I JUST got my Koni's, Vogtland 'Leveling' Springs, Steeda Upper Strut Mounts, Pan Hard Bar & Brace and Lower Control Arm Relocation Brackets installed on Friday and would like to know what setting people out there have the shocks and struts adjusted to? How many turns, etc. etc. Thanks!

I am running mine at 180 with Roush Springs.

2006gtmike

Your set up isclose to what I'm planning.

How are you finding the handling and ride since the changes?

I have my KONI's turned all the way to the firmest position and haven't tried anything else yet. It turns much more precisely and rides awesome on smooth pavement but with the many bumps in the road I bounce around a lot in my seat (bouncy bouncy, haha). I'll have to try softer settings, but I love how responsive the car is. I am already used to the lower ride. I'm glad I didn't go any lower than the Vogtland .8/1.2 drop. I can still go over speed bumps up to around 20 MPH. I also love how the car stance is balanced.

Thanks for the response on the ride and handling. Glad to hear about the speed bumps as they have some really nasty ones in my parking lot at work.

hehe, it's been winter here, so I have mine set at the softest setting. Another couple inches of snow tomorrow. [:@] I'm ready for spring!

Tom

SlideWRX

Aren't we all ready for spring!

I was wondering what tires you were running in the winter as mine will also be a DD in winter.

ORIGINAL: 2006gtmike

I JUST got my Koni's, Vogtland 'Leveling' Springs, Steeda Upper Strut Mounts, Pan Hard Bar & Brace and Lower Control Arm Relocation Brackets installed on Friday and would like to know what setting people out there have the shocks and struts adjusted to?Â* How many turns, etc. etc.Â* Thanks!


I'm planning to do almost exactly what you've done, just haven't decided on the springs yet.

Even though I've done more than 10 track days in the first year that I owned my '07, I still like driving with the stereo on and the a/c cranking in Houston summers. The stock GT Mustang has a pretty amazing ride/handling compromise IMO.

How's the ride with the Vogtland Leveling Springs? Did you get them from Sam Strano? I understand you can adjust the Koni's from smooth to firm. Have you tried adjusting them yet?

My biggest question is - can you really adjust the ride with the Koni's, in other words can you make it smooth for daily driving and then firm it up when you want to?

-Wayne

ORIGINAL: Sleeper_08

SlideWRX

Aren't we all ready for spring!
I was wondering what tires you were running in the winter as mine will also be a DD in winter.


I'm running Bridgestone Blizzack WS-50's. Winter tires For-The-Win! We just got 6 inches of snow the other day, and I broke fresh ground at the fast food drive-through with no problems. I got them partially because they were on closeout cheap ($100/piece), and because they are great winter tires. The WS-50's are being replaced by the WS-60's, which should be a better tire.

I think pretty much any snow/winter tire would work well. The narrower the better, although the load rating of the tire may be an issue if you go too narrow. I'm running 225's on the stock 8 inch rim, and run them at 35-37ish psi because of the slightly lower than stock load rating.

Tom

SlideWRX

What you have done is consistent with my plans for next winter except that I was going to get a second set of 18 x 9.5 rims as the stock rims won't clear the planned GT500 brake kit.

houstonnw (http://www.mustangforums.com/showProfile.asp?memid=60368):

I bought my Vogtlands from Sam Strano. I had the Koni's, Vogtland GT500 Springs, PH Bar & Brace, Upper Strut Mounts and Lower Control Arm Relocation Brackets all installed at once, so it's hard to say what the springs feel like. Obviously, lower, but with a daily driver I don't have to worry about ground clearance, potholes, speed bumps anymore than with stock ride height. As I mentioned above, I can go around 20 MPH over speed bumps in neighborhoods with no problems. Personally, I wouldn't want to go any lower than the Vogtland .8/1.2 drop for a daily driven car. The cars stance looks much better IMO.

My car stays on the road so much better even in wet conditions. I can floor it while it's raining out (not recommended still) and the rear end stays put on me. I remember when I first installed my CAI & 93 Tune, the rear-end always felt like I was driving on ice. The more HP & TQ made the wheel hop in the rear more pronounced. So, I got an upper control arm and lower control arms installed and that helped out. Anyway, I'm very happy with my suspension! In fact, Iplan on keepingmy stock 17 Pirelli'sand Bullit wheelsbecause traction is great IMO, but when I get supercharged that may be another story.

As for adjustment of the Koni's, I tried driving on the firmest setting the first day I got everything installed and it was a bit too bouncy because the roads are trash around here, as anywhere else I'm sure. The ride was bearable on the firmest setting and steering was dead-on, but I tried out the softest settings and the ride is smooth all of the time and steering is still very responsive. With either setting my car handles more confidently and feels as if it's "on rails" (as others have posted).

