1997 Ford Mustang GT Suspension - Beginner's Luck

The stock steering shaft is...        read full caption The stock steering shaft is removed and replaced with Griggs' steering shaft, which is stronger and gives a tighter, more responsive feel to the steering. Remember, if you have airbags in your car, before attaching the new shaft, lock the steering wheel so you don't break the clock spring, which is responsible for proper airbag operation.

Greg mounts the tie rod to...        read full caption Greg mounts the tie rod to the K-member and then installs the new tie-rod ends.

Here is the completed SLA...        read full caption Here is the completed SLA assembly. Like I said, much prettier.

This 0.75-inch-diameter length...        read full caption This 0.75-inch-diameter length of tubing is the biggest adjustable sway bar you'll find on a street car, yet it's remarkably light. Griggs states the bar still weighs about half of a stock antiroll bar. In fact, at the time of installation, this model sway bar had been installed on only three other vehicles, and they were all race cars. Unfortunately, it doesn't mount to the stock position, so some modifications are needed.

I rolled the car back into the shop and without even letting it cool down at all, the guys started ripping apart the interior, pulling out the seats and carpet, and started cutting into the floor to make room for the in-floor subframe connectors. I was apprehensive about installing them at first because I thought the car would be too stiff, but after they put the bars in, welded them up, and replaced the interior, I took it for another drive. I was right about the car being stiffer, but not in the uncomfortable way I expected. Instead the car felt tighter, as if for the first time all pieces were tied together. It felt snug like a machine tied to my slightest movement. On top of that, it was quieter in the cabin. The road noise diminished a bit, and all the creaks and groans of a traditional Mustang were all but gone.

I brought the car back one last time for some fine-tuning. You may not have this available to you, but if you do, I recommend it. The guys at DPR called a friend who brought over a set of scales to corner balance the car. Since the Griggs system provides for infinite ride height and corner weight adjustments-just like any good race car-they said you should do this to obtain maximum benefit from your investment.

I could tell what was going on because they balanced the car with me in it, adding and subtracting adjustments to the coilovers and tie-rod ends to get the perfect balance from front to back and side to side. Although not as extreme, I felt even more change to the ride and handling of the car. On the long drive home from San Diego to L.A., I kept the radio off and instead listened and felt the road all the way home.

When I put the car through the paces at SVTOA's Howling at Buttonwillow (see June '06, "In Case You're Not Going to SEMA"), chasing down cars with far more horsepower, the improved handling became abundantly clear and the car was, well, faster. That being said, it is my goal to get my hands on a set of R-compound tires.

This Mustang stuff is fun.

Alignment Specs

We followed the instructions...        read full caption We followed the instructions carefully, drilling new holes into the framerails and welding this mounting bracket in place, giving the bare metal a quick coat of paint to prevent rust.

Once the bracket is in place,...        read full caption Once the bracket is in place, the installation and adjustment of the sway bar is fairly simple, but you might want to put some thought into where you want the bar set to start. Lengthening the arms will decrease front roll resistance and therefore increases oversteer. Griggs recommends you start in the middle hole, but you can always call the company for more detailed tuning insight.

Before I even had a chance...        read full caption Before I even had a chance to object, Greg was taking his aggressions out on my exhaust pipes. Afterward, he explained that with a Watts link suspension installed, there is no room for stock tailpipes. There's the option to run them out the side in front of the rear tires, but we chose to dump them right after the muffler. We would later weld on some turndown pieces of pipe to alleviate some of the in-car noise.