Anthony's Full Build/Mods thread

[antman450]

I want to go full out on a race build for my 2011 GT. What are you guys think for a full suspension set up? I mean front lower control arms, rear lower control arms, parnhard bar or watts link, UCA, K member, Raditor brace, and everything else.

I'm going to with a race set of coil overs, but if I want to go with one manufacturer, would you guys recommend Kenny Brown full set up or full cortex set up?

I like how Kenny Brown changes all the geometry to to make it work, but I think if you go the full cortex set up, it would do the same thing. Your thoughts?

Sorry for the typos, just had surgery on my left wrist and have a bunch of pins sticking out. Have to dictate and can't type very well.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Oh boy we love spending OPM here. @Grant 302

A couple of years ago TMO member yopauly and I met KB and talked to him at length about his setup. Kenny knows his stuff and his setup is well refined. Yopauly installed the full KB setup on his Boss and I went the full CorteX setup on my Boss. Both make top quality components and are well proven on track. I really liked my CorteX watts link and to me made a noticeable difference hitting curbing on track and in the esses at Sonoma Raceway. I highly recommend it.

I hope your wrist it back to normal soon.

The guys at Vorshlag are another good source of information on this. @modernbeat

 

[Grant 302]

Welcome antman! We *do* like spending Other People's Money!

Either will make great setups. I only have direct experience with some of the CorteX parts, but would lean that way. CorteX features like the front strut offset or SLA and dampers are nice options. Lots of good options for both systems. I think you should consider all the features from each system before deciding.

And don't worry about the typing...we aren't the spelling and grammar police here!

 

[antman450]

Thanks for the info guys. This is the start. I will later go with a full race build. I will do everything I can and still keep it driveable on the street. My definition of driveabe is very loosly defined as everything short of full cage, have AC and stereo. But, other than that, NVM and comfort is of no issue to me. LOL

Eventually, SLA and full floating rear axle may come into play.

And yeah, arm has 4 pins sticking through skin, so no track drving for 2 months. These are the surgey x-rays. Motocross racing is taxing!

 

[VoodooBoss]

As an ex MX racer I know it well. No pins like that for me though. My high school had a MX team and we raced other high schools on Friday nights as a local track.

 

[302 Hi Pro]

I have a slightly modded 2012 Boss 302 and installed a KB rear suspension set-up in 2013. No coilovers but used the FR T springs with adjustable Koni Yellows. Plus a few other bits, but my Boss is 90% plus street. I will say though that KB does know S197 Mustang suspensions, and my Boss handles extremely well.

But, Cortex Racing seems to have developed a full race ready suspension package that is a proven winner as well. I have the Cortex Watts Link on the shelf ready to install soon and I will tell you 2 things that I've noticed about Cortex Racing.

1. Parts comparison, the Cortex parts are superior to KB in materials and construction. Excellent welds and craftsmanship.

2. Customer Service, Now to be fair, I've not dealt with KB in some time, but in comparing my initial contact and subsequent follow up calls, Cortex is superior. Dealing with Cortex Racing is a pleasure!

No, doubt KB has a very good set-up and the 2011 triple Championship titles, but Cortex is my choice now.

OBTW, Welcome to the TMO Forum. You'll find there are many Members here with great race experience and a willingness to help Mustang Owners from Novice to Pro skill levels. Hope your injuries heal quickly.

All the Best,
302 Hi Pro

 

[F.D. Sako]

I'm aiming myself towards a full cortex setup.
I've been doing it in stages, mainly because I'd like to feel the difference each part makes... and I can't afford everything at once
But I started with the wattslink and just recently got the torque arm. Up next are coilovers.

There's also Griggs out there, just to give you more choices.

 

[Fabman]

If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be this: Pick a brand and go with it.
Sometimes perfectly good pieces from different manufacturers don't play well with each other.
Chassis setup is a strategy, and each designer has his own approach.
Your vendor of choice has thought out every part in great detail, and they are engineered to work together.

 

[antman450]

Well, KB has currently excellent support and Rich over there goes out of his way to achieve my goal. He even calls just to talk shop sometimes. I see th main difference in the rear with watts vs relocation of roll center via panhard bar. I may just go KB until i decide to go SLA and floating axle in the future. Details will come as progree starts to work. I just currenlt can't wreench so I am taking the time to research nd lay out a plan.