To adjust your shocks & struts, all you have to do is use the provided knob and open your hood and trunk and place the knob on the metal protrusions and turn left or right. But don'tforce the turns once the knob won't turn anymore, because you might cause binding, as mentioned in your Koni instruction sheet.

ORIGINAL: 2006gtmike

houstonnw (http://www.mustangforums.com/showProfile.asp?memid=60368)Â*:

I bought my Vogtlands from Sam Strano.Â* I had the Koni's, Vogtland GT500 Springs, PH Bar & Brace, Upper Strut Mounts and Lower Control Arm Relocation Brackets all installed at once, so it's hard to say what the springs feel like.Â* Obviously, lower, but with a daily driver I don't have to worry about ground clearance, potholes, speed bumps anymore than with stock ride height.Â* As I mentioned above, I can go around 20 MPH over speed bumps in neighborhoods with no problems.Â* Personally, I wouldn't want to go any lower than the Vogtland .8/1.2 drop for a daily driven car.Â* The cars stance looks much better IMO.

My car stays on the road Â*so much better even in wet conditions.Â* I can floor it while it's raining out (not recommended still) and the rear end stays put on me.Â* I remember when I first installed my CAI & 93 Tune, the rear-end always felt like I was driving on ice.Â*Â* The more HP & TQ made the wheel hop in the rear more pronounced.Â* So, I got an upper control arm and lower control arms installed and that helped out.Â* Anyway, I'm very happy with my suspension!Â* In fact, IÂ*plan on keepingÂ*my stock 17 Pirelli'sÂ*and Bullit wheelsÂ*because traction is great IMO, but when I get supercharged that may be another story.

As for adjustment of the Koni's, I tried driving on the firmest setting the first day I got everything installed and it was a bit too bouncy because the roads are trash around here, as anywhere else I'm sure.Â* The ride was bearable on the firmest setting and steering was dead-on, but I tried out the softest settings and the ride is smooth all of the time and steering is still very responsive.Â* With either setting my car handles more confidently and feels as if it's "on rails" (as others have posted).

To adjust your shocks & struts, all you have to do is use the provided knob and open your hood and trunk and place the knob on the metal protrusions and turn left or right.Â* But don'tÂ*force the turns once the knob won't turn anymore, because you might cause binding, as mentioned in your Koni instruction sheet.


Hi Mike,

I went with the Koni's and stock springs. I found out that the range of adjustment is quite large when I misunderstood the Koni instructions and couldn't find the adjustment knobs. Sam suggested 1/2 turn rear and 3/4 turn front from full soft. I managed to adjust the shocks 1/2 and 3/4 from full hard. The car was a, pardon the pun, bucking bronco at any speed. I was really concerned that I had chosen the wrong shocks/struts.

After I figured out my mistake and adjusted the Koni's properly, there was not much change in ride from stock. I'm going up to Texas World Speedway this Saturday and can't wait see the difference.

- Wayne

ORIGINAL: ziperhead

I am running mine at 180 with Roush Springs.


+1

I have mine half turn from full soft, front and back, Roush springs on a vert.

ORIGINAL: houstonnw


ORIGINAL: 2006gtmike

houstonnw (http://www.mustangforums.com/showProfile.asp?memid=60368):

I bought my Vogtlands from Sam Strano. I had the Koni's, Vogtland GT500 Springs, PH Bar & Brace, Upper Strut Mounts and Lower Control Arm Relocation Brackets all installed at once, so it's hard to say what the springs feel like. Obviously, lower, but with a daily driver I don't have to worry about ground clearance, potholes, speed bumps anymore than with stock ride height. As I mentioned above, I can go around 20 MPH over speed bumps in neighborhoods with no problems. Personally, I wouldn't want to go any lower than the Vogtland .8/1.2 drop for a daily driven car. The cars stance looks much better IMO.

My car stays on the road so much better even in wet conditions. I can floor it while it's raining out (not recommended still) and the rear end stays put on me. I remember when I first installed my CAI & 93 Tune, the rear-end always felt like I was driving on ice. The more HP & TQ made the wheel hop in the rear more pronounced. So, I got an upper control arm and lower control arms installed and that helped out. Anyway, I'm very happy with my suspension! In fact, Iplan on keepingmy stock 17 Pirelli'sand Bullit wheelsbecause traction is great IMO, but when I get supercharged that may be another story.

As for adjustment of the Koni's, I tried driving on the firmest setting the first day I got everything installed and it was a bit too bouncy because the roads are trash around here, as anywhere else I'm sure. The ride was bearable on the firmest setting and steering was dead-on, but I tried out the softest settings and the ride is smooth all of the time and steering is still very responsive. With either setting my car handles more confidently and feels as if it's "on rails" (as others have posted).

