Suspension Opinions

[PowerWheels]

I've thought about the following setup for my street driven GT500.

Steeda Billet LCA's
Steeda Adjustable UCA
FRPP Boss 302s Relocation Brackets
Steeda Adjustable Panhard
FRPP Lowering Springs.

What are your opinions on this setup?

Would I be making a mistake?

The other option would be

BMR Billet LCAs
BMR Adjustable UCA
FRPP Boss 302s Relocation Brackets
BMR Adjustable Panhard
FRPP Lowering Springs.

I'm worried about harshness with the BMR bushings and also longevity.

Would the Steeda setup give me an obvious upgrade to the stock setup?

 

[BOSSPOWER]

I have Steeda all the way, all the parts you listed and a little more...solid craftsmanship.

Manuel

 

[OaktownACE]

I have Steeda parts. My installers sucked or at best had some very off days, but once somebody who knew what he was doing got involved the car is impressive. It use to feel like the rear sank into a pit when I really got on it. Now it feels like the rear is pushing up a bit. Also much more composed in the twisties.

Having done what I did, if I were to do it again, I would not do the uca and mount. I would have left that stock, but I'm not a big drag race guy. The clutch line was an afterthought but made a big difference.

 

[ThomasL]

BMR Suspension
/thread

But in all seriousness, lowered my stance, hooked better at track and on street with 700+ hp/tq, AND smoother ride than stock. I shit you not. Call BMR and ask for Kelly. Now...../thread

 

[Johnny GT500]

I went with the FRPP springs and BMR set up from Van. Couldn't be happier.

 

[Ky GT500]

Yep,,BMR LCA, UCA, relocation brackets, BMR panhard and brace, all adjustable with the poly bushings,,less harsh than solid bushings,,,Eibach Pro Kit,,,been very satisfied with my setup.

Both Eibach and BMR quality products,,,highly recommend !!

 

[BMR Tech]

I've thought about the following setup for my street driven GT500.

Steeda Billet LCA's
Steeda Adjustable UCA
FRPP Boss 302s Relocation Brackets
Steeda Adjustable Panhard
FRPP Lowering Springs.

What are your opinions on this setup?

Would I be making a mistake?

The other option would be

BMR Billet LCAs
BMR Adjustable UCA
FRPP Boss 302s Relocation Brackets
BMR Adjustable Panhard
FRPP Lowering Springs.

I'm worried about harshness with the BMR bushings and also longevity.

Would the Steeda setup give me an obvious upgrade to the stock setup?

Honestly, your list of parts (both options) I am positive, would give you great results.

I do have a few questions, and some recommendations.

Are you set on Billet LCA? If so, any particular reason?

Is there a specific reason why the FRPP Brackets appeal to you, over the other options available?

ThomasL posted in this thread about his set-up. Have you seen the way his car sits? If so, do you like the stance?
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?1013403-BMR-Suspension-installed!&highlight=

Why are you under the impression that our bushings are more harsh than our competitors? Also, what has you worried about longevity? There is not a whole lot of difference between our bushings and our competitors bushings, to be perfectly honest. That said, our bushings have achieved a "track record" that is borderline unbelievable. As a matter of fact, in the GM segment of our operation, which is very large, our bushings are one of the primary reasons we dominate. In other words, when a 2010+ Camaro owner hears the word bushing, a BMR logo scrolls through their mind.

Here is my recommendation, based on what you have posted thus far.

BMR Poly Boxed LCA ($89.95)
BMR Adjustable UCA ($189.95)
BMR UCA Mount ($149.95)
BMR LCA Brackets ($149.95)
BMR Adjustable Panhard Bar ($139.95)
BMR Lowering Springs ($249.95)

If you go this route, I recommend flipping the Upper Strut Mounts 180 degrees to help with the camber up front. Set the UCA into the Upper Position on the Mount, and the LCA into the Middle Position in the brackets. Set your pinion angle to -2 degrees if you abuse your car frequently, or 0 to -1 if you primarily cruise it around (only got WOT occasionally)

This combination of parts is very popular. It works, is a great price, and I will be hear for you if you need any assistance.

