Project Track 5.0 Tokico D-Spec, Strano, & Steeda Review

[whitemustang]

Other weekend Finally installed suspension on our 2011 gt. Just wanted to share if some other guy looking getting suspension for there car. Sorry how long this is.

Start off I love the new 5.0 and how they drive that why I bought one and lot of us have been selling our other Mustangs. I wanted an all around car that was good for daily driving if wanted, good on long road trips, good on the track, and nice enough to take wife out dinner in. The 5.0 stock form really fit the bill.

On track the car stock with cooling brake ducts for the Brembo's , 6m trans, and 3.73 . Running on road course track did very well. I have no complains and personally through there no issue with set up. You can push it to the limits in one or two track days. Very fun and post good lap times.

Then Boss 302 comes out . I know all the guys I run with would be getting them. I have to say I was trading my 5.0 in for Boss but here the California dealers wanted to much over sticker. Looked at couple . Couldn't make a deal. Wife and I decided we like our 5.0 look better and cost differences didn't justify it to use. I really wanted the all forge motor that why wanted the Boss. So project Track 5.0 started and started buying parts.

Goal is mild for the car. To have same times lap time as a Laguna Seca boss , and have drive/ride quality of stock 5.0. Nothing extreme and not full out race. I did that with my last Mustang. To hard core for the track and made cruising around town not enjoyable. Strano Performance Parts help me out with the set-up and my thoughts where same as his. Parts used Tokico D spec Struts and shocks, Steeda sports springs, Steeda HD strut mounts, and adjustable Strano F&R sway bars.

I wanted Koni shock back in November of 2010 but Koni been out stock on the fronts for past 6 months. So just went with the Tokico D-spec. I didn't want the D-Spec but have say with the D-spec they turn out be a much better shock then I thought . So far has perform very well. A good alter shock to the Koni.

Installing the parts took one full day or a weekend . Have to say the set-up made my goals. Suspension daily drive and ride quality is very good. Close to stock or better on 5 turn out on the shocks. Much better damper control then stock . On ramp WOT runs I haven't had wheel hop 2nd and 3nd gear shifts and car is griping much better at acceleration . Before when stock I had real bad wheel hop on hard 2nd , 3rd shifts and flooring it in 1st gear past 3.5k rpm. Shock solved this so far. Much less nose dive on hard breaking witch was a bit extreme on the stock suspension. The ride weight is excellent no more 4x4. Roughly 1" in front and 1.25" to 1.5" in the Rear. Doesn't bottom out . Just have to go slower over speed bumps. If the nose scraps most time it same height or place where stock height scraps at. Over road cracks, pot holes, and bumps is good, solid feeling and straight. Steeda HD strut mounts has 1 degree camber adjustable . With lowering was able get 1.7 neg camber in front witch is what I wanted. For now stock front sway bar is still in. Rear sway bar is adjustable Strano Parts one. It is smaller and lighter then stock. With the added camber grip in front needed add grip in back . Didn't want to put a larger tire just in back, want 275 all around. So smaller sway bar worked. The sway bar can be stiff as stock or can be much softer then stock.

Haven't taken the car out to the track yet but did a test run at local canyon where I use to test my other Track Mustang before track days to dial it in. It ran good. I drove the car hard. Wasn't able to get the suspension to limit yet. I do know there is more grip for sure. With the rear sway bar & suspension able put power sooner, even full throttle on turns. With stock rear sway bar it would kick out rear witch was more fun. But the goal here was for more grip.

Second stage part is to light weight track wheels and R comp tire.

I'm going to have fun seeing what time improvement the set up will do over stock set-up at the track. My personal goal is .5 sec to .75 sec improvement on Willow Springs 2.5 mile road course on street tires. With suspension , lighter 21-22 pound wheels, and r comp tires hope get 2.5 sec improvement improvement over stock .
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[poppakap]

I will be following this.

Do you have a list of suspension mods that the Boss has?

 

[corruptor]

I'm looking to do similar suspension set up. Have the Tokico struts minimized the feeling of the rear axle jolting around over bumpy roads, especially mid-corner?

