2024 Dark Horse Premium "Freyja" (Chassis # R7161) - My Build Journal

[Ninjak]

@MCS: With the first shifter you have with the DH logo, how does it go into reverse? The second is OK, but I like the first one.

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[MCS]

I had been contemplating those exact taillights. I really like the looks of them, just not so sure I want amber turn signals. If you could choose between red and amber like the Form Lighting ones I'd be all in!
Let us know how you like them once you get them installed.

Many cars up here have amber turn signals so for me it's not too big a deal.

In fact; in Ontario you have to have AMBER front side markers and RED (or white) REAR sidemarkers by law. And yes, police will yank you if they see differently due to the number of Foreign Students running around in high horsepower cars doing stupid stuff.

 

[MCS]

@MCS: With the first shifter you have with the DH logo, how does it go into reverse? The second is OK, but I like the first one.

BOTH shifters you PUSH DOWN. I have the MGW GT350/DARK HORSE shift kit so there is no pull up anymore, it's push down and over.

They don't make that DH BRANDED full teardrop anymore. Not sure if Ford got mad at them or Ford maybe started charging too much but they don't make anything with a DH logo on it anymore. That is sort of a collectors item now I guess. It's just VERY big to grip so I thought I would change it out and try the short tear drop for a bit.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Your GT doesn't have the Fender Flares of a Dark Horse. I'm talking about this area. Ford replaced these on both sides this week when the supercharger was installed and now this one seems to be missing. Not sure if it's popping out or if my 285/35R20 are rubbing under braking or acceleration or maybe just bumps?

I might have had this same thing happen on the passenger side with305/30R19 PS4S tires. I guess I need to get under there and look. It is loose up there in the same area. I did not realize there was a push pin of some sort there.

The Michelins are larger than the Trofeo RS in the same 305/30R19 size.

 

[Paul's stable]

Ordered myself a set of Steeda Mustang Minimum Drop MagneRide Lowering Springs - Linear (2015-2026) to swap out my current Steeda Sport Progressives.

Hopefully that 200 lb/in front spring set helps with the Supercharger sag cause the 4" ground cleareance is killing me driving around Toronto.

Once this phase is done I can look at going back to 20" wheels and increase the ground clearance another 0.5"

Wow your car is looking great. Where are you measuring your height from? My DH HP sit's at 4 inch's at the center of the front splitter.

 

[Paul's stable]

BOTH shifters you PUSH DOWN. I have the MGW GT350/DARK HORSE shift kit so there is no pull up anymore, it's push down and over.

They don't make that DH BRANDED full teardrop anymore. Not sure if Ford got mad at them or Ford maybe started charging too much but they don't make anything with a DH logo on it anymore. That is sort of a collectors item now I guess. It's just VERY big to grip so I thought I would change it out and try the short tear drop for a bit.

How hard was it to install the new shifter?

 

[MCS]

Wow your car is looking great. Where are you measuring your height from? My DH HP sit's at 4 inch's at the center of the front splitter.

Thanks! Now that I am running a detailing product company it's pretty easy to keep the car looking shiny and new LOL I carry all the products I use on my own car with the exception of one (Brake Buster). As for where I measured; I think that may have been from an edge. Here is from EXACTLY centre.

How hard was it to install the new shifter?

I had Steeda.ca install it for me LOL I don't have anywhere I can drop down the transmission and do all that in my driveway.

 

[MCS]

I might have had this same thing happen on the passenger side with305/30R19 PS4S tires. I guess I need to get under there and look. It is loose up there in the same area. I did not realize there was a push pin of some sort there.

The Michelins are larger than the Trofeo RS in the same 305/30R19 size.

Your fender flares may have been installed wrong at the dealership. When I got mine they had not sold any Dark Horses from that Dealership yet so when they did mine they did them wrong. You are supposed to tuck one of the tabs between the carpet and the metal and then put the pin through it. That is a "load bearing" tab that helps with wind resistance etc.

If you look search FENDER FLARES on this site there should be instructions that one member posted (thank god).

 

[MCS]

Ordered a set of LMR Smoked Sidemarkers w/startup sequence Amber (Front) and Red (Rear) as those are legal here in Ontario.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Your fender flares may have been installed wrong at the dealership. When I got mine they had not sold any Dark Horses from that Dealership yet so when they did mine they did them wrong. You are supposed to tuck one of the tabs between the carpet and the metal and then put the pin through it. That is a "load bearing" tab that helps with wind resistance etc.

