Lowering springs

[CaliMR]

I'd quantify it relative to other systems, sometimes OEM parts are 2x or more than comparable aftermarket parts. There is probably more research and possibly even better quality, but really what you are paying extra for is the Ford label on the parts and not having to worry as much about the local dealer not warrantying something because he thinks you don't understand the law (which hasn't been a bit issue with Ford in my experience, it is a big issue with some other oems). If they were similar in price, then if I do upgrade I would prefer FRPP. If it is 2x the price, then no, but a couple hundred premium would be reasonable. But most of the Ford stuff I have seen seems to be within the reasonable range.

 

[2012YellowBoss]

MWilson7, I was under the impression that Ford Racing will come out with springs for the Boss to lower it a little and make it even better on the track. I had heard that was all that was needed, just the springs. Is this going to be the case?

I will not put after market spring on the car (unless it comes from a race team that works directly or indirectly with FR) because the car simply works well for me now and I will only trust something you guys have tested first.

 

[Nice2BEtheBOSS]

Looks like I'm a little dense on this one.

What would you think you need to change on this kit to make it Boss specific?

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=12427

This is a very competent street/track suspension kit and would keep most people very satisfied without having to pay the $4k plus for a decent set of 2-3 way adjustable remote reservoir dampers on top of springs and bars.

CaliMR - Can you quantify "absurdly priced". Just trying to understand, nothing more.

From your link, I see that FR has teamed up with Eibach to develop a coilover setup for the Fiesta. Yes, I said Fiesta! Now why would you need a coilover set-up for a fiesta? Hey Ford, lets get the ball rolling a little faster for the Boss shall we...

 

[adam81]

Looks like I'm a little dense on this one.

What would you think you need to change on this kit to make it Boss specific?

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=12427

This is a very competent street/track suspension kit and would keep most people very satisfied without having to pay the $4k plus for a decent set of 2-3 way adjustable remote reservoir dampers on top of springs and bars.

CaliMR - Can you quantify "absurdly priced". Just trying to understand, nothing more.

Not sure I believe you're a little dense.... I may be the culprit of that in this instance.

But since you asked....

First let me be clear. I was talking about Boss specific owners in general when I mentioned this kit, M-FR3-MGTAA, as a reference/example of what I meant by a complete kit for the Boss. The kit looks great...that's why I referenced it! Then I took it a step further and said Ford should offer a "FR4/FR5/etc" package more for the track than the street for all model Mustangs. I just don't know if everything in this specific kit, M-FR3-MGTAA, is a performance gain if purchased for the Boss specifically. It very well could be... For a GT obviously it is. If someone knows please chime in.

Examples:

1. We don't need the strut tower brace, we already have it. Unless of course there is some benefit to the one offered in the package compared to what comes stock on the Boss.

2. It has been mentioned that the stuts/shocks in this package are the same ones that come stock on the Boss. I have know idea if this is true or not??? However I would like to know. I was thinking it wasn't... If someone knows if this is stock issue Boss equipment or "better"/different please chime in. Does this strut/shock in the package offer more track performance than the standard Boss strut/shock?

3. Going along with number two is the springs. What is the rate? Are they Boss springs or something completely different? It says it lowers a GT 1 inch. Will it do the same for the Boss? I thought the Boss was lower than the GT from the factory... Obviously this could be for a lot of different reasons other than spring height. I don't know the geometry or measurements for a Boss or GT suspension that give its characteristics (different mounting locations, lengths, sizes, upper/lower control arms, etc).

4. Strut mounts. Have no idea about this. Do Boss cars already have them, do we have something that is good enough or will work with the other parts or...?

5. The whole kit is advertised with not a single word about the Boss. It only says GT. The only thing I know as a consumer, and I think most Boss owners looking at a kit like this would know the same thing, is the sway bar kit is different than what we have on the Boss. So again is all/most/some of this different than what comes standard on the Boss? If it is different is it better? Or...?

6. Now to get more specific. The standard Boss and Boss LS have slightly different suspensions. So now you have to compare the kit to each car's factory offerings...

I want to re-iterate what I was talking about is for the most part what Ford Racing is already offering, and I think it's great. What I was suggesting is Ford Racing offer Boss specific kits like the M-FR3-MGTAA for the GT (if they already exist Ford Racing should include the Boss model in the parts title, description, etc) and a kit/s for all model Mustangs that are more in depth and track oriented than what is offered in the M-FR3-MGTAA.

Example:

Take the M-FR3-MGTAA and add adjustable panhard bar (M-4264-A), relocation brackets (M-5650-A), rear lower control arms (M-5649-S/M-5649-R1), front lower control arms (M-3075-R), bushing kit (M-5638-C), even stiffer springs and harder struts/shocks, etc --- ***Don't know if all of this would work or would even be needed. Just making an example***

mwilson7 - I hope this explains what I was meaning. If not fire away...

Again to all - if I am missing something, or not aware of a certain package, you have some good knowledge, or whatever please post.

 

[PJWANNABE]

I would have thought that the street Boss suspension is just as good or better than the FRPP suspension pack. My GT could definitely use the upgrade.

 

[BossJockey]

I going to agree with others that the GT suspension pack has a lot of parts the the Boss already has. (Adjustable Struts/Shock, Strut Tower Brace, Front Strut Mount Upgrade) For me, I'm mostly looking to lower the Boss a little and add adjustable sway bars so I can run a square tire setup. Currently FRPP offers a suspension pack for the V6, GT, GT convertible, and the GT500. Where is the Boss's pack?