And I've noticed, you guys are great on here. Thx to all and I love reading evryone's threads. No drama and BS like other places.

And Hi Pro, i will stop racing MX and moto gp when i die, or body gves out, whichevr comes first. Body is still hanging in there with 20 year olds. So, hurray for lucky genetics.

Anthony here, BTW. I am sure we will all get to know each other.

 

[Fabman]

Kenny Browns strategy in a nutshell is to use very low roll centers and resist body roll with a high roll couple.
Cortex on the other hand is partial to higher roll centers and lower roll couple. Two different ways to skin the cat.
That's why it's easy to get fouled up with mix and match parts.

 

[Tri-bar]

I have used Kenny Brown full rear setup and Cortex rear setup, I have tested all kinds of setups. Over this week I have reinstalled a Cortex watts link and added the torque arm. For the little time I have driven on it, the car is way more balanced and less dive and squat. pulls harder mid corner using the same shocks and springs on both setups. My pick is Cortex.

 

[Fabman]

Hard to beat a torque arm.....

 

[Mad Hatter]

I love my cortex coilovers and their watts link and torque arm is on my to do list... Not to mention the coil over offset for 315/30-18 tires up front. That in itself is a great point in favor of Cortex.

Welcome to TMO where everybody loves to spend OPM! Hope those pins come out soon!

 

[antman450]

Fabman, did you ever use the BMR stuff on track or just drag? I heard it does not work well on tracks.

 

[antman450]

What you guys think of the idea of using the whole cortex rear end and leaving the k member and front a arms alone? And then later I'll get the SLA kit. I'm sure it would help handling, but with the K member and control arms make that much of a difference in the meantime? It is around $1700. Of course I will still be gettign some race coil overs. Have not decided which. If i go Cortex, I will grab some from them.

 

[Fabman]

Fabman, did you ever use the BMR stuff on track or just drag? I heard it does not work well on tracks.

I started out with mostly BMR stuff and still have some of it.
The bulk of my setup now is Cortex but the K member, rad support, Braces, Relo Brackets and A-arms are still BMR (with tall ball joints added).
I did have the sway bar mounts rip the out of the tube on my second track day but BMR was good enough to send me the updated part and so far it's been fine.

 

[Fabman]

What you guys think of the idea of using the whole cortex rear end and leaving the k member and front a arms alone? And then later I'll get the SLA kit. I'm sure it would help handling, but with the K member and control arms make that much of a difference in the meantime? It is around $1700. Of course I will still be gettign some race coil overs. Have not decided which. If i go Cortex, I will grab some from them.

Personally I'd do some brake upgrades first, with good pads and fluid at the very least, then all 4 coil overs, watts and torque arm.
If the car is lowered you'll need some relo brackets. If the car is lowered a lot a pair of tall ball joints and a bump steer kit is a common way of correcting the geometry.
There are plenty of guys running stock K members and arms and doing quite well. An SLA would be awesome, but certainly not necessary IMHO.

 

[F.D. Sako]

2nd on the SLA. Most of the pro teams dont run SLAs, mostly due to rules, but you could spend that SLA $$$ elsewhere.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Filip at Cortex said that he recommends installing the watts link first. I also had a recent conversation with him and he told me he changed the damping properties on his JRi dampers and they are better than before.

 

[antman450]

Went with Brembo 14 inch front and stock rear on 13.8 inch rotors upgrade, SS lines and Motul 600 with DTC70/60 pads. Waiting for shipping to get here on 2 piece floating girodisk rotors front and rear. Already stops like crazy. but certainly have not gotten to limits on back roads. I use Hawk pads for street. Race pads and 2 piece rotors will be swapped out for track days only.

Got relo brackets, decided to go Cortex Watts, K member, Front arms, rear arms, and JRi double adj coil overs. Going to fab a front splitter and box the radiator, hood louvers mentioned in Fabman's thread (and some orther airflow mods I have to think up LOL). Racing seats and harnesess with just a bolt in bar for now. Also still researching on chassis stiffening, but i know it won't be that huge a difference, but i can fab up my own. I taught myself to TIG weld and have a friend who works in a shop and lets me use tools to fab stuff from aluminum and whatever else. Going to learn to do CF as a hobby anyway and may end up getting good enough at it to make parts. But who knows.