| VAEM |
May 13, 2010 06:01 PM |
Steeda X-Series Ball Joints For Lowered Mustangs
Suspension geometry is a very complicated subject, one that few people fully understand. Relative to our Mustangs, what most people do not realize is that whenever you alter the ride height of your car, as you do when installing lowering springs, you dramatically alter your suspension geometry. We are not talking about wheel alignments here – rather we are talking about steering geometry changes that have a discernable impact on your overall vehicle’s performance.
That is why Steeda have announced their X2 and X5 Balljoint kits for 1994-2009 Mustangs. These provide an easy fix to correct the problem that every lowered Mustang will experience. Their X2 / X5 Balljoints improve your vehicle’s suspension geometry on by raising the spindle relative to the balljoint pivot-point. This in turn raises the vehicle’s roll center back into the correct range for optimum handling, resulting in reduced body roll, quicker steering response and improved front tire grip – all key components for maximum vehicle performance.
This is necessary because when a Mustang is lowered, the front roll center changes due to the new position of the suspension pivot points. Lower the car too much and the front roll center drops to well below ground level, and worse than that, the roll center moves side to side as the body rolls, resulting in lost grip and erratic handling. Additionally, the lower roll center causes the body to roll more easily. Countering this tendency usually requires a significant increase in front spring rates to simply control the added roll due to the lowered the roll center. This higher spring rate not only hurts ride quality, but it also reduces grip on rough surfaces, as the stiffer springs cause the tire to skip over bumps instead of following the contours of the road. Steeda says the X2 /X5 balljoints were designed eliminate these problems by correcting the front roll center geometry perfectly.
The Steeda X2 balljoint has a longer shaft which rasies the spindle relative to the balljoint pivot point. Spacers for the springs are included in the X2 kit to maintain the same ride height as a stock balljoint, but with a much improved roll center height. With the roll center restored to proper height, smaller front swaybars and softer springs can be utilized. The result is a suspension that works for you to accommodate the small and large imperfections that are in any road or track, allowing the tires to remain firmly planted on the ground where they belong.
|
