I was never into some of the issues along the lines of what was here, including 4 bangers, weight distribution and weight reduction, until I got a 1984 Fiero with the 2.5L Iron Duke. While I wasn't a fan of the small size, the shear light weight of the car, superior weight distribution and efficiency of the 4 banger had me in love. It was the most fun driving car I ever had, despite the engine. It was an oversized go cart. Having also owned a stock '90 Mustang GT it made me wonder what you could do with the 2.3L equipped Fox, and here you are doing it. What you have already done is fantastic. Can't wait to see more!! Also, I'm resto-modding an 02 Mustang V6 5spd and was questioning the whole control arm/torque box thing myself. I think you cleared some things up for me as far as what control arms and bushings to use in the future. Would you say a panhard rod would also benefit if you use these Steeda arms?
Thanks for checking out the video! I've got some fun stuff planned for this project. One of my cars is an IRS-swapped 2004 V6. It's a blast to drive out on course because it's really well balanced. A Panhard bar has never been my first choice for making these cars handle better. I do know many people who use (and love) their Torque Arm/Panhard bar setup. And their cars handle really well. Whether you run a larger rear sway bar, an adjustable rear sway bar, a Watt's link, or a Panhard bar comes down to personal preference (and the SCCA Rules). Other mods matter too. My advice would be to get a good set of adjustable shocks and struts and a larger rear sway bar (if you have the OEM front V6 sway bar an OEM GT 23mm rear sway bar will work), a good set of rear control arms, spherical upper differential housing bushings (often called bearings), forward-offset A-arm bushings, and CC Plates, then dial the car in with adjustments. That's usually a good starting point. You can always add a Panhard bar later, if you feel you need one. Check out my "Budget Autocross" playlist, it covers some good solid rear axle mods that will make the car handle much better.
@@warhorseracing Thanks for the response! In doing research after purchasing the 02, I was surprised to find out Ford chickened out altogether and just left a rear bar off our New Edges, so I already did exactly what you've suggested. I put a used New Edge GT bar off Ebay on it which made a nice upgrade. My very next upgrades were going to be front and rear strut tower braces and then frame connectors, as I've heard about how flexible these bodies are. Now what's going through my head is what's more important, stiffened body or straightening out the factory squirrely rear end issues? (I still have flashbacks of bad experiences pushing the 90 GT past its limits, on the street no less - I was a stupid kid) I'll look into all the other parts you suggested. I've already been binge watching your other videos. I'm on a really tight budget with this project and while it's still in restoration phase and I don't have immediate plans to autocross it or even push it very hard right now, I do at the VERY LEAST want something my upgraded daily driver 2010 Corolla S won't put to shame with even just a little spirited cornering (which it currently does believe it or not). Thanks for all the info you share. I can tell you really know what you're doing, which usually goes with people who actually have to get something done and be successful at it, instead of just follow trends and "look the part" (like feel good and look good street car trends). Don't understand why your channel doesn't have more viewers and subs? Maybe YT's algorithm hasn't snatched you up yet.
@@HAL-dm1eh I'm always happy to help. When I bought my V6, I was surprised it didn't have a rear sway bar. Adding a rear bar helps get the car neutral. Every input goes through the chassis, so I'm a big proponent of chassis bracing. My strategy is always to start with a strong foundation. But, if you plan on driving the car more than racing the car, you can get the rear suspension sorted first. The trick is to find the right balance for your build. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about mods as you work on your car. Thanks for the kind words about my channel. I'm trying to create a trustworthy resource for people driving these cars.
What year? I miss my '98, and while I always wanted the updated suspension and PI engine Panthers, I would still take it back in a heartbeat. HUGE mistake selling that car! I found the rear suspension and overall balance even on the '98 to be really well done.
looks like the previous owner bought the SVE (or similar) torque box reinforcements but didn't drill the holes into the car for the sandwich plates that needed to be welded and instead welded the reinforcements into the torque box lol. I recommend buying the interior plates for the upper torque box reinforcement kit and drilling the holes for the hardware, that is the hard part but that's really where the reinforcement comes from
I compared the 2.3L to my 1992 GT and it looks like one of the previous owners just welded up the seams where the factory metal parts overlap. There doesn't appear to be any additional metal. I plan on installing lower torque box reinforcements out of an abundance of caution; I haven't decided on upper torque box reinforcements. My other cars never had a hint of torque box damage when using the Steeda arms, so I don't expect to have any issues with this car.
Nice to see a video. Can you talk about the s550 gt irs diffs? I want too swap it into my 340 mopar powered 260z. going to drag race and do some autocross. its crazy how badly the poly bushings cracked. the torque box looks great, leave the battle scares for now!
@@PhilthyHorseRacing well I have a 2600lb car hopefully make 4-500 hp. I want to do spherical bearings and all the like. Basically what I want to know is what it's like actually using the diff if it loud are can really take the abuse? How are the oem axles well driving hard. And launching specifically. In my other z at an autox event I had all new rubber bushings and after full tilt going to hard braking the diff would shift in place and the drive shaft would rub the sway bar. So I will probably solidly mount the pumpkin.
@@SeanOBryanZZ I don't have a lot of experience with s550 differentials, so I can't offer advice on how much power/abuse they can take over time. I can say that I've seen (and driven) a lot of s550 Mustang GTs at autocross events and I haven't seen a diff fail. Most of those cars have 400 hp or more. As a general rule, I always upgrade OEM bushings to something that will hold up better under autocross conditions. I use Full Tilt Boogie Racing bushings/mounts in my IRS SN95 Mustangs. Your project sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun!
The rear control arm torque specs in the video are from the Ford Service Manual. I usually split the difference between the two numbers, but other people might do it differently.
I have used the Steeda aluminum control arms in the past. They are by far the best bang for the buck control arms out there. Losing the extra 6.5pounds is just icing on the cake. Glad the torque boxes weren’t toast. I am curious to see how you get the remaining 300 pounds off. I am curious if you plan on tubing the car in front of the shock towers. I know that would save about 50 pounds. Still leaves a lot weight to remove to make the goal. I am excited to see how you get there.
The Steeda arms (steel & aluminum) have served me well out on course over the years. The steel arms I took out of my 2000 GT looked almost brand new after well over 100 autocross events. It was a big relief that the torque boxes didn't need to be replaced. The remaining 200 lbs. is going to be tough. I spend a lot of time looking at the car and asking, "Can that part be lighter?" I'll have to make some aggressive decisions and find some inventive solutions, but the 2023 rules have given me some more options. I don't think I'll go with a full tubular front end, but I will be swapping in some lighter metal parts up front. I'm hoping to get a lot more weight out during the off-season.
@@warhorseracing I have seen a few people go in and trim every little area on the sheet metal that doesn’t show. Would save some money and drop weight down to fiberglass weight. Remove inner fenders saves a little, not sure if the rules allow. The rear fiberglass hatch will save a decent amount as would a fiberglass hood. About 20 for fenders, 15 for hood and 20 for hatch. Still a ways to go. I know a long tube header would drop some weight and add a little torque. I think rear discs could drop a little rotational weight. I think Stainless Steel Brakes Corp has a light streetable set.
@@gr8whitestang613 I'm definitely considering lightweight body panels. But, because there are very long lead times on some of those parts (6 months or more) and they are very expensive, I'm going to initially focus on removing all the weight that I can from other areas (within the rules). If I can get 450 lbs. out, then I'll know the lightweight body panels can get me to 500 lbs. There's a lot of researching and revising, but I think I can get most of the weight out without cutting up the car too much. I'm sure I will have to make some aggressive mods along the way. I'm also thinking about weight balance in addition to just getting the car lighter.
