improving steering

[03gobluecobra]

I just bought a new cobalt, and the steering on it is fantastic. Now, the cobra is disappointing to me in the steering department, and i'm wondering what I can do about it.

I don't like how the car steers, particularly the part where you turn the wheel, it doesn't turn, then all of a sudden it turns more than you wanted, and you need to correct. I also don't like how the car tracks all over the road at highway speeds.

What can be done to help steering? I know 18 inch rims might help. What about going back to smaller tires up front? I run 275 GS-D3's, and they are wider than stock. I've been thinking about going back to stock tires or slightly smaller up front.

What about coil-overs, a bump steer kit, or a k-member brace? I already have a strut tower brace and sub frame connectors.

 

[UltimateSVT]

It sounds like you are understeering at the entrance of a corner, which is either cause you initially put in too much steering input or your swaybar is too tight. Since lowering Mustangs tends to create a pre-load on the swaybar, making it tighter because it can't bend as much as it could at the stock ride height. I would sudgest shorter swaybar endlinks, and for alittle better steering respons, get urethane power steering rack bushings. Or, you can go the route of the aluminum bushings and get an alignmet done. The aluminum rack bushings will set the rack back into the k-member and creating more toe-in, the extra toe-in will anihilate your front tires in a few thousand miles. In your situation, I'd just go with the shorter swaybar end-links and urethane rack bushings and go from there.

To compare your steering response of your heavy Cobra to your lighter Cobalt SS is unfair to your Cobra. The Colbalt is lighter and will feel more responsive because of that.

 

[01cobravortech]

It sounds like you are understeering at the entrance of a corner, which is either cause you initially put in too much steering input or your swaybar is too tight. Since lowering Mustangs tends to create a pre-load on the swaybar, making it tighter because it can't bend as much as it could at the stock ride height. I would sudgest shorter swaybar endlinks, and for alittle better steering respons, get urethane power steering rack bushings. Or, you can go the route of the aluminum bushings and get an alignmet done. The aluminum rack bushings will set the rack back into the k-member and creating more toe-in, the extra toe-in will anihilate your front tires in a few thousand miles. In your situation, I'd just go with the shorter swaybar end-links and urethane rack bushings and go from there.

To compare your steering response of your heavy Cobra to your lighter Cobalt SS is unfair to your Cobra. The Colbalt is lighter and will feel more responsive because of that.

I disagree with your assessment that alum. steering rack bushings will result in anihilating the front tires. If the toe is set correctly, pushing the steering back isn't going to cause drastic tire wear. Your tires are steering at a slightly wider angle (a few degrees, not much).

Get MMs front tie rod end kit. I guarantee that your front steering will improve. Are you getting a shimmy? because the only way you are going to get that under control is by replacing the stock arms and replacing your front wheelhub bearings at least every 20k. There is one thing that Ford has been very hush, hush about . . . and its how quickly the front wheelhub bearings wear on our cars.

 

[sonic cobra]

I have the MM aluminum steering rack bushings center drilled with my coil-overs and CC plates and steering is much tighter.If I remember this correctly, the CC plates alows much more caster which increases the Ackerman effect and along with the elimination of compliance in the rubber bushings, I now have a very quick turn in response and much better feed back through the steering wheel

 

[01cobravortech]

I have the MM aluminum steering rack bushings center drilled with my coil-overs and CC plates and steering is much tighter.If I remember this correctly, the CC plates alows much more caster which increases the Ackerman effect and along with the elimination of compliance in the rubber bushings, I now have a very quick turn in response and much better feed back through the steering wheel

+1 same here. Running 350# up front plus the MM control arms. What about you bro?

 

[sonic cobra]

Ooops

 

[sonic cobra]

I have 375# front with bilstien sport valved struts didn't replace the control arms, just the bushings.Running 600# with 00 Cobra R shocks in the rear. Tons of fun! Can't wait to get it on track

 

[01cobravortech]

I have 375# front with bilstien sport valved struts didn't replace the control arms, just the bushings.Running 600# with 00 Cobra R shocks in the rear. Tons of fun! Can't wait to get it on track

Question for you. I have 550# in the rear with the '00 Cobra R spec Bilstein. NJ roads are awful as you know and I was wondering if you ever having one of your rear tires scrape the fender well when bottoming out going from a flat paved toad to a dip in the road. It only happens with my left rear, as there tends to build up rub debree over time on the fender well lip. I recently added MMs wheelhub spacer and my '00 Cobra wheels fill out the wheel well perfectly. I'm just wondering if there is a problem with that rear coilover side or maybe the problem can be cured by raising up the rear. What do you think?

 

[UltimateSVT]

I disagree with your assessment that alum. steering rack bushings will result in anihilating the front tires. If the toe is set correctly, pushing the steering back isn't going to cause drastic tire wear. Your tires are steering at a slightly wider angle (a few degrees, not much).[\QUOTE]
Maybe if you actually read my post, I said that if he goes with the alumium rack bushings, he will need to get his front toe re-aligned as the bushings will move the rack up against the K-member. 1* of toe in will kill his front tires in 2000. So, re-aligning the toe after the installation is a must.

 

[01cobravortech]

I disagree with your assessment that alum. steering rack bushings will result in anihilating the front tires. If the toe is set correctly, pushing the steering back isn't going to cause drastic tire wear. Your tires are steering at a slightly wider angle (a few degrees, not much).[\QUOTE]
Maybe if you actually read my post, I said that if he goes with the alumium rack bushings, he will need to get his front toe re-aligned as the bushings will move the rack up against the K-member. 1* of toe in will kill his front tires in 2000. So, re-aligning the toe after the installation is a must.

sorry about that chief, honest mistake. I see an alignment as an automatic thing to do any time you mess with stock components like rack, caster/camber, tie rods, etc.

 

[UltimateSVT]

sorry about that chief, honest mistake. I see an alignment as an automatic thing to do any time you mess with stock components like rack, caster/camber, tie rods, etc.

It's cool.

 

[sonic cobra]

01cobravortech, I haven't had any wheel rub. The coil-overs are only on a couple weeks and I only drive it on weekends. I'll keep an eye on it and let you know.
My first thought is your problem may be caused by the very loose manufacturing tolerances used in the assembly of our cars. I've heard stories where the wheel locations were off by almost 1/2 " from one side to the other.I'm not sure raising the back will help you. Have you considered going with a smaller wheel spacer?

 

[Todd03Blown]

+1 same here. Running 350# up front plus the MM control arms. What about you bro?

Are you running the stock kmember with the MM front control arms?

I just checked the MM site; I see where it says you can run their control arms just have to modify the stock kmember.

 

[01cobravortech]

01cobravortech, I haven't had any wheel rub. The coil-overs are only on a couple weeks and I only drive it on weekends. I'll keep an eye on it and let you know.
My first thought is your problem may be caused by the very loose manufacturing tolerances used in the assembly of our cars. I've heard stories where the wheel locations were off by almost 1/2 " from one side to the other.I'm not sure raising the back will help you. Have you considered going with a smaller wheel spacer?

The wheel spacer I'm using now gives the car the perfect wheel well fit.