Need upgrade help for Boss 302 to Laguna Seca package

[NVR2L8]

I just bought a low mileage 2013 Boss 302, and want to upgrade to the performance of a Laguna Seca, with a few differences.

I researched the difference, and came up with the following:

Laguna Seca package (501A Equipment Group)
1. Recaro cloth sport seats.
2. Torsen differential with 3.73 gears.
3. 19" x 9" front /19" x 10" rear aluminum wheels.
4. Race compound summer-only tires.
5. Front air splitter and rear pedestal spoiler.
6. Rear seat delete and X-brace.
7. Front brake cooling ducts.
8. Transmission cooler scoop.
9. Unique rear springs/stabilizer bar/damper tuning.

I already have the Recaro / diff. option, and I will choose my own wheel / tire combo. I will add the front and rear spoilers, brake cooling ducts and transmission cooler.

I have two questions:

1. Does the X-brace do anything other than look "cool"? I don't really care about the look, and realize this brace may stiffen the rear a bit, but I can do it a lot cheaper.

2. Can someone explain exactly what the "Unique rear springs / stabilizer bar / damper tuning" means? What rear springs are used? What size stabilizer bar is used, front and rear? What damper tuning spec is used?

For the purists out there, I am not interested in "cloning" an LS, and there will be no LS badging used. This will be a track only car, and I am only interested in performance. I will also be making some other suspension mods.

Thanks in advance for the help. :beer:

 

[DAVESVT2000]

The brace definately has a cool factor, but as you said, it can be done better, say a 4 or 6 point roll bar.

As for the suspension, see post 1 of this link, the pdf at the bottom on 2012 Boss 302 Laguna Seca specs for all the info you need to compare the two. (2013 is carryover, no changes)

The Boss is Back! 2012 Boss 302 - The Mustang Source - Ford Mustang Forums

 

[KBBoss302]

Just put better tires on your Boss (the regular PZeros are, quite frankly, horrible tires for our cars unless they have a ton of heat in them).

 

[IamRacerX]

Unless you are a extremely experienced road racer, tires is the only difference that really needed imo. Of course cooling ducts, spoilers, braces and the rest all sound important... unless you are going super hard core racing they really make minor differences to the car, the avg driver wont even be able to exploit it.
Drive it as is 1st and see if you can out drive the car, then if so up grade. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Para81]

I believe Ford claims the brace adds 10% structural whatever. It looks cool. I like it, not sure it's worth spending big bucks vs. other options if you're installing this stuff on a 302.

 

[ExTurbo]

If its a track only car, why not upgrade to coilovers and a 4 point cage? You can easily outperform a Boss LS with a little work

 

[JohnRichard]

.
For what you are going to spend on wheels... just go with the BBS 18x10s
Other people make a rear bracing that doesn't add weight to the car and does just as well and sells for less...
Pirelli tires suck... buy something else, just over priced retreads
Maybe before you get to carried away, check to see what you need to run in the class you are going to run...

You already have the best part of the Boss anyway, the engine.

Ford racing sells all of that stuff..
Call Steve here
Tasca Auto Group- Offering employee pricing on all OEM and Ford Racing parts.

Our dedicated forum line is 1-800-598-1484 and our call center is staffed until 8:30 Eastern time.

 

[LostPony]

There are way better options out there for springs, as the LS springs are only mildly different than "regular" Boss springs. As others have said, you probably won't even notice it. Same for the brace, very minor improvement so you won't feel it, but will give up practicality to have it.

I use 18x10 Team Dynamics wheels myself, as well as the 19" LS style FRPP wheels on my Boss, and have switched to the FRPP "T" springs. These springs were supposed to be designed by Ford specifically for the Boss, and so far I notice slightly better on track feel with little to no negative effects on the street. It lowers the car nicely, but not as much as others, but at least gets rid of the 4x4 look.

 

[86Fbody]

.
For what you are going to spend on wheels... just go with the BBS 18x10s
Other people make a rear bracing that doesn't add weight to the car and does just as well and sells for less...
Pirelli tires suck... buy something else, just over priced retreads
Maybe before you get to carried away, check to see what you need to run in the class you are going to run...

You already have the best part of the Boss anyway, the engine.

Ford racing sells all of that stuff..
Call Steve here
Tasca Auto Group- Offering employee pricing on all OEM and Ford Racing parts.

Our dedicated forum line is 1-800-598-1484 and our call center is staffed until 8:30 Eastern time.

Speaking of throwing money away, OP unless you really have to have the name brand wheels I would not get the BBS's. Sure they are well known, light weight, and well constructed, but 2400 for 4 rims seems excessive. Grab better rubber like everyone has said, also better pads, though I would learn on the stock ones if you haven't been to a track before. P or T springs are a great upgrade to the stock springs, T probably better for the street. Also look at the setup Maximum has, 2011-14 grip box which has PHB Koni yellows, (basically) H&R race springs, and few other goodies for about 2k.

 

[Grant808]

If you do want the exact LS suspension, the best way to get it would be to get a take-off set. Might be a little rare now, but some LS owners upgrade to better setups, and the takeoff suspension parts are often cheap. Unless they're red wheels :rollseyes


from Brembo50.com:
Brembo50

Front Sway Rear Sway Front Springs Rear Spring

Base GT
34.6 mm 24mm 123 lbs. 156 lbs.
Brembo
34.6 mm 24mm 131 lbs. 167 lbs.
Boss 302
34.6 mm 25mm 148 lbs. 186 lbs.
Laguna Seca
34.6 mm 26mm 137 lbs. 191 lbs.