 

[IA Shelby]

I have the same exact set up being shipped from Steeda for my 2011 Shelby vert. Hope to have it installed in the next week.

 

[whitemustang]

I will be following this.

Do you have a list of suspension mods that the Boss has?

Did have a list by googling and asking people about the Boss suspension. I knew that the boss suspension will not be offer over the counter. Figure what work on the boss and add what I thought may for better or what I like more. The rumor on the Boss struts and shock is made by Tokico. Not the spec-d but a ford spec but similiar .

I'm looking to do similar suspension set up. Have the Tokico struts minimized the feeling of the rear axle jolting around over bumpy roads, especially mid-corner?

On the freeway bump does help minimized , and corners it does help too so apply power sooner. They have a better quality of shock control so seems be more connect to road and provide a little better ride quality then stock. It's feels more like a BMW with oem sport suspension. The jolting will still be there a little because that what solid axle is like not inpendent. Watts links will help but that if your going track it a lot.

I have the same exact set up being shipped from Steeda for my 2011 Shelby vert. Hope to have it installed in the next week.

Sweet . Hope it help you get more traction on your beast and if you have wheel hop help on that too.

 

[steedafever]

i did d-spec, sway bars, steeda springs, etc. its really not a bad combo. i like mine

 

[apg2369]

There's nothing wrong with the d-spec's .... some people just like to push Koni some people just push Tokico d-spec . I never heard of someone going smaller on the rear sway bar ...but it is adjustable so you can stiffen it back up when your car pushes like a pig which it will ... Get a pan hard bar you will notice a big difference in the rear end around corners ....the bushings are way to soft and your going to have kick out at willow , watts link is all hype on the track by the way ...it does help on shitty roads around corners . I use nt-05 @ nt-01

When you go their look at the fast guys and see what thy have you'll be shocked (AKA NOT ALOT OF SHIT ON THEIR CARS)

GLTY

 

[whitemustang]

Just wanted to update on the suspension and need help with a clunk issue on the front passenger side.

Doesn't happen when normal driving or driving hard in canyon. It clunks most offen when I pull in my garage. Going slow and wheel is turned. Driveway also slight incline with a ditch. Also Happen on slow u turns, or going couple mph and slamming the brakes so noise dives. I have gone throught and retorque all parts I put on. I have strut and everything out. All I notice was 2 broken o rings in the Steeda HD mount and some scratches from top hat but I think it from I first stalled it without spring compressor . Replaced o rings, Reistalled it. Still make noise. I did disconnect the bottom sway bar endlink and still made the noise.

Here some things I have tryed all ready and had no result.

Put camber back to stock, noise still.
Disconected bottom swaybar endlink , noise still.
took rubber from the stock spring put on bottom of steeda spring, still noise
Took rubber from the stock spring put on top steeda spring, Noise little more
Tighten sway bars endlinks, mounts, and strut, Noise still
Took strut and spring out replace mount o ring and reinstalled, noise still
Made sure spring is in it's purch, noise still

Let me know what you guys think. Any help would be great. I'm running out option. Figure maybe have live with it or buy replacement parts. I have couple videos. Can see in some video is a sharp moment when noise is made. I mounted the camera on different parts of the car Strut , endlink, etc. Seems the noise to be coming from the top. Something binding up I believe. I can feel it through pedal slightly and can feel it through the strut top.

YouTube - ‪2011 Mustang Front End clunk SteedaMount‬‏
YouTube - ‪MOV04979‬‏
http://youtu.be/K_SvQsizegU
http://youtu.be/gnmI_vrvc10
Thanks! S

 

[grnenvy]

Nice

Keep us posted on your times.

 

[whitemustang]

Last night I thought Figured out what was make the passenger side strut clunk. Strut nut where overtighten. Loosen the strut nuts and noise stop. Retorque them 45lbs. Was good for drive around the block and in the morning but wife drove it all day when she came back it was back again. Damm.

In June will be taking it to Willow Springs. So will let you know how it feels on the track and see how much quicker it does.

This weekend installing Boss engine oil cooler and transmission air scoop. Have already installed finned diff cover for the rear end with syn oil.