To adjust your shocks & struts, all you have to do is use the provided knob and open your hood and trunk and place the knob on the metal protrusions and turn left or right. But don'tforce the turns once the knob won't turn anymore, because you might cause binding, as mentioned in your Koni instruction sheet.


Hi Mike,

I went with the Koni's and stock springs. I found out that the range of adjustment is quite large when I misunderstood the Koni instructions and couldn't find the adjustment knobs. Sam suggested 1/2 turn rear and 3/4 turn front from full soft. I managed to adjust the shocks 1/2 and 3/4 from full hard. The car was a, pardon the pun, bucking bronco at any speed. I was really concerned that I had chosen the wrong shocks/struts.

After I figured out my mistake and adjusted the Koni's properly, there was not much change in ride from stock. I'm going up to Texas World Speedway this Saturday and can't wait see the difference.

- Wayne


Going to use the 1/2 turn - 3/4 turn for racing as well as street?

ORIGINAL: 2007GT/CS

ORIGINAL: houstonnw


ORIGINAL: 2006gtmike

houstonnw (http://www.mustangforums.com/showProfile.asp?memid=60368)Â*:

I bought my Vogtlands from Sam Strano.Â* I had the Koni's, Vogtland GT500 Springs, PH Bar & Brace, Upper Strut Mounts and Lower Control Arm Relocation Brackets all installed at once, so it's hard to say what the springs feel like.Â* Obviously, lower, but with a daily driver I don't have to worry about ground clearance, potholes, speed bumps anymore than with stock ride height.Â* As I mentioned above, I can go around 20 MPH over speed bumps in neighborhoods with no problems.Â* Personally, I wouldn't want to go any lower than the Vogtland .8/1.2 drop for a daily driven car.Â* The cars stance looks much better IMO.

My car stays on the road Â*so much better even in wet conditions.Â* I can floor it while it's raining out (not recommended still) and the rear end stays put on me.Â* I remember when I first installed my CAI & 93 Tune, the rear-end always felt like I was driving on ice.Â*Â* The more HP & TQ made the wheel hop in the rear more pronounced.Â* So, I got an upper control arm and lower control arms installed and that helped out.Â* Anyway, I'm very happy with my suspension!Â* In fact, IÂ*plan on keepingÂ*my stock 17 Pirelli'sÂ*and Bullit wheelsÂ*because traction is great IMO, but when I get supercharged that may be another story.

As for adjustment of the Koni's, I tried driving on the firmest setting the first day I got everything installed and it was a bit too bouncy because the roads are trash around here, as anywhere else I'm sure.Â* The ride was bearable on the firmest setting and steering was dead-on, but I tried out the softest settings and the ride is smooth all of the time and steering is still very responsive.Â* With either setting my car handles more confidently and feels as if it's "on rails" (as others have posted).

To adjust your shocks & struts, all you have to do is use the provided knob and open your hood and trunk and place the knob on the metal protrusions and turn left or right.Â* But don'tÂ*force the turns once the knob won't turn anymore, because you might cause binding, as mentioned in your Koni instruction sheet.


Hi Mike,

I went with the Koni's and stock springs. I found out that the range of adjustment is quite large when I misunderstood the Koni instructions and couldn't find the adjustment knobs. Sam suggested 1/2 turn rear and 3/4 turn front from full soft. I managed to adjust the shocks 1/2 and 3/4 from full hard. The car was a, pardon the pun, bucking bronco at any speed. I was really concerned that I had chosen the wrong shocks/struts.

After I figured out my mistake and adjusted the Koni's properly, there was not much change in ride from stock. I'm going up to Texas World Speedway this Saturday and can't wait see the difference.

- Wayne


Going to use the 1/2 turn - 3/4 turn for racing as well as street?


After spending Saturday at Texas World Speedway, the answer is yes. The car was so different, a lot less understeer. Since it rides just fine on the street and is now much better than I am on the track, I'll just keep those settings for a while.

-Wayne

Koni recomended 1 turn out from full soft as an initial setting based on the spring drop and spring rate on the vogtland's. I have added 1/2 turn more to the rear. so my current setting is 1 turn out from full soft in front and 1,1/2 out from full soft in rear.

I have my rear konis in now, and love 'em! My rears are about 1/2 turn stiffer as well. Roughly 1 turn front, 1.5 turns rear from soft.

Tom

I just added staggered wheels and tires to the equation and know I would say I need a bigger rear sway bar to help out. I am running 285/40/18 in back and 255/45/18 in front. all tires are 26.97 in. ANy suggestions on a rear bar to go with the koni/vogtlland combo. I also have LCA's, panhard + brace and caster camber plates.