As I stated, I think your list of parts for both options is good. I am a big proponent of people sticking with the same company for their parts, as it truly does make a decent difference when it's all said and done.

Good luck, and let me know if you ever need any assistance, regardless of what route you choose.

 

[OaktownACE]

As far as the whole BMR vs Steeda thing, I'm totally OCD and I did a lot of research, called both companies, read countless forums, email/pm'd people and what I found was that they were both fine and likely gave similar results. I went with Steeda for two reasons:

1) I'm lazy and this is my fun car do I don't want to have to regrease. Steeda swears you don't have to regrease, BMR swears you do. In my research I found that people with Steeda did not regrease at least in the few years they had their parts. If I have to regrease in 2-5 years I'll accept that. It just seemed like the engineering was possibly more developed with Steeda and that may be due to them being an older company.

2) I wanted a billet lca with a spherical/poly combo and Steeda has that. A lot of guys on here run Van's setup with the adj lca with the rod end but I felt more comfortable being solid and I fell in love with the billet look.

This forum is dominated by BMR and that is a testament to their parts but also to their sales reps and service reps who are prominent on this forum. At times I felt it was hard to get objective opinions on either brand because there are definite cheerleaders for both.

So for me, it was a tough choice and I am happy with my Steeda parts. Now my install experience is another issue...

 

[PowerWheels]

I have read that the FRPP brackets are not as long as the BMR's, but I have no measurements to back that up. I just didn't want anything hanging too low in the back. As for the reason I considered the Steeda parts, that was mainly because I thought the bushings where rubber but from looking more it appears they are also a poly design. After seeing they are poly I was concerned that they had no grease fitting. I have great faith in the quality of the BMR and Steeda products, I was just more concerned with squeaks and other NVH.

I'm a picky shopper, I just want to make sure I'm happy with the results.

As for driving style, I stay on the road mostly, but do drive aggressively and go WOT frequently. I'm not much of a slow cruiser.

I just like the look of the billets that's the only reason I listed them. One question I have is will the tires be centered in the wheel wells if I don't have adjustable LCA's after lowering the car?

OaktownACE, what brackets did you use and what other parts?

Also thanks Kelly for the feedback!

Thanks

 

[BMR Tech]

As far as the whole BMR vs Steeda thing, I'm totally OCD and I did a lot of research, called both companies, read countless forums, email/pm'd people and what I found was that they were both fine and likely gave similar results. I went with Steeda for two reasons:

1) I'm lazy and this is my fun car do I don't want to have to regrease. Steeda swears you don't have to regrease, BMR swears you do. In my research I found that people with Steeda did not regrease at least in the few years they had their parts. If I have to regrease in 2-5 years I'll accept that. It just seemed like the engineering was possibly more developed with Steeda and that may be due to them being an older company.

2) I wanted a billet lca with a spherical/poly combo and Steeda has that. A lot of guys on here run Van's setup with the adj lca with the rod end but I felt more comfortable being solid and I fell in love with the billet look.

This forum is dominated by BMR and that is a testament to their parts but also to their sales reps and service reps who are prominent on this forum. At times I felt it was hard to get objective opinions on either brand because there are definite cheerleaders for both.

So for me, it was a tough choice and I am happy with my Steeda parts. Now my install experience is another issue...

Great post. Well stated.

There is no doubt in my mind that Steeda is a great company, and they have great products. I use, and have used many Steeda parts (parts that we do not offer) on my current and previous Mustangs. I also recommend some of their specific items on a weekly basis, via telephone conversations with my customers.

As far as the greasing of the bushings. We all use Polyurethane. Poly is poly, at the end of the day. There are several ways to make it "different" - but it is still Polyurethane.

If someone does not want to lubricate our components, then they have that option. We offer fittings for ease of re-greasing, it really is that simple. NO polyurethane bushing manufacture will recommend NOT lubricating their bushings. No polyurethane LCA for these cars are sealed. Grease has a tendency to "wash" or "push" out. That's where our fittings come into play.

If you read the Steeda instructions, they tell you to lubricate the bushing before installation. They also warn that noise may become present by failing to do so. So, this means, when that grease gets pushed out...friction and heat take over, and moaning/groaning/"squeaking" starts - you have to remove the LCA to resolve your issue.

