- Joined
- Sep 7, 2011
- Messages
- 2,029
- Reaction score
- 33
- Location
- Wake Forest, NC
- My Car
- 1971 Sports Roof Fastback (early model)
1973 Coupe -Under rebuild/restore
I have been researching for the past week, reading forums after forum threads, and wondering around the internet to find the optimal performance strut rod and lower control for my 1973 Mustang hardtop. The goal here is the have a free moving suspension system without the harshness of the road feedback to the mustang cabin through the new suspension parts. I have looked over the 7173 mustang forum threads trying to gauge what the members have bought and used.
Now, I know some will probably state that you cannot have it both ways. Either you have the rubber bushings for comfort, normal designed driving with no road vibrations through the mustang cabin or solid mount, with the dash and jaw jarring vibration, feel every little rock from the road scenario. We all know that if the mustang is to being used for auto crossing or used on a race track, then this subject will not matter due to the surface of the track being smooth and hopefully being rock free.
To start, I saw several members who install the complete front suspension on their mustangs. Wow, really nice and modern. Qcode351mach installed the full Street or Track kit and responded back that the car drives like a 2014 not a 1972. Fantastic! One area that I cannot find much feedback is the degree of road noise and or vibrations from the open public roads. We all know that when one has the polyurethane front strut rod bushings installed; it is nice until you hit a slight bump in the road. Bam! The whole dash and everything else inside shakes and vibrates.
So, what I have found is that the TCP strut rods and Lower control arms have insulated the noise and vibration energy transferring mounting points much better than the competition.
TCP
The TCP Strut rod is designed with the Polymer Pivot Guide and Load-Bearing races within the aluminum housing.
Source: 2013 Total Control Products - A Chris Alston's Chassisworks, Inc. Brand
The TCP lower control arm has the Billet Steel Spherical Bearing inserted into two polymer bearing races, one on each side that isolates that mounting point.
Source: 2013 Total Control Products - A Chris Alston's Chassisworks, Inc. Brand
Street or Track
The Street or Track Lower control arms are really nice. The only difference that I see with them was the solid mount pivot point.
Monoball bearing with PTFE/Self lubricating lining replaces factory rubber bushing which eliminates deflection yet allows for bind free rotation.
Source:
The Street or Track Lower strut rods are really nice and look well made. The only difference that I see with them was the solid mount pivot point might have the same vibration and noise transfer as polyurethane do. They will allow for free arm moment, though!
Global West
Global West strut rods are really nice looking set of struts. But, they are also solid mount struts.
Global West Lower control arms really arms are a very good choice also. But, they also have the solid mount spherical at the pivot point.
Control Freak
Control Freaks lower control arms designed their arms a little different. The incorporated a custom graphite-poly bushings from Prothane™>
http://www.freakride.com/product/all-front-coil-over-conversion-systems/
From Control Freaks website: There are other-coil over conversions in the marketplace, but ours is designed to carry the vehicle load correctly, just as the manufacturer intended. For example, the early Ford vehicles were designed to hold the vehicle weight on the upper control arm, and that’s where we keep it. Some of our competitors transfer the weight to the lower control arm, which was never designed to carry the weight of the vehicle. Interesting thought here!
Well, there are some really nice kits and parts out there for upgrading the Mustang front end. We all know that each project is different plus it depends on what our purpose of our mustangs will be used for. The big one is though, how much our budget will allow for. Man, this stuff is expensive! I have decided to go with the TCP strut rod and lower control arm kits. I hope to one day provide some real feedback on how well they work in isolation of noise and vibration while driving on our public roads.
Ok! I hope this information will help current and future forum members decide what are the best options available in upgrading their mustang front suspensions.
Let the feedback begin! What are your thoughts on this subject? What have you experienced while driving your mustang with the upgraded suspension parts or kits?
Thanks
Mustang7173
All,
Just received the TCP strut rod and wow, they nice. Very well made.
