no traction through hard corners...

[hungrymonkey]

Tonight I found out how crappy and worn the stock suspension is on my 89gt.

I was coming home from work a little while ago. I pulled up to a stop sign and proceeded to make a 90 degree left turn. I pushed the throttle a little bit more than I should have. Which put me into a sideways skid. I overcorrected and put it sideways again. Then ended up nose first facing the sidewalk.

I never had the engine over 3000 rpms. It went wonky faster than I expected. I have had problems with traction through the corners when the roads are wet.


So where should I start to fix this? I would assume shocks, springs, and new bushings.

What else can I do?

 

[hungrymonkey]

Oh, forgot to mention. Toyo proxies on the stock turbines. They are gettingn fairly old and need replaced.

 

[notchback]

tires for sure, i like the eibach lowering kit, and i can say the energy suspension full poly kit is unbelievable..... my '88 almost felt like a vette

 

[Hi-Po]

Do a visual inspection of the upper and lower control arm bushings - they are probably totally worn out and rotten.
I replaced my stock control arms with MM lower and FRPP uppers - and it made for a real nice improvement.
However in general the fox rear end is not particularly well designed - and I think the best thing to do is to install a panhard bar or a watts link in order eliminate the chassis shifting sideways when cornering hard.
The stock design makes it quite difficult to control the car when it suddenly goes into oversteer.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

hard turns with the stock 4 link tires especially 90* turns you are always going to lose traction when giving throttle, converting to a 3 link link is the only effective way to increase turning traction, my suggestion for now is, MM XD lowers, torque box reinforcements, bilstein HD shocks/struts, H&R sport springs and a MM panhard bar with a set of sticky tires NT05's or NT01's

 

[hungrymonkey]

It was like I had punched the throttle on gravel. It broke loose soo quickly that by the time I had the clutch depressed I was wonky the other way.

aside from the worn suspension (heck of a lot of bounch when I push down on the rear), I am having a sneaking suspicion that the tires are hard. I can break them loose with a normal easy start and letting out the clutch to fast.

Needless to say, I got lucky last night. I missed the curb by a few feet, and kept my drawers clean.
It really shakes my confidence about taking a hard corner at the speed limit.


Thank you for the suggestions. I will start pricing the parts!

 

[LarsD]

Didn't see it mentioned, but sub frames are a good idea too. I couldn't believe how much more sure footed my 91 was after I got a pair of MM standard subs installed. Even the worn out 150K mile suspension was doing a better job with the subs.

 

[hungrymonkey]

I will add subs to the list.


I realized tonight that I do not want to get overboard with this car. I doubt I will own it much longer, since my wife hates driving it. I believe that I will do springs, shocks, bushings, and some subs.

Anyone have opinions for the best all weather tire to put on?

 

[Shaolin Crane]

I will add subs to the list.


I realized tonight that I do not want to get overboard with this car. I doubt I will own it much longer, since my wife hates driving it. I believe that I will do springs, shocks, bushings, and some subs.

Anyone have opinions for the best all weather tire to put on?

NT05's, G-force's, Pirellie's are good tires

 

[capri debris]

Maybe there's nothing wrong with your suspension... maybe you just need a driver mod.

Had to be said. LOL.

 

[hungrymonkey]

Maybe there's nothing wrong with your suspension... maybe you just need a driver mod.

Had to be said. LOL.

I would argue with that. But I feel so darn foolish letting the car get away from me like that.

It kind of takes the air out of my bellows. It also makes me cringe about all the times I took a corner to hard and had the tires squeeling (not hard to do on this car). Come to find out that I have been a few millimeters of throttle away from being ass over tea kettle.

I did go look at the tires yesterday, the drivers side front has scuff marks 3/4 up the sidewall. It must have flexed during the overcorrection.

I also drove past the spot where this happened. No skid marks, or burn out marks at all. Like it never happened.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

I would argue with that. But I feel so darn foolish letting the car get away from me like that.

It kind of takes the air out of my bellows. It also makes me cringe about all the times I took a corner to hard and had the tires squeeling (not hard to do on this car). Come to find out that I have been a few millimeters of throttle away from being ass over tea kettle.

I did go look at the tires yesterday, the drivers side front has scuff marks 3/4 up the sidewall. It must have flexed during the overcorrection.

I also drove past the spot where this happened. No skid marks, or burn out marks at all. Like it never happened.

my tires dont squeel either
YouTube - 1987 Mustang GT Canyon run part 3

 

[Daves94vert]

If your rear bounces when you push down on it then your shocks are blown. If you have the money, upper and lower rear control arms, tires,shocks and springs, caster and camber plates, subframe connectors. That should be enough to hold you for a while. I would definitely go at least tires, shocks, and springs.

 

[hungrymonkey]

my rear is bouncy

same with the front. I knew it was bad, but didnt realize it was this bad.

 

[Daves94vert]

yeah, if you give it a good push down, it should bounce (go up and down) once and settle down. look and see if there's any oil leaking from your shocks. That would be a clear indication.