Open Track Racing Power Suspension vs CJ Pony Parts: Which Build Wins?

When you start building a car for open track racing, every suspension decision matters. Two names you will hear often are Power Suspension and CJ Pony Parts. Both offer components that can transform how your car handles a road course, but they come from different angles. If you are trying to decide between Power Suspension versus CJ Pony Parts for your open track build, this comparison will help you sort through the options and pick what works best for your car and your driving goals.

Power Suspension: A Specialist in Polyurethane Bushes and Components

Power Suspension has built a reputation around polyurethane bushings and suspension parts. For open track racing, bushings are critical. Factory rubber bushings flex under hard cornering and braking, introducing slop into the suspension geometry. Power Suspension’s polyurethane bushes are stiffer and more durable, giving you consistent geometry lap after lap.

What Power Suspension Offers for Open Track

• Control Arm Bushings: Power Suspension’s front and rear control arm bushings are a direct upgrade. They reduce deflection without adding harshness to the point of breaking traction. For open track, you want responsive turn-in but still some compliance to keep the tire planted over bumps.
• Sway Bar Bushings: Thicker sway bars can rattle against stock mounts. Power Suspension’s poly sway bar bushings eliminate play and let the sway bar do its job. This reduces body roll without needing a massive bar.
• Strut Rod Bushings: On Ford platforms like the Mustang, strut rod bushings are a common weak point. Power Suspension’s offerings firm up the front geometry, which helps with braking stability and corner entry.
• Spring Isolators and Leaf Spring Bushings: For cars with leaf rear suspension, poly leaf spring bushings reduce axle wrap and improve traction under power.

Pros of Power Suspension for Track Use

• Focused on bushings: You get a targeted upgrade that improves steering precision and handling predictability without changing springs or shocks. That is beneficial if you already have a good coilover setup and just want to tighten things up.
• Affordable entry point: A full bushing kit from Power Suspension costs less than a set of control arms from some other brands. You get noticeable improvement for the money.
• Durability: Polyurethane outlasts rubber, especially in high-heat track conditions. You will not have to replace them every season.

Cons of Power Suspension for Open Track

• Limited complete suspension packages: Power Suspension does not sell full coilover systems or complete control arm assemblies in most cases. You will need to source springs, shocks, and other components separately. That is fine if you like mixing and matching, but it adds complexity.
• Polyurethane can be under-lubricated: Some poly bushings require regular greasing to avoid squeaking. For a track car that sees abuse, that is acceptable. For a dual-purpose car, it can be a nuisance.
• Not a one-stop shop: If you need a full suspension refresh, you will likely buy from multiple brands anyway. Power Suspension covers bushings but not everything else.

CJ Pony Parts: A Broad Supplier with Brand Name Suspension Kits

CJ Pony Parts is a retailer that stocks many suspension brands. They do not manufacture their own components; instead, they carry products from companies like Eibach, Steeda, Koni, QA1, and others. For open track racing, CJ Pony Parts offers complete kits and individual parts that make building a track-focused car straightforward.

What CJ Pony Parts Offers for Open Track

• Complete suspension kits: CJ Pony Parts sells packages that include springs, shocks, sway bars, control arms, and sometimes subframe connectors. These kits are matched to work together. You can choose a system designed specifically for road course work, like a Steeda or Eibach pro-kit plus Koni yellows.
• Adjustable components: Many of the products they carry are adjustable. For open track, you want to be able to dial in camber, caster, and ride height. CJ Pony Parts stocks camber plates, adjustable control arms, and coilover systems from brands like QA1 and Viking.
• Brake upgrades too: They also carry brake pads, rotors, and lines. While that is not suspension, a track car needs both. Buying from one retailer simplifies shipping and ordering.
• How-to guides and compatibility info: CJ Pony Parts provides installation notes and compatibility checks. If you are not sure what fits your year and model, their site helps narrow it down.

