Question about coilovers???

[007jerry]

Hey guys, looking to lower my 2009 GT 500, and I don't want to do just lowering springs due to making the ride too stiff. What coilovers would you recommend for just a street driven car? Do I really need a 50 way adjustable shock LOL? I found this deal at AM........ Eibach Mustang Pro-Street Coilover Kit 35115.711 (07-14 GT500) ..... just want some opinions before I pull the trigger!!! Thanks!!!

 

[Black Cobra '99]

Well, most coilovers are a lot stiffer than lowering springs. The key is the damper, if you go with springs and adjustable dampers you won't have any issues. If its just for the street, coilovers aren'e necessary.
I have the Eibach R1 and love them, they make a huge difference in handling while being comfortable but the adjustment plays a huge role. Don't know how these would feel but you could change the springs with softer rates easily, I believe Robert M has them.

 

[fullboogie]

What makes you think lowering springs makes the ride stiffer?

 

[007jerry]

Just from what I have read people seem to say that the Eibach lowering springs make the ride very stiff. I have a friend with a 2007 Mustang GT that lowered his with springs and it made it too stiff. If Robert M has coilovers on his does that mean that those coilovers that I posted above were installed factory on Supersnakes? Black Cobra 99 your car looks really good!!! Thanks for the reply's fella's!!!

 

[shelbygt500hoss]

I have Ford lowering springs, they ride just as good and comfortable as it did stock

 

[svt4me38]

I was kicking around doing the Eibach front coilover Kit on my 12. I currently run Eibach sportline springs on front with stock PP struts, rear Eibach adjustable spring on perch with Eibach shocks.
I was concerned the front coilcovers would ride like crap and further poor weight transfer at the track.
I jumped on the Koni sale and picked up a pair of adjustable front struts to try out.

 

[Totalpkg]

Ford M-5300-L springs with Strange front struts and Viking rear shocks. Really comfortable and adjustable. Springs have same rate as PP springs just lower.

 

[1Kona_Venom]

OP, can you elaborate on any existing suspension mods you currently have?
"Street Car" ......
No coilovers needed to achieve what your after

 

[Robert M]

Just from what I have read people seem to say that the Eibach lowering springs make the ride very stiff. I have a friend with a 2007 Mustang GT that lowered his with springs and it made it too stiff. If Robert M has coilovers on his does that mean that those coilovers that I posted above were installed factory on Supersnakes? Black Cobra 99 your car looks really good!!! Thanks for the reply's fella's!!!

Yes, the Eibach Pro Street-S is what Shelby installed on my car..........BUT, that AM picture is deceiving.............

Eibach Mustang Pro-Street Coilover Kit 35115.711 (07-14 GT500)

Below is the Pro Street-S picture from the Eibach website, scroll down and look at the picture but don't click on the part number.......

https://eibach.com/us/c-56-car-truck-suv.html

This set-up functions fine on the street but it is not a true coil over set-up meaning the rear shocks are not inside the rear adj. springs.

^^^^I am o.k. with this, there is no way I would have gotten the wide 325 rear tires on my car with a spring wrapped around the rear shock. On a S197, adding a spring around the outside of the rear shock limits the tire width on the rear.

*****Keep in mind, if you buy lowering springs only and don't like the height (front, back or both), well you're stuck with them unless you decide to spend more money to "try again". If you buy an height adjustable suspension you can dial it in to exactly what you are looking for in height and also change it if a different (taller or shorter) tire/wheel combination is used in the future.


R

 

[007jerry]

Right now my car has an intake, pulley, and a Lund tune. Everything else is stock. I want to do the rear upper control arm and mount, and lower control arms. I think that I will just do the springs after looking at these pics here ...... Eibach Mustang Sportline Lowering Springs 4.11535 (07-14 GT500 Coupe) ..I..... I really want the slammed look that the Sportlines provide. I need to get these suspension mods out of the way so I can move on to a TVS for more power LOL!!! Thanks to everyone that replied and helped me make up my mind!!!

