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Suspension Upgrade Install/Cost$$$

3K views 43 replies 12 participants last post by  Voltwings 
#1 ·
Once my new wheels and tires finally ship and arrive from CarID (been 3 weeks since purchase...)
Ill sell my current setup, and have enough for...

-Koni Adj. Shocks/Struts
-Eibach Sportline Springs
-BMR Adj. Panhard Bar
-Caster Camber Plates

Whats a ballpark price for the install of all these goodies?
And does anyone have a preference of which CC plates I should go with?
 
#2 ·
I would be more interested in LCA relocation brackets than CC plates with just that drop, although i have no input on what that would cost. If you're mechanically savvy, all of those parts are really pretty basic self install, the only hard one is the Relo brackets since you need a decent bit of oomph and a good torque wrench to get them on.
 
#3 ·
Im not very mechanically sound haha.
Dont have jack stands or a lift.
The most ive done myself is Caliper covers, throttle body, and CAI. Everything else was done at a shop.

I need the CC plates to correct my alignment though right? Or I will have horrible tire wear.
Correct me if im wrong.

I do plan on replacing upper and lower control arms after I lower it, but does it need to be done at the same time as these other suspension mods?
 
#4 ·
Maybe i should rephrase. You are correct, the CC plates are not a bad idea, although i really dont think that drop is going to shred your tires. ANY drop however, will really make a lack of relocation brackets apparent since the rear axle is no longer getting loaded properly during acceleration.


The only stipulation i have about CC plates is having someone who can actually adjust them. You'll need to go to a proper performance shop, not a brake check or something you know, and of course those people like to make their money. Nothing wrong with that, but the place i wanted to have corner balance my miata was $80 an hour.
 
#5 ·
I know a good shop that will install everything, but as far as adjusting goes, do you mean getting the car aligned with the CC plates and new suspension mods?
 
#7 ·
Thats what I'm going for ;) slammered

Its not my DD so its all good.
Unless you have a better choice of springs for me. Not eibach prokit though. Looking for that sportline spring look
 
#12 ·
Going that low, you're probably going to want an adjustable UCA so your pinion angle can be set properly.
 
#14 · (Edited)
A shop is going to charge you shiet tons of install money on those suspension parts. You will be better off buying 2 scissor jacks ($20 each), 3-4 axle stands (2 should be enough, just extra safety with more), click type torque wrench (80ft/lb and 150ft/lb.. $22 each from harbor freight), and a good tool kit ($60 for 201pc Stanley from amazon). YouTube videos, its not hard.. Its fairly easy just follow those steps and make sure you have a second person to help you out.

I did LCA, brackets, Koni oranges, springs and panhard bar.. Granted it took me close to 16-18 hrs (over 3 days) to do it all, still worth the hundreds I saved at a shop. Oh and this was the first time I did anything on my car. Hardest part was getting bolts off and trying to do everything at once.

Here are a few tips if you end up doing it yourself (which I'd suggest):

1)for rear shocks, loosen up the top studs (in trunk) while suspension is loaded..it will prevent slipping. Just this took us 3 hours lol.

2) finish one side at a time.. Don't take everything out at once

3) take top nuts out (front struts) while suspension is loaded.. Prevent slipping. Put a jack under your front A-arms. Take all of the strut assembly bolts out and "very slowly" bring the jack down.. This will prevent springs from decompressing too soon, hence saving you your stock strut mounts if you're going to re use them.

4) do lower control arms one side at a time, else you will have hard time re-alligning axle to the bracket holes. Pushing the wheel slightly to the front will help to get the axle alligned back where it should be. Just LCA and brackets took us about 5 hours. We made the mistake of unlaoding the suspension on both sides all at once.

5) impact wrench will save you time.

PS: don't mind the typos, its late and I'm in bed. Too lazy to proof read lol
 
#17 ·
Assume most shops are $80 - $100 an hour.

I'd say shocks and struts SHOULD take 1 hour, so thats $80 - $100
PHB should take 15 minutes, but they'll probably charge another hour - $160 - $200
Camber plates should be re-installed with the shocks, but they'll of course want to time to adjust, so thats another hour - $240 - $300


Rough math says $200 - $400
 
#19 ·
I had:
Eibach Sportline Springs
Eibach Prodamper shocks and struts
Eibach Camber bolts
BMR adjustable panhard bar
BMR lower Control Arms
BMR adjustable upper control arm

all installed with full alignment was $575
 
#20 · (Edited)
So would you suggest that I just go with camber bolts instead of Caster Camber Plates?

