APPLICATION INFORMATION
The X2
balljoint fits 1994-2004 Mustangs. It also fits 1987-1993 Mustangs that are equipped
with the Ford Racing M-2300-K Cobra Brake conversion kit or Baer 13" or 12 "
American Sedan Brake kits. It will not work with stock 87-93 brakes
because
of interference between the rotor and the repositioned control arm.
"Steeda bump-steer kit", is highly recommended
to prevent bump-steer whenever caster-camber plates are used in combination with
the X2 balljoint.
SUMMARY
Steeda's X2 Balljoint improves suspension geometry on
lowered Mustangs
by raising the spindle relative to the balljoint
pivot-point. This raises the roll
center back into the correct range for
optimum handling, resulting in
reduced body roll, quicker steering response
and improved overall front tire
grip. Steeda's special balljoint reduces the
need for oversize front swaybars
and allows the use of lower front spring
rates, creating more grip over
uneven pavement and better ride
quality.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
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. The lower roll center causes the
body to roll more
easily. Countering this tendency usually requires a
significant increase in
front spring rate 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. The X2 balljoint
was designed to eliminate these problems by
correcting the front roll
center geometry. The X2 balljoint has a longer
shaft, to raise 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 the
proper height, smaller front swaybars and softer
springs can be used.
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
stay planted on the ground where they
belong.
CONSTRUCTION
The balljoints are made in the USA to our
specifications by a respected
name-brand supplier to Ford, GM and Daimler
Chrysler. Except for their
custom length, they are the same materials and
construction that has been
extensively tested in Panther applications, that
is, police cars and other
severe duty applications, where they have
demonstrated durability that
exceeds current production "regular" balljoints.
They meet Ford's standards
for friction, wear, and
durability.
IMPORTANT DETAILS
Because the balljoint changes the
relationship between the lower control
arm and the tie-rod, bump-steer should
be checked whenever the X2
balljoint is installed. With stock caster
settings, offset rack bushings are
often enough to keep bump-steer within
acceptable range. However, when
caster is increased, the rear inclination of
the spindle further raises the
steering arm where the tie-rod attaches.
Therefore, an adjustable tie rod
end, commonly called a "bump-steer kit", is
highly recommended to prevent
bump-steer whenever caster camber plates are
used in combination with
the X2 balljoint.
Mach Performance Parts Does not sell products.