Honestly, I feel like I should be thanking you and all the people out there who are taking the time to watch my videos. I’ve been amazed by the response so far. I’m committed to making the channel a great resource for 79-04 Mustang owners looking to get into autocross.
These cars and this sport mean a lot to me. And it means a lot to know the channel is helping people.
Whichever suspension you decide on, take that car to an autocross and show everyone what these Mustangs can do!
This is great, learned a good bit!!! How do you feel about using spherical upper control arms vs the BMR spherical bearing? Also, what are your thoughts about using strange adjustable shocks and struts vs Tokico? I have a set of used rear strange shocks that I picked up for a good price?
Also, what master cylinder did you use for the Cobra setup, and is there anything that can be done to the control arms when you use lowering springs to keep them parallel with the ground?
The spherical UCA would work WITH the spherical diff housing bearing to help with bind. You will get more NVH with that combination. The UCA and the diff bearing are solving two parts of the bind issue. Ideally, you would want to improve BOTH areas. If you have to choose one or the other, do the diff housing bearing.
I do not have personal experience with Strange adjustable shocks & struts. I know the Tokicos are getting harder to find. Many people I race with are using adjustable Koni Yellow shocks & struts, and they like them. But, honestly, any decent quality adjustable shocks & struts will improve the handling. It's probably better to match the front struts to the rear shocks you have than to mix and match.
From 94-04, you can use the factory V6/GT master cylinder with Cobra brakes. I used the factory master cylinder on my 2000 GT and my 2004 V6 and it works fine. When I put Cobra brakes on my Fox, I used a 1993 Cobra master cylinder.
I'm assuming you mean the front control arms? I don't lower my cars very much at all. And I use poly isolators to add some ride height. On a stock K-member, you don't have the option of moving the A-arm position up or down. If your car is really low, you might have to use a bump steer kit. I use Ford Racing M-5300-C front springs on my GT and Steeda Sport front springs on my V6 and I haven't felt the need to use a bump steer kit.
Thanks for checking out the videos and subscribing! You should absolutely try autocrossing. It is the safest, most-accessible grassroots motorsport. It's fun whether your car is bone stock or heavily-modified. And the people are friendly and helpful. You will have a blast!
I have a question? You feel that spherical bushings on both ends of the UCA's are the best? In your experience they handled good without bind or minimal bind? I just find this really interesting knowing how MM feels about UCA's and rubber axle housing bushings. I didn't know any of this stuff before I put poly axle bushings in my 95 with solid UCA and LCA.
To clarify MM's point on this. How we feel about this doesn't matter. All that matters are the facts.
When spherical bearings are used in all eight locations in the Mustang rear suspension, the rear suspension is over constrained. This means it can only move into certain combinations of ride height and roll angle. The more the control arm bushings allow the control arms to change length, the less binding there will be in the suspension movement. Too much compliance in the control arm bushings can result in wheel hop and other handling problems.
I never said to use spherical bearings on all eight point and i don't think he did either. From watching his videos I think he just uses spherical in the axle housing and poly bushings in all other locations.
I used poly in the UCA, LCA and diff housing on my 1992 GT and my 2000 GT for several autocross seasons. Steeda control arms use a 3-piece poly bushing; their poly diff housing bushing is a 2-piece. In the video, I mention that I haven’t personally used spherical bearings in my cars (because they are now IRS-swapped), but I know several people who use BMR spherical diff housing bearings. It’s clear they reduce bind and improve handling when used in conjunction with good UCAs/LCAs.
If I built a Solid Rear Axle autocross car today, I would definitely use spherical bearings in the diff housing.
I would also consider using spherical bearings in the LCAs at the AXLE. But, I haven’t seen anyone running spherical bearings at all 8 points on a 79-04 Mustang. Good 3-piece poly bushings on the chassis side are easier on the Torque Boxes. As I mentioned in the video, the Steeda 3-piece bushings kept my Torque Boxes looking like new after many events.
I will make a seating and steering position video and get it up on my channel ASAP. If it comes together quickly, it might be ready by next weekend. I'll keep you posted.
I will make a seating and steering position video and get it up on my channel ASAP. If it comes together quickly, it might be ready by next weekend. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks,no rush. Also could you include what do on a sharp turn that requires the steering wheel to be turned a lot, ie. is it okay to cross your arms to turn the steering. I hope explained this well enough.
I will include the method I prefer to use for elements like pivot cones, which require a lot of steering input. Do you mean "hand-over-hand" like a truck driver would use, or your forearms touching as you turn the wheel as far as you can without letting go?
If you have your hands 9 and 3 then come into a real tight turn, were you have to turn the steering wheel 180* is what I am talking about. I remember watching something years ago, I think it was a police officer getting trained and they told him to never cross his arms. I think they told him to shuffle the steering wheel. I think that was a really old tv show.
It's hard to explain without visuals, so the video will do a better job of this...
You have to position yourself so you have the most leverage to turn the wheel. That means having your elbows bent. This will allow you to turn the wheel nearly 180-degrees without letting go. If you need to turn more, you might need to do that with your right foot by adding gas.
There are a few ways to move your hands on the wheel. Ideally, you don't ever want to take your hands off the wheel. Shuffle-steering is not the best way to do that; neither is the "hand-over-hand" method. Things are coming at you too fast during an autocross run for those methods to be ideal.
If you can't solve the steering issue with your positioning in the seat or using the throttle, you can move your hands equally to be able to turn the wheel more: 10 and 4, or 8 and 2, depending on the direction of the turn. This would be done quickly, in a safe manner, as you approach the turn in a straight line. I will include that technique in the video.
Warhorse is correct. The shuffle method works best say on open track where the elements are more widely spaced and much larger requiring less steering angle. Depending on the A/X course you may be able to set your hands and leave them there for the whole ride. This was the case last weekend for my outing. However, two weeks earlier, the elements were bundled closely and came too fast for that technique. But getting fast inputs should be the focus rather than fixed hand placement. Sometimes moving your hand placment prior to the turn rather than during the turn is best. Going over center is sometimes required to get the input. Just don't bind your movement.
Look forward to the vid.
Warhorse - Consider a vid for looking ahead. This seems to be a confusing subject for me as well as others. We know that the car goes where you look (ever walk toward someone and do that little avoidance dance - that is what we are talking about here). Getting our eyes up and ahead isn't easy. Any insight on your method would be helpful. Also, where is the exit cone? I know it depends but help here would be appreciated.
There are two videos on my channel that might help…
“How to Attack the Course” deals with looking ahead. “Common Autocross Elements” covers the elements you’ll find on course and offers tips to get through those elements as fast as possible.
I’m hoping to finish the “Seating & Steering Position” video this week.
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