TCP Lower Control Arms will be here on Friday.
mustang7173
All,
I left out the pictures of the Global West Products.
Source: http://www.globalwest.net/1967-1968-1969-1970-1971-1972-1973-mustang-front-suspension-parts.html
mustang7173
Now, I know some will probably state that you cannot have it both ways. Either you have the rubber bushings for comfort, normal designed driving with no road vibrations through the mustang cabin or solid mount, with the dash and jaw jarring vibration, feel every little rock from the road scenario. We all know that if the mustang is to being used for auto crossing or used on a race track, then this subject will not matter due to the surface of the track being smooth and hopefully being rock free.
To start, I saw several members who install the complete front suspension on their mustangs. Wow, really nice and modern. Qcode351mach installed the full Street or Track kit and responded back that the car drives like a 2014 not a 1972. Fantastic! One area that I cannot find much feedback is the degree of road noise and or vibrations from the open public roads. We all know that when one has the polyurethane front strut rod bushings installed; it is nice until you hit a slight bump in the road. Bam! The whole dash and everything else inside shakes and vibrates.
So, what I have found is that the TCP strut rods and Lower control arms have insulated the noise and vibration energy transferring mounting points much better than the competition.
TCP
The TCP Strut rod is designed with the Polymer Pivot Guide and Load-Bearing races within the aluminum housing.
Source: 2013 Total Control Products - A Chris Alston's Chassisworks, Inc. Brand
The TCP lower control arm has the Billet Steel Spherical Bearing inserted into two polymer bearing races, one on each side that isolates that mounting point.
Source: 2013 Total Control Products - A Chris Alston's Chassisworks, Inc. Brand
Street or Track
The Street or Track Lower control arms are really nice. The only difference that I see with them was the solid mount pivot point.
Monoball bearing with PTFE/Self lubricating lining replaces factory rubber bushing which eliminates deflection yet allows for bind free rotation.
Source:
The Street or Track Lower strut rods are really nice and look well made. The only difference that I see with them was the solid mount pivot point might have the same vibration and noise transfer as polyurethane do. They will allow for free arm moment, though!
Global West
Global West strut rods are really nice looking set of struts. But, they are also solid mount struts.
Global West Lower control arms really arms are a very good choice also. But, they also have the solid mount spherical at the pivot point.
Control Freak
Control Freaks lower control arms designed their arms a little different. The incorporated a custom graphite-poly bushings from Prothane™>
http://www.freakride.com/product/all-front-coil-over-conversion-systems/
From Control Freaks website: There are other-coil over conversions in the marketplace, but ours is designed to carry the vehicle load correctly, just as the manufacturer intended. For example, the early Ford vehicles were designed to hold the vehicle weight on the upper control arm, and that’s where we keep it. Some of our competitors transfer the weight to the lower control arm, which was never designed to carry the weight of the vehicle. Interesting thought here!
Well, there are some really nice kits and parts out there for upgrading the Mustang front end. We all know that each project is different plus it depends on what our purpose of our mustangs will be used for. The big one is though, how much our budget will allow for. Man, this stuff is expensive! I have decided to go with the TCP strut rod and lower control arm kits. I hope to one day provide some real feedback on how well they work in isolation of noise and vibration while driving on our public roads.
Ok! I hope this information will help current and future forum members decide what are the best options available in upgrading their mustang front suspensions.
Let the feedback begin! What are your thoughts on this subject? What have you experienced while driving your mustang with the upgraded suspension parts or kits?
Thanks
Mustang7173
All,
Just received the TCP strut rod and wow, they nice. Very well made.
TCP Lower Control Arms will be here on Friday.
mustang7173
All,
I left out the pictures of the Global West Products.
Source: http://www.globalwest.net/1967-1968-1969-1970-1971-1972-1973-mustang-front-suspension-parts.html
mustang7173
Last edited by a moderator: