SergntMac
03-09-2003, 06:18 AM
Starting a new thread here over a question posed in Stage II/Dyno Stats on Torque Converter thread. As I wrote my reply to Matt, I thought it could build into an interesting thread of it's own. Here's Matt Johnson's opening question.
Originally posted by Matt Johnson
But my next question to you, Sarge, is what "Stage" have you given to suspension mods? I would think you'd be feeling the need for some tweaking already.
Haven't had a desire to debate the value of the OEM suspension yet, other than to find it pleasing, and consistent with the focus of the whole car. The MM handles quite nicely out of the box, and since my back up driver is a '98 Mountaineer, I appreciate the MM ride more every time I switch cars.
Kenny Brown and Sean Hyland both offer suspension upgrades, mostly the usual thicker sway bars, beefy bushings, springs, and so on. Once my OEM suspension loosens up, I'll probably upgrade rather than replace. I think the place to begin evaluating suspension, is where the rubber meets the road, the tires. Adding fatter, stickier tires usually results in accelerated suspension component failure, if not calculated into the tire upgrade from the start.
The KB-S gets a tire upgrade, both in size and compound. Adding them to a 4200 pound car that now moves very quickly and needs to dig in at the launch, pushes back against the sway bars, bushings and springs with a multiplied stress. I imagine this make a suspension upgrade necessary in the first build. Stiffer springs I get, but the KB-S is also lowered, 1.5" I believe, which can further multiply that stress by reducing suspension "elbow room." Kenny Brown mentions in his rationale for change, that he thought a lower, meaner profile adds to the stealth appearance, but I read that to mean that lowering the car is a cosmetic mod, which I'm not big on.
I live in a snow state, which means my MM is automatically a part-time car due to weather. I'm willing to pull her out when the streets are clear and dry, but I still have to use side streets, alleys and parking lots, which are not always plowed. So, if I lower the car, I'm scratching days from the calendar when I can driver her, which also means that if it's just for looks, no one will notice, because she's in the garage more.
If there is a "center of gravity" issue here (which I CAN appreciate after driving my Mountaineer), it's not clear to me how much improvement is gained. The MM rides fairly flat and square from the factory, I'd like to see some skid pad numbers, before and after. If it's an areodynamic issue, that works against the grain of the popular spoiler mod. If there isn't any gain in lowering, then why change it?
Beefer bushings, bars and springs? I'm sure they will be necessary as my power increases and my tires get wider and sticker. But, this is all down the road for me (excuse my pun), after I decide if I will supercharge or not.
Just my .02c.
Originally posted by Matt Johnson
But my next question to you, Sarge, is what "Stage" have you given to suspension mods? I would think you'd be feeling the need for some tweaking already.
Haven't had a desire to debate the value of the OEM suspension yet, other than to find it pleasing, and consistent with the focus of the whole car. The MM handles quite nicely out of the box, and since my back up driver is a '98 Mountaineer, I appreciate the MM ride more every time I switch cars.
Kenny Brown and Sean Hyland both offer suspension upgrades, mostly the usual thicker sway bars, beefy bushings, springs, and so on. Once my OEM suspension loosens up, I'll probably upgrade rather than replace. I think the place to begin evaluating suspension, is where the rubber meets the road, the tires. Adding fatter, stickier tires usually results in accelerated suspension component failure, if not calculated into the tire upgrade from the start.
The KB-S gets a tire upgrade, both in size and compound. Adding them to a 4200 pound car that now moves very quickly and needs to dig in at the launch, pushes back against the sway bars, bushings and springs with a multiplied stress. I imagine this make a suspension upgrade necessary in the first build. Stiffer springs I get, but the KB-S is also lowered, 1.5" I believe, which can further multiply that stress by reducing suspension "elbow room." Kenny Brown mentions in his rationale for change, that he thought a lower, meaner profile adds to the stealth appearance, but I read that to mean that lowering the car is a cosmetic mod, which I'm not big on.
I live in a snow state, which means my MM is automatically a part-time car due to weather. I'm willing to pull her out when the streets are clear and dry, but I still have to use side streets, alleys and parking lots, which are not always plowed. So, if I lower the car, I'm scratching days from the calendar when I can driver her, which also means that if it's just for looks, no one will notice, because she's in the garage more.
If there is a "center of gravity" issue here (which I CAN appreciate after driving my Mountaineer), it's not clear to me how much improvement is gained. The MM rides fairly flat and square from the factory, I'd like to see some skid pad numbers, before and after. If it's an areodynamic issue, that works against the grain of the popular spoiler mod. If there isn't any gain in lowering, then why change it?
Beefer bushings, bars and springs? I'm sure they will be necessary as my power increases and my tires get wider and sticker. But, this is all down the road for me (excuse my pun), after I decide if I will supercharge or not.
Just my .02c.