And I know I need a relocation bracket for the Rear Upper Control arm but do I need relocation brackets for the 2 Rear Lower Control Arms?
 
#21 ·
Haha, I have these:

BMR lowering springs

MM/CC plates

BMR adj panhard

BMR adj uca with mount

BMR LCA's with relo brackets

Koni Orange shocks and struts

A local shop was going to charge me $1300 with alignment. I told them to jump off a bridge. I'm doing it all myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Mustang Evolution
 
#25 ·
Suspension isn't all too hard. Just takes some figuring out at first, but there is nothing too complicated about it. I've done all my suspension myself, from Subframe connectors, panhard bar, control arms, torque arm, coilovers, cc plates. I did have help along the way, but i'm confident i could do it again myself (except the parts where its easiest if you have multiple hands to hold things)
 
#26 ·
This. It be 10x easier if you have access to a hoist/can rent one for a day. Hardest part for me was not having right tools to take out the bolts. We spent 3 damn hours on day 1 just trying to take strut nuts out, finally gave up as we didn't have torque/impact wrench on us. Those things are torqued to 130 lb/ft!

Dude trust me suspension ain't hard at all, all you need is right set of tools and a few extra hands to save time. Springs, struts, and CC plates can be done at once, as you out of the whole assembly to replace one or the other.

Same for rear.. Gotta unlaod shocks to lower your axle down for springs. Panhard bar leas than 15 mins. Do LCA around this time. Can be done in a day at most!
 
#30 ·
I wish i could draw a picture because it would make perfect sense, but i'll do my best to just explain for now.

At stock ride height the lower control arms are parallel to the ground, one end mounts to the body and the other to the axle. When you accelerate, the LCAs serve to take the weight of the body and put it on the axle for traction.

When the body is lowered in relation to the axle, the LCAs are no longer parallel to the ground. When flooring it, the body starting point is LOWER than the axle starting point, which essentially causes the weight of the body to pull up on the axle instead of pushing down on it. You'll see these mustangs at the 1/4 basically bunny hopping each shift, and its clear as day they have no brackets. The brackets serve to get the LCAs back to parallel.
 
#31 ·
Makes sense... SOLD! lol. I am holding off on anything until I can see if I can get the Vortech before mustang week. But I will add that to the Sway relocation, 15x10's, 2 step line lock and plates build phase.

PS. sorry I hijacked the thread for a bit.
 
#32 ·
Ok, its not pretty, but it should get the point across. I somewhat exaggerated the second picture to make the point more clear, but you can see how the problem will become exacerbated the greater the drop.



Picture 1 is stock, and the general load is down and back.

Picture 2 is lowered with no brackets, and you can see that down on the body leads to up on the axle.
 
#33 ·
Voltwings...
Always read all your stuff a couple of times in my pursuit to learn.
While looking more into the subject of LCA's I came across this sketch to supplement yours.
Line Text Diagram Auto part Parallel

Just one question. When and Why would one consider an adjustable LCA?

Thanks
 
#34 ·
Voltwings...
Always read all your stuff a couple of times in my pursuit to learn.
While looking more into the subject of LCA's I came across this sketch to supplement yours.
View attachment 179571
Just one question. When and Why would one consider an adjustable LCA?

Thanks
That's an excellent illustration. I'm currently in middle hole for LCA, just wondering what sort of change would I notice if I bolt it onto lowest hole of the bracket?

Also I notice my rear end sticks out a bit if I push my around corners. Not wheel spin taking it sideways, more like the axle is moving sideways. Any idea guys what it might be? I'm pretty sure all of my suspension bolts are nicely torqued up but never know
 
#36 ·
#37 ·
#40 ·
In my search I found this similar but slightly different article. It seems to talk more about the adjustments of the LCA's or the UCA, vs driveshaft type.
I'm real curious as to why the change in drive shafts has never brought up the subject of pinion angle.
cherod.com/mustang - LCAs
 
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