Boss and LS Suspension Specs and Settings

[VoodooBoss]

Whatever it is in about three weeks we should finally start getting some performance data. Shortly thereafter cars will be in owners hands and then the real fun will begin.

 

[Mark]

I have received confirmation that the suspension specs as printed in the owners guide are in fact correct. It was also stated that you will not want to mess with the factory suspension AND it is HIGHLY unlikely that anyone on this board will be able to setup the suspension better...lol.

 

[PJWANNABE]

+1. I will not mod the Boss at all (except add the brake cooling ducts and maybe gauges). Some people though will just mod anyway though, just like the Bullitt people.

 

[VoodooBoss]

I have received confirmation that the suspension specs as printed in the owners guide are in fact correct. It was also stated that you will not want to mess with the factory suspension AND it is HIGHLY unlikely that anyone on this board will be able to setup the suspension better...lol.

I'll take that as definitive.

 

[cloud9]

I have received confirmation that the suspension specs as printed in the owners guide are in fact correct. It was also stated that you will not want to mess with the factory suspension AND it is HIGHLY unlikely that anyone on this board will be able to setup the suspension better...lol.

I have a couple of questions related to this discussion:


First off is the tires. Most people that track their car will use 18" wheels because 19" R-compound tires are cost prohibitive (for most Mustang owners, maybe not Porsche?) Most regular Boss owners will run R-compound tires, not street ("summer") tires at the track. Won't this already alter the suspension as tuned by Ford??

Also, there is no mention of camber anywhere. Most track cars will want to run at least 2 to 2.5 degrees of negative camber to aid on turn-in and provide even tire wear. Is adding c/c plates with some negative camber considered "messing with the factory suspension"?

 

[908ssp]

Dean from Rehagen says "I have not seen the specs you're talking about, but the front rates should be close to double the rear. The Boss 302S car is going to be something close to 500 front, 325 rear."

I say that Ford mixed up the spring rates in the Boss supplement. 26nm is 148pound/inch which is slightly higher than 142pounds/inch of the stock rear and far less than the stock front. 32.4nm converts to 185 pounds/inch which is slightly higher than the stock front 165pounds/inch. For the LS they lowered the rear to 24nm or 137pounds/inch which is even less than stock. But raised the front to 33.5nm or 181pounds/inch. Swapping heavier springs to back makes no sense and is not what they did.

 

[Mark]

Dean from Rehagen says "I have not seen the specs you're talking about, but the front rates should be close to double the rear. The Boss 302S car is going to be something close to 500 front, 325 rear."

I say that Ford mixed up the spring rates in the Boss supplement. 26nm is 148pound/inch which is slightly higher than 142pounds/inch of the stock rear and far less than the stock front. 32.4nm converts to 185 pounds/inch which is slightly higher than the stock front 165pounds/inch. For the LS they lowered the rear to 24nm or 137pounds/inch which is even less than stock. But raised the front to 33.5nm or 181pounds/inch. Swapping heavier springs to back makes no sense and is not what they did.

Hmm...upon further review you have to be right. I think I must have glanced over the guide to quickly and mis-understood you first mention of this apparent error and suspect my source did as well...lol. The rears can't be stiffer than the fronts!

 

[RoadRacer78]

Hmm...upon further review you have to be right. I think I must have glanced over the guide to quickly and mis-understood you first mention of this apparent error and suspect my source did as well...lol. The rears can't be stiffer than the fronts!

And on that note I wouldn’t necessarily trust the published spring rates at all. They clearly transposed them front to rear. It’s not a big leap to them getting them wrong all together. ;D