7/12/2011 . Clunk noise is still around. Doesn't effect the performance of the car. I just learned to live with it.

 

[whitemustang]

Well took the car out last month in June. Took the car to Willow Springs Raceway(big track). I ran the same track complete stock 6 months ago on the same tires. I like how the stock suspension handle , figure best lap time was around high 1:38 sec (stock). The tire where then new and the track was at low temp so was perfect day. That event wasn't timed but the 500+ hp GT350R I was running with run 1:37 and 1:38s at that track they told me on there data logger. So we figure that what the car can do stock with a non pro driver.

So moment of the truth how the suspension did. It did well and what should do. It not a night and day difference on a fast track like this. The new suspension did do everything bit better. I like how the handle and it was still balanced. You can throttle steer it. I think I made right choice with the smaller adjustable sway bar in the rear. I did this to add more grip in the rear because I added more grip in the front so the car would be balanced. At track meet a nice gentleman that had similiar set up as i did. He had 2.5 neg camber in front and stock sway bar in the rear. He felt is had to much oversteer when he pushed it.

The car is much more stabile at the limits and over bumps in the track . Is ezier to drive the car harder and have faster overall. The noise doesn't dive as much under braking. The suspension will gain even more with better tires or r comp tires.

I ran on Sunday event. Lot Mustangs showed up on Saturday . Was told a lot of modded 5.0 where there . The fastest times the 5.0 where posting 1:44 maybe a 1:43. I didn't like hearing this. I figure I was going was getting 1:38 before stock. I thought maybe I was slower then though I originally . Any how I was able to pull out few low 1:39 in the first run. This with full traction control on. That was my fastest times of the day. The track was good and tires where still good. Second run hand full 1:40 flat but the tires where gone. Just got slower and slower as the day went on. So was happy with the time. I was the fastest mustang that weekend by 4-5 seconds and was the fastest in my intermediate group on Sunday. Lot of the other cars where running R type comp street tires.

I pre set the D-Spec shocks on what MR. Strano recommend 2 turns in front and 4-5 turns in the rear. I didn't mess around with tire pressures that day. I know that would of help my lap times. I also wasn't going all out out in couple turns, well I was going fastest i could that day . Didn't know the limits of the car with the new suspension at first. I did make mistake on the back straight over the hill. I counter lock steer while doing 4 wheel drift at 100 mph, did saved it. I never had to recover a car that much at that high rate speed, it was cool . I know with stock suspension I would lost it and spun out off the track.

Some the other drivers where saying that they where posting slower lap times during that weekend. The track was resealed that week and seem to have little less grip later in the day. When got hot was greasy because oils still coming up. The stock tires had 7500 miles on them and 2 full track before last month Track event. I Figure with new stock tires, a cooler day, and I driven better on some turns should get 1;37s . With r comp tires 1:35-1:36 on this set up.

A friend let me use his data logger. It only recorded the first 5 laps, so didn't record the faster laps. He ran his car and had the data logger on a sweet 1968 Camaro with road race set up on Saturday. Here some comparison he did. The car can ez do over 1g in the corners with stock tires. There where peak g close to the 1.5g mark, but average over 1g in corner.

Here a result. My friend wrote this up on another forum. His car wasn't running good. On the straight aways he usually he can go 140 mph but was only able go 114 and 117 mph. In the turns the car can handles good. It's a fully modded road course Cobra Terminator.
Here some his postings.

This time i am using average mph and average g's
.............................terminator........... ..modded 5.0
front straight, mph.........114.....................129
t-1 average g's..............1.11....................1.04
t-1 average mph.............75.1....................73.5
t-1 to t-2 highest mph......91......................100
average g's t-2..............1.12.....................94
average mph...................83......................78.2
t-2 to t-3 highest mph......98.....................106
t-3 average mph.............58.....................55
t-3 g's...........................1.18................ ..1.03
entering t-8....................110...................120
t-8 average mph..............103.3.................102.2
t-8 g's............................1.02............... .... .95
t-9 average mph...............82.5....................83
t-9 average g's.................1.06................. .87

The modded 5.0 was not taking the track all the way to the edge of the track in many places, that's one reason why some of his lateral g's are a little low. Turn 9 he went in faster, slowed down more them me and was able to exit faster but in that sector (end of turn 8 thru turn 9) i was .6 second faster.

