GT handling

[Muztank]

I traded a tuned 2016 wrx for my 2016 GT Premium, Auto, with 20"s, and in daily driving situations it's hugely faster. I love it, it's a real comfortable performance vehicle that I intend on daily driving, and when the power becomes boring, looking to SC it.
I'm not a complete newb to rwd, I've had a carrera s and a few bmws before, admittedly none broke the 400hp barrier. i am entirely new to the muscle car format.
I'll be honest my GT makes me nervous, due to what i think is grip, maybe traction is a better description, or just a light loose rear, to the point I'm 700 miles in and I've already changed the pirellis to dws06's at a cost of $1200, 400 miles ago. This marginally helped. Geting on the gas even slightly out of a junction, particularly if there is the slightest of dampness on the road and the back starts stepping out and traction control saves me. Quick driving (not hammering yet) down twists and I feel like I detect slight movement in corners, flooring it in damp or uneven terrain and keeping it straight feels challenging.
I know my lack of experience driving this type of car is part of the problem here and that will change over time, and I know the back coming out and the whole drifting thing is part of the fun in owning these cars, however, if possible I'd like to improve drastically on the grip/traction/looseness. I'm not looking for a track car, I may autocross and do the occasional track day but what I'm looking for really is confidence under power, and in corners so that I can hoon around the back roads and not have gtis make mincr meat of me because I'm constantly backing off, if that makes any sense?

I guess a few questions would be:
1. Is it normal for a front engined car with this kinda power to be so loose at the back? And am i just being a newb. Eg if i had bought an E92 m3 would I have things like smiliar turning out of a junction with little power applied slippage? My 911 was of course rear engined so traction seemed to be drastically better.
2. Within reasonable budget limits, how do I make it less tail happy? Shocks, springs, braces and bars? Can the "IRS" be further upgraded? Or is that not relevant to my goal.
3. Anyone recommend a place in Washington state/Seattle area where I can learn/be taught to drive this thing like a hero, e.g skidpadand/or a quiet track with vast amounts of run off?

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[T-S550-X]

I had similar issues with the back end unloading hard between shifts. I reached out to [MENTION=10893]David@Steeda[/MENTION], and this was his reply to me for suspension upgrades.

"To keep the rear of the car more planted, I'd recommend as a starting point:

Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Bushing Support System (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Alignment Kit (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear IRS Subframe Support Braces (15-16 Coupe)

Those mods should eliminate about 90% of the wheel hop

If you wanted to take it a step further, I'd look at our:

Steeda S550 Mustang Billet Aluminum Vertical Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Rear Toe Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Differential Bushing Insert System - Urethane (15-16 GT)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear Lower Control Arm Spherical Bearings (15-16 All)

If you ever did want to lower the car we have a modest 1" drop using our Sport linear springs.

Your car will be on a completely new level with the aforementioned mods. We are also very conscious of not increasing NVH with our mods. The differential bushing inserts and the spherical bearings will slightly increase it, although most customers don't seem to mind."

I traded a tuned 2016 wrx for my 2016 GT Premium, Auto, with 20"s, and in daily driving situations it's hugely faster. I love it, it's a real comfortable performance vehicle that I intend on daily driving, and when the power becomes boring, looking to SC it.
I'm not a complete newb to rwd, I've had a carrera s and a few bmws before, admittedly none broke the 400hp barrier. i am entirely new to the muscle car format.
I'll be honest my GT makes me nervous, due to what i think is grip, maybe traction is a better description, or just a light loose rear, to the point I'm 700 miles in and I've already changed the pirellis to dws06's at a cost of $1200, 400 miles ago. This marginally helped. Geting on the gas even slightly out of a junction, particularly if there is the slightest of dampness on the road and the back starts stepping out and traction control saves me. Quick driving (not hammering yet) down twists and I feel like I detect slight movement in corners, flooring it in damp or uneven terrain and keeping it straight feels challenging.
I know my lack of experience driving this type of car is part of the problem here and that will change over time, and I know the back coming out and the whole drifting thing is part of the fun in owning these cars, however, if possible I'd like to improve drastically on the grip/traction/looseness. I'm not looking for a track car, I may autocross and do the occasional track day but what I'm looking for really is confidence under power, and in corners so that I can hoon around the back roads and not have gtis make mincr meat of me because I'm constantly backing off, if that makes any sense?

