best springs for handling / help with steering, might need new rack

[fivespeedsteed]

alright so while i am at school this winter, i am going to piece together a 5 lug, and get my bullets, also id like to get different springs, and fix some broken stuff. what are the best springs for handling. id really like to be very low, like sportlines, but are they the best you can get for handling, or should i be looking at H&R, or a pro kit, ect? i will be getting new iso's also, i have a lean to the drivers side.

also, when driving sometimes i feel like im getting a bunch of bump steer, and sometimes my car starts squeaking, and it might be the rack. could this be symptoms of my rack going bad?

 

[chiefstang]

I used Steeda springs on my 89, and love them. They are a great compromise between a great performance shock, and not bruising your a** over every bump in the road. They will drop your car about an inch and a half. If you're going with the larger bullitt wheels, any more lowering will give you some wheel rub problems, unless you roll your fender lip. Be warned, though, once you get started with the suspension, you'll be there for awhile. The suspension on a car is not one part, but a complete system. Once you change your springs, you'll notice real quick that you need some tighter shocks. Then you'll see your tires wearing unevenly, and here come the adjustable camber/caster plates, etc. etc.... You can check your steering rack yourself for the most part. Is the car "tracking", or wandering back and forth? Check your tie rod ends. Also see if there is any play in the steering wheel when the car is not moving. Could be the rack. Good luck!!!

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Hack Jobs new suspension consists of:
New MOOG front control arm bushings.
New MOOG ball joints
HPM Mega Bite Jr rear UCA and LCA's
New front inner and outer tie rods
Steeda Sport Springs

Used shocks and struts, which are getting replaced next year.

The car handles wayyy better than my 91 notch with all stock, used 100K suspenion. Night and day difference actually.

 

[squeak93]

I have ran sportlines and pro kits both. Unimpressed with the bang for the buck. I swear it took like 3 months for the sportlines to "settle" or what ever u call it. Which in iteself it scary. The car rode rough but cornered good. This was on an 04 gt.

My currenent 92 gt has the following.

Toxico springs, struts, shocks. Bought all in a kit by my wife (not a bad gift at all)
Lakewood traction action LCA's,
Blue oval industrieds Subframes.
No front sway bar (won't clear the oil pan of the 351)
bbk cc plates.

With that all installed, it corners quite well for no sway bar, has great road characteristics, does have some bump steer issues that I plan on fixing but for the money i have invested in my suspension, I am quite pleased. This is in a 351 gt too...Kind of a heavy car. No a/c and aluminum head, batter in hatch are the only weight items missing (aside from sway bar).

 

[justagt]

No matter what

No matter what spring setup you go with, if you are dropping your car and handling is a priority, you will need a good shock & strut setup along with the proper length swaybar end links and a good set of caster/camber plates.

My vote for the shocks and struts is either Koni or Bilstein. For springs I'd go with Steedas.

 

[fivespeedsteed]

how do i check my tie rods? i have tokico blue shocks and struts and full length subframes right now. only bushings taht are on their way out are the upper control arm ones, and the ball joints are shot. im planning on doing a cheap 5 lug 4 wheel disc (not cobra stuff yet) sn-95 length and getting bullits, i know im going to have to trim and roll the fenders, and getting new ball joints, and CC plates, i just want to fix broken stuff and i think my rack is dead. i don't have much play when sitting still it just kinda steers itself, in ruts, ect,.. eventually ill get control arms, and battle boxes, and a tubular k-member. the bushings (all 10 of them) on my sway bar are new, and new iso's and springs should do good. i don't want much fender gap, and i am getting bigger wheels which wont help, this car is my fun car. i always will have the jeep for my expiditons over speed bumps.

i will look into steedas. anyone used H&R's? what do most people get that have handling (not drag) suspension setups when they dont go to coilovers?

also, how much different is the sn95 suspension from ours? i know the springs and all are the same, and my friend 94gtho has a 96 with monroe shocks struts(dead in the rear) and sportlines and his car handles great. even has bad shape tires. will my car handle simmilar to his once i get all this done? it will have the same width spindles, brakes, size wheels and tires, but better shocks and struts. and ill probably pick up a strut tower brace along the way. anything else youd recomend?

 

[jrichker]

The universal and flex joint steering shaft couplers can be inspected with the car parked on the ground. With the engine off, have a helper rock the steering wheel back and forth while you inspect the universal and flex joint steering shaft couplers for excessive slack. You'll need a sharp eye and a strong light to do a good job.

Support the car on jackstands with the jackstands placed as close to the wheel as possible. With the steering locked, have a helper try to move each front wheel just like it would move if you turned the steering wheel. While they are rocking the wheels, you are under the car watching for slack in the tie rods.

 

[chiefstang]

My Steeda springs actually came out of my buddy's '95 Cobra, so they are the same spring rates etc... So I can't really relate to the problems with the springs "settling", as they were in his car for six months before I got them. He said they settled a little, but nothing objectionable. I'm sure there are good springs from other companies out there, but the Steedas ride great as well, and as you know, Steeda works VERY closely with Ford Racing, and actually supplies them with alot of their parts under the Ford Racing name. I guess it's a level of trust I had knowing that the manufacturer uses them that swayed me, and I couldn't be happier with how it handles either. I did go with theBilstein quad shocks, but used the Tokiko Illumina adjustable shocks, and struts. I wanted the flexibility to change them to how I liked them on a whim. For the record, though, I set them on the hardest setting, and they still ride awesome, and the car corners like it's on rails. Good luck!