If you look search FENDER FLARES on this site there should be instructions that one member posted (thank god).

Found it! It was @smurfslayer -

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/th...handling-pack-wheel-lip-fender-flares.168401/

Good info. Thanks, smurfslayer.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Hmmm. That push pin is there on mine and tight. All of them are. The fender extension itself is not so tight or connected, through. I think it is only connected on that side where the push pins are.

 

[MCS]

Since I was off this week the fellas at Steeda.CA were nice enough to fit me in this morning. Got the Steeda Sport Progressive lowering springs swapped out for the Steeda Minimum Drop lowering springs. Gave me a little bit of ground clearance back under that chin splitter and gave me a spring rate to hold the extra 100-150ish lbs (net) of the Supercharger.

Part 42 of Phase 4712 of this build is done. She's now ready to go back to 20" like I had in the first few months of ownership. 285/35R20 (Front) and 315/35R20 (Rear)

Although; I confess I'm wondering if a GT500-esque wheel size and tire might be in order. I think those GT500 came what? 305/30R20 and 315/30R20?

 

[MCS]

So me and AI had a discussion last night and this morning. Going to post this here so I don't lose track of what it said based on about an hour of back and forth!

When it comes time to pull the trigger I'll reach out and see if an actual human can verify what the AI is telling me as this would be a several thousand dollar mistake if Skynet got it wrong.

Here is the summary of your optimal, zero-compromise street blueprint for your lowered, supercharged 2024 Mustang Dark Horse Handling Pack.

By strategically matching your wheel widths and tire sizes, you completely avoid physical tire stretch, eliminate the risk of fender or strut rubbing, and maintain your factory alignment settings without buying new suspension components.

The Winning Blueprint Specs

Front Setup (Meaty, Zero Front Camber Required)

• Wheels: Apex VS-5RS (20x10" ET35)
• Tires: 285/30R20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
• Why it works: Dropping the front wheel width down to a 10-inch barrel ensures the 285 tire sits perfectly square with a meaty sidewall lip protector. Because the ET35 offset pulls the wheel face away from the physical edge of the fender flare, you can run a standard factory street alignment (no extreme track camber needed) with absolutely zero risk of rubbing the fender lip or active MagneRide struts.
• Note: If you want to push this wheel face out to match the aggressive, wide track look of the rear down the road, you have the option to add a simple 5mm–8mm slip-on wheel spacer.

Rear Setup (Maximum Supercharger Traction)

• Wheels: Apex VS-5RS (20x11.5" ET48)
• Tires: 315/30R20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
• Why it works: The 315-width tire sits perfectly square on the wide 11.5-inch Apex barrel, giving you a massive footprint to hook up your supercharger's instantaneous torque while preserving deep concave wheel lines. The +48mm offset lets the wide tire sit cleanly within the factory independent rear suspension (IRS) cavity without rubbing the inner liners or shock boots.

Visual and Performance Benefits

• Rim Lip Protection: Both the front and rear tires will feature flat, square sidewalls. Your forged wheel lips will sit completely shielded behind a thick rubber tire bead protector.
• Splitter Insurance: Dropping down to the 30-series aspect ratio on a 20-inch tire bumps your overall tire height up just enough to safely raise your aggressive Handling Pack front chin splitter by 0.26 inches (6.7 mm) off the ground. This perfectly compensates for your Steeda lowering springs without altering your fender clearances.
• Street Refinement: Shifting away from a 305 front tire eliminates "tramlining" (the annoying tendency for ultra-wide front tires to track street ruts and pull the steering wheel out of your hands), delivering a smooth, high-horsepower daily street experience.

When you go to order your tire set, make sure to look for the "FP" (Ford Performance) or standard Mercedes/Porsche specification variants of the 315/30R20 Michelin PS4S, as they are specifically engineered with a slightly wider, squarer shoulder profile to optimize wheel lip protection on high-width wheels.

Good luck with the build! Let me know if you would like me to grab the exact factory wheel lug torque specifications or TPMS sensor sync instructions for your new S650 wheel swap.

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