The baffle on the 03-04 cobra is in the middle of the tank if remember correctly. That's where the fuel hat sits. It's in different location from foxbody mustang.
Great tutorial as always. Just wondering how you came up with 500 lbs that you must remove from apocalypso. Is that really attainable without radical mods? I know the lighter the better. I took about 200lbs out of my 92 fox 5.0L along with suspension mods and it handles much better.
Thank you! When I decided on this project, one of the SCCA classes I was considering had a minimum weight of 2,500 lbs. without the driver. The rules changed for 2023 and that minimum weight is now 2,680 lbs. with the driver. I weigh 180 lbs., so I'm still shooting for this car to weigh 2,500 lbs. when it's done. Taking 500 lbs. out allows me to add back 100 lbs. of suspension/bracing/rims & tires. My estimates put me at well over 400 lbs. before having to install lightweight body panels. I will definitely have to make some aggressive mods to get to 500 lbs., but my initial focus is on mods most people can make.
I have a set of BBK boxed style UCA that came with the lowers and never installed them, I was thinking about using the 3 piece poly bushings for the torque box side and the stock rubbers for the rear end.. Should I try that out, or should I go poly or spherical on the rear end side?? Just street driving for now, pretty happy with the handling already, but definitely would love a cheap improvement especially since I already have the arms.. Just bouncing the question off of you in case you have any suggestions or recommendations…Thanks in advance, another great video.. Also I love apocalypso, there’s not many colors better on a Hatchback lx than calypso..
My strategy for my autocross cars has always been composure at the chassis/articulation at the axle. That is based on behavior at the limit of traction and how far out I need that limit to be. A street car has different considerations. You aren't (or at least you shouldn't be) driving the car at the limit of traction, and you don't necessarily want to deal with the added NVH of spherical bushings in the upper differential housing location. If you're not concerned about NVH, I would install the BBK UCAs with 3-piece poly bushings along with J&M spherical UDH bushings. Having said that, I actually used poly UDH bushings on my 1992 GT and my 2000 GT for many years (both cars were autocrossed & driven to and from events). They handled very well, but the spherical bushings were a big improvement when I made the change. Poly is a good option for a street car. Your OEM rubber UDH bushings are most likely worn out by now; if the replacement cost is anywhere near the cost of poly ($25) or spherical ($90), I'd recommend upgrading. I got very lucky with Apocalypso. I never think about the color when I buy my autocross cars, I'm just looking for good bones. But I really like the color on that car.
Hello. I was wondering, you have shed nearly 300 lbs. How has the car character changed already. I must accelerate better with less weight to carry? An I was pleased to hear that it is less nervous in the rear.
I've only driven the car about 40 miles since taking the weight out (it's being worked on most of the time). The weight balance is still not ideal, but it does accelerate a bit faster than it did before. I've only driven it on the street, so I haven't been very aggressive with the car. It's always fun to drive a car during a build to start getting a sense of its potential.
On this car, I used Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer. I've had good luck with it in the past, but I make sure to prep the surface really well. Although it's not made specifically for rust, I've also had great results using VHT Roll Bar & Chassis paint on various components.
Having a 2.3 my self I have plans for its suspension when I restore it. I have read about bind issues with the rear suspension and one of the things people swear up and down is not to use any type of bushing other than OEM rubber for the UCA due to the bind issues. Using the 3 piece design from steeda does the rear end of the car feel good or has it binded on you?
I used the Steeda steel rear upper and lower control arms on my 2000 GT for 5 autocross seasons. I have the Steeda aluminum rear upper and lower control arms on my 1992 GT (which is also an autocross car). I've done over 100 autocross events with those control arms on my cars and "quadra-bind" was never an issue. Most people lower these cars too much, use springs that are too stiff and rear shocks that are also too stiff. When the car suffers snap oversteer, they blame "quadra-bind" instead of their setup. "Quadra-bind" is a real thing, but these arms made my cars handle better, not worse. You can see how my 1992 GT handles with the Steeda aluminum rear control arms in my "ThoroughbRED" results videos. If you have any other questions, please ask. I'm always happy to help.
