If you're tired of your pony car feeling like a boat on the highway, it's probably time to look for a 1970 mustang suspension kit that can actually handle modern roads. Let's be honest for a second—as much as we love these classic Fords, the factory suspension tech from over fifty years ago wasn't exactly designed for precision cornering or high-speed stability by today's standards. Back then, they were built for a different era of tires and a much different style of driving. If you're still running the same shocks and springs that were installed when Nixon was in office, you're missing out on what your car can really do.
Choosing the right kit can feel like a bit of a rabbit hole because there are just so many ways to go. You've got everything from basic "refresh" kits that just swap out the rubber to full-blown tubular front ends that turn your Mustang into a corner-carving monster. The trick is figuring out what you actually want to do with the car. Are you just cruising to the local meet on Saturday mornings, or are you trying to keep up with modern sports cars on a backroad?
Why Bother Upgrading at All?
Most guys start looking for a 1970 mustang suspension kit because they've noticed the "Detroit Lean" or the car feels like it's floating whenever they hit a bump at sixty miles per hour. The original design used a lot of rubber bushings, which were great for soaking up noise and vibration back in the day, but they dry out, crack, and get "mushy." When that happens, your alignment wanders, your steering feels vague, and the whole car just feels tired.
By switching to a modern kit, you're essentially tightening the handshake between the road and the steering wheel. You get better feedback, flatter cornering, and—maybe most importantly—a car that doesn't dive toward the pavement every time you hit the brakes. It makes the car a lot more fun to drive, which is the whole point of owning a classic Mustang anyway, right?
Breaking Down the Different Types of Kits
When you start shopping, you'll notice that kits generally fall into three categories. The first is the stock replacement plus style. These are perfect if you want to keep the car looking original but want it to handle a bit tighter. These kits usually come with slightly stiffer springs, better gas shocks, and maybe some polygraphite bushings. It's a huge improvement over stock without breaking the bank or requiring a torch and a welder.
Then you've got the pro-touring setups. This is where things get serious. A pro-touring 1970 mustang suspension kit usually moves away from the old stamped-steel control arms and moves toward tubular arms. Tubular arms are stronger, lighter, and often designed with better geometry to improve the tire's contact patch during a turn. If you're planning on running wider wheels and sticky tires, this is the direction you want to head.
The third category is the full front-end swap, like a Mustang II conversion or a custom subframe. This is a big job. You're cutting out the shock towers to make room for a modern rack-and-pinion setup and coilover shocks. People do this for two reasons: they want the absolute best handling possible, or they're trying to squeeze a massive engine (like a Coyote swap) into the engine bay and need the extra room. It's a lot of work, but the transformation is night and day.
What's Usually Included?
A solid 1970 mustang suspension kit is going to cover the basics at the very least. You're looking at front coil springs, rear leaf springs (unless you're going with a four-link), shocks for all four corners, and a new set of bushings.
One thing I always tell people to look for is a bigger front sway bar. The factory sway bars on these cars were often a bit spindly. Stepping up to a 1" or 1-1/8" bar can make a massive difference in how much the car leans in the turns. Some kits also include the "Shelby Drop" template. If you aren't familiar, this is a classic trick where you relocate the upper control arm mounting holes about an inch lower. It's a cheap way to drastically improve the camber curve, and most enthusiasts consider it a "must-do" for any 1970 build.
Don't Ignore the Rear End
It's easy to get obsessed with the front of the car because that's where the steering happens, but a 1970 mustang suspension kit isn't complete if you ignore the rear. The old leaf spring design is simple and rugged, but it's prone to "wheel hop" if you've got any decent amount of horsepower.
Modern leaf springs are built with better materials and often have a different "arch" to lower the car a bit for a better stance. If you really want to get fancy, you can ditch the leaves entirely and go with a rear coilover conversion or a three-link setup. These allow you to adjust the ride height and stiffness perfectly, but they do require more installation time. For most street cars, a good set of multi-leaf springs and some quality shocks will do the trick just fine.
Coilovers vs. Traditional Shocks
This is a big debate in the Mustang world. Traditional shocks and springs are easy to install and relatively cheap. They work great for 90% of the people out there. However, if you're the kind of person who likes to tinker, a 1970 mustang suspension kit with coilovers might be worth the extra cash.
Coilovers let you adjust the ride height exactly where you want it. Want the nose a half-inch lower? Just turn the collar on the shock. They also usually have adjustable valving, so you can click a knob to make the ride softer for a road trip or stiffer for a track day. It's that level of adjustability that makes them so popular with the restomod crowd.
A Note on Bushings
When you're looking at a 1970 mustang suspension kit, pay attention to the bushings. Rubber is quiet but soft. Polyurethane is stiff and handles great, but it can sometimes squeak like a haunted house if you don't grease it properly. Many high-end kits now use "delrin" or "rod ends" which offer the best performance but can transmit more road noise into the cabin. It's a trade-off. If you're building a long-distance cruiser, you might actually prefer a high-quality rubber or a hybrid bushing to keep the "vibration and harshness" (NVH) down.
Getting the Job Done
Installing a 1970 mustang suspension kit is definitely something you can do in your garage over a weekend, provided you have some decent tools and a good floor jack. The trickiest part is usually dealing with the coil springs—they're under a lot of tension, so you need to be careful and use a proper spring compressor.
Once everything is bolted up, don't even think about taking it for a "spirited" drive until you've had a professional alignment. Your old alignment specs won't work with modern parts, especially if you've done the Shelby Drop or installed tubular arms. Talk to your alignment tech and tell them you want a "performance street" alignment. It'll make the car track straight and save your expensive new tires from wearing out in a month.
Wrapping It Up
At the end of the day, a 1970 mustang suspension kit is one of the best investments you can make in your car. It's not as flashy as a new paint job or a chrome-covered engine, but you'll feel the difference every single time you turn the key. Whether you're looking for a smooth cruiser or a weekend racer, there's a setup out there that fits your budget and your goals. Just take your time, do your homework, and get ready to actually enjoy driving your Mustang again. No more white-knuckle lane changes—just smooth, predictable handling that makes these old cars feel brand new.