Suspension Upgrade Questions

[Sig Oris]

So I'm putting together a budget for upgrades / changes to my newly acquired MY25 GT Convertible and the suspension and exhaust are the two major areas. Going to replace the factory Goodyears with the Conti Extreme Contact DWS06's.

Coming from a MY22 Ranger & currently own a MY23 F150, just about everyone upgrades the shocks. I changed both to Bilsteins and the improvement was noticible.

Question #1

Any need to change the OEM shocks / struts and if so, will I see a noticible difference? If your a Ranger or F150 owner and changed your shocks, you'll understand my question perfectly.

Question #2

I take it the Mustang comes with OEM front and rear sway bars. If so, will changing to Roush, Steeda, or Ford Performance for example give me any noticeable positive changes? I added rear sway bars to my Ranger and F150 for towing reasons and noticed an improvement for that application. I'm keeping in mind that with the poor road conditions here in the northeast throttles spirited driving.

Hope my grammar has improved.

Thanks in advance.

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[robvas]

Are you planning on driving in below 50 degree weather? Asking since it's a convertible.

If not, I would get the regular Continental Extreme Contacts and not the all-seasons. And I'd get new wheels to go wider. Keep the factory wheels/tires for winter use if you're going to drive it year round and you live where it gets cold

Stocks shocks/struts are always worth replacing. Swaybars will just make it lay more flat if you want that.

 

[Sig Oris]

Are you planning on driving in below 50 degree weather? Asking since it's a convertible.

If not, I would get the regular Continental Extreme Contacts and not the all-seasons. And I'd get new wheels to go wider. Keep the factory wheels/tires for winter use if you're going to drive it year round and you live where it gets cold

Stocks shocks/struts are always worth replacing. Swaybars will just make it lay more flat if you want that.

Thanks but you didn’t answer either of my two questions.

As far as tires I have a usage plan. As a rule with snow tires, you go tall and narrow as possible.

 

[MidwayJ]

No need to change the shocks and struts unless you are also replacing the springs and possibly other suspension components with the goal of better handling on twisty roads or track use.

Same with sway bars. They will help the car corner flatter but the car will ride a little stiffer. It won't be needed for tooling around on rough roads.

 

[Sig Oris]

No need to change the shocks and struts unless you are also replacing the springs and possibly other suspension components with the goal of better handling on twisty roads or track use.

Same with sway bars. They will help the car corner flatter but the car will ride a little stiffer. It won't be needed for tooling around on rough roads.

Thanks. My question was based on Ford truck experience with crappy OEM shocks.

 

[Zig]

So I'm putting together a budget for upgrades / changes to my newly acquired MY25 GT Convertible and the suspension and exhaust are the two major areas. Going to replace the factory Goodyears with the Conti Extreme Contact DWS06's.

Coming from a MY22 Ranger & currently own a MY23 F150, just about everyone upgrades the shocks. I changed both to Bilsteins and the improvement was noticible.

Question #1

Any need to change the OEM shocks / struts and if so, will I see a noticible difference? If your a Ranger or F150 owner and changed your shocks, you'll understand my question perfectly.

Question #2

I take it the Mustang comes with OEM front and rear sway bars. If so, will changing to Roush, Steeda, or Ford Performance for example give me any noticeable positive changes? I added rear sway bars to my Ranger and F150 for towing reasons and noticed an improvement for that application. I'm keeping in mind that with the poor road conditions here in the northeast throttles spirited driving.

Hope my grammar has improved.

Thanks in advance.

Q1 depends upon the desired outcome from q2. Q2 would most easily be understood as the difference noticed when adding the performance pack, which then sends us back to q1.

 

[Sig Oris]

Q1 depends upon the desired outcome from q2. Q2 would most easily be understood as the difference noticed when adding the performance pack, which then sends us back to q1.

Q1 was based on my Ranger & F150 experience where the OEMS shocks are garbage and replacing with aftermarket made a noticeable difference. So I’m reaching out to Mustang owners if the same situation exists with Mustangs.

Q2 is based on my limited sway bar experience. I added a rear sway bar to both trucks and noticed a nice improvement in both non towing and towing situations. Ami I correct the Mustang comes stock with F&R sway bars? If so, will replacing with larger diameter sway bars, generally the only differences in sway bars, make noticeable difference when my wife, dog, and I are out cruising with top down in the short top down season here in Maine.?

 

[robvas]

Thanks. My question was based on Ford truck experience with crappy OEM shocks.

The stock GT shocks are pretty crappy, as I already said it's worth upgrading them.

 

[Sig Oris]

The stock GT shocks are pretty crappy, as I already said it's worth upgrading them.

Thank You

 

[LouG]

Quality shocks are nearly always a good upgrade. Even OEM Bilsteins and the like are built to a cost. The aftermarket stuff is the real thing. Susp upgrades were always job 1 on my bikes.
I'll be doing the car's in the not too distant future.

 

[Sig Oris]

Quality shocks are nearly always a good upgrade. Even OEM Bilsteins and the like are built to a cost. The aftermarket stuff is the real thing. Susp upgrades were always job 1 on my bikes.
I'll be doing the car's in the not too distant future.

Thanks
The Bilsteins I put on my Ranger and current F150 made an amazing difference. I was hoping Farley didn’t cheap out on Mustangs but……

 

[LouG]

Thanks
The Bilsteins I put on my Ranger and current F150 made an amazing difference. I was hoping Farley didn’t cheap out on Mustangs but……

Possibly, I think rebound damping is a bit weak on the rear shocks. Fronts feel OK, but it hasn't done a lot of kms.

 

[86pagt]

Throw on set of FP Shocks and Struts with a min drop spring from Steeda or BMR.. world of difference and very good for a daily driver.

 

[TMR]

Not Mustang related, but curious on the F150 suspension upgrades.
I had an ‘04 Lariat FX4 that I put Bilsteins on at ~175k and they were a huge improvement to the worn out OEM. It is running strong at 290K (sold to a friend who still tows with it) on the same suspension. I had a similar experience with Bilsteins on a ‘97 Ram1500 that went 275K for me.
But for more modern trucks, I currently have an ‘18 Plat and a ‘21 KR with 190K and 90K respectively. Both have the FX4 and trailer package and both ride Caddy smooth on the highway and towing on the factory set up.
Are you referring to off-road upgrades or normal highway use? What were the differences?
Curious as I plan to put a lot more miles on these vehicles.

 

[steveo1960]

I'm a proponent of purchasing a complete kit from a single major company. The reason being as long as it's a well known company with a good reputation the parts should be designed to compliment each other. Things like spring rate, shock travel which is important for lowered cars so the shocks/struts aren't operating at the fringes of their travel and so forth. Just because you put the best Bilsteins and Steeda springs on your car doesn't mean they will work well together for your needs. Just my 2 cents.

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