Missing MagneRide! Is it a big deal?

[LouG]

Thanks!

Wow so not only is there no difference in Camber between GT base, the GT PP, and the DH, but the camber is pretty darn tame too. - 1.0 is nothing. I'm very surprised it's that way in PP cars and DH cars.

Yeah, strange. And the DH runs more caster. That must give better feel

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[TheYankeeMarshal]

I purchased a 2024 GT Mustang on March 31, 2025.
The GT didn’t have Magneride or the PP.
I was able to tighten up the Steering by adding a 3-Piece Cowl & Strut Tower Brace.
It was well worth the Money.
It really helps.

I did the same. Got the cowl brace from a salvage yard and the tower brace from American Muscle.

 

[MustangMitch69]

I don't have it. If it came with my car's configuration anyway, I probably would have been fine with it, but I wouldn't have proactively paid for it or sought out a car that had to have it. Like others have said, I don't know what I'm missing, and it seems like most people can't tell the difference between having it vs. not having it. If I was configuring a car from scratch and on a limited budget, I would've skipped that, and put it toward the active valve exhaust instead.

If I wanted an extremely smooth ride, I wouldn't have bought a mustang.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Thanks!

Wow so not only is there no difference in Camber between GT base, the GT PP, and the DH, but the camber is pretty darn tame too. - 1.0 is nothing. I'm very surprised it's that way in PP cars and DH cars.

Why does it not include Dark Horse with handling package?

 

[Junkyard Dog]

When I purchased my new S650 Mustang recently I was unable to find exactly what I wanted. The closest one had everything but the MageRide suspension. I had it on my S550 and it seemed fine but now that I don't have it I kind of miss it even though I don't know if it is really that big of a deal or am I just making it one in my head.

How many of you out there have it and how many don't?

If you have it, is it something you can't live without or is it just okay?

If you don't, do you regret not having it? Is there an aftermarket suspension set up you think is even better?

(Photo: My old S550 with the MagneRide. I kind of kick myself for trading it.)

It's great. It can set my suspension kind of cushy in normal mode and stiff in track mode. It also adapts to road conditions in real time, controlled electronically. Magneride is a neat invention, and they have been improving it for two decades now.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Ford defines MagneRide as a “semi-active suspension system [where] each corner’s damper force is controlled independently by an electronic control module.” Multiple factors including the road surface, the driver’s setting, driving style, etc. are a few of the elements in determining the controlling damper force of each damper. They are controlled actively and independently—making calculations at millisecond intervals. “For each parameter, there are loads of data [that the system is using] to see if a change is required.”​

​

Traditional passive dampers have a static non-changeable force setting. This force setting has to account for all road conditions, different types of driving styles, and have a factored in level of comfort or aggressiveness. These factors are finite and they do not change. If you have an aggressive race-prepped damper, it will be aggressive every time— “on the way to the race track as well as on the track,” says Santora.​

https://drivenmagcom.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/magneride-demystified/

 

[Junkyard Dog]

More:

These driving benefits are not just road racing specific. Switch the drive mode to “drag” and the system changes to a unique drag mode tuning. “For Road courses, lateral acceleration, body roll and managing those aspects are what the system focuses on. In Drag, hard acceleration, straight line, and controlling the pitch of the vehicle are the factors that dominate. The system benefits in that we can make the car more predictable and stable during shifts and during acceleration. With the system monitoring and adjusting itself based on the engine torque location among other parameters, it helps to keep the car more predictable for the best traction that you can get”.​

​

These changes from road racing to drag racing are all the result of the selectable driver modes. “Each of the modes have 3000 calibratable parameters. Including high-level vehicle parameters and physical parameters of the car. Some portion of the 3000 parameters are always changing. Some we tune by focusing on physical testing on the road, at the proving ground, data found in the lab or analytical tools that we have developed. Some parameters are the result of many iterations”.​

​

“The four modes (comfort, normal, sport plus, and race), some have their own set of parameters. When you switch, you are switching between different parameters. “Normal” gives the best riding experience. It’s a safe, good riding well-rounded calibration that can handle anything that is thrown at it. “Sport plus” is focused on back road driving where the steering and driving is more spirited. “Track” mode or race mode is perfect for road courses, autocross, as it offers the highest level of control. “Drag” mode focuses on pitch control for easy launches”.​

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Why does it not include Dark Horse with handling package?

