Question for you guys.

What is the advantage of an FC Subframe Swap over stock?

Would a Re-Speed kit be superior to the FC Subframe Swap?

Thanks.

 

ReSpeed kit is superior to the FC swap.

FC swap gives you rack and pinion on the cheap and somewhat easy to do. There are some
how-to's out there. The biggest problem I see is the FC subframe uses side engine mounts and
not front crossmember for us with the 12a's.

 

Couldn't speak of the pros and cons for both, but I have the RE-Speed kit and it's almost entirely bolt on, aside from a couple parts that need cutting. It also has tons of adjustment, as well as the choice between the two racks.

 

From what I have observed over my own searching for the same thing.

Re-Speed Pros:

• 99% Bolt In
• Quick Ratio Steering Rack Available
• Can still use front cover mounting
• Comes in a variety of awesome colors
• "Night and Day difference" between stock wondersteer and re-speed kit.

Re-Speed Cons:

• Costs and arm, leg, and first born. [$1,000+]

FC Subframe Pros:

• Rack and Pinion
• FC Front Suspension [huge range of FC steering and suspension bits]
• FC Front Brakes [Access to all the FC brake parts and upgrades]
• Can use an FC engine without need for 12A/SE Front Cover or SE Oil Pan
• The swap itself can likely be had for alot less than the re-speed swap but as noted in the cons, your swapping in used parts.

FC Subframe Cons [if your not a welder or don't have access to someone who is]:

• Requires Drilling and Welding to get the subframe in
• Requires trimming and welding to get the steering column connected
• Requires more drilling and welding to mount swaybar
• All will be used parts so might need rebuilds: Rack, Brakes, Bearings, Suspension etc.
• Not sure if this is right but requires modification to get the strut tops to fit.
• Not sure if this is right as well but I am not sure wether the engine mounts in the same "position" as it does stock allowing you to use the stock transmission crossmember without having to modify it to account for forward or backward movement from the swap.

Here's a good video overview for the FC Subframe Swap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NmCfxRR_EQ


All in all I would opt to spend the money on the RE-Speed kit, seems to be less of a hastle and is of extremely good quality.

 

DF,

DarrenTRS pretty much listed all of the pros and cons. The FC subframe swap would be a "cheaper" way to get steering and brake upgrades if a person has the ability to do the modifications needed. The Respeed kit is essentialy bolton, quick ratio racks available, top notch quality, but it only addresses steering.

Is this for your SE? If so, you already have brakes, so that benefit from the FC swap would be useless. Are you swapping your motor? If so, you could save yourself the trouble of having to swap front covers, but this is a miniscule task when swapping a motor. This would be more beneficial if you plan on swapping motors frequently without rebuilds, or you just prefer FC mounts.

I debated the FC subframe swap for some time, but have decided on the Respeed rack. I already have TII brakes, coilovers, and camber plates. I just want to address the steering, so that is the best option for me.

Keep us posted on what you decide. Either way we need some new videos of your sweetass ride

 

Thanks for the Replies guys. I do have the TII brakes in the front, although only with Tokico shocks and Eibachs.

I will be rebuilding my engine in the near future, as a side seal has cracked. But before I put it in the car again, I plan to eliminate the A/C (never really used it) and Power Steering from the car to make things cleaner under the hood, and relocate the intercooler to a more "stealth" installation.

I do want a rack, as eventually I will install my Mode One kit on the car, even if it's another few years from now. I want to lessen the force needed to turn real "wide" wheels.

I have contacted Re-Speed earlier, and they stated that I need a couple of parts from a NON Power Steering car to get my setup correct.

The only issue I have with the Re-Speed kit is that I need to save up a little for it. My money situation has changed dramatically from a few years ago (Mortgage business). Otherwise I would have ordered it a while ago.

 

With the GSL-SE having the 13b setup, can we expect the FC Subframe swap to be more of a "bolt on" deal?

~Mike

 

No, the -SE engine mounting is like all other first generation. The FC mounts moved a great deal.

-billy

 

If I remember right Billy you had a customer who requested additional parts for their RE-Speed R&P kit to include side engine mount adapters for their FB.

