Great chassis and suspension history article

[erratic50]

I found this article to be quite detailed. I learned a few things I did not know to say the least.

http://www.bentleypublishers.com/for...3/excerpt.html

Most notible imo
1 - rear GT springs on GT / TRX are stiffer than even the Cobra R - should tell us something about its street worthiness when a purpose built corner carver is SOFTER
2 - front sway bars on same on 93 cobra R and the stiffest of the GT (85+) cars. Way stiffer than the 93 Cobra. Again consider this on the street!
3 - rear sway bar on 84.5+ GT special handling cars is same stiffness as the Cobra R and stiffer than TRX. Good grief!

So basically for a great handling street car ditch the rear sway bar, use the strongest front sway bar, and go to 4cyl LX springs.

The article discusses k-member and control arm revisions that impact spring leverage. So even for a road course car a stock kmember config cars the R spring rates may be too much

- neat article

[gr79]

Bought a new copy quite awhile ago.
Tons of info. Easy to read. Hard to find this stuff in one spot if at all, even in the official shop manuals.
What i like it was published during the late Fox era, so the info is not tainted by new models. Data, mods were fresh.
Ford Racing pn M-1832-Z4 year 2000 pub. mine says 34.95 paid much less well worth it. Specs, pics, knowledge.
Not officially 'sanctioned' by FMC, but sure seems to be of something they would have done.

[Mikestang]

I feel like I have seen that info in a few places. Good info though. So are my front 1600 lb springs gonna be to much... I may go down to 1200-1400...

[wraithracing]

A lot of the information has been in different areas and publications over the years. The book is a great resource and has a ton of great information all in on place.

Although they are a bit outdated now in regards to some of the modifications and fabrications, I still love both of my Mustang Performance Handbook Volumes 1 & 2. Number 2 gets most of my attentions since that is the suspension and chassis volume. Unfortunately there are some significant misinformation thanks to the publisher making changes without Mathis' input or knowledge.

As for the differences in spring rates, sway bar sizes, and many other items. There are generally two old school theories in regards to performance suspensions.

First run the stiffest springs possible to prevent body roll and run small sway bars to prevent any more.

The second is to run a softer spring for better ride quality and then largest sway bars to control body roll and weight transfer while cornering.

Herb Adams was a fan of the second option and he was one of the engineers responsible for the Pontiac Trans Am handling and suspension back in the 70's.

The other point I will make is that for the Fox Mustang in stock form the 93 Cobra is one of the best handling/riding/daily driver Foxes Ford ever built. You won't go wrong copying the setup IMHO.

[erratic50]

Honestly I would consider what a Cobra R and a Cobra and SVO behave like on the track factoring in weight front and rear then adjust springs and sway bars accordingly.

Also remember that some things are better solved by holding constant geometry. Panhard or watts link.

Then there's the brake dive conversation. Torque arms work outstanding for combatting this, but if you fully eliminate all upper control friction you will need to increase rear spring accordingly.

Fun stuff.

[Mikestang]

Its fun to learn how all system play on each other. I driven many modded Mustangs, still love the small Fox chassis the best.

[Jack Hidley]

The Official Ford Mustang 5.0 Technical Reference & Performance Handbook is officially sanctioned by FMC. There is no way that the publisher would ever put the Ford logo in the title without express permission from Ford. Kirschenbaum interviewed many Ford engineers to get information for the book.

I think anyone who owns a Fox Mustang should own this book. There is so much historically accurate information in it.

I offered to help Kirschenbaum write a new book for the SN95 Mustangs, but he declined. He said doing this book was just too many years of work.

[erratic50]

Would love to see you team up with someone and write a book on this stuff Jack!