More Grip Please

Started by Hammer, August 31, 2020, 12:22:29 PM

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Hammer

Hi Guys,

Just changed over the stock Pirelli on my S550 GT to Michelin Sport SP4 - much happier.

But, it's still hard to get all that power onto the road without the tyre spinning.

I guess the best way to get the power down is to start looking a the suspension now.

I don't want to go racing but I do want to have grip when I take off at the lights and when I go into a corner.

Having spent most of the past 20 years in Japanese sports cars (Turbo charged MX5, Mazda6 MPS and RX8) I really want my Mustang to grip the road.

I'd really appreciate some suggestion that won't break the bank.

Cheers

GLENN 70

It depends on what you want ? . Off the line grip or going around the corners grip ? . Off the line M/T et ss street radials 285/40x19 for around $500 per tyre . Going around corners I have no idea except what you have on now .  Suspension you can fit a few things to stop axle hop but for traction not much around for a street car . The Mickey Thompson ss radials will give you the grip .

keith

I found Steeda stop the hop kit made a big difference. I fitted the centering kit, bush support kit, diff bushes, vertical link and toe link with bush, LCA bearing is a must. and sub frame brace. strut tower brace. I've got Pedders extreme XA coil over kit too.  Its like a different car, so much more traction and corners amazing. I've got a few more bits for the front. Very pleased with it all though.   

Blacksally1

  Just fit some 20″×9″ & 20″×11″  rims with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres. Bags and bags of grip.  265/ 35s on the front and the  295/30s on the rear make all the  difference.
2017 FM GT, Tickford Build: Tune, 20' wheels,H&R Suspension, 3' exhaust, diffuser, CAI and Tickford air box with TBS.

GLENN 70

My supercharged S550 had huge traction problems .but a retune brought the power in later and  softer  and that made a huge difference .  Running 285 x40 x19 Mickey Thompson et streets made no difference  to traction where the tune did .

Hammer

Thought I'd give an update - it's been a while.

Spoke with a few performance shops and the first thing each said was "Coil Overs" and lower the centre of gravity.
Looking around, like everything else, you can thousands for a kit and hundreds more for installation and the very necessary alignment.

In the end, I opted for the Pedders SportsRyder eXtreme XA Adjustable Coilover Shock Absorber Kit  - supplied and installed for $2.5K (I'm sure the price has gone up a bit since).

I'm not looking for track performance, just good, predictable street driving.

As these are height  adjustable, I requested a 25 - 30 mm drop.  Lower, fill the wheel arches but don't go OTT.

My first impression is that the car is flatter (25mm drop front, 30 mm drop rear).
It's a little bumpier - but only on the bigger bumps - hardly noticeable on regular roads.
Braking is flatter, cornering flatter and tighter and off the line seems to have improved too.

Service out of Pedders Burwood was great - and they offered a check up after the first month.

Car looks better too - much better stance.

Overall I am very happy with the result and would recommend this set if anyone is just looking to get the bit better performance out of their standard S550.

Anyone else fitted this set ?  what do you think ?

Sharkierulz

Anybody have any experience with Toyo R888Rs? I need more grip (having gone the whole suspension, bushes and bits path already) and at 400kw/600NM (still NA) I have next to no grip. Even mildly hot hatches makes a mockery of the Mustang off the line

Looking at 285-35-19s for the Toyos on the rear and my question really is, how long do these take to warm up? Not fussed about the wear as I only do 5000km a year in the Stang.

gbader

Quote from: Sharkierulz on December 21, 2021, 02:52:51 PM
Anybody have any experience with Toyo R888Rs? I need more grip (having gone the whole suspension

I have sticky's on my 65 for track but I couldn't live with them on the road, they pick up and flick up too much loose crap

I am just replacing the ones on my 16 now, have Potenza S001 on the rear @ 295/35/20 but switching to Pilot Sport 4s (never had them before but seem to be a popular choice in the S550 crowd)

Hammer

A few weeks after fitting the Pedders, I had a 'noise' from the rear.
Jacked the car up and noticed that the adjustment lock nuts were loose on both sides.  I tightened them up and had another trip to Pedders Burwood to check evertthing was tight.

With Lockdowns etc. I've not driven the car a lot and certainly not long trips - it's a 2017, bought in June 2018 and has just under 30K on it.

After my second visit to Pedders it's been fine.

However, recently there's been a clunk at the rear - a different clunk than when the lock nuts were loose and when driving around residential streets - school runs etc.
Highway is fine - no clunking.

So, checked the locknuts were still tight - they were and booked into Pedders Ferntree Gully (Burwood is closed).  They reported all the Pedders stuff was good but the rear sway bar end links need to be replaced - that's the clunk.

They suggested they might be covered under warranty but could not say.

Called my Ford dealer and it;s booked in for an assessment - in 3 weeks.

I fully expect ford to turn down any warranty claim as the car is lowered and so have ordered a set of replacement end links - they seem easy enough to fit but, I guess will need a little adjustment.
Saw a couple of youtubes - one is to fit at the same length as the OE.  But another shows fitting and then refitting the wheel, rolling the car in and out of the garage, and then adjusting to a neutral position with the car on the floor (jack it back up, wheel off to tighten).

Anyone else had to replace end links as a result of lowering - is this normal ?

Hammer

and more.....

Saw Pedders shop again and replaced the factory rear sway bar end links.

But, still getting the noise – more of a clank than a clang so don't think it's exhaust banging about.
Can't get into my dealership for another week and a half so trying to figure out what it might be.
Wondered if you guys might have any suggestions.


I have no idea what it might be.