What are the best suspension upgrades I can do for my gen 1 MTX? Subframe connectors... then to what? and in what order (assuming I'm not doing everything at once)? This is a street car, and I am willing to have a fairly stiff suspension. Thanks.
Best Gen I upgrades
- Thread starter JimmyNY
- Start date
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LI_SHO
SHO Member
subframe connectors DEFFINITELY
tokicos/eibacks or koni/intrax
strut tower bars are cool...but really should be done last
tokicos/eibacks or koni/intrax
strut tower bars are cool...but really should be done last
A TCE Brake Kit of course.
Dude, this is a 'way to vague' question. Don't get me started....lol
Tell folks what you want from the mod, what you do with the car, what you budget is, what tires you run, what YOU feel is most important, who you spoke with, what you have seen on other cars. Get the idea?
Dude, this is a 'way to vague' question. Don't get me started....lol
Tell folks what you want from the mod, what you do with the car, what you budget is, what tires you run, what YOU feel is most important, who you spoke with, what you have seen on other cars. Get the idea?
sdpatt
Sr. SHO Engr.
Best bang for the buck: TPR or poly sway bar bushings. Best overall effect: Tokico/Eibach or Koni/Eibach.
Toneboski
New Member
Hey scott, should i only change those bushing when i get sway bars put in? Or is it okay for the stock sway?
fricker66
Active Member
Gotta make sure you have a quality tire before you'll benefit from any of the true suspension upgrades.
noSHO
New Member
You know, I really had to debate whether to get one or not... It was a tough call since I like all the best parts on my car, but for what I use my car for, I just couldn't justify the extra $900 over what I paid for the 96 upgrade. What might I be getting at?? Perhaps you could come up with a more middle of the road kit. The Wilwood kit you have is unbeatable for people who want absolutely the best, at least in my opinion, but I also think it's out of most people's league. Have you thought about making up a kit that uses similar components (I like lightweight stuff) but for thes lightly more budget-minded consumer. Had their been a smaller TCE SHO Stopper kit for...say...$900 or $1000, I can assure you it would be on my car. Since I don't see the track very often (well, ever) I just couldn't justify $1500 (plus I'm a college student, enough said there). What do you think about that? You could take an on forum/on list survey to see if it was even worth your time before you set out to research it if the idea sounds appealing. Ah the internet age!
Well, it's a bit hard to do what I have for much less. Anyone who as attempted to cop it has found that out. And don't forget; while folks like me do what we do, we do it to make a living too. I don't come in and chew folks down on a doctors visits, why should people do so just because it's a car?
Anyhow, what would you consider to be 'acceptable' and what would you propose to leave out of the existing kit? Modify your own knuckles to mount the calipers? Not hardly. Lesser priced calipers? Then folks complain it's 'junk'. Leave out the pads? Shop them yourself and the cost is more. Cheaper rotors? They don't come for much less than $65ea.
Please let me know your thoughts, I'm considering some things on this end right now for expanded kits for the SHO and other cars.
Anyhow, what would you consider to be 'acceptable' and what would you propose to leave out of the existing kit? Modify your own knuckles to mount the calipers? Not hardly. Lesser priced calipers? Then folks complain it's 'junk'. Leave out the pads? Shop them yourself and the cost is more. Cheaper rotors? They don't come for much less than $65ea.
Please let me know your thoughts, I'm considering some things on this end right now for expanded kits for the SHO and other cars.
PROPHET
Well-Known Member
Todd ,just joking of course.
[try to make a living not a killing]
[try to make a living not a killing]
noSHO
New Member
Haha...honestly, I don't know. That's why I asked you.
My thoughts are perhaps for a kit with smaller rotors that would still offer some of the benefits of the higher priced/bigger kit(s), like perhaps lightweight rotors, lightweight calipers, and/or better than stock pads. Of course they can't ALL be included, but that's not the point of the kit. If I/someone wants that, they should get the bigger kit. What about fitting the lightweight calipers to the 96 brake upgrade? I think it's a big gap in between the 96 brakes and the Baer and TCE kits. Something to fill that gap would be terrific IMO.Toneboski
New Member
I guess it's really hard. It's just so damn expensive. I am really partial to the Baer kits cause of the looks. The thing is the baer track system is 13" and I don't want to not use my slicers ever again. I'd like to see something like the 96 Brake upgrade or bigger, maybe 12.5" cross drilled and slotted with a metallic finish. Im probably just dreaming. I just want a kit that looks good and is a little bigger than the 96 upgrade but i can still use my slicers on. boink
absolutley
New Member
i really need some stopping power. my 89 is running like it should it be in the ky derby,
the cheapest to do would be what???? i need a
paint job real bad. LOL
the cheapest to do would be what???? i need a
paint job real bad. LOL
shojuan
New Member
If you think of brakes as safety equipment and upgrading the brakes as upgrading your safety equipment then the TCE kit really isn't that bad. As a big plug you'll enjoy them whenever you use that brake pedal. ****, decelerating can be as much fun as accelerating and the level of intensity and control you can get with great brakes is amazing.
