends money on these things and neglects the engineering parts. But thanks for your time and insightful notes. Just for your curiosity, I must add that I got this one secondhand and know that from day zero, I'm going to do these modes. Just this knocking sound made me hurry up to make my decision.

 

[omiga]

Add BMR CB005 lockout kit and Steeda alignment dowels to the B6/Steeda minimum drop springs. Mine rides well even on crappy New England roads...

Get something other than the stock 18" setup too, meaty tires are part of the equation too.

I think those two are for fastback Mustangs; mine is convertible and has some brackets on the bottom that stop many of those issues, and I do not need them.

That one is also on the list, and I will go for them in a couple of months. I also could never find the best tire numbers while increasing the wheel size. The calculators online try to make the wider wheels the same size/shape as the original. I know Ford also sells cars with 19-inch wheels, so maybe I should copy numbers from those with 19-inch wheels.

 

[omiga]

Those are literally all massive downgrades for crappy streets, except track front sway bar. All great upgrades if it's a track car 90% of time.


Just get Koni active and replacement control arms (even chia ones are better) if you want to maintain enjoyable ride on crappy streets.

You will not notice a difference on the highway unless you are at 9/10 in which case losing licenses being detailed or crashing would be greatest concern.

I wasted my money on B6 and Steeda end links, on the bench about Performance control arms but like you I wanted to make the car better haha....it was opposite for 80% of my use on crappy roads.

So, if I understand your comment, would you suggest that I replace the control arm with a stock one and change the sway bar?

What was your issue with B6 or PP shocks and struts? Was it a spring upgrade or the dampers? What went bad? Height reduction or something else? Didn't you like more feedback from the road?

I also don't know if the performance control arms are better than the stock ones. I read about improvements on PP shocks and struts, but no one likes that progressive spring that comes with them.

 

[omiga]

Why?


Step 1 is to properly identify the knocking sound. It could be a bad wheel bearing (a very well known issue with the S550). It could be a bushing in the control arms. It could be something with your steering. If it were me, I would not go spending money on suspension parts, hoping that will fix the issue, when you do not know what is actually causing the issue. Take it to a reputable non-Ford shop in your area.

I think it's either a hit from the bottom that damaged the control arm, or the bushing has gone wrong after 5 years.

Great advice, but I couldn't find a good one. I live in SD, and if you could direct me to one of them, that would be great. I hoped that the Ford technician could identify it, but after a week and comparing it with a similar one on the bottom side by side, they commented that they couldn't find it.

 

[larr12]

@omiga I suggest dm TJ @ steeda with the specs of your car, what you want to do with it and he will come with a setup. Thats what I did and couldnt be happier.

If you want to start slow, my suggestion is IRS alignment kit, struts and minimum drop springs knowing that you are in San Diego. Loved downtown San Diego btw.

 

[S550HPP]

So, if I understand your comment, would you suggest that I replace the control arm with a stock one and change the sway bar?

What was your issue with B6 or PP shocks and struts? Was it a spring upgrade or the dampers? What went bad? Height reduction or something else? Didn't you like more feedback from the road?

I also don't know if the performance control arms are better than the stock ones. I read about improvements on PP shocks and struts, but no one likes that progressive spring that comes with them.

For me on Ecoboost HPP vert the B6 front is too stiff for <40 MPH bumps, car jumps around on stock springs. >55 they are great. Rear is fine.

With PP control arms got some harshness as well, with zero benefit for use in city and mountains - they are cheaper than rubber bushed one for a reason, cheaper to make.

 

[kz]

Well, I wanted to improve the suspension at some point to remove this boat feeling and increase the feedback from the road. To my understanding, everyone is trying to get to the numbers 350R provides, but the drop is huge (1.2", I think). Steeda looks at something in the middle, while BMR has closer numbers at the expense of a 0.75" drop.

Then some better dampers should help - springs I'll be careful with, especially going high with the rates (which is what matters, the drop less) but any stiffer spring you install requires appropriate damping.

And to be fair there is nothing wrong with wanting to mod the car - it's what most men do, whether it is a Mustang, pick up truck or something completely different. People can sell us anything
Most mods offered by aftermarket companies will make the car better without really big negatives (other than lighter wallet and some NVH). They have it figured out pretty well.

Just wanted to caution you to make sure your main concern gets addressed.

 

[omiga]

For me on Ecoboost HPP vert the B6 front is too stiff for <40 MPH bumps, car jumps around on stock springs. >55 they are great. Rear is fine.

With PP control arms got some harshness as well, with zero benefit for use in city and mountains - they are cheaper than rubber bushed one for a reason, cheaper to make.

PP control arms look more expensive, and I wouldn't say I like NVH. I think I wouldn't upgrade anything to make it noisier. I talked with JBA today, and their recommendation was also to stock ARMs.

Why did you go with stock spring? I think you need to go for higher rates if you get B6.

 

[omiga]

Then some better dampers should help - springs I'll be careful with, especially going high with the rates (which is what matters, the drop less) but any stiffer spring you install requires appropriate damping.

And to be fair there is nothing wrong with wanting to mod the car - it's what most men do, whether it is a Mustang, pick up truck or something completely different. People can sell us anything
Most mods offered by aftermarket companies will make the car better without really big negatives (other than lighter wallet and some NVH). They have it figured out pretty well.

Just wanted to caution you to make sure your main concern gets addressed.

Thank you so much KZ; you're a wise guy.
I'm also leaning always on the same side and thinking that the guy who designed it was an engineer with much more experience than me, so he knew something to implement.

On the other hand, ponies are named for a reason (there's a push for the powerful engine, not the rest), so if they've sacrificed something to reduce the cost, I'm happy to fix that issue. But for example, if it's just adding a bearing to control-arm to increase its durability in exchange for NVH, I prefer to stick with the stock one

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

For me on Ecoboost HPP vert the B6 front is too stiff for <40 MPH bumps, car jumps around on stock springs. >55 they are great. Rear is fine.

With PP control arms got some harshness as well, with zero benefit for use in city and mountains - they are cheaper than rubber bushed one for a reason, cheaper to make.

I didn't get any add'l harshness from the PP arms. Anything to give the steering a bit more immediacy and feedback is a must with these cars IMO.

 

[S550HPP]

I didn't get any add'l harshness from the PP arms. Anything to give the steering a bit more immediacy and feedback is a must with these cars IMO.

Must be just Ecoboost HPP or I got counterfeits, or installed wrong, otherwise can feel the absence of no rubber bushing.

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