Upgrading Suspension Components.

[SBR70.3]

Yes, definitely do not take it to a track because you’ll get hooked. Do not take it to a track. My suspension is Steeda everything:

Gorgeous car!!!!!

My first track day is Sep 16th. All I am missing is sway bars and I will be full Steeda.



Are you using the stock seats? I'm debating putting a race seat in.

Sponsored

 

[TRDFurgesson]

Gorgeous car!!!!!

My first track day is Sep 16th. All I am missing is sway bars and I will be full Steeda.



Are you using the stock seats? I'm debating putting a race seat in.

Recaro / 4 point Schroth

 

[Jpump]

Just ordered Steeda Lateral and Tension Links, and a Steeda Bumpsteer Kit too. I need to stop. I've got a problem.

 

[Nagare]

That's exactly how I feel right now lol and my bank account is asking for a break too!

 

[Bluemustang]

No you do not need the tension links. These do not really require a geometry change. You will do need the bumpsteer kit. Trust me I know what it feels like when the bumpsteer is off lol. It can be dangerous on the street is certain scenarios. The bumpsteer kit will make a world of difference. And remember not to confuse tramlining with a bumpsteer issue. Those are two different things. With the amount of negative camber you are running and sticky tires, it will tramline a lot and follow the grooves in the road. You will know it is bumpsteer if the car goes somewhere other than the steering wheel is pointed from encountering a bump. Fixing the bumpsteer is eliminating the excessive toe change as the suspension compresses.

 

[shogun32]

This is what you need.

 

[Bluemustang]

You probably have a bit of both happening. Tramlining (alignment + sticky tires) and bumpsteer from lowering the ride height. Bumpsteer kit helps a lot. You do not need the tension links for the geometry, but the arms with the bearings are an improvement and I have them on my car. It makes the steering more accurate and more responsive and direct. The road you are on with your track build and improving laptimes, it's a natural progression imo. I have the Steeda roll center correction arms and tension links with bearings. There's a few other manufacturers who also offer bearings for this location. I've been fine with my Steeda bearings. A little bit of NVH that I am used to now. This + the RC lateral links were the key to perfecting the steering feel for me on this car. I can only imagine what 514# front springs on Ohlins dampers will do to this thing.

 

[Bluemustang]

Yes, let me clarify. You will want the lateral links (w/ RC correction) to correct the geometry. But you will also want the bumpsteer kit to aid you in your alignment and to fix the bumpsteer issue. The lateral links on their own will toe out the tires pretty significantly. You will need a new alignment for sure after installing these parts. Be advised: the roll center correction will reduce the track width a little bit. Maybe about 5mm per side I think could be wrong. But my wheels and tires now sit slightly closer to the strut than before. Worth it for me for the improvement I felt.

 

[Jpump]

In 3 weeks I'll be taking a week off work to get all this done. Does anyone have a recommended order to install all the rear parts? All the front parts will be done at the same time. I don't want to have to loosen the subframe multiple times. Below is the list of parts I bought.

Steeda Pro Action Adjustable Shocks & Struts
Steeda Progressive Springs
Steeda Camber Plates
Steeda Lateral and Tension Links
Steeda Bumpsteer Kit
Steeda Adjustable Camber Arms
Steeda Adjustable Rear Toe Links
Steeda Billet Rear Shock Mounts
Steeda IRS Subframe Support Braces
Steeda Differential Bushing Inserts
Steeda Subframe Alignment Kit
Steeda Subframe Bushing Support Kit

 

[shogun32]

Steeda Differential Bushing Inserts

first task of the rear. Then you add the IRS bushing supports, put the alignment bits in, then install the IRS bracing. Once the IRS subframe alignment is done, you should be able to torque up, and the bracing should still drop right in. The wiggle room once the alignment dowels are in is minimal. But if you want to only snug the IRS till the bracing is tied in, you could do that too.

 

[WD Pro]

first task of the rear. Then you add the IRS bushing supports, put the alignment bits in, then install the IRS bracing. Once the IRS subframe alignment is done, you should be able to torque up, and the bracing should still drop right in. The wiggle room once the alignment dowels are in is minimal. But if you want to only snug the IRS till the bracing is tied in, you could do that too.

Agree with all the above.

The wiggle room isn't really in the subframe, it's in the bracket that sandwiches the subframe to the floorpan i.e. this one :

Here is what I wrote after fitment of the braces :

Passenger side went straight on with no issue.

The drivers side seemed way off (like half bolt hole covered on the rear mounting), but complete slackening of the IRS mounting plate (the middle mount of the Steeda bracket) gave plenty of adjustment.