I noticed that. But damn, even the non HP Mach 1s had a more aggressive alignment spec than that.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

More:

These driving benefits are not just road racing specific. Switch the drive mode to “drag” and the system changes to a unique drag mode tuning. “For Road courses, lateral acceleration, body roll and managing those aspects are what the system focuses on. In Drag, hard acceleration, straight line, and controlling the pitch of the vehicle are the factors that dominate. The system benefits in that we can make the car more predictable and stable during shifts and during acceleration. With the system monitoring and adjusting itself based on the engine torque location among other parameters, it helps to keep the car more predictable for the best traction that you can get”.​

​

These changes from road racing to drag racing are all the result of the selectable driver modes. “Each of the modes have 3000 calibratable parameters. Including high-level vehicle parameters and physical parameters of the car. Some portion of the 3000 parameters are always changing. Some we tune by focusing on physical testing on the road, at the proving ground, data found in the lab or analytical tools that we have developed. Some parameters are the result of many iterations”.​

​

“The four modes (comfort, normal, sport plus, and race), some have their own set of parameters. When you switch, you are switching between different parameters. “Normal” gives the best riding experience. It’s a safe, good riding well-rounded calibration that can handle anything that is thrown at it. “Sport plus” is focused on back road driving where the steering and driving is more spirited. “Track” mode or race mode is perfect for road courses, autocross, as it offers the highest level of control. “Drag” mode focuses on pitch control for easy launches”.​

That all sounds great, but that's a fancy promotional description. Magneride esentially just increases or decreases the damper recoil response in real time. And the "modes" are just different levels of firmness. While that is great on a road couse, changing modes on the street just makes the ride more firm. I hated being forced into a stiffer ride just because I selected Sport mode. And I could not feel the difference between magnaride in normal mode vs non magnaride driving on the street.

Like I said, if you could change the magnaride modes independently of the drive modes, then you might be able to talk me back into it. Too me it's just not worth it off the track.

 

[Thomas]

That all sounds great, but that's a fancy promotional description. Magneride esentially just increases or decreases the damper recoil response in real time. And the "modes" are just different levels of firmness. While that is great on a road couse, changing modes on the street just makes the ride more firm. I hated being forced into a stiffer ride just because I selected Sport mode. And I could not feel the difference between magnaride in normal mode vs non magnaride driving on the street.

Like I said, if you could change the magnaride modes independently of the drive modes, then you might be able to talk me back into it. Too me it's just not worth it off the track.

My understanding is the fact you cannot distinguish between MR on the street vs. non, is the point. The value in MR is that it can do both, including track duty at a high level, making it a good design choice for high performance vehicles that are tracked and street driven.

At a very very high level, a really good track driver would probably swap them for dedicated adjustable coil overs.

I heartily agree, with being able to change the suspension setting independently of mode. Same with the transmission programming. Maybe with FORSCAN?

 

[LouG]

When the factory shocks get tired I might spend a bit and go to quality adjustables.
You learn a lot about supension performance, and what affects what, as a bike rider. I always put Ohlins shocks and quality cartridges on my later bikes.

 

[F150tripin]

The Magneride manufacturer site is here. Lots of info on how it works. https://www.magneride.com/

 

[Frogdog1]

When the factory shocks get tired I might spend a bit and go to quality adjustables.
You learn a lot about supension performance, and what affects what, as a bike rider. I always put Ohlins shocks and quality cartridges on my later bikes.

100% agree. Ohlins aren't inexpensive but they can provide a margin of safety and performance one can't get elsewhere. They were one of the first things to go on my bikes. On a good sport bike, your ass is seldom on the seat in the twisties. It's always on a seat in a Mustang. Depends more on what one is trying to accomplish with Mustang suspensions.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

At a very very high level, a really good track driver would probably swap them for dedicated adjustable coil overs.

Which would never be that good to drive to the grocery store. Magneride does both.

Which is the point you were making, I think::

My understanding is the fact you cannot distinguish between MR on the street vs. non, is the point. The value in MR is that it can do both, including track duty at a high level, making it a good design choice for high performance vehicles that are tracked and street driven.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

My understanding is the fact you cannot distinguish between MR on the street vs. non, is the point.

I would argue the exact opposite. For the cost to get Magneride, you better damn well feel a difference. Otherwise what's the point?

I heartily agree, with being able to change the suspension setting independently of mode. Same with the transmission programming. Maybe with FORSCAN?

You can not change it with Forscan. To my knowledge, I beleive the only Mustang that allowed Magnaride to be changed independently was the GT350.

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