I guess a few questions would be:
1. Is it normal for a front engined car with this kinda power to be so loose at the back? And am i just being a newb. Eg if i had bought an E92 m3 would I have things like smiliar turning out of a junction with little power applied slippage? My 911 was of course rear engined so traction seemed to be drastically better.
2. Within reasonable budget limits, how do I make it less tail happy? Shocks, springs, braces and bars? Can the "IRS" be further upgraded? Or is that not relevant to my goal.
3. Anyone recommend a place in Washington state/Seattle area where I can learn/be taught to drive this thing like a hero, e.g skidpadand/or a quiet track with vast amounts of run off?

 

[BmacIL]

I would try two things outside of driving practice that are inexpensive and effective:

1. A set of the performance pack rear dampers (2016, better tuning to address highway bounce than the 2015 versions). When I installed these, I had noticeably better grip when getting on the power and it is more predictable as well.

2. One of the rear cradle lockout kits from BMR or Steeda. I like the BMR kit (CB005) better because its simpler and less expensive while being just as effective as the Steeda Bushing Lockouts + Subframe Support braces. This is the next mod for me, but check the reviews...everyone who's installed these has touted the rear end feeling much more planted and predictable, as well as killing most of the wheel hop.

 

[Blue Horse]

I had similar issues with the back end unloading hard between shifts. I reached out to @David@Steeda, and this was his reply to me for suspension upgrades.

"To keep the rear of the car more planted, I'd recommend as a starting point:

Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Bushing Support System (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Alignment Kit (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear IRS Subframe Support Braces (15-16 Coupe)

Those mods should eliminate about 90% of the wheel hop

If you wanted to take it a step further, I'd look at our:

Steeda S550 Mustang Billet Aluminum Vertical Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Rear Toe Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Differential Bushing Insert System - Urethane (15-16 GT)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear Lower Control Arm Spherical Bearings (15-16 All)

If you ever did want to lower the car we have a modest 1" drop using our Sport linear springs.

Your car will be on a completely new level with the aforementioned mods. We are also very conscious of not increasing NVH with our mods. The differential bushing inserts and the spherical bearings will slightly increase it, although most customers don't seem to mind."

All of these MODs have to be done to make this $ 45.000 Mustang handle like it should have come from the factory,that IRS was real improvement over the, as it has been stated truck suspension of the older Mustang. Nuff said.

 

[jbailer]

I had similar issues with the back end unloading hard between shifts. I reached out to [MENTION=10893]David@Steeda[/MENTION], and this was his reply to me for suspension upgrades.

"To keep the rear of the car more planted, I'd recommend as a starting point:

Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Bushing Support System (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Alignment Kit (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear IRS Subframe Support Braces (15-16 Coupe)

Those mods should eliminate about 90% of the wheel hop

If you wanted to take it a step further, I'd look at our:

Steeda S550 Mustang Billet Aluminum Vertical Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Rear Toe Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Differential Bushing Insert System - Urethane (15-16 GT)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear Lower Control Arm Spherical Bearings (15-16 All)

If you ever did want to lower the car we have a modest 1" drop using our Sport linear springs.

Your car will be on a completely new level with the aforementioned mods. We are also very conscious of not increasing NVH with our mods. The differential bushing inserts and the spherical bearings will slightly increase it, although most customers don't seem to mind."

I followed that advice from David@Steeda and it completely transformed the car! I would add a set of the Koni dampers to that list.

 

[50hhh]

The car has better grip than an STI for sure, the added power and lack of 4wd just feels different. I had a highly modded sti and tbh it didn't compare to my GTPP

 

[Colleton]

I guess a few questions would be:
1. Is it normal for a front engined car with this kinda power to be so loose at the back? And am i just being a newb. Eg if i had bought an E92 m3 would I have things like smiliar turning out of a junction with little power applied slippage? My 911 was of course rear engined so traction seemed to be drastically better.
2. Within reasonable budget limits, how do I make it less tail happy? Shocks, springs, braces and bars? Can the "IRS" be further upgraded? Or is that not relevant to my goal.
3. Anyone recommend a place in Washington state/Seattle area where I can learn/be taught to drive this thing like a hero, e.g skidpadand/or a quiet track with vast amounts of run off?