Plus, as far as an investment in the car and your safety if and when you get sick of your car and the time comes to sell I'm sure you could recoup a good chunk of change selling a used TCE kit.
Plus, as far as an investment in the car and your safety if and when you get sick of your car and the time comes to sell I'm sure you could recoup a good chunk of change selling a used TCE kit.
drivinhard
New Member
If you wanna play you gotta pay
Thanks guys, it's a balancing act.
To fit a slicer you must be under the 12.5" size. To clear the spokes you must use a floater or spacer. To keep the rotor size down you compromise the torque. To make it any lighter you'd have to go to smaller calipers. You get the idea.
This kit sold new in 1994 for $1295 and later the caliper 'upgrade' to the BSLs was another $95. Total cost in about '98-99 was $1390. Today it's only $100 more than then or $200 more than the original cost nearly ten years ago. And I can back out $95 for those on a budget if you want to save some coin, and sub in the SLII calipers.
Most folks want the BIGGEST thing they can get but for the LITTLEST price. This usually doesn't work out! lol
Ok, so I'm reading between the lines here and see some needs to be addressed. In the very near future; a four piston kit to fit the '96 up grade kit. Two calipers, pads, (and choice of all my Wilwood ones), mounts and new hoses. Price target: $550-575.
And for those who have a '96 and later car I'm looking into that one again now too. Or you may be able to usse the above parts on it.
Both of these will NOT match the performance level of the standard kits of course. But if it were that easy you'd have the regular one already...
*** you supply the 94-95 spindles.
<small>[ February 13, 2003, 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Todd TCE ]</small>
To fit a slicer you must be under the 12.5" size. To clear the spokes you must use a floater or spacer. To keep the rotor size down you compromise the torque. To make it any lighter you'd have to go to smaller calipers. You get the idea.
This kit sold new in 1994 for $1295 and later the caliper 'upgrade' to the BSLs was another $95. Total cost in about '98-99 was $1390. Today it's only $100 more than then or $200 more than the original cost nearly ten years ago. And I can back out $95 for those on a budget if you want to save some coin, and sub in the SLII calipers.
Most folks want the BIGGEST thing they can get but for the LITTLEST price. This usually doesn't work out! lol
Ok, so I'm reading between the lines here and see some needs to be addressed. In the very near future; a four piston kit to fit the '96 up grade kit. Two calipers, pads, (and choice of all my Wilwood ones), mounts and new hoses. Price target: $550-575.
And for those who have a '96 and later car I'm looking into that one again now too. Or you may be able to usse the above parts on it.
Both of these will NOT match the performance level of the standard kits of course. But if it were that easy you'd have the regular one already...
*** you supply the 94-95 spindles.
<small>[ February 13, 2003, 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Todd TCE ]</small>
This price would not include the spindles needed if you had a Gen I SHO would it?
Put that in right after I posted huh? thumbs_u Thanks for the info Todd.
Doug
<small>[ February 13, 2003, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: DougLee25 ]</small>
Put that in right after I posted huh? thumbs_u Thanks for the info Todd.
Doug
<small>[ February 13, 2003, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: DougLee25 ]</small>
noSHO
New Member
I apologize if I haven't been able to make myself satisfactorily clear. I understand the economics of running a business and the pricing of the current kit(s). I don't think the kit is too expensive now. I think there's a big gap in price between the 96 upgrade and the other kits, and I thought Todd might be interested in addressing that. This isn't directed to anyone specifically, I just get the impression that I'm conveying the 12.2" kit is too pricey and I want that but don't feel like paying it. Not the case at all. The price is right on, and it's a top quality, the best IMO, kit out there for our car, but I just don't NEED something that extreme but I might like a little more performance out of the 96s. Again, sorry if I misconstrued.
Todd- now THAT'S what I am talking about. You can get a 96 kit for about 500 for an 89-93 without a problem, and a price of 500-600 is right on for what I was thinking. Plus, if new calipers and pads come with it that can be a few bucks saved on the initial 96 costs. Hooray!! thumbs_u beer
Todd- now THAT'S what I am talking about. You can get a 96 kit for about 500 for an 89-93 without a problem, and a price of 500-600 is right on for what I was thinking. Plus, if new calipers and pads come with it that can be a few bucks saved on the initial 96 costs. Hooray!! thumbs_u beer
sdpatt
Sr. SHO Engr.
The firmer bushings will increase the effectiveness of the stock bars for a small expense, but if you install larger bars at a later time, you will have to replace the bushings with the proper diameter versions.
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