.............................Mod 68 Camaro.......modded 04 Cobra...........My 5.0
front straight .................... 116............114.......................129

t-1 to t-2.......................... 90 .............91........................100

slowest in t-2.....................75..............82.......... ................75

highest speed between
t-2 to t-3..........................94...............98.... .....................106

t-3 slowest speed...............56...............55........... ...............46

t-4 highest.......................50...............52. .........................49

t-4 to t-5 highest...............75...............78......... .................79

t-6 lowest.........................53...............49 .........................57

highest t-6 to t-7..............116..............110............... .........120

slowest in turn 8...............105...............101............. ...........101

lap times..........................1:44...............1 43.5.....................142.3


Hope this info helps. Strano Racing did right up on his car with Koni struts. He had similar results on the track. Either setup is a good set up . It may seem mild setup, but the result on the track isn't.

Steeda sport springs, Tokico spec d struts, Steeda HD strut mounts with 1.7neg camber

Steeda comp springs, Tokico spec d Struts, Maximum Motorsports Camber plates with 2.5neg or more camber. Suspension has 22,000 miles on this suspension. No strut mount clunk like mine.

This shows how the 1.7 neg camber help the front tires. You can see two lines from the tire heat cycle. The lower heat cycle line shows how bad it worn on stock suspension.

 

[JaysonMFK]

Subscribed.

Nice write up and times.

 

[grnenvy]

Do u think the brake system will hold up? The Brembo's are nice but are they really that much better then the standard brake system? I know u said u have air ducks but will it be enough. Does anyone offer anything better then the Brembo's something with bigger rotors? All the big dollar imports still have a much bigger better braking system for that reason. Yeah I'm not a fan of the looks of the BOSS I think it's UGLY.

 

[whitemustang]

The Brembo brakes are that much better in this type use . Main things no brake fade with the airducts helping and you can brake later at a higher rate speed. Standard brakes are good enough for track use too but you will have to mode them. For example on this track stock standard brakes can perform close to the Brembo will last for about 3 laps or less before the pedal goes to the floor. The other 5.0 that weekend all had standard brakes system but changed the pads with Hawk performance pads and changed the fluid so had a higher boil point. The red 5.0 had this setup and he had no issue with his brakes all day. He drove hard all day long in 85+ temp weather. We would run together and under braking he was performing similar to my setup.

I prefer an modded OEM brake system over an aftermarket one. Because it dial in from the factory and your just making it better. Some aftermarket brake kit don't work with ABS and will lock the front up. If an aftermarket kit does work with the ABS and you know how to dial it in then I would upgrade to that one. Also if your going to go all out and race the car at time events then you need the Brembo or aftermarket system for sure. Remember with aftermarket or Brembo brakes you will need wheels can clear caliper. If your just doing a hand full of track days a years then you don't need the larger aftermarket brakes and modded standard brakes will do the job.

 

[corruptor]

great update. sounds like the 5.0 pulls harder than the termi but obviously falls short in the corners due to it being on a street setup. are you planning on doing a watts link to further dial in the rear stability a bit?

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

Great writeup. I too talked with Sam about my upgrades and per his advice went with the Koni sports, steeda sport springs and steeda strut mounts. I'm very pleased with the results.

Right now, I'm considering the Fayes II Watts setup before doing swaybars or LCA's.

I'm not planning on taking mine to the track until October and by then I should hopefully have all that as well as the boss lower fascia and brake ducts.

I'm also considering these rotors but unsure if they are a direct swap with the brembo rotor or not and if they will retain ABS and not require a different spindle mounting bracket to move the caliper.

Strano Performance Parts - Part Details

 

[corruptor]

I'm also considering these rotors but unsure if they are a direct swap with the brembo rotor or not and if they will retain ABS and not require a different spindle mounting bracket to move the caliper.

