Radial Tuned Suspension

[Adrian853 13]

Hey folks, looking to understand what is generally considered the best option for setting up the XA falcon to run more modern geometry and ‘correct’ the negative camber, low caster factory set up.
 
I appreciate ‘best’ is subjective and what I mean by that is a clean, value for money solution that doesn’t introduce a bunch of other problems that require solving to create street performance orientated and predictable handling.
 
I’d also be looking to lower the vehicle using King’s low coils and Koni short-stroke dampers with 15x7, 225/60R15 all round.
 
Camber: I understand later X-series models came with taller spindles which improves the camber curve slightly but comes with tie rod size differences and potentially bump steer issues?
‘Shelby mod’ I believe requires a negative wedge kit for the ball joint angle. The negative wedge kits don't seem like a very clean solution.
 
Caster: the ‘Shelby mod’ seems to typically involve moving the A-arm mounts 1/8” back which I presume is to increase the caster?
 
Aftermarket A-arms: the Global West MNR-733 arms for 67-73 Mustangs seem like a great option for caster and camber.
 
Coilover Swap; CRS have what looks like a good coil-over swap kit that looks to solve all the issues but it’s obviously a bigger investment and I’d read one person somewhere suggesting the quality of fabrication on the A-arms isn’t great.
 
It seems to me that the best option would be A-arms like the GW that have camber built in and a ball joint angle set up for the Shelby drop.
 
Bushes; for street, it seems best to stick with rubber throughout but urethane or solid on the strut rods to control movement under braking.
 
Camber plates; what’s the spec for these to maintain the alignment?
 
Sway-bar diameter; I’d think not to go too large here. Say, 27mm?
 
Please share your thoughts and experiences with different set-ups and what you would recommend. It would be great to get some consensus on a full set-up down to the specification of bushes and camber plates.
 
 
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[deankxf 20,292]

2 hours ago, Adrian853 said:

Please share your thoughts and experiences with different set-ups

is it an XA falcon? (from Australia)

if so, then it should have in to My understanding the same spindles as the later cars @bear351c may be able to confirm

 

if i had one, i'd go no lower than king lows.

get if they still make them KMAC camber bolts( the pre XE bolts are a smaller diameter and more prone to slip, depending on road conditions)
 

@SPArKy_Dave and I generally go for zero camber and 2mm toe in and caster i can't remember. 

 

good quality rubber bushes in everything other than nolathane sway bar bushes. 

stock sway bar should be fine i would imagine, i'd try it first. (i've never upgraded them, depends how you drive i guess, king springs are quite stiff and don't require a thicker bar, but Pedders are softer and they sell a thicker sway bar as a package)

 

that's My 2cents/pence? worth

[Adrian853 13]

It’s for an XA ute from South Africa, so I assume not fundamental difference from the Aussie version.

 

Here’s what I’m thinking for the front;

 

King low springs KFFL-02

Koni shocks 82-1742SP4

Global West Negative Roll A-arms MNR-733

Global West eccentric lock kit Loc-2

Opentracker roller spring perches ORP-1001

SuperPro strut bush SPF2254K

 

Trial the stock sway bar, if it’s fine then put SuperPro bushes on there as well.

 

For the rear;

Reset rear leaves to match however the front ends up in terms of height to get a slight rake.

Koni shocks 80-2319

Global West Del-A-Lum shackles, not sure of the fit or part number for these 106SH maybe? Depends on rear spring eye diameter, the 106SH being for 1.400”-1.410” diameter

 

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[deankxf 20,292]

1 hour ago, Adrian853 said:

Here’s what I’m thinking for the front;

 

King low springs KFFL-02

Koni shocks 82-1742SP4

Global West Negative Roll A-arms MNR-733

Global West eccentric lock kit Loc-2

Opentracker roller spring perches ORP-1001

SuperPro strut bush SPF2254K

@BGDAV fitted the global west arms and the eccentric lock kit for the lower control arms (awesome stuff) 

but the thing to be careful of, is due to the shelby drop the springs weren't relatable (eg, the king lows were like super super low or something, or higher i can't remember)

so BGDAV decided on going adjustable coil over that bolted in still using the global west arms and assume spring perches. (hopefully he'll pop in unless you feel like searching global west and BGDAV for the posts.  (in his XE) 

[Adrian853 13]

[mention=97]BGDAV[/mention] fitted the global west arms and the eccentric lock kit for the lower control arms (awesome stuff) 

but the thing to be careful of, is due to the shelby drop the springs weren't relatable (eg, the king lows were like super super low or something, or higher i can't remember)

so BGDAV decided on going adjustable coil over that bolted in still using the global west arms and assume spring perches. (hopefully he'll pop in unless you feel like searching global west and BGDAV for the posts.  (in his XE) 

I did read a thread where that was mentioned and there was a problem with the wheels tucking too much; thinking about why this might be… I’m sure I’ve also read reliably that later model, defo XE, spindles are 10mm taller. So, if BGDAV had taller spindles and did the full Global West template drop which I believe is 1.5” rather than the usual 1” and combined with lowering springs, then it may have put the UCAs at a very extreme angle - only thing I can think of to explain the situation??

 

Kings don’t list a lot of detail about their spring specification but one vendor listed Low as being a 30mm drop. Pedders 2033 seem to be a 20mm drop.

 

Given the experience you relayed on BGDAVs XE, I think I’ll go with the Pedders.

 

 

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[BGDAV 1,873]

i also had issues since i had a dart block, alloy heads, alloy intake etc, the weight was off was added issue - coil overs fixed it in an afternoon 

[Adrian853 13]

I was looking at getting the King Springs / Koni set-up but the price was way too much; around twice of what I could get Pedders springs and shocks for here in UK. So I went the Pedders route; Sports Ryder coils 2033, big bore gas front shocks 9158, and gas shocks on the rear 9075. I also comforted myself that the spring rates would be better matched to the shocks' damping coefficient compared to springs/shocks from different manufacturers.

 

In my research for what was out there I came up with the following table based heavily on the information that Pedders provide because they are the most transparent. Hopefully this may be of use to others and I would welcome any additions, corrections or clarifications.

• Global West and King there is literally no information available from the manufacturer, so the information I have is pretty speculative.
• For spring drop Global West seem to suggest cold cutting the springs - which I thought was always frowned upon?
• Interestingly, the Global West springs seem to be a lot stiffer than the Pedders.

[deankxf 20,292]

7 hours ago, Adrian853 said:

Interestingly, the Global West springs seem to be a lot stiffer than the Pedders

In My experience, Pedders were the softest of all the aftermarket springs, when i asked/mentioned this to Pedders, they said we recommend a sway bar upgrade also (they sell a package type)

 

[Adrian853 13]

With regards to the Shelby drop and referring below image of the shock tower from the engine bay; if I drill for the upper arms any lower, the holes will be outside of the reinforced area on the shock tower and it doesn’t even look like there is room to get a flat surface for the washer?

What is the best way to solve this? I presume add additional reinforcement?

If you’ve done the Shelby drop, what did you do and how did it work out?




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[SPArKy_Dave 8,881]

There are tubular upper arms available I think, which give a Shelby drop, without drilling new holes.

[bear351c 10,270]

Yes, the holes do land outside the reinforcing on some Falcons. Weld a small tab of steel on so the bolt sits flat, or as @SPArKy_Dave suggested, there are other options available.