No denying Steeda has been around longer than BMR, but I would not really say that has much of anything to do with the current topic, or the reason behind the bushing designs. As a matter of fact, when we went to our bushing manufacture over 15 years ago with a bushing design that we wanted...they were impressed. We designed a bushing with spiral flutes - and our supplier had wondered why they had never done such a thing. I am not saying we invented the grease flute, but, we had never seen one - and neither had our bushing suppliers. These days, you rarely see a bushing without a grease flute.

We are leaders in the latemodel GM and Ford suspension industries, and it has little to do with our marketing program. I am the only person posting on the forums, actually. ;-)

 

[BMR Tech]

I have read that the FRPP brackets are not as long as the BMR's, but I have no measurements to back that up. I just didn't want anything hanging too low in the back. As for the reason I considered the Steeda parts, that was mainly because I thought the bushings where rubber but from looking more it appears they are also a poly design. After seeing they are poly I was concerned that they had no grease fitting. I have great faith in the quality of the BMR and Steeda products, I was just more concerned with squeaks and other NVH.

I'm a picky shopper, I just want to make sure I'm happy with the results.

As for driving style, I stay on the road mostly, but do drive aggressively and go WOT frequently. I'm not much of a slow cruiser.

I just like the look of the billets that's the only reason I listed them. One question I have is will the tires be centered in the wheel wells if I don't have adjustable LCA's after lowering the car?

OaktownACE, what brackets did you use and what other parts?

Thanks

Nothing wrong with being a picky shopper! I condone that, actually. Most of our customers are.

Our brackets are likely about 3/4" or so lower than the FRPP pieces. I can see where you are coming from on that. I can say, I rarely hear of any issues with our brackets...so I am not sure it would be something that should worry you.

With your driving style being as you posted, I would recommend a -1.5 to -2 degree difference between your trans/engine angle and the pinion flange angle.

I don't blame you for liking the looks of the Billet LCA. They are awesome pieces! Shelby chose our ACA004 LCA for all of their in house builds, their limited production builds, and the S1000 cars. They are truly an awesome LCA, and complete 1-piece Billet unlike any of the others (this is why the price tag is where it is; single piece Billet, Black Anodized, and Laser Etched)

As for the tires being centered, I have thousands and thousands of customers running our LCA with Relo Brackets, without issue. I cannot guarantee your application will be perfectly centered, but I WILL promise that if it is not - I will work with you to get it resolved...and I can also promise that it will not place your thrust angle / wheel base out of spec.

 

[PowerWheels]

Thanks Kelly, I'm hitting refresh waiting for new posts, LOL. I'm on the fence, but do like the grease fittings as you have stated. Is the only reason you listed the tubular LCA because of the cost difference?

Edit: I think we are typing at the same time, thanks for the response.

 

[BMR Tech]

Thanks Kelly, I'm hitting refresh waiting for new posts, LOL. I'm on the fence, but do like the grease fittings as you have stated. Is the only reason you listed the tubular LCA because of the cost difference?

Edit: I think we are typing at the same time, thanks for the response.

I wouldnt say the main reason was the price difference.

Our TCA019 and TCA032 are just so proven, it is hard for me to recommend an LCA that cost 3X as much, that only looks better.

Our TCA019 and TCA032 pieces feature the same exact bushings, sleeves, and grease fittings as the ACA004 (billet) pieces. The difference is the cost to build them, the looks, the material, and the weight.

The ACA004 is my favorite LCA that we offer, overall. I just don't think most people need them, and would rather see them place that saved cash elsewhere.

If you are set on them, though, I won't try and stop ya.

I am extremely tired. Must rest. If you haven't made a decision and pulled the trigger by Monday, feel free to give me a call to discuss. I like chatting about suspension.

Happy Research!

 

[OaktownACE]

I think my mods are in my sig but if they aren't showing up:

Steeda adj uca and bracket, billet poly/spherical lca, relocation brackets, adj panhard bar, panhard brace, FRPP L springs, revan racing braided brake and clutch lines, Bobs oil separator, redline hood struts and Jaegar bros rock guards

I read of fitment issues with the frpp brackets and just went with the same brand as the LCAs. I read and was told that even with the BMR reloc brackets being bolt on that it would be best to weld any reloc bracket in.

