hooking up...(suspension guru's come on in)

[SAYNOTORICE]

im getting anxious for the spring to roll around so i can actually drive my stang without sliding everywhere and i am waiting to put some 3.73's in it...snow+3.73's=disaster...anyway, while the 3.73's get put in i figured it would be a good idea to get the car to hook well before i go adding more power to it...i have some new pony wheels coming my way and the first step is putting some good street tires on them...what else should i do to make this car hook hard...this year will probably be its last at daily driver duty, but from april to september its gonna be driven regularly...i want it to give a good ride on the street but also be able to hook good on the track for weekend playtime.

here is a list of what i think should be done

upper and lower control arms
subframes
strut tower bar
lowering springs
new struts

what else sould be added to this list and what brands and style of these components are good?

 

[TT91]

What kind of "hooking" do you intend on doing? There are tons of combinations out there, I use all UPR stuff, but im not biased, it just looks really clean and performs well. Strut tower braces arnt really needed, if you have a good set of Subframes youll be fine. Get back to us, whats your intended purpose?

 

[ECU5.0]

talkin about suspension...what are the quad shocks for? i hear about people taking them off the fit wider tires....dont you need them for the suspension to work properly...unless you get a totally aftermarket kit like coil overs?

 

[livenfine]

talkin about suspension...what are the quad shocks for? i hear about people taking them off the fit wider tires....dont you need them for the suspension to work properly...unless you get a totally aftermarket kit like coil overs?

I'm no expert, but here's what I've learned from looking around. The quad shocks work in conjunction with the UCAs to help prevent axle wrap-up. Some people have taken them off without any known effects, though I'd say that the UCAs are taking it pretty hard and maybe even the torque boxes. Technically, you shouldn't remove quad shocks without going to a 3-link suspension, (ie Pan Hard Bar, Torque Arm setup) or equivalent. The 3 link doesn't use the UCAs and the TA takes the brunt of the axle wrap-up. Coil-overs don't help quad shocks do their job.

But this is hijacking the original post.

SayNoToRice, I'd agree with sureshot, what do you mean by 'track'. For me, track means autocross and I'm headed in the PHB/TA direction. This is supposed to provide great traction. If you're drag racing, I've heard of other things like 90/10 struts up front, low spring weights up front for weight transfer, remove front sway bars, etc. But IMHO, set yourself up for autox. Best of both worlds...

 

[SAYNOTORICE]

when i refer to the track i mean the drag strip...however, the car is going to be mainly a street car so it cant be setup totally for drag...i want the car 13's on street tires...this will be helped by a 75 shot...basically my biggest concern is that with 3.73's and the funny stuff, i'll be very squirely off the line with the street tires....im looking for a suspension setup that will help me combat this and also provide a decent ride on the street

 

[TT91]

Well LUCKILY...13s arnt hard to achieve...you should be able to tackle them using most of your stock setup..Alot of companies sell some great packages, ie steeda, maximum motorsports,..the list goes on and on. Some simple shocks/struts/springs, subframes, upper and lower control arms should yield you those times providing you have the motor powerful enough

 

[SAYNOTORICE]

sounds good to me...the motor will eventually be running a cobra or equivalent intake, 65mm TB, 70 MM MAF, and 24#er's along with a 75 shot...i think this will put me low 13's with street tires given the right stuff to help me hook up...any recomendations on who i should look at for sub frames upper and lower control arms and springs ( i think 1 1/4" drop)...who makes the best for less $ ???

 

[jerry beach]

Lowering the car will not help it hook up. Have you noticed the drag cars sporting the 4x4 look? I have been looking at control arms too. I suggest some adjustable ones so you can change the pinion angle. This, along with the subframes should offer decent traction. I dont have the cash for the 3-link, otherwise that sounds like the best way to go. My car is prolly good for some real high 13's if I could just get the traction. My best 60' was 2.325