 

[Black Cobra '99]

You're heading the right way. I would strongly recommend adjustable shocks as well, especially for the sportlines because I remember some people were complaining they were bouncy on stock shocks.

 

[Catmonkey]

This set-up functions fine on the street but it is not a coil over set-up meaning the rear shocks are not inside the rear adj. springs.

Not to mention the shock mounts were not designed to support the load of the rear of the car. Additional work is needed to beef up the mount if you do have a true coil over in the OEM shock mount location.

And just to mention, adjustable shocks come in two configurations. Single adjustables are usually adjustable for rebound only. Compression valving is fixed. Double adjustables have separate adjustments for compression and rebound. If you intend to run high spring rates on the street, double adjustables are the better choice, although a bit more expensive option.

 

[Robert M]

Wow Cat, I didn't even think about that.......No, the rear shock mount area of the S197 was never designed by the Ford engineers to support the weight of the car and true rear coil overs would to just that, add the weight of the car to that body mounting point.....

For full height adjustability AND keeping the suspension load/mounting as originally designed by Ford, the Pro Street-S suspension is the way to go, or any system that is set up in that same way. <<<That is unless an owner modifies the rear shock mounting area to also support the full rear body weight.


R

 

[Catmonkey]

Honestly, I"m not sure it's worth the trouble. Almost any shock you get as a coil over can be purchased as a smooth body shock. You can pretty much use whatever coil over spring in just about any rate in the rear OEM location using adjustable spring perches. And like you mentioned, it does impact real estate in the wheel well.

Grigg's makes weld-in gussets for the shock mount to prevent lateral movement of the mount during cornering, but it still doesn't seem like the thickness of the OEM metal mount and the attachment points are up to the task.

 

[Black Cobra '99]

Well, Cortex sells a true coilover system for the rear. And they said that they've tested their system for a long time and found no issues. Not that I would go with a true coilover on the rear.

 

[cgaulzetti]

I have these Strano Performance Parts - Part Details

They're made by KW and with the possible exception of swapping to a good square tire set up- was the single biggest improvement i made to my car. i've got to be honest- stock these cars are awful when it comes to handling. they're floaty, painfully under sprung, set up for chronic understeer, and even if you're only racing kids in hondas from stoplight to stoplight- the suspension is completely inadequate.
putting $1444 into this car transformed it more than anything else i have done to the car. it is literally a different vehicle because of these coil overs and camber plates. the car is planted, confident, comfortable, taut and totally neutral and confidence inspring. the only negative (and it isn't a negative at all really) is that the car sits lower so i do drag the underside bit when i'm pulling into my garage.
i don't know why anyone wouldn't do this. the car is far more comfortable and feels far safer especially at speed.

i was all gung ho about investing in a complete Griggs or Maximum Motorsports or Cortex setup for my GT500 (and I still might!) but I drove some different cars and unless you are tracking the thing at a high level- you don't need more than the ST kit I mentioned. In fact, Sam Strano who I bought this stuff from- has won national championships in autocross with Mustangs that don't really have much more than these coil overs and some different LCAs.

You asked about comfort and improving the look of the car- I'm coming from a completely different place- I didn't care about comfort at all or how my car sits aesthetically- I just wanted to fix the horrible mushy handling. However- even if I never tracked my car, or drove it in a spirited way on twisty roads- and just drove it around slowly on bad city streets and looked at it- I'd still be super happy. The car sits awesome. The fender/wheel gaps look perfect to my eye and the car is super comfortable over shitty roads, speed bumps, gravel, undulations, steel plates etc.

Like a lot of us here- I added another 150-200 horsepower to my car and that change paled in comparison to just adding these coilers and camber plates. Do it. You won't be disappointed.

Good luck and hit me up if you have any questions!

Craig

 

[Marty Staggs]

I have these and they are a great bang for the buck. Very happy with them - Pedders Mustang Extreme Xa Coilover Kit PED-160052 (05-14 All)