I think having spherical bushings or the ones you have are pretty much a better modification than a Panhard bar or a torque arm. Aftermarket control arms especially the uppers get a bad rep because people buy cheap solid bushings which make the car handle worse.
I know a lot of people who love their TA/PB setup (and they're very fast), but it has never been my first choice for getting my cars to handle. My 1992 GT with the Steeda aluminum rear control arms, spherical UDH bushings, and a Steeda adjustable rear sway bar (along with other mods) handles pretty well. I hope I'm showing people that there's more than one way to build a capable autocross Mustang. It doesn't take much to make these cars handle a lot better or a lot worse than stock.
Was the reason you used the steel version of these rear control arms in the 2000 GT because you knew you were going to swap them anyway for the IRS? Or was there another consideration in going with a heavier material?
@@J0bab I appreciate you checking out my videos! I haven't had any durability issues with the aluminum rear control arms. I don't drive the car on the street very much, but it has done a bunch of autocross events over the years.
nice photos. the sound is better. Awesome work Warhorse.
Thanks! I've been working on figuring out the sound issue. I'm glad it's improving.
I was never into some of the issues along the lines of what was here, including 4 bangers, weight distribution and weight reduction, until I got a 1984 Fiero with the 2.5L Iron Duke. While I wasn't a fan of the small size, the shear light weight of the car, superior weight distribution and efficiency of the 4 banger had me in love. It was the most fun driving car I ever had, despite the engine. It was an oversized go cart.
Having also owned a stock '90 Mustang GT it made me wonder what you could do with the 2.3L equipped Fox, and here you are doing it. What you have already done is fantastic. Can't wait to see more!!
Also, I'm resto-modding an 02 Mustang V6 5spd and was questioning the whole control arm/torque box thing myself. I think you cleared some things up for me as far as what control arms and bushings to use in the future.
Would you say a panhard rod would also benefit if you use these Steeda arms?
Thanks for checking out the video! I've got some fun stuff planned for this project. One of my cars is an IRS-swapped 2004 V6. It's a blast to drive out on course because it's really well balanced. A Panhard bar has never been my first choice for making these cars handle better. I do know many people who use (and love) their Torque Arm/Panhard bar setup. And their cars handle really well. Whether you run a larger rear sway bar, an adjustable rear sway bar, a Watt's link, or a Panhard bar comes down to personal preference (and the SCCA Rules). Other mods matter too. My advice would be to get a good set of adjustable shocks and struts and a larger rear sway bar (if you have the OEM front V6 sway bar an OEM GT 23mm rear sway bar will work), a good set of rear control arms, spherical upper differential housing bushings (often called bearings), forward-offset A-arm bushings, and CC Plates, then dial the car in with adjustments. That's usually a good starting point. You can always add a Panhard bar later, if you feel you need one. Check out my "Budget Autocross" playlist, it covers some good solid rear axle mods that will make the car handle much better.
@@warhorseracing Thanks for the response! In doing research after purchasing the 02, I was surprised to find out Ford chickened out altogether and just left a rear bar off our New Edges, so I already did exactly what you've suggested. I put a used New Edge GT bar off Ebay on it which made a nice upgrade.
My very next upgrades were going to be front and rear strut tower braces and then frame connectors, as I've heard about how flexible these bodies are. Now what's going through my head is what's more important, stiffened body or straightening out the factory squirrely rear end issues? (I still have flashbacks of bad experiences pushing the 90 GT past its limits, on the street no less - I was a stupid kid)
I'll look into all the other parts you suggested. I've already been binge watching your other videos. I'm on a really tight budget with this project and while it's still in restoration phase and I don't have immediate plans to autocross it or even push it very hard right now, I do at the VERY LEAST want something my upgraded daily driver 2010 Corolla S won't put to shame with even just a little spirited cornering (which it currently does believe it or not).