Also, is there any advantage to using the FC lower control arms vs. the FB set-up? Because that's really the only part that attracts me to that subframe idea, since everything else can still be done with the stock cross-member with little welding.

 

I investigated both as well, and hands down went with the ReSpeed kit. Installation was straight forward and the result is a world of difference. I want to hit myself for not doing it sooner.

Like you - finances were an issue, but you get what you pay for. Customer service is top notch with Billy as well, so you don't feel cheated at all! Parts are high quality to back up the cost. It is pricey, but well worth it.

 

The FC control arms wouldn't work with the RE-speed setup without a bunch of modifications. Billy had rumored at one point that he was working on a center iron mounting system so the FC engine would be a bolt in, but as far as I know he didn't move forward with them (although he might be in secret!)
I made my own center iron mounts that bolt to one of the crossmember studs and one of the holes in the frame that used to hold the steering box/idler arm. It's been there for a few years now and so far no issues at all, although it was a lot of work and time to fabricate. Main advantage for me though is that it allowed use of the S5 omp without modding/changing the front cover....

 

There have been a few guys work up their own FC style engine mounts. We have not moved forward on this and likely will not.

I did not want to come into DF's thread and turn it into a Respeed commercial. I am not a pushy kind of guy. So please do not take my responses here as anything other than a trying to be helpful.

Even if you decide to do the FC swap, I will help any way I can.

-billy

 

No, I have to say - you aren't. Even in a few private PM's you didn't push me in one direction or the other, - you just stated facts.
You are a very classy guy here, Not to mention a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge.

Plus you are the only vendor that I know of that is still making new and original parts for the first gen.

Please take this as my blessing to plug your products and the reasoning behind why they are superior - all day long.

 

Thanks, Billy!

 

Agreed, I've got most of his catalog on my FB's and he is a great guy to deal with. Definatly one of the best.

 

I had to find a non-PS column when I did mine, but that was probably the only stumbling block in the whole install. Loving the kit now.

 

You needed the whole column?

 

Well yeah, the steering shaft and the housing. P/S column is different from manual and won't really work.

 

You need the upper half of the steering shaft (it seperates in the middle with 2 plastic sheer pins) as well as the whole column tube (for lack of a better term) which you can simply pull out of the steering box, no need to disasemble the box itself.

I believe the whole thing is different on the PS cars, so you will want to get everything from a non-PS car, also when you do that make sure you know the year (mainly if its a SA vs FB column) as the steering box end of the tube is different and Billy will need to know which one you have in order to give you the correct bushing and tube support bracket.

 

Interesting video.....a few questions, what does one do about the knuckles/spindles/struts?

All that from an FC?

For some reason I thought the FC had a wider wheel base than the FB, and as a result always thought the swap would be sketchy at best.

 

comparing the respeed rack and my stock gslse steering = no comparison.

would there be anyway to get some kind of ps assistance ? or is it completely unnecessary (if one was to go with widebody etc)

 

Thanks guys, I am blushing

The major thing I have seen with the FC subframe install is that when bolted up most use the original front subframe bolt as the starting point. Really the engine/trans mounted within the chassis in the proper location should be how you base the subframe location. This may or may not line up correctly, I have never tried.

The track width is different. Also, from what I have seen with the subframe bolted on the front bolt the front wheels are further forward than the first gen. The front of the wheel arch needs to be trimmed to clear the tires.

The power steering housing/shaft are different than non-power steering cars. The parts you require will be the upper steering shaft with the spline for the steering wheel and the "black" outer housing that goes all the way thru the firewall down to the steering box. This is a split housing so you must take care not to slip the split joint when removing it from the steering box.

There are power steering racks for the fox chassis mustang that can be used with our kit. You would need to work out the pressure requirements from the pump to the rack as well as the brackets to mount the pump. It can be done though.


-billy

 

I am running 205/50/15's with a somewhat smallish steering wheel ( 13.8 in) and the 20-1 rack and the steering effort is low enough that I cannot imigine needing power assist even with a W/B and the larger tires.

 

Billy, any chance you might want to set up a good discount for a Group Buy?

 

^^^ +1 im with DF!!!! tired of the play in my steering ...