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First Suspension upgrades.

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End of the year is coming up, and I have decided that I want to start tracking my car. Are there any important suspension upgrades that I should consider doing sooner rather than later? or anything I can do now to help the suspension?
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
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If you are new to track days, start with what you have for suspension. Upgrade brake fluid to a Dot 4 and track pads. Get an instructor, likely provided with the track day. Listen, learn and enjoy. We can help you spend your mod money once you are comfortable with what you have.
 
If you are new to track days, start with what you have for suspension. Upgrade brake fluid to a Dot 4 and track pads. Get an instructor, likely provided with the track day. Listen, learn and enjoy. We can help you spend your mod money once you are comfortable with what you have.
Thanks a lot, i got one more question. Any brand of track pads that are preferred over others?
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
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712
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a few miles east of Philly
You'll probably get a variety of preferences. Something to consider is how well your track pads will treat your rotors in street driving if you're not ready to keep swapping between street pads and track pads. Some pads are far more abrasive than others.


Norm
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,529
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10-20 Years
Illinois
I run Pagids on the Boss. Not so much because they are a great track pad. They are a good track and street pad. As Norm mentioned, Pads preference has as much to do with the driver as the car.
I buy my pads through Track Day Solutions. They are a sponsor of this site. You can click on their link to the right. KNS and Optimum also have several manufactures and grades of pads to choose from.
 
I've only ran the stock pads and some for my work. At this moment, I'd like to run a set of pads for street/strip if possible. Would my best bet be just to try some different pads?
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
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If you have Facebook, you can check out this in-depth interview with my partners at Stinger Motorsport and CorteX Racing, which covers everything from just getting started, to crafting a full-on race car. Video link here.
 
1,289
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Philly Metro Area
I assume your pads are no longer the OEM Brembo pads. Those would work for your first day if you still have them but given its a 2013 they are probably too thin by now.

If you're not sure to what extent you'll be participating in Track Days and how fast you'll be going, then I would recommend the PowerStop Track Day pads for your first season. They are very economical compared to the pads used by more hardcore Track junkies but are very good. They are also compatible with PowerStop's street pads such as the Z26 pads. I've been using them for several years and I think its only been now that I think I've outgrown them.

Be aware that they, just like most track pads, are dusty and noisy.

If you do get hooked on Track Days, your next priority even before higher end pads & major suspension work is to get brake ducts. Vorshlag makes a great set of inlet ducts and backing plates for the 2013-2014 Mustangs.

If you do replace your springs, make sure you also replace your struts and shocks. The OEM units really can't hold up to the new springs. Of course, some will recommend you go directly to coilovers and skip the intermediate expense.

And eventually, I would recommend you upgrade your rear rotors from the 11" ones to the 13.8" GT500 rotors. You still use your existing calipers. You can do this via adapters available from guy on eBay. Or if you ever do any work to your rear such as changing axles, gears, or differential, you can get the factory axle brackets for the GT500 (requires pulling the axles). Full Tilt Boogie makes a set from aluminum if some weight savings appeals to you.
 
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I assume your pads are no longer the OEM Brembo pads. Those would work for your first day if you still have them but given its a 2013 they are probably too thin by now.

If you're not sure to what extent you'll be participating in Track Days and how fast you'll be going, then I would recommend the PowerStop Track Day pads for your first season. They are very economical compared to the pads used by more hardcore Track junkies but are very good. They are also compatible with PowerStop's street pads such as the Z26 pads. I've been using them for several years and I think its only been now that I think I've outgrown them.

Be aware that they, just like most track pads, are dusty and noisy.

If you do get hooked on Track Days, your next priority even before higher end pads & major suspension work is to get brake ducts. Vorshlag makes a great set of inlet ducts and backing plates for the 2013-2014 Mustangs.

If you do replace your springs, make sure your also replace your struts and shocks. The OEM units really can't hold up to the new springs. Of course, some will recommend you go directly to coilovers and skip the intermediate expense.

And eventually, I would recommend you upgrade your rear rotors from the 11" ones to the 13.8" GT500 rotors. You still use your existing calipers. You can do this via adapters available from guy on eBay. Or if you ever do any work to your rear such as changing axles, gears, or differential, you can get the factory axle brackets for the GT500 (requires pulling the axles). Full Tilt Boogie makes a set from aluminum if some weight savings appeals to you.


Yeah my oem brembos have been toasted for a couple years, I am just using some Advance Auto golds at the moment. Noisy brakes don't bother me too much, I don't use my brakes a lot when driving. But I have Eibach sportlines on the car now with OEM shocks and struts with 100k on them. I have been giving it thought to getting new shocks and struts or just going straight to coilovers. And thanks for the info, it has given me some idea on how I should go about this.
 