Thanks for all the info you share. I can tell you really know what you're doing, which usually goes with people who actually have to get something done and be successful at it, instead of just follow trends and "look the part" (like feel good and look good street car trends).
Don't understand why your channel doesn't have more viewers and subs? Maybe YT's algorithm hasn't snatched you up yet.
@@HAL-dm1eh I'm always happy to help. When I bought my V6, I was surprised it didn't have a rear sway bar. Adding a rear bar helps get the car neutral. Every input goes through the chassis, so I'm a big proponent of chassis bracing. My strategy is always to start with a strong foundation. But, if you plan on driving the car more than racing the car, you can get the rear suspension sorted first. The trick is to find the right balance for your build. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about mods as you work on your car.
Thanks for the kind words about my channel. I'm trying to create a trustworthy resource for people driving these cars.
Can’t wait to see the final weight and it on the track 👍🏻
Thanks! I still have a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to getting the rest of the weight out and getting the car ready to do battle!
It's wild that you post a vid on Rear Control Arms. Just put some Metcos Aluminum Arms in the Vic. Way stronger than the stock stamped pieces.
What year? I miss my '98, and while I always wanted the updated suspension and PI engine Panthers, I would still take it back in a heartbeat. HUGE mistake selling that car! I found the rear suspension and overall balance even on the '98 to be really well done.
@@HAL-dm1eh It's a 2008 P71 model. The Homies asked if it's for sale and I always say $6,000 lol.
I always love seeing Crown Vics being thrown around on an autocross course!
@@warhorseracing It's been awhile. Been Bracket Racing.
looks like the previous owner bought the SVE (or similar) torque box reinforcements but didn't drill the holes into the car for the sandwich plates that needed to be welded and instead welded the reinforcements into the torque box lol. I recommend buying the interior plates for the upper torque box reinforcement kit and drilling the holes for the hardware, that is the hard part but that's really where the reinforcement comes from
I compared the 2.3L to my 1992 GT and it looks like one of the previous owners just welded up the seams where the factory metal parts overlap. There doesn't appear to be any additional metal. I plan on installing lower torque box reinforcements out of an abundance of caution; I haven't decided on upper torque box reinforcements. My other cars never had a hint of torque box damage when using the Steeda arms, so I don't expect to have any issues with this car.
Another great video
Thank you!
Loved it.
Thank you!
Very nice! Those stock arms are pretty whimpy.
Thank you! The OEM arms are definitely a weak link in the rear suspension.
Nice to see a video. Can you talk about the s550 gt irs diffs? I want too swap it into my 340 mopar powered 260z. going to drag race and do some autocross. its crazy how badly the poly bushings cracked. the torque box looks great, leave the battle scares for now!
What do you want to know? I autox an s550 gt
@@PhilthyHorseRacing well I have a 2600lb car hopefully make 4-500 hp. I want to do spherical bearings and all the like. Basically what I want to know is what it's like actually using the diff if it loud are can really take the abuse? How are the oem axles well driving hard. And launching specifically. In my other z at an autox event I had all new rubber bushings and after full tilt going to hard braking the diff would shift in place and the drive shaft would rub the sway bar. So I will probably solidly mount the pumpkin.
@@SeanOBryanZZ I don't have a lot of experience with s550 differentials, so I can't offer advice on how much power/abuse they can take over time. I can say that I've seen (and driven) a lot of s550 Mustang GTs at autocross events and I haven't seen a diff fail. Most of those cars have 400 hp or more. As a general rule, I always upgrade OEM bushings to something that will hold up better under autocross conditions. I use Full Tilt Boogie Racing bushings/mounts in my IRS SN95 Mustangs. Your project sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun!
77-100ft lbs for the lower
Control arm bolts…so where are you
guys setting the torque wrench to?