I scrape my high speed splitter on my driveway with the L springs so any more drop would have been a no go. I almost just did h&r springs in the back and left the front stock. As far as BMR springs, I'm not sure if they have gt500 specific springs or not. If you search you can find a pretty nasty exchange about that.

I really debated the lack of zerk fittings with the Steeda parts. Two things put me generally at ease. First, I read about how easy it was to install zerk fittings. Also when I called Steeda they said much the same, it's easy to put zerk fittings in but they don't have them and they don't get complaints. I'm sure they get some but if they got a lot they'd put in zerk fittings. Second, I was under the impression that you just connect your grease gun and pump a couple times every 6 months to a year but it's not that simple (and again my lazy side showed up). You have to loosen the bolts to allow for the grease to effectively coat the bushing. Otherwise you won't be able to pump the grease or possibly you blow out your bushing.

Kelly is totally right, all poly needs to be greased, but the debate is how much and how often, not do you have to grease poly bushings. That's where the two companies have a different philosophy and I think that's where bushing design may make a difference. I still can't figure it out.

And btw, Kelly and Van are more than happy to talk to you. Although I was hesitant, I called both and they were super nice. They sell BMR, but they were very approachable and I appreciated that. Steeda was also super friendly and when I had my problems with install due to the shop being idiots they helped me out.

So there is a window into my insanity.

 

[Ky GT500]

I share the love to both BMR and Steeda,,, majority of what I run is BMR,, but I'm running a Steeda rear sway bar. No complaints with either. I'm street driven pretty much exclusive,, just started dabbling in HPDE, but my first try at it was Charlotte during the 50th, and I was extremely impressed with my car and the suspension setup I have.

As far as relocation brackets dragging,,, never drug mine,, have to be in a crappy situation to drag them,, have to just miss the tire with something before it hits,, not sure what that would be. The front splitter gets drug on stuff more than anything once I lowered. Mine has a few learning curve scrapes on it from learning to drive a lowered car,,, but I have a new one in box when this one just gets looking to bad.

Here's my bracket, 3 1/2" from ground, never drug.

 

[BadSonicBlueSVT]

I am not a brand loyalist. I use what best suits my needs. I have UPR on my foxbody, MM on my 03, and BMR on the 14. All of which have performed great. But all the talk about harsher ride and added NVH in my experience I've had no issues. The car rides smoothier than stock, corners better and I have NO complaints about the GY's with the BMR setup. I don't think a person could go wrong with any of the choices but I once did that with BMR about eight years ago on my foxbody. Then my best friend starting testing some components from them on a turbo'd trans am. 1.28' 60fts got my attention. So don't sleep on them.

 

[1FASFKR]

I have a set of Steeda Billet LCAs I removed from my 12 Boss when traded it of for my GT500. About 500 mikes on them. PM me if your interested. Fwiw, the rear end of the Boss was very much improved. Quality LCAs. Think ii have a couple of the steeda grease tubes too.

 

[5.8 Venom]

... Now my install experience is another issue...

I'm in So Cal and I am going to be looking to lower mine late Summer / Fall, who did you use to get it installed?

 

[OaktownACE]

I'm in So Cal and I am going to be looking to lower mine late Summer / Fall, who did you use to get it installed?

I used GAS. I figured they were a Shelby shop and Galpin sells a ton of them so they would be fine.

My sales guy was great and made sure everything got fixed...eventually, but it took 4 trips, me recording sounds on my iPhone and getting some written assistance from Steeda. The first tech couldn't measure pinion angle yet was installing an adj UCA. Wtf?

They finally pulled a guy who does all the high end Aston stuff because he also does ford racing. He stripped it all down and they redid it. It's been fine since. Supposedly that guy is now overseeing the shop. I don't know. It wasn't a fun experience and I still cringe just a little over the first few bumps waiting for another problem.

 

[5.8 Venom]

Cool, thanks much.