• Loosen up the IRS mount plate (so you can move it by hand).
• Position the IRS brace and secure the middle mount (but not tight).
• Adjust the position or the IRS plate and bracket so it all lines up nicely.
• Nip up the two small bolts.
• Remove the IRS brace.
• Torque up the two small bolts.
• Torque up the main IRS bolt.
• Refit the IRS brace.

All mounts ended up like this :

i.e. the clearance holes in the IRS brackets could be a lot smaller, if time is taken to align everything OK (older versions of the IRS brackets have smaller holes so I can only guess Steeda made them bigger to stop complaints of them not aligning correctly / being made wrong …).

Ford bolts on the front, Steeda bolts on the back, large stainless washers on all to cover the large clearance holes :

WD

I see a few cars on here with the braces on and the mount bolt is way off centre (enough to see the clearance hole underneath and to butt the bolt head right up against the weld - last photo above) - that would do my head in and it's only a few mins to adjust it ...

Some have also struggled with getting the vertical links in, but I put my thoughts here :

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/my-tips-for-fitting-vertical-links.189187/

Well it’s my experience of one and YMMV, but I thought this may help some

After reading probably every vertical link fitting instructions I could find and viewing the same on youtube, it was clear that some people really struggled - I have even seen some guys resort to using a hammer to persuade the new links to fit ...

No way was I doing that to my pretty red links, so I was a little bit nervous about how this was going to go (how long it was going to take me and if I could do it without resorting to brute force and / or marking up the new links).

Turns out it was actually really (really) easy, with nothing more than basic tools and it took me a total of 2.5 hours to do both sides, including getting all the tools out, putting them all away, taking multiple photos and spending far too long procrastinating ... lol

So based on my car (Euro / PP1 / Magride), here is what I did. Yes the steps are abbreviated, but I am sure you can fill in the rest like 'remove wheel' or 'torque bolt using a impact gun until it breaks' etc etc

1. Ignore all instructions and videos that tell you to raise all the back end on a lift or jack stands. THE SUSPENSION NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTING THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR.
2. Chock the front wheels.
3. Lift one corner with a jack under the rear control arm, just enough to raise the tyre off the ground so it can be removed (approx 1/2"). The car should still be pretty much level - level enough not to trigger the alarm on the enhanced security package (i.e. don't assume your rear wheels are safe with that alarm system).
4. If you feel safer, put something under the frame rail BUT DON'T TAKE ANY WEIGHT ON IT, it's a safety measure in the event of jack failure etc.
5. Undo the vertical link top bolt. If (like mine) the bolt is under no stress, it will remove easily by hand and the link will stay pretty much in its home position.
6. Undo the bottom bolt.
7. Pull the top of the link towards the front of the car (enough to unseat the top conical bush) and tap the link downwards with a rubber mallet to remove it.
8. If necessary, clean up the internal faces of the fork in the lower mount of the control arm.
9. If using links with spherical bearings, ensure they are straight relative to the link.
10. Loosely assemble the top bolt whilst keeping the bottom of the link rotated in the gap between the control arm fork and the brake disk (like it's a pendulum on the top bolt).
11. Once the top bolt is in place (but not tight), swing the bottom of the link into the fork of the control arm - a little grease and a bit of wiggling might be needed, but it should go in with reasonable hand force.
12. Look down the bore of the bottom bolt hole, wiggle around the knuckle / brake disk assembly so it looks good by eye.
13. Bottom bolt should go in easy and start the thread without any force.
14. Tighten everything up and you are good to go.
15. Wheel back on, repeat on the other side.

This single picture should be good enough to suss out what I am describing in steps 10 and 11 :

My theory for the people that have struggled - I suspect that lifting the car by the frame and letting the suspension droop puts the link in a position that's slightly out of alignment and places stress on the bushes. That stress makes the new link difficult to align, especially in the case of a link design that resists movement in that direction i.e. (to some extent) poly and (especially) Delrin.

Whilst lifting the lower control arm with a second jack may help to bring the assembly back into alignment, it introduces another variable - and why bother when a single jack under the control arm only (in my experience) holds everything in a near perfect position ?

Total tools needed :

The rubber mallet was only used to remove the original links (the bottom bush bites into the ally arm), NOT for fitting the new links !

The wheel change studs are a nice thing to have, but not a necessity.

The old duvet is just a bonus to make the cobbled drive a slightly nicer place to be

Hope that helps - I would be glad to hear feedback either way

WD

WD

Sponsored