Seems to me that there is a little more effort on the LS suspension to dial out understeer with the slightly stiffer rear bias in both the springs and bar.

Having handled the LS and Boss shocks/struts back to back I can say the LS dampers feel significantly stiffer throughout the adjustment range. Even comparing 1 on the LS and 5 on the Boss units. Hardly scientific, but those were my observations.

I hope that answers your second question, but I have to agree with most of the above posts that there are other, better ways to go once you get away from OEM/stock setups.

 

[NVR2L8]

Great info guys, and quick, too! Thanks.

I should have provided a little more context in my original post. I am a very experienced advanced level driver, and instruct for several groups at a wide variety of tracks. I do not do W2W, but I run with some very fast groups.

My primary track car is a Z06, and my second car was a S197 GT500 (until a friend totaled it earlier this year), and the Boss 302 is the replacement. I have instructed several times in both the standard Boss 302 and the Laguna Seca. My students have a very wide range of skills, so it is hard to tell the difference in the cars from the passenger seat.

On the Boss 302, I will initially add a CAI, LT headers and different sway bars. I already have a watts link and KW coil-overs from the GT500. I will probably use 21 lb. Enkei wheels and Michelin Pilot SS tires at HPDEs, and R6s when I want to keep up with the GT3 crowd. I may do the aero stuff sometime along the way, depending on the cost.

Any other input is welcome. Thanks again for the posts. :beer:

 

[Grant808]

(until a former friend totaled it earlier this year)

Fixed that for ya. Just kidding...mostly.

 

[86Fbody]

Tiger hood would be a help in the aero department.

 

[JohnRichard]

Speaking of throwing money away, OP unless you really have to have the name brand wheels I would not get the BBS's. Sure they are well known, light weight, and well constructed, but 2400 for 4 rims seems excessive. Grab better rubber like everyone has said, also better pads, though I would learn on the stock ones if you haven't been to a track before. P or T springs are a great upgrade to the stock springs, T probably better for the street. Also look at the setup Maximum has, 2011-14 grip box which has PHB Koni yellows, (basically) H&R race springs, and few other goodies for about 2k.

yes and you forgot the look really nice looking too...

I can get a set of 18'' x 10'' race stars to for less the 1400 bucks for all four corners and weigh about the same... but they don't look as good and at going really fast just not as safe as well...

yes and you forgot the look really nice looking too...

 

[86Fbody]

yes and you forgot the look really nice looking too...

I can get a set of 18'' x 10'' race stars to for less the 1400 bucks for all four corners and weigh about the same... but they don't look as good and at going really fast just not as safe as well...

yes and you forgot the look really nice looking too...

Meh, Race Stars are also drag wheels right, or mainly used as such? They probably don't have to be as strong since no strip should have dips and divots like a track. However I won't argue with aesthetics, to each his own, personally though "good looking" track wheels for as much as they are seems silly IMO, the guy you pass won't be looking at your spokes.

 

[rickmaura@embar]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to find a sell your existing Boss and buy a LS? In the end, your upgraded Boss will still be a Boss and not a LS. If the LS appreciates like we all hope, compare it to an early Shelby clone versus the original; the original is the way to go. I know, easy for me to say since I own one.

 

[fast4v]

OP, how do you like your KW coilovers?
I'm running variant3 and so far they have been great.

 

[guarnibl]

Speaking of throwing money away, OP unless you really have to have the name brand wheels I would not get the BBS's. Sure they are well known, light weight, and well constructed, but 2400 for 4 rims seems excessive. Grab better rubber like everyone has said, also better pads, though I would learn on the stock ones if you haven't been to a track before. P or T springs are a great upgrade to the stock springs, T probably better for the street. Also look at the setup Maximum has, 2011-14 grip box which has PHB Koni yellows, (basically) H&R race springs, and few other goodies for about 2k.

18's offer better tire options for that car if you're tracking it until you go past 295's. I vote 302S BBS 18x10.5 if you're not intending to go past 285-295. You can then have good tire options (i.e., Super Sport 285/35ZR18's or Hoosier R6 in all four corners) for a reasonable price -- especially if you're going through them frequently.

Alternatively if you were wanting to go wider I would look at aftermarket non-BBS and try to get something in at least 11" wide. At that point you're better off going 19's. I'm stuck on what to do for my wheels next but I'm probably going to do 19x12 or 20x13 on Pilot Super Sport (maybe Cups but selection isn't as good).

 

[86Fbody]

18's offer better tire options for that car if you're tracking it. I vote 302S BBS 18x10.5 with . You can then have good tire options (i.e., Super Sport 285/35ZR18's or Hoosier R6 in all four corners) for a reasonable price.

I know the reason for getting 18's, but you could get TSWs, Enkei's, Forgestars, etc etc for half the price.

 

['03GTinFLA]

Just an option for rear bracing similar to the LS rear seat brace, plus with the Steeda one you can keep the rear seats. Not that anybody can actually fit back there but you know, just in case. Steeda 2005-14 Mustang Rear Chassis X-Brace - Made in USA 555-5093 - Free Shipping!