Strano Performance Parts - Part Details

Strano's site says those rotors are direct Brembo replacements. Don't see why they wouldn't retain ABS since they're just rotors.

 

[whitemustang]

great update. sounds like the 5.0 pulls harder than the termi but obviously falls short in the corners due to it being on a street setup. are you planning on doing a watts link to further dial in the rear stability a bit?

Thanks!
The Terminator couldn't accelerate WOT for long that day he has 600 hp but air/fuel ratio was mess up because of a charging issue under wot. Other wise he usually 10 mph faster on the front straights away then me . He running used r comp type street tires like Nitto and has SLA front end. I was using stock street tires so corner figures would be much high if I was using Nitto NT01 etc. That will be my next wright up later this summer. At this point no watts link. I feel or see no need for it. I like the feedback of the car and at the moment it performing better then I'm driving it. The car is my wife's daily driver so the panhard bar stays. If it was more track prep car then yes. I don't want to do that. Want keep it more a street car . My last car I went to hard core for the track and lost the love to drive it on the street.

Great writeup. I too talked with Sam about my upgrades and per his advice went with the Koni sports, steeda sport springs and steeda strut mounts. I'm very pleased with the results.

Right now, I'm considering the Fayes II Watts setup before doing swaybars or LCA's.

I'm not planning on taking mine to the track until October and by then I should hopefully have all that as well as the boss lower fascia and brake ducts.

I'm also considering these rotors but unsure if they are a direct swap with the brembo rotor or not and if they will retain ABS and not require a different spindle mounting bracket to move the caliper.

Strano Performance Parts - Part Details

Mr Stano very helpful and will let you know what you need. I was going to do your set up with Koni but waited for 6 month for the front struts to be made. Gave up and went with the Tokico. No watts for me . I do like the Fays and Steeda watts link. There a guy in Germany has the Fays watts link and it work well for him. For me I want more daily driver that does well at the track and don't want the added road noise. Like Griggs racing recommend panhard bar on street cars. Also haven't notice a issue with how the cars handles through the corners. It is very stably for me, if there was I issue I would change it, but there isn't. I don't see a rear need for the LCA unless you want eliminate more wheel hop on take off and 1-2 shifts on the street.

Im person that like running what have and see what need be improved if needed. I don't think all aftermarket or changes parts are worth it or really do any better then stock. Like our cars stock GT with Brembo package. Truly the set up is great. It's great on the track no need to change any thing to have fun on there. I would keep it like that but want little better shock control, help eliminate wheel hop, less noise dive under braking, and better cosmetic look by lowering it.

I don't know if you have track your car yet. I think you will be very happy how it is and don't need the watts or lca. The benefit to cost not worth it. . The stock Brembo brakes are good enough. Cooling parts I do believe in. So cooling brake ducts or those rotors your talking about. I will be upgrading to those rotors(they should be direct replacements) with hawk brake pads once I wear out the stock ones. The stock ones work on the track so why not use them up and when time replacing them you can upgrade then.

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

From what I've read from other 5.0 owners with the Faye's watts setup, there's zero increase in NVH. that was a huge + for me and a reason why I was considering it. That and reading quite a few testimonies from owners on how it improved the feel of the back end in daily driving as well.

For your brake cooling, how did you attach the hose? Did you buy the FRPP brake kit? I saw on one of your pictures what appears to be duck tape holding it onto the caliper but couldn't tell if there was any actual mounting of the hose and no idea how you mounted the other end of the hose on the lower fascia?

I'm planning on getting the boss/cs fascia anyways so it's not a huge deal and if I get the brake cooling kit, it would have the spindle mounting bracket for the other end of the cooling hose.

 

[corruptor]

From what I've read from other 5.0 owners with the Faye's watts setup, there's zero increase in NVH. that was a huge + for me and a reason why I was considering it. That and reading quite a few testimonies from owners on how it improved the feel of the back end in daily driving as well.

Actually, I read the opposite with the Fays; that there is a slight increase in noise/clunking under minor road imperfections. However, some folks swear by spraying down the ends with WD40 and NOT using heavy grease since it'll pick up significant dust/dirt/debris periodically to combat the added noise.