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Philly Metro Area
Wow. With 100k maybe new struts and shocks are more important than brake ducts. I doubt those OEM units would survive even a moderately aggressive track day.

Make sure all your swaybar, endlink, and control arm (front & rear) bushings aren't cracked.

Are you using a bit more oil these days? If so, an oil-air separator may be in order.
 
Yeah I was planning on checking out the bushing and everything weren't cracked over the holidays. I am surprised they still hold up now, I was on the fence for replacing my shocks and struts when I did the springs. I haven't noticed much oil loss, I got a catch-can from a friend and after every oil change, there isn't much oil in it.
 
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I've only ran the stock pads and some for my work. At this moment, I'd like to run a set of pads for street/strip if possible. Would my best bet be just to try some different pads?

You mention street/strip in this post - are you planning to run it at the drag strip or road coarse/autox? Most recommendations to this point are more towards road coarse.
 
Before hitting the track for first time you should make sure nothing is worn or broken. I know that sounds elementary... Like others have stated, make sure your brake pads have meat left on them, that your fluids are topped off (and clean), especially that rear end (you'll probably cook it the first track day), etc.

Once all that's done, I would suggest a front brake cooling system. Something like these:

https://vorshlag-store.com/products...et-cooling-kit-for-2013-14-mustang-gt-boss302

And remember, the biggest improvement by far will be your knowledge base and experience. Oh, and if you really want to have fun, pray for rain on track day...

Enjoy!
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
Yeah my oem brembos have been toasted for a couple years, I am just using some Advance Auto golds at the moment. Noisy brakes don't bother me too much, I don't use my brakes a lot when driving.
I was unable to track down who makes those pads, so I can't rate them as being any more suited to track day purposes than any other premium mass-market pad. They may or may not be fully up to whatever the OE Brembo pads might be for this use.

My own suggestion would be G-loc's R10 compound or Carbotech's XP-10. They're sufficiently streetable and are gentle on your rotors.


But I have Eibach sportlines on the car now with OEM shocks and struts with 100k on them. I have been giving it thought to getting new shocks and struts or just going straight to coilovers. And thanks for the info, it has given me some idea on how I should go about this.
At 100k, those shocks and struts won't have enough damping to properly control OE springs in a track day environment even if they haven't leaked. Let alone anything stiffer. That said, I'm guessing that you could get through a cautiously driven introductory day on them without too much unexpected excitement.

On coilovers . . . perhaps a decision on those should depend on how much street duty this car is expected to see. If nothing else, the shock/strut shafts aren't as well protected against the elements which could include salt or other ice-melt compounds in the wet stuff. If you decide against coilovers and go with shocks/struts, consider springs that don't drop the car as much. Partly for suspension geometry reasons, as well as retaining an extra amount of bump travel before you start hitting bump stops. And partly to provide room for ultimately running significantly wider wheels and tires than OE, as in wide enough to 'poke' a bit like the current PP2 cars (or like the picture below :D ).


Norm
 
Before hitting the track for first time you should make sure nothing is worn or broken. I know that sounds elementary... Like others have stated, make sure your brake pads have meat left on them, that your fluids are topped off (and clean), especially that rear end (you'll probably cook it the first track day), etc.
Yeah, I am gonna do an inspection over the holidays and make sure nothing worn or broken. and I am gonna replace my pads and shocks/struts. Those inlets look pretty neat and easy to install, I will have to take a look into them.


I was unable to track down who makes those pads, so I can't rate them as being any more suited to track day purposes than any other premium mass-market pad. They may or may not be fully up to whatever the OE Brembo pads might be for this use.

My own suggestion would be G-loc's R10 compound or Carbotech's XP-10. They're sufficiently streetable and are gentle on your rotors.
The pads I have on my car now just some pads I got from work a year ago, nothing fancy with them. advanceautoparts.com/p/carquest-wearever-gold-semi-metallic-brake-pads-front-4-pad-set-gmkd1001/22973436-P


At 100k, those shocks and struts won't have enough damping to properly control OE springs in a track day environment even if they haven't leaked. Let alone anything stiffer. That said, I'm guessing that you could get through a cautiously driven introductory day on them without too much unexpected excitement.
Yeah, I have seriously considered replacing them, just haven't decided on if I wanted to go coilovers or stay with shocks and struts. The car is mainly a DD, but I do want to see some track time. So I am leaning more towards just keeping shocks and struts for now. if it helps I do live in Florida, so I don't see any snow down here, but I do live near the Gulf of Mexico so I am pretty close to salt water.
 

Ludachris

Chris
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