2013-14 Shelby GT500 Bilsteins and Brembos installed on my 2011 5.0L

[BMARZ]

I am in the process of having 2013 Shelby GT500 Bilstein shocks, struts and 15", six-piston Brembos installed on my 2011 Mustang 5.0L. Everything was straightforward with the exception of the "insulators" that affix the Bilstein shocks to the perches. The Bilsteins feature a significantly-different thread than the Koni STR.T's I had on my car previously. The correct, 2013-14 Shelby GT500 Performance Package-specific insulators are part number DR3Z-18197-A, for anyone interested. As things currently stand, I'll have my car buttoned up and completed by the end of the week, at the earliest.

You'll also notice that I installed a set of Steeda's beefy front sway bar end links.

I'm also going to need a new set of front tires. I wonder if my alignment was off just a tad, haha. :dw:

Here's the hardware prior to being installed.

I also have a Whiteline watts link and upper third link that were going to get installed at the same time as the GT500 parts, but I've since decided to swap the 3.31 gears currently residing in my rear axle for some 3.73s. Because of that, I'll wait and do all of the rear axle stuff at once.

 

[SID297]

Very cool.

 

[Serpent]

Wow, nice and easy swap!
So the brakes just swap right over? No brackets needed to bolton the rotors to the spindle?

I'm a rookie when it comes to this stuff, would love to do a 14'' brembo swap for my fronts that come with the mustangs brembo package for 5.0's.

 

[me32]

What rims are you using to clear the brakes?

 

[saunupe1911]

Are those the electronically adjustable Bilsteins? How are u going wire it up to switch from normal to sport.

 

[charba951]

Nice!

 

[BMARZ]

Very cool.

Thanks, Sid!

Wow, nice and easy swap!
So the brakes just swap right over? No brackets needed to bolton the rotors to the spindle?

Yep, they bolted right up!

What rims are you using to clear the brakes?

I've got 19x9" Forgestar F14's up front.

Are those the electronically adjustable Bilsteins? How are u going wire it up to switch from normal to sport.

While they are, in fact, the electronically-adjustable Bilsteins found on a 2013-14 GT500, I don't have a damper module, so they'll be perpetually stuck in "sport." I just hope the dampers aren't too taut for daily driving, especially with my FRPP 1" springs, sway bars and other suspension bits. I'll keep you guys informed.

 

[momstmg]

I'm curious, how do u know it will be in sport mode?

 

[BMARZ]

I'm curious, how do u know it will be in sport mode?

I actually won the front "corner module" assemblies (Bilstein struts, springs, strut mounts) at last year's Mustang Alley. It was there where I talked to Becky, an SVT suspension engineer, and she was the one that told me that, without a damper module, the Bilsteins are permanently stuck in sport mode.

 

[Fun4me]

These only have two modes when installed on the gt500?

 

[BMARZ]

These only have two modes when installed on the gt500?

That is correct. Normal and sport are the two modes.

 

[saunupe1911]

So you got them free? Very nice! I was thinking who in their right mind would buy those dampers knowing they can't adjust them.

 

[BMARZ]

So you got them free? Very nice! I was thinking who in their right mind would buy those dampers knowing they can't adjust them.

Hey saunupe1911, I won the front "corner module" assemblies which consisted of the Bilstein front struts, OEM springs, OEM bump stops and upper strut mounts. My winnings also included a set of Boss 302 five-way adjustable rear shocks, but when asked, the SVT engineer didn't seem very confident I'd find an ideal setting when used in conjunction with the front Bilsteins. Armed that bit of information, I purchased the rear 2013-14 GT500 Bilstein shocks from Tousley. Had I not won the front Bilsteins, though, I probably would have gone with FRPP's adjustable dampers or just kept the Koni STR.Ts that were on my Mustang previously. Maybe it would have been wiser to have purchased the Boss 302 adjustable front struts... Oh, well, if the ride's too taut, that'll be the proverbial plan B.

 

[bryantaylor]

I'm curious, how do u know it will be in sport mode?

most electrically controlled suspensions do that. that way if there is a problem it will default to the stiffer setting to prevent bottoming out and causing suspension damage.

 

[saunupe1911]

What about a set of rear Koni yellows? They should have enough adjustability to fine tune against the fronts.

 

[saunupe1911]

I wish FRPP provided a module that would allow us to install these dampers on GT's or Bosses

 

[BMARZ]

All done!

 

[niterydr]

Looks good!

Are those eibach sway bars? If so, how do you like them? Notice a big difference over the stock ones?

 

[13DIB5.0]

nice man! where can I get ahold of those front brakes?

 

[BMARZ]

Looks good!

Are those eibach sway bars? If so, how do you like them? Notice a big difference over the stock ones?

Thanks! They are Eibach sway bars, which are identical to the Ford Racing sway bars except for the color. I know some people claim that the effects of aftermarket sway bars are negligible on the newer S197 Mustangs, but I definitely noticed my car felt tighter around corners than with the stock components. A lot of the handling improvement may have come from the better-than-stock bushings. I'm not sure.

nice man! where can I get ahold of those front brakes?

I actually won the front brakes and Bilstein struts, but I see Ford Racing offers a 2013-14 GT500 front and rear brake conversion kit for something like $2,700!

SHELBY GT500 SIX PISTON CALIPER 15-INCH ROTOR BRAKE KIT -- M-2300-T