 

[PJWANNABE]

I going to agree with others that the GT suspension pack has a lot of parts the the Boss already has. (Adjustable Struts/Shock, Strut Tower Brace, Front Strut Mount Upgrade) For me, I'm mostly looking to lower the Boss a little and add adjustable sway bars so I can run a square tire setup. Currently FRPP offers a suspension pack for the V6, GT, GT convertible, and the GT500. Where is the Boss's pack?

There probably isn't a suspension pack for the Boss for the reason you mentioned. The next step up would be a full race suspension.

 

[ihatepotholess]

Any words on the FRP springs?

I recently found that under hard braking in high speed the car felt nervous. The backend started to wiggle a bit. Anyway to eliminate that?

 

[PeteInCT]

What setting do you have your front shocks set to ?

 

[VoodooBoss]

Add the LS rear spoiler? No word on the springs and I have it on my calendar to check in two weeks.

 

[ihatepotholess]

What setting do you have your front shocks set to ?

4 all around, i will try 5 next time out.

 

[ihatepotholess]

Add the LS rear spoiler? No word on the springs and I have it on my calendar to check in two weeks.

how is your experience with the LS spoiler? any improvements?

i can always count on you!

 

[VoodooBoss]

Add the LS rear spoiler? No word on the springs and I have it on my calendar to check in two weeks.

how is your experience with the LS spoiler? any improvements?

i can always count on you!

Right. ;D I don't have a lot of experience tracking cars and I've never tracked my Boss without the LS spoiler. Maybe Gary can comment on it.

 

[cloud9]

Add the LS rear spoiler? No word on the springs and I have it on my calendar to check in two weeks.

how is your experience with the LS spoiler? any improvements?

i can always count on you!

It doesn't help significantly under hard braking. It does feel better in high speed turns (100+ mph) and I have more confidence carrying more speed that the rear end isn't going to slide out on me. I guess I'm just used to the back end jumping around under hard braking and don't think about it much. I'm assuming the FR springs will help if they are stiffer than the stock springs.

 

[ihatepotholess]

Add the LS rear spoiler? No word on the springs and I have it on my calendar to check in two weeks.

how is your experience with the LS spoiler? any improvements?

i can always count on you!

It doesn't help significantly under hard braking. It does feel better in high speed turns (100+ mph) and I have more confidence carrying more speed that the rear end isn't going to slide out on me. I guess I'm just used to the back end jumping around under hard braking and don't think about it much. I'm assuming the FR springs will help if they are stiffer than the stock springs.

lol you got balls. i like my car rock steady under hard braking at 100+mph.

 

[2012YellowBoss]

It doesn't help significantly under hard braking. It does feel better in high speed turns (100+ mph) and I have more confidence carrying more speed that the rear end isn't going to slide out on me. I guess I'm just used to the back end jumping around under hard braking and don't think about it much. I'm assuming the FR springs will help if they are stiffer than the stock springs.

lol you got balls. i like my car rock steady under hard braking at 100+mph.

As this vid (part of another story) shows the Boss looks worse then it feels (for me) under braking. I do not feel the amount of nose dive that shows here. I would like to lower the rear but not at the expense of over-all handling.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SCpLIi4T8s[/youtube]

This is how the car looked and felt inside on the exact same brake zone

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J4vlghlpKE[/youtube]

 

[Boss_302]

Any words on the FRP springs?

I recently found that under hard braking in high speed the car felt nervous. The backend started to wiggle a bit. Anyway to eliminate that?

I felt the same thing.............

Here's a write of my first day at Sebring with the car on a different board

Boss Review: My First Track Day at Sebring http://forums.themustangsource.com/f813/boss-review-my-first-track-day-sebring-499903/

Turn one braking point, lift, brake hard, brake late; the Boss gets a little light in the rear and gives a little squirm at threadhold, but settles back down with no input required upshift into fourth, trail brake, turn left on the cut in the track.

I’m all the way left going under the walkover bridge, lift just as I pass under the bridge, then there’s the braking point, hard onto the brakes, opps a little past threshold and into the ABS ease up just a hair, 100 MPH plus down to 30-35, light in the rear again, loose but no steering inputs required, shift into 3rd (I only go into 2nd here if there’s traffic). Turn right at the Hairpin, late apex, stay off the curbing its really rough, get back onto the power as soon as possible.

- Suspension, a little soft yes there’s some brake dive, yes here’s some body roll, but once the Boss leans over it sets and scoots. A little loose at times under really aggressive braking, but only just a bit it never feels like it wants to come around. But this is in a straight line……I wonder? Why? Just the weight transfer?

Comments...............

 

[VoodooBoss]

Just looking at the dynamics of the brake dive having less of it should keep a little bit more weight on the rear wheels. Will it be enough to feel the difference? We hope to find out soon.

 

[cloud9]

I think the weight transfer actually helps the Boss turn. It also eats tires faster, but I guess that's the price for the extra grip.

 

[ihatepotholess]

Any words on the FRP springs?

I recently found that under hard braking in high speed the car felt nervous. The backend started to wiggle a bit. Anyway to eliminate that?

I felt the same thing.............


- Suspension, a little soft yes there’s some brake dive, yes here’s some body roll, but once the Boss leans over it sets and scoots. A little loose at times under really aggressive braking, but only just a bit it never feels like it wants to come around. But this is in a straight line……I wonder? Why? Just the weight transfer?

Comments...............

i too find it weird why is the back end wiggling under hard braking in a straight line. i have never experience this in any other cars before. i will try 5 in the rear and keep 4 in the front.

i know some of you guys have a lot more track experience than i do, and you are probably used to the back end jumping around. but i like my cars a little more predictable, hopefully the FRP springs will solve this problem.