The rear control arm torque specs in the video are from the Ford Service Manual. I usually split the difference between the two numbers, but other people might do it differently.
I have used the Steeda aluminum control arms in the past. They are by far the best bang for the buck control arms out there. Losing the extra 6.5pounds is just icing on the cake. Glad the torque boxes weren’t toast.
I am curious to see how you get the remaining 300 pounds off. I am curious if you plan on tubing the car in front of the shock towers. I know that would save about 50 pounds. Still leaves a lot weight to remove to make the goal. I am excited to see how you get there.
The Steeda arms (steel & aluminum) have served me well out on course over the years. The steel arms I took out of my 2000 GT looked almost brand new after well over 100 autocross events.
It was a big relief that the torque boxes didn't need to be replaced.
The remaining 200 lbs. is going to be tough. I spend a lot of time looking at the car and asking, "Can that part be lighter?" I'll have to make some aggressive decisions and find some inventive solutions, but the 2023 rules have given me some more options. I don't think I'll go with a full tubular front end, but I will be swapping in some lighter metal parts up front. I'm hoping to get a lot more weight out during the off-season.
@@warhorseracing I have seen a few people go in and trim every little area on the sheet metal that doesn’t show. Would save some money and drop weight down to fiberglass weight. Remove inner fenders saves a little, not sure if the rules allow. The rear fiberglass hatch will save a decent amount as would a fiberglass hood. About 20 for fenders, 15 for hood and 20 for hatch. Still a ways to go. I know a long tube header would drop some weight and add a little torque. I think rear discs could drop a little rotational weight. I think Stainless Steel Brakes Corp has a light streetable set.
@@gr8whitestang613 I'm definitely considering lightweight body panels. But, because there are very long lead times on some of those parts (6 months or more) and they are very expensive, I'm going to initially focus on removing all the weight that I can from other areas (within the rules). If I can get 450 lbs. out, then I'll know the lightweight body panels can get me to 500 lbs. There's a lot of researching and revising, but I think I can get most of the weight out without cutting up the car too much. I'm sure I will have to make some aggressive mods along the way. I'm also thinking about weight balance in addition to just getting the car lighter.
Have you had any fuel slosh issues? I've been told the 03/04 cobra tank is baffled from the factory and bolts in all the fox/sn95 cars.
The baffle on the 03-04 cobra is in the middle of the tank if remember correctly. That's where the fuel hat sits. It's in different location from foxbody mustang.
I have had fuel slosh issues with my 1992 GT on course. I run all my cars with a full tank to prevent any stalling issues.
Great tutorial as always. Just wondering how you came up with 500 lbs that you must remove from apocalypso. Is that really attainable without radical mods? I know the lighter the better. I took about 200lbs out of my 92 fox 5.0L along with suspension mods and it handles much better.
Thank you! When I decided on this project, one of the SCCA classes I was considering had a minimum weight of 2,500 lbs. without the driver. The rules changed for 2023 and that minimum weight is now 2,680 lbs. with the driver. I weigh 180 lbs., so I'm still shooting for this car to weigh 2,500 lbs. when it's done. Taking 500 lbs. out allows me to add back 100 lbs. of suspension/bracing/rims & tires. My estimates put me at well over 400 lbs. before having to install lightweight body panels. I will definitely have to make some aggressive mods to get to 500 lbs., but my initial focus is on mods most people can make.
Thank you for the response. Clear and concise answer. You have great channel
I have a set of BBK boxed style UCA that came with the lowers and never installed them, I was thinking about using the 3 piece poly bushings for the torque box side and the stock rubbers for the rear end.. Should I try that out, or should I go poly or spherical on the rear end side?? Just street driving for now, pretty happy with the handling already, but definitely would love a cheap improvement especially since I already have the arms.. Just bouncing the question off of you in case you have any suggestions or recommendations…Thanks in advance, another great video.. Also I love apocalypso, there’s not many colors better on a Hatchback lx than calypso..