Pros of CJ Pony Parts for Track Use

• Convenience: You can buy everything for a full suspension overhaul in one order. That saves time and ensures parts are matched. For example, you can get a complete front-end rebuild kit with bushings, ball joints, springs, and shocks.
• Brand choice: Because CJ Pony Parts carries multiple brands, you are not locked into one philosophy. You can mix high-end coilovers with budget control arms, or go all-in with a premium package.
• Support and returns: They have a customer service team. If a part does not fit, you can return it. That is not always easy with smaller manufacturers.

Cons of CJ Pony Parts for Open Track

• It is a retailer, not a manufacturer: If you want a specific bushing material like Power Suspension’s polyurethane, you will still have to search for it on CJ Pony Parts. They do carry Power Suspension bushings, but they also stock OEM replacements. You have to know what to choose.
• Quality variability: Some of the lower-priced kits they sell are not ideal for open track. A budget spring-and-shock combo might be too soft or not adjustability. You need to read product descriptions carefully to avoid buying street comfort parts for track use.
• Overwhelming options: CJ Pony Parts lists hundreds of suspension parts. Without guidance, a beginner can easily buy the wrong spring rate or shock valving. You have to do your homework.

Key Differences for Open Track Racing

Bushing Quality and Control

Power Suspension wins if you prioritize bushing precision. For open track, especially on older Mustangs or Fox-body cars, poly bushings from Power Suspension tighten the chassis without replacing everything else. CJ Pony Parts carries poly bushings too, but often as part of a kit or from other brands like Prothane. If you want a dedicated bushing upgrade, Power Suspension is the focused choice.

Complete System vs. Component Upgrades

CJ Pony Parts is better if you want a full suspension system that works out of the box. For example, a QA1 coilover kit from CJ Pony Parts gives you adjustable damping and ride height, plus matched springs. That is a huge time saver. Power Suspension alone cannot get you to the track; you still need springs and shocks.

Price and Value

Power Suspension bushings are a low-cost upgrade with high impact. If you already have good shocks and springs, adding Power Suspension bushings improves consistency. CJ Pony Parts can be more expensive if you buy a complete kit, but you get everything in one shipment. For a serious track build, the total cost might be similar once you buy all parts.

Practical Recommendations for Your Build

For the Budget-Minded Track Day Enthusiast

Start with Power Suspension poly bushings on the front control arms and sway bar. That alone will sharpen steering response. Pair that with a reasonable set of lowering springs and performance shocks from CJ Pony Parts (like Eibach Pro-Kit with Koni Orange or Yellow). This combination gives you precision from the bushings and a solid damping setup.

For the Intermediate Racer

If you already have a decent suspension but want to chase tenths, a full Power Suspension bushing kit (front and rear) plus CJ Pony Parts’ adjustable sway bars and camber plates will unlock more grip. Adjustable sway bars let you fine-tune balance, while poly bushings keep everything consistent.

For the Dedicated Track Car (No Street Duty)

Go with a complete coilover system from CJ Pony Parts, such as QA1 single-adjustable or Viking double-adjustable coilovers. Then add Power Suspension bushings in all pivot points. This gives you the ultimate adjustability for spring rates and damping, plus the bushing stiffness that reduces binding and deflection. The CJ Pony Parts system handles the big changes; Power Suspension handles the small but critical details.

Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Neither Power Suspension nor CJ Pony Parts is a complete solution on its own. Think of Power Suspension as the bushing specialist and CJ Pony Parts as the supplier of everything else. For open track racing, the best approach is to use both. Buy your core suspension system (coilovers or spring/shock combo) from CJ Pony Parts, where you can choose a reputable brand. Then buy Power Suspension polyurethane bushings to replace all rubber pivot points. This combination gives you the responsive, predictable handling you need for fast laps without unnecessary noise or high cost.

If you have to pick just one, go with CJ Pony Parts if you need a one-stop shop for a complete suspension overhaul. Go with Power Suspension if you already have good dampers and springs and just want to tighten up the chassis. But for the best open track setup, use both together. Your car will handle better, your lap times will drop, and you will have a suspension that stays consistent session after session.