S197, what to modify?
S197 Mustang enjoying the winter sunshine
You’ve bought yourself an S197 (05-14) Mustang and are living the muscle car dream but feel like it could be even better? How about a few things to consider.
BMR Lower control arms
BMR Lower control arms
Upgrading the lower control arms on a 2005–2014 Ford Mustang S197 transforms how the car puts power down and behaves in corners. The factory arms use soft rubber bushings and flexible stamped steel that deflect under load, causing wheel hop, lost traction, and inconsistent handling. Performance arms, like those from BMR Suspension, use rigid construction and firmer polyurethane bushings to keep the rear axle properly located during launches, acceleration, and cornering. That means more power reaches the tyres, the rear end feels tighter and more predictable, and the car responds the same way every time you drive it. You get stronger launches, improved grip, and better driver confidence without spoiling ride comfort, making this one of the most effective suspension upgrades for street and track Mustangs whether your cruising or putting the hammer down.
Brake upgrades
Big brake kit
Once you start to push on a bit in your S197, you may start to discover that the brakes leave a little to be desired.
You have a few options here, from disc and pad upgrades that will help disapate the heat a little quicker and a a bit more bite from the pad material, up to big brake kits from Wilwood or Brembo for when you want to be certain you can stop during the hardest driving.
A great compromise is the powerstop kit shown above, bigger front discs and a 4 pot caliper makes a big difference and are great value.
Lowering Springs
As the standard, the S197 sits quite high, you can give your S197 Mustang a more aggressive, muscular stance with Lowering Springs such as these from BMR Suspension. Over time, stock springs can sag, get rusty, and simply wear out. BMR’s Lowering Spring Kit lowers your Mustang by 1.5 inches and is designed for street performance applications. We can supply a range of brands with varying heights.
Axle back exhaust
Lets be honest, none of us have bought a V8 to sneak about, we all like a bit more noise. With the S197, a popular option is an axle back. This just replaces the rear silencer boxes with some slightly more free flowing ones. For an idea of the sound difference, this is the Magna flow axle backs. They are a bit louder than standard but meant to be something you could live with while daily driving.
Whatever you decide to do, be it some of this, something more wild or keep it standard and give it a service, give us a call at Modurstang and we can help you out.
