Oops, All Angles!
Big development today, this week in preparation for Just Drift Top Drift Battle! I ordered a set of stock geometry SN95 control arms to replace the forward offset Fox control arms.
MM SN95 stock geometry control arms move the balljoint back 3/4" and out 3/4" from where they were with the MM Fox forward offset arms.
Sub-frame clearance added to give the 245/45R17 tires a little bit more breathing room.
Mad Angles!
The new arms required me to change to SN95 inner tie rods and Ford Taurus outers. Some additional steering rack modifications and a bit more sub-frame clearance should be good for even more angle.
Summary:
- MM Stock geometry SN95 control arms
- Stock sub-frame
- Racecraft Drop Spindles
- Eiback Coilovers on Bilstein shocks
- SN95 Inner Tie Rods
- Ford Taurus Outer Tie Rods or 96+ SN95 Outer Tie Rods
What the Future Holds:
More frame clearance, some rack modifications, and a custom control arm should give us quite a bit more angle to work with.
Remember you will need to align the car after installing these and that they add a significant amount of negative camber.
About Geoff
I have been building cars since about 1996 when I bought a 1966 Chevelle Malibu and modified it. My first exposure to drifting was back in 2004 when the shop (Hotrods to Hell) that I worked at was commissioned to build the 1969 Camaro that was campaigned in the 2005 Formula D series. In order to get a better idea of what the Camaro needed to be capable of I went to the Formula D Irwindale event and was instantly hooked.
My approach to car building is methodical. As you watch along with our build you will notice that we only make a few changed between each episode. I do not believe in throwing a bunch of parts at a problem and hoping it will be solved.
When you are developing a chassis for the first time you need to take you time and establish what I call a "vocabulary for the car." Basically what this means is that you need to learn what impact different parts and modifications will have on the car and on each other.
My roadmap for the Mustang was first to address the inconsistency in the car. The coilovers, panhard bar, and rollcage have done wonders in that direction. Then since this is a drift car, we need to make some drift specific modification, steering angle and LSD. The next move is to fine tune the car, getting the right spring rate, finding alignment settings that work well, trying different sway bars.
If you have any questions for me or suggestions for the car, you can make a post in the forum.
-Geoff
Feel free to make comments and pose intricate questions.
are there any major wheel well modifications to bolt in sn 95 control arms , wil this work w/ stock 4 lug wheels.
I did not have to do any modifications, but fenders do vary with lx fenders being a bit thinner.
ordered some sn-95 contro arms, whats the easiest way to take off the rack limiters.
thanks
The rack limiters are simply "c" shaped teflon spacers. All you need to do to remove them is loosen the dust boots then pull them off.
This is what it looks like under the boots with the spacers removed. Can't find my picture of the spacers.
whats the deal with removing the rack limiters?
Taking out the limiter allows that rack to travel further Combine this with triming the subframe and using tubular control arms and you end up with a significant increase in steering angle.
did you ever consider adding on some spacers behind the inner tierod? that should give you a couple more MM of angle.
Due to the design of the Mustang rack, you can't add spacers to the inside. What will work is shaving down the shoulder on the tie-rod.
Hi
I was wondering if I needed to put the drop spindles when I am making the modifications on the steering. My car is already droped 1.8 inches wont that make my car lower (other mechanics are saying otherwise). I like your work and appreciate that you share with others. I am trying to set up my 5.0 for drifting.
Thank you
Yanic
To answer your question, the drop does not add any angle, but it does improve suspension geometry for the front of the car.
The drop spindles will bring the car down more. I compensated for the drop on the spindle by raising the car on the coil-overs.
I am using a Race Craft, 2" SN95 drop spindle, which when used as a replacement for a FOX spindle yields a 3.5" drop, because the SN95 spindle already represents a drop over the FOX spindle.
Right now I have the coil-overs set to maximum height, and could lower the car 3" or so, but then the crossmember would be sitting on the ground.
I have an SN-95 but I wanna increase my steering angle over stock. Would that simply be a matter of buying tubular control arms and removing the rack limiters?
KB SN95,
That would be a good place to start. Removing the rack limiters will only take a few minutes.
Remember, in order to switch to the tubular arms you will need to have coilovers up front.
Im putting a Rack & Pinon off a 80 Mustang on a 88 S-10 , but the inner tie rod are to long, Can you tell if I can fine one thats shorter?
Thanks for any Help....
The earlier Mustang Tie-Rods ends are shorter then the later ones. Pre-86 would be you best bet. If that is not short enough, you may need to put together something custom.
Here's a crazy question:
What are the dimensions of the control arm?
Length, width and between the bushings?
no reason really...
Haha, the dimensions are the same as the stock SN95 unit.
If I leave my control arms and tie rod ends stock and just remove the rack limiters will I still get more angle?
Yes, but you may run into interference issues.
Because google brings a lot of new visitors to this page, I figure that I would post an update. I tried out a set of forward offset arms on the car, but did not like how it worked. I have decided that for drifting I do not need more then ~3 degrees of castor, so the negative impact of the arms on steering angle alone was more then the benefit of moving the front axle forward 3/4 of an inch. I am also working on a theory about akerman, but it's still in the oven, so maybe in a couple months I will update this post again.
Where did you get the SN95 control arms from???
The ones on my car are from Maximum Motorsports.
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/
im not very good in english but i want to know... the SN95 control arms are the stock arm from a mustang or aftermarket ?
SN95 is a chassis code for Mustangs built between 1994 and 2003. Since my car is an older model, 1990, they control arms are slightly different then the SN95 units.
The SN95 control arms that I am using on my Mustang are aftermarket, built by a company called Maximum Motorsports, but they are designed to copy the factory geometry.
what brand of coilovers are you using? i've been debating between upr or maximum motorports, im currently running maximum motorsport open track spings.
Heya,
I have the Mystic Cobra that is in the build forum and I am wondering if I have rack limiters on my 96 Mystic Drift car? I have the GMS K memb kit with coil overs but still have the stock steering power rack.
Thanx in advance for any info.
Take care & drive safely while smokin em sideways,
Dave
Hi, I was wondering if you need the SN95 lower control arms to run the SN95 spindle, or if you can run the SN95 spindle on the stock fox lower control arm
You can run the SN95 spindle on the stock Fox control arm.
Pre 90 cars don't have rack limiters, correct? I have an 86 and am sort of in the process of getting it more angle. Already have 96+ spindles and 99+ out tie rod ends.
Is the stock rack the best bet or is there a rack that came on a later model Mustang that gives more angle?
how come you guys didnt swap the stock k member for an aftermarker one, (lighter and stiffer), and do a complete coilover conversion and aftermarket a arms all at once? i would amagine less weight up front would make the car handle alot better, especially in our nose heavy foxes. i own an 89 5.0 gt and i was thinking of maybe playin around with drifting.
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