If you're in Washington State I'm thinking that the temps are still fairly cool. If so, that's most of your problem right there. No summer performance tire is really going to do well in cool/cold temps. Even in NW Florida I have to be more careful in the winter for this very reason.

I'd suggest that you wait and go through an entire summer before making any further changes. In my experience, the Pirellis stick like glue in the summer heat.

 

[Muztank]

I had similar issues with the back end unloading hard between shifts. I reached out to [MENTION=10893]David@Steeda[/MENTION], and this was his reply to me for suspension upgrades.

"To keep the rear of the car more planted, I'd recommend as a starting point:

Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Bushing Support System (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang IRS Subframe Alignment Kit (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear IRS Subframe Support Braces (15-16 Coupe)

Those mods should eliminate about 90% of the wheel hop

If you wanted to take it a step further, I'd look at our:

Steeda S550 Mustang Billet Aluminum Vertical Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Rear Toe Links (15-16 All)
Steeda S550 Mustang Adjustable Differential Bushing Insert System - Urethane (15-16 GT)
Steeda S550 Mustang Rear Lower Control Arm Spherical Bearings (15-16 All)

If you ever did want to lower the car we have a modest 1" drop using our Sport linear springs.

Your car will be on a completely new level with the aforementioned mods. We are also very conscious of not increasing NVH with our mods. The differential bushing inserts and the spherical bearings will slightly increase it, although most customers don't seem to mind."

i wasn't expecting such a comprehensive answer this is great actionable stuff thank you!

 

[Muztank]

So I assume an m3 has a better IRS setup included in its 40k+ premium over a GT, and thus is not anywhere near as tail happy/loose?

 

[Muztank]

Also it would probably make sense at the same time as getting all the steeda IRS upgrades to also get the handling pack installed (shocks, springs, braces) to save on total install labor costs right? This stuff quickly adds up lol...I see parts and labor probably reaching $3-$4k!

 

[ForTehNguyen]

BMR CB005, and diff bushing inserts to stabilize the rear end. if you dont want to lower the height, find someones take off performance pack suspension. The OEM tires arent that great to be honest even on the performance pack, hence why I swapped to squared 275/40/19 PSS.

 

[Bartly]

I've been looking into the rear end also, and have a question. Can the BMR CB005 kit be used in conjunction with Steeda's subframe support system (set of alluminum lockout rings)? Or do they do they both control the same thing? Just wondering if they would compliment each other or not.
Sorry, I am not familiar enough with the rear suspension of my GT to know any better.

 

[evo8904]

I've been looking into the rear end also, and have a question. Can the BMR CB005 kit be used in conjunction with Steeda's subframe support system (set of alluminum lockout rings)? Or do they do they both control the same thing? Just wondering if they would compliment each other or not.
Sorry, I am not familiar enough with the rear suspension of my GT to know any better.

Those will not work together. I would get the BMR CB005.

 

[Radiation Joe]

So I assume an m3 has a better IRS setup included in its 40k+ premium over a GT, and thus is not anywhere near as tail happy/loose?

That's pretty funny. I had two e90 M3s and the rear suspension was full of soft rubber just like the Mustang. There's a saying that's been around for a while in the BMW M3 world. "M" stands for "Marketing".

Just as with the M3, fix some of the critical soft points in the suspension and the car will wake up. The M3s in stock form have terrible wheel hop.

 

[Muztank]

That's pretty funny. I had two e90 M3s and the rear suspension was full of soft rubber just like the Mustang. There's a saying that's been around for a while in the BMW M3 world. "M" stands for "Marketing".

Just as with the M3, fix some of the critical soft points in the suspension and the car will wake up. The M3s in stock form have terrible wheel hop.

This makes me happy to know

Just watched the steeda YouTube videos on the bushings and wheel hop system, if you haven't seen them they're well worth a look, HD goPro pointing right at the problem before and after. It's insane how much play/travel stock has!

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