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Boss 302 beginner modifications

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237
2
Hey guys,

i have a 2013 boss 302 and would like get an idea of the sequence of modification to my car in order to start planning and get an idea of how to build my car.

Is it lowering springs first, then sway bars and after that i go for either a coilover or change the shocks ?

a good simple guide into the steps of modifying suspension is highly appreciated.

thanks,
 
2,198
1,065
Bay Area
What’s your plans? Spirited driving, auto cross, HPDE, etc? Where do you want to end up? Is budget an issue?

I can tell you from experience, I went to a full coilovers set up and I absolute hated my car on the streets. When I pushed it hard it felt better, but I never go to track that actual set up. If I had thought it out better, I would have just started with FP spring, LCA’s, CC plates, and a pan hard bar. I’m positive that would have been the right set up for me at the time.

id also dive into reading this thread. Lots of good info there.

https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/ford-racing-suspension-upgrades.2041/
 
Last edited:

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,529
5,245
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Illinois
What Byron’s said.
First, what do you plan on using the car for?
Is it your daily driver?
How important is a comfortable ride for you and passengers?
Budget?
What do you want out of your mods? Track monster, occasional road track use, drag strip monster?
I went through the FP package first. I still have the P springs, Panhard bar and camber plates I pulled off if you are interested. These parts made a difference and fit my progression at the time. Now, she rides on a Cortex system. She handles great on the track but you pay for it in cost and comfort.
Finally, where are you in the Drivers Mods process? No track time, a few events, track monster?
 

carver

breaker of wrenches
445
598
ontario
What Byron’s said.
First, what do you plan on using the car for?
Is it your daily driver?
How important is a comfortable ride for you and passengers?
Budget?
What do you want out of your mods? Track monster, occasional road track use, drag strip monster?
I went through the FP package first. I still have the P springs, Panhard bar and camber plates I pulled off if you are interested. These parts made a difference and fit my progression at the time. Now, she rides on a Cortex system. She handles great on the track but you pay for it in cost and comfort.
Finally, where are you in the Drivers Mods process? No track time, a few events, track monster?

Hey ,, I'm interested in the camber plates and Panhard bar. How much adjustment do you get with the plates?
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
Hey guys,

i have a 2013 boss 302 and would like get an idea of the sequence of modification to my car in order to start planning and get an idea of how to build my car.

Is it lowering springs first, then sway bars and after that i go for either a coilover or change the shocks ?

a good simple guide into the steps of modifying suspension is highly appreciated.

thanks,
I would start by just driving it the way it sits. Including on the track at HPDE if that's going to be part of the plan. The idea here is to get an idea about what you want the car to do better, or do that it isn't doing, or not do that it currently does do. IOW, identify the problem first rather than guess at a solution when you don't even know what you need (or want) to fix.

Try to define how serious you're going to get, so that you don't "over-build". Particularly if this is going to be a dual-purpose street/occasional track car. If you haven't tracked, or haven't tracked much, you won't need coilovers right away. I'd suggest putting those off until you have enough experience to know why you need them.

Plenty of detail technical help is available here on TMO once you have an idea what the car needs.

How much of whatever chassis & suspension program are you planning on tackling yourself?


Norm
 
237
2
my plan is to enjoy the car at track days and get used to the track for making better times at the track .. maybe ill take things serious later on but for now im planning to improve my car at the track without drastically changing car parts. At the same time it is preferred that I get the parts which I do not need to change for modifications later.

My car is a rarely driven on street or city.. its mostly driven for track on week ends, I usually drive the car to have fun ,, I go for circuit track, go for drift, still planning to go to drag events sometimes and if there are autocross events I would like to join too..

I know its impossible to build a car for everything so my main focus for my car is to improve myself and get serious in circuit track racing.

Many thanks
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
my plan is to enjoy the car at track days and get used to the track for making better times at the track .. maybe ill take things serious later on but for now im planning to improve my car at the track without drastically changing car parts.
So for starters, can you identify one or two things about your car that could stand improvement?

But maybe before answering that, think about what the rest of your driving is like, how you might describe that, and what you notice about your circuit driving that's different. I have a reason for asking this that will have to wait until later..


Norm
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,424
8,350
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
The best start are the simple items that folks surprisingly wait to do after modding the engine, exhaust, etc.

Get some aggressive brake pads for the track, make sure you have a high boiling point brake fluid in the car ( Motul 600 for example), put some aggressive rubber on the car ( as wide as you can install ), and get a set of camber plates. Then, as Norm suggests, drive the car and learn it's deficiencies based on your driving style and go from there.
 

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