V6 Strut / Spring Daily driver upgrade time

[ctandc72]

New house, new shop, tons of projects - now have 24K miles on the '17 and I need to address the suspension a bit more.
Last year I added PP front and rear sway bar. Also added 19x10 SVE S350 wheels. Love the combo but it's time to upgrade the crappy struts / shocks. I'm tired of waiting on Bilstein, has anyone actually gotten them to fill an order on the rear shocks? I digress.

So after REREADING a TON of different suspension threads here - it's time to make up my mind.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Ford Performance FR3 Strut / Shock kit. The question is springs. Don't really want to lower the car. So I'm looking at BMR and Steeda Spring options. Leaning towards the Steeda Minimum Drop Springs.

But what's the real story on the weight difference on the V6 car? Everything I can find says the V6 car is still a bit lighter than the EB and a bit more than the GT. Like I said, I want a more controlled ride. That's the goal. A bit firmer - fine. The Swaybars made a HUGE difference on the car (as I knew they would from previous experience on other cars that were undersprung from the the factory) as did the 19" wheels and tires.

So what's the consensus? I really don't want to even lower enough to have to deal with camber issues. I'm betting with the weight difference for my V6 car it might not lower at all - and that would be fine with me.

What say the suspension experts?

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/17-v6-build-i-bought-a-mustang.93092/

Build thread for reference

Sponsored

 

[Nagare]

With 1" drop you're not really going to run into any camber issues, front or rear. If you are really adamant about avoiding drop at all costs, the min drop springs combined with front and rear spacers will do the trick as well.

Since you do your work yourself, if you don't mind doubling the labor down the line, I would say you could try just changing the shocks and struts alone to see if that is a good enough improvement for you. The stock equipment is underdampened all around and is what leads to that.

If you've looked around enough, you already know I love my Steeda setup and definitely recommend it. Not sure if the BMR springs are progressive or linear, but I advise sticking to linears if you want a controlled and predictable ride.


For weights go with roughly: 3530 for the V6 and Ecoboost (auto and manual range between 3524 and 3532 between the two, that's a negligible difference) and 3715 for the GT.

 

[BmacIL]

I'd do the FP Track (FR3) kit and GT350R springs all around if you don't want to lower much. On a V6 you'd see about a 0.5" front and 0.3" rear drop. It will ride quite well, though obviously firmer than stock.

 

[ctandc72]

With 1" drop you're not really going to run into any camber issues, front or rear. If you are really adamant about avoiding drop at all costs, the min drop springs combined with front and rear spacers will do the trick as well.

Minimal drop is fine.

Since you do your work yourself, if you don't mind doubling the labor down the line, I would say you could try just changing the shocks and struts alone to see if that is a good enough improvement for you. The stock equipment is underdampened all around and is what leads to that.

While I do all the work myself, I don't particular care to take something apart only to take it apart again LOL.

I'd do the FP Track (FR3) kit and GT350R springs all around if you don't want to lower much. On a V6 you'd see about a 0.5" front and 0.3" rear drop. It will ride quite well, though obviously firmer than stock.

That sounds like a plan - thanks for the input. Looks like I can get the set of GT350R springs and the FP Track kit for a tick over $700 shipped to my door.

 

[BmacIL]

That sounds like a plan - thanks for the input. Looks like I can get the set of GT350R springs and the FP Track kit for a tick over $700 shipped to my door.

Bingo!

 

[cyclonetron]

I installed the Eibach Pro Kit on my v6 daily. Ride quality isn’t suffered at all. Going to install a set of koni oranges to get rid of that floatyness. Progressive springs may be good if you want ride comfort. Steeda progressive springs seem to have a nice spring rate range which at the bottom end isn’t far from stock. A one inch drop Is totally fine for dailying.

 

[k4show]

Minimal drop is fine.



While I do all the work myself, I don't particular care to take something apart only to take it apart again LOL.



That sounds like a plan - thanks for the input. Looks like I can get the set of GT350R springs and the FP Track kit for a tick over $700 shipped to my door.

Be careful for the rear springs, you need two of the left side I believe. The GT350's have them wound differently on each side. Double check

 

[BmacIL]

Be careful for the rear springs, you need two of the left side I believe. The GT350's have them wound differently on each side. Double check

Those are the correct (left) side. And yes you need two.

 

[ctandc72]

I installed the Eibach Pro Kit on my v6 daily. Ride quality isn’t suffered at all. Going to install a set of koni oranges to get rid of that floatyness. Progressive springs may be good if you want ride comfort. Steeda progressive springs seem to have a nice spring rate range which at the bottom end isn’t far from stock. A one inch drop Is totally fine for dailying.

Honestly - I'm going to tell you that replacing my OEM 17" wheels and tires were by far the biggest difference in handling and how stable the car feels - especially at speed. The entire personality of the car will change when you get rid of the small OEM wheels and tires.

And I wanted to clarify about lowering my car. I've owned / built cars for going on 30 years. Many of them (unless the focus was almost purely on 1/4 mile ET) were lowered. I deal with steep driveways and transitions every day and some really crappy roads. Minimal lowering is fine. Lowering enough that I'm dealing with camber issues and dialing all that in - it's not my bag anymore.

I will say the best compromise I ever experience in handling vs. every day ride was my old IROC. 406 TPI, 5 speed made plenty of low to mid range (where you can enjoy it without getting locked up) and after trying 3 different sets of springs, ending up with 1LE springs (GM) and Bilstein struts and shocks and pitching every poly bushing I added - that things rode and handled GREAT without making a symphony of noises every time it went over a speed bump. The good old 3rd gen F-Body interior rattle was another battle entirely.

It all depends on what someone's GOAL is for THEIR car. Mine is a beat it everyday, do it all fairly well, daily driver - year round. Adding better sway bars will stiffen / flatten up the car (with everything else being stock). Now of course if I was focused on SCCA or a pure handling car - my focus would be entirely different.

 

[Norm Peterson]

It's not getting away from the 17" that was mostly responsible. Getting down below 55 profile and presumably going wider with both wheels and tires is what makes for big changes in things like stability, handling, and driver confidence.


Norm

 

[ctandc72]

It's not getting away from the 17" that was mostly responsible. Getting down below 55 profile and presumably going wider with both wheels and tires is what makes for big changes in things like stability, handling, and driver confidence.


Norm

True enough. Actual wheel diameter doesn't really matter in this case, I figured that was understood. Overall diameter of the wheel / tire combo is nearly identical to the OEM 17" setup. The width and I'm sure the better tires, make a ton of difference.

My main point being that many people modify all sorts of suspension components thinking "bigger is better" or "aftermarket has to better" without ever actually sitting down and figuring out what their actual goal is with their car.

 

[BmacIL]

True enough. Actual wheel diameter doesn't really matter in this case, I figured that was understood. Overall diameter of the wheel / tire combo is nearly identical to the OEM 17" setup. The width and I'm sure the better tires, make a ton of difference.

My main point being that many people modify all sorts of suspension components thinking "bigger is better" or "aftermarket has to better" without ever actually sitting down and figuring out what their actual goal is with their car.

This is always why I ask people what their goals are first when they ask for advice on suspension mods.

 

[ctandc72]

Alright, that's weird and annoying at the same time. The screenshot of the cart for Fairway Ford Parts - shows $490 for the M-18000-F strut kit. Went to order them today, the item wouldn't load. Springs still fine. No go on the M-18000-F. Can't bring it up via part number on more than a few Ford online parts dealers right now. Weird.

Sponsored