Post by amustangrocks on Sept 15, 2013 12:37:30 GMT -5
The 05-09 base model stangs (deluxe) handle fairly well from the factory but there are a few things you can do to turn the car into a beast on a leash. Some guys want to lower the car, and that is fine, requiring springs and additional parts but i did not want to lower it any more than it is and went this route instead.
I started with the sway bars. The base model has no rear sway bar, (the pony package model does come with one, but the frt and rear are thinner than the GT). The car is already set up with the holes needed to install a rear sway. You can pick up new takeoff sway bars or used ones from a GT model. I went with the frt and rear GT set from Newtakeoff.com. ($125) www.newtakeoff.com/mustang-16.aspx They came with the brackets needed but i had to come up with the bolts and washers for the rear. When i find my notes i`ll post those bolt sizes. The frt uses your same bolts and nuts and is just a direct swap. The frt GT sway bar is alot thicker than the V6 sway. This mod alone made a huge improvement.
Next i went with a strut tower brace. Alot of people will say they are just for looks, but thats far from the truth. There are many variations of braces, and some are alot better than others. This was one part where cheap is not what you want. The plenum on the V6 4.0 sits higher than the V8 engine, so you`ll need to get a V6 specific brace. I chose a dbl bar the first time that said it was for a V6 or V8 model, but it would not clear the plenum. I then went with the shelby strut brace from American Muscle. It has about 3/16"-1/4" clearance over the plenum and has a full plate that bolts on with all 4 top strut bearing nuts on each side. Its important that you bolt this on with the car sitting on level ground with the the wheels straight. The first time i did it on a hill and it actually threw the steering wheel off a little. This mod was also huge. I lived on a really rough road, and my car use to waddle and wobble idling down the road. With the brace on i could feel the difference in the first 10 ft. i dorve the car. The frt end felt solid and it rode over some of the holes instead of through every hole, and the steering felt more responsive.
Struts and Shocks. I used to replace shocks every 50k on the older vehicles. The newer sets seem to last a bit longer. around 60k i decided to replace mine. Again i went with Newtakeoff.com. You can get a set of GT struts for $79 and a set of rear shocks for $39. Cant beat those prices anywhere. (You can also get a set of frt and rear sways, struts and shocks for about $250 www.newtakeoff.com/mustang_gt_coupe_suspension_kit_2005-2008.aspx ) The struts on the gt are metered a little stiffer than the V6 struts, but the rear shocks are the exact same part. If you have wheel hop in the rear end, good chance you just need new rear shocks. If your gonna replace your struts, its time to also replace the top strut bearings while its apart. If you have over 50k on your car and the frt seems to rattle a little on rough road, good chance these strut bearings are bad. The first time around i went with new GT bearings from the dealer. I was not too impressed with the life span so the next time around pushing 100k i went with the GT500 strut bearings and also installed a new set of GT frt springs on the struts also from Newetakeoff ($20). No, the GT springs did not change the height of the car. The struts, springs and bearings did however add to the handling of the frt end.
After these upgrades, (less than $600) driving through the Ozark mountain roads, i could hammer it on curves i used to have to ride my brakes on, and it was so much more fun to drive. The car no longer leaned in curves, it sits flat and just hugs the road. This was with the factory wheels and tires (215/65R-16) and I retained the factory height.
I went a little further and added 255/50-17 wheels and tires on the frt, and 275/50-17`s on the rear, and some UPR chrome molly upper and lower rear control arms on the rear end,(more of a traction mod) and FRPP frt control arms on the frt when it was time for new ball joints. Heres a strut bearing and whats inside it and a sway bar/strut and shock kit from Newtakeoff:
I started with the sway bars. The base model has no rear sway bar, (the pony package model does come with one, but the frt and rear are thinner than the GT). The car is already set up with the holes needed to install a rear sway. You can pick up new takeoff sway bars or used ones from a GT model. I went with the frt and rear GT set from Newtakeoff.com. ($125) www.newtakeoff.com/mustang-16.aspx They came with the brackets needed but i had to come up with the bolts and washers for the rear. When i find my notes i`ll post those bolt sizes. The frt uses your same bolts and nuts and is just a direct swap. The frt GT sway bar is alot thicker than the V6 sway. This mod alone made a huge improvement.
Next i went with a strut tower brace. Alot of people will say they are just for looks, but thats far from the truth. There are many variations of braces, and some are alot better than others. This was one part where cheap is not what you want. The plenum on the V6 4.0 sits higher than the V8 engine, so you`ll need to get a V6 specific brace. I chose a dbl bar the first time that said it was for a V6 or V8 model, but it would not clear the plenum. I then went with the shelby strut brace from American Muscle. It has about 3/16"-1/4" clearance over the plenum and has a full plate that bolts on with all 4 top strut bearing nuts on each side. Its important that you bolt this on with the car sitting on level ground with the the wheels straight. The first time i did it on a hill and it actually threw the steering wheel off a little. This mod was also huge. I lived on a really rough road, and my car use to waddle and wobble idling down the road. With the brace on i could feel the difference in the first 10 ft. i dorve the car. The frt end felt solid and it rode over some of the holes instead of through every hole, and the steering felt more responsive.
Struts and Shocks. I used to replace shocks every 50k on the older vehicles. The newer sets seem to last a bit longer. around 60k i decided to replace mine. Again i went with Newtakeoff.com. You can get a set of GT struts for $79 and a set of rear shocks for $39. Cant beat those prices anywhere. (You can also get a set of frt and rear sways, struts and shocks for about $250 www.newtakeoff.com/mustang_gt_coupe_suspension_kit_2005-2008.aspx ) The struts on the gt are metered a little stiffer than the V6 struts, but the rear shocks are the exact same part. If you have wheel hop in the rear end, good chance you just need new rear shocks. If your gonna replace your struts, its time to also replace the top strut bearings while its apart. If you have over 50k on your car and the frt seems to rattle a little on rough road, good chance these strut bearings are bad. The first time around i went with new GT bearings from the dealer. I was not too impressed with the life span so the next time around pushing 100k i went with the GT500 strut bearings and also installed a new set of GT frt springs on the struts also from Newetakeoff ($20). No, the GT springs did not change the height of the car. The struts, springs and bearings did however add to the handling of the frt end.
After these upgrades, (less than $600) driving through the Ozark mountain roads, i could hammer it on curves i used to have to ride my brakes on, and it was so much more fun to drive. The car no longer leaned in curves, it sits flat and just hugs the road. This was with the factory wheels and tires (215/65R-16) and I retained the factory height.
I went a little further and added 255/50-17 wheels and tires on the frt, and 275/50-17`s on the rear, and some UPR chrome molly upper and lower rear control arms on the rear end,(more of a traction mod) and FRPP frt control arms on the frt when it was time for new ball joints. Heres a strut bearing and whats inside it and a sway bar/strut and shock kit from Newtakeoff: