Better mod for the money: Shocks or Poly Bushings?
06-08-2011, 02:20 AM
#21
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Your car doesn't have struts, just fyi. Strano sells some good ****, but I don't think he sells drag shocks. Are you willing to sacrifice handling to reduce your e.t.? Drag shocks handle like ***.
06-08-2011, 08:32 AM
#25
or this from here https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...l#post14872361
This is being a nitpick, and maybe this adds nothing, but there should be a sticky called "they're shocks, not struts" explaining the difference between macpherson strut (SN197)/modified macpherson strut (SN95 Mustang/third gen f-body) suspensions, and an SLA front suspension (4th gen f-body, corvette, viper etc...)
Explaining how the rear suspension works wouldn't be a bad thing either.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...l#post14268260
Originally Posted by lees02WS6 View Post
99Forumula is correct. They are not struts. One of big pet peeves around here is calling the SLA setup on the 4th gen, with its shock and coil, a strut . The third gen f-body came with modified Macpherson Struts, in which the coil was mounted to the lower a-arm, just as with the pre-05 mustang. The thirdgen had a strut, as evidenced by the lack of an upper control arm, and the shock having the strut body to support, and locate the knuckle (spindle).
The fourth gen has a short long arm setup (the SLA in SLA), with an upper control arm, and a spindle, the shock mounts to the lower control arm, and does not locate the spindle.
Long and short, the 4th gens have shocks, not struts.
99Forumula is correct. They are not struts. One of big pet peeves around here is calling the SLA setup on the 4th gen, with its shock and coil, a strut . The third gen f-body came with modified Macpherson Struts, in which the coil was mounted to the lower a-arm, just as with the pre-05 mustang. The thirdgen had a strut, as evidenced by the lack of an upper control arm, and the shock having the strut body to support, and locate the knuckle (spindle).
The fourth gen has a short long arm setup (the SLA in SLA), with an upper control arm, and a spindle, the shock mounts to the lower control arm, and does not locate the spindle.
Long and short, the 4th gens have shocks, not struts.
Explaining how the rear suspension works wouldn't be a bad thing either.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...l#post14268260
The distinguishing feature on a strut suspension isn't that the shock body bears weight (it may or may not), it's that it performs a function that provides for, locates, and controls the motion of the wheel. The third gen, and SN95 musting, do NOT have the spring on the strut body, it has the spring on the lower control arm, hence the modified part of modified macpherson struts, from the factory.
To restate your points the 4th gen front shocks have more in common with a coilover then a strut. That the shock body bears load is irrelevant, it doesn't locate the wheel, the 4th gen shock only provides dampening and that's it.
To pick a car from another ball park that shares similarities to the F-body front suspension, the Lexus ls400 also has a tall spindle and an upper control arm, and a shock body that supports the spring (looks very similar to the 4th gen f-body). They aren't struts either.
To restate your points the 4th gen front shocks have more in common with a coilover then a strut. That the shock body bears load is irrelevant, it doesn't locate the wheel, the 4th gen shock only provides dampening and that's it.
To pick a car from another ball park that shares similarities to the F-body front suspension, the Lexus ls400 also has a tall spindle and an upper control arm, and a shock body that supports the spring (looks very similar to the 4th gen f-body). They aren't struts either.
06-08-2011, 06:24 PM
#29
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06-09-2011, 10:39 AM
#31
It's not strut, a strut locates the knuckle. Just because the spring is over the damper (not dampener, we're not making something wet) doesn't make a strut. In fact 3rd gens and 79-04 Mustangs have struts and the spring is not located on the damper at all, but off to the side.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
06-09-2011, 10:46 PM
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It also vibrates the **** out of your car making it feel like a rattle trap. I only have poly in spots that I feel like I need for hard drag launches. And I don't like that little bit for street driving.
06-09-2011, 11:31 PM
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I would never upgrade anything in the suspension without having good shocks as my foundation.
And FWIW, unless your drag racing only, poly is a horrible bushing material due to the fact that it will bind and eventually chunk and fail in an articulating location such as a caster bushing or similar. I have poly in exactly 3 locations.. 1 end of my panhard bar, and my swaybar mounts and endlinks. Those are the only places that my car will ever see poly in the suspension.
And FWIW, unless your drag racing only, poly is a horrible bushing material due to the fact that it will bind and eventually chunk and fail in an articulating location such as a caster bushing or similar. I have poly in exactly 3 locations.. 1 end of my panhard bar, and my swaybar mounts and endlinks. Those are the only places that my car will ever see poly in the suspension.