My strategy for my autocross cars has always been composure at the chassis/articulation at the axle. That is based on behavior at the limit of traction and how far out I need that limit to be. A street car has different considerations. You aren't (or at least you shouldn't be) driving the car at the limit of traction, and you don't necessarily want to deal with the added NVH of spherical bushings in the upper differential housing location. If you're not concerned about NVH, I would install the BBK UCAs with 3-piece poly bushings along with J&M spherical UDH bushings. Having said that, I actually used poly UDH bushings on my 1992 GT and my 2000 GT for many years (both cars were autocrossed & driven to and from events). They handled very well, but the spherical bushings were a big improvement when I made the change. Poly is a good option for a street car. Your OEM rubber UDH bushings are most likely worn out by now; if the replacement cost is anywhere near the cost of poly ($25) or spherical ($90), I'd recommend upgrading. I got very lucky with Apocalypso. I never think about the color when I buy my autocross cars, I'm just looking for good bones. But I really like the color on that car.
@@warhorseracing Thanks again!! Much appreciated!!
Hello. I was wondering, you have shed nearly 300 lbs. How has the car character changed already. I must accelerate better with less weight to carry? An I was pleased to hear that it is less nervous in the rear.
I've only driven the car about 40 miles since taking the weight out (it's being worked on most of the time). The weight balance is still not ideal, but it does accelerate a bit faster than it did before. I've only driven it on the street, so I haven't been very aggressive with the car. It's always fun to drive a car during a build to start getting a sense of its potential.
What rust inhibitor do you use/have had luck with?
On this car, I used Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer. I've had good luck with it in the past, but I make sure to prep the surface really well. Although it's not made specifically for rust, I've also had great results using VHT Roll Bar & Chassis paint on various components.
Having a 2.3 my self I have plans for its suspension when I restore it. I have read about bind issues with the rear suspension and one of the things people swear up and down is not to use any type of bushing other than OEM rubber for the UCA due to the bind issues. Using the 3 piece design from steeda does the rear end of the car feel good or has it binded on you?
I used the Steeda steel rear upper and lower control arms on my 2000 GT for 5 autocross seasons. I have the Steeda aluminum rear upper and lower control arms on my 1992 GT (which is also an autocross car). I've done over 100 autocross events with those control arms on my cars and "quadra-bind" was never an issue. Most people lower these cars too much, use springs that are too stiff and rear shocks that are also too stiff. When the car suffers snap oversteer, they blame "quadra-bind" instead of their setup. "Quadra-bind" is a real thing, but these arms made my cars handle better, not worse. You can see how my 1992 GT handles with the Steeda aluminum rear control arms in my "ThoroughbRED" results videos. If you have any other questions, please ask. I'm always happy to help.
I think having spherical bushings or the ones you have are pretty much a better modification than a Panhard bar or a torque arm. Aftermarket control arms especially the uppers get a bad rep because people buy cheap solid bushings which make the car handle worse.
I know a lot of people who love their TA/PB setup (and they're very fast), but it has never been my first choice for getting my cars to handle. My 1992 GT with the Steeda aluminum rear control arms, spherical UDH bushings, and a Steeda adjustable rear sway bar (along with other mods) handles pretty well. I hope I'm showing people that there's more than one way to build a capable autocross Mustang. It doesn't take much to make these cars handle a lot better or a lot worse than stock.
Was the reason you used the steel version of these rear control arms in the 2000 GT because you knew you were going to swap them anyway for the IRS? Or was there another consideration in going with a heavier material?
My 2000 GT needed a lot of work when I got it, and the steel arms fit into my budget at the time.
Thanks! Wanted to ensure it wasn’t a durability concern. Thanks for the fantastic videos!
@@J0bab I appreciate you checking out my videos! I haven't had any durability issues with the aluminum rear control arms. I don't drive the car on the street very much, but it has done a bunch of autocross events over the years.