9 hours of pure hell! Lots of progress pics.

[LaserSVT]

Fortunatly it stayed around 99* out so it wasnt too bad but the 80+% humidity was a killer! I did my strut rod bushings and new struts today and what a MAJOR PITA!!
After I saw the metal sleeve inside the bushings were shot and that the new bushings I got from Maxx didnt come with new ones I had to go hunt. Nobody had them so I figured screw it and bought a bushing set from Autozone so I could use the sleeves..... except they are the wrong size. So I was forced to use the Autozone bushings which will fail in a year. No biggie, I will order the sleeves from Max and when they go out again I will put OEM ones back in.

Now on to the fun!
First off these cars have a way more rigid chasis then a Stang. My Stang could only do this after FLSFCs (lift the whole side from just the front.

And I couldnt believe how bad the bushings and sleeves were!
Just pulled right off by hand!

And here it is next to a new one.

Drivers side followed by passenger side.

Then getting the strut rod off and the strut off on the drivers side was a big PITA cause nothing would let loose. The ball joints were stuck (I had the tool but was not wide enough) and the camber bolt was in backwards so I couldnt back it out to drop the lower controll arm. Just had to use old fashioned muscle. You can see here I had every nut off but it would not budge.

Passenger side was much easier as the bolt was in the right way.

And finnaly the finnished product.

 

[NoLimit95]

Nice pics Laser and glad you took them because I'm doing mine in the next week or two. I'm swapping mine for the new ones that are on the 93 in the garage. So really I have to do 2 cars but the 93 don't matter. It's jacked up now and ready to be robbed. btw, the fender looks good in the shade lol.

 

[m_maker]

I hope you installed the bushings in a different order than the picture suggests.
The big bushing with the nipple goes in the front since it's getting the most "pull" on it.
This is why your old bushings failed.

You're not gonna like the price of the sleeves from Ford.
It's a two piece design, but you really need just the solid steel sleeve.
Still a pretty penny.

 

[LaserSVT]

Well :q:q:q:q. I am not pulling them out again. The bushings are the same size but the nipple is on the rar bushing, thats how the old ones were. Since I have the OEM ones I will just order the sleeve. When it starts to get loose again I will just swap them with the OEMs.
Its just too much of a PITA to swap them again to change their sides. If the drivers LCA camber bolt was in the right way then I could do it in an hour but the way it is it would take more energy then I have.
I have a terminal ilness and to do what I did in that heat for that long damn near killed me today. :lol:

 

[m_maker]

They're not the same. The bushing you have on the front has the cut out for the nipple and is very weak.
It will come thru the same way you old one did in couple k miles.
Swap them around, please, for safety of others if not yours.

 

[lincolnboy]

Well :q:q:q:q. I am not pulling them out again. The bushings are the same size but the nipple is on the rar bushing, thats how the old ones were. Since I have the OEM ones I will just order the sleeve. When it starts to get loose again I will just swap them with the OEMs.
Its just too much of a PITA to swap them again to change their sides. If the drivers LCA camber bolt was in the right way then I could do it in an hour but the way it is it would take more energy then I have.
I have a terminal ilness and to do what I did in that heat for that long damn near killed me today. :lol:

you ever visit dfwstangs site

 

[vikingdiesel]

perfect pic, a few questions about what i circled:

1. Is that the brake pad sensor? (bc I have never seen one like this before)
2. Is that what rattles and goes away when you apply brakes?
3. Can I remove it?

I am pretty sure this is my issue since many other MARK owners have this problem.

 

[LaserSVT]

They're not the same. The bushing you have on the front has the cut out for the nipple and is very weak.
It will come thru the same way you old one did in couple k miles.
Swap them around, please, for safety of others if not yours.

Lasted for over 25K before they started to wear last time. I am not going to switch them around. In a couple months I will put the OEM ones in.
I just took it for a drive and what a difference! The Tokicos are excellent and have an excellent ammount of controll. Car feels much more planted. The bushings cured the clunk and slight vaugness in the steering too. Problem now is I put the LCAs too far in causeing allot of toe out and cocking the steering wheel 45* clockwise. So first thing tomorrow its getting an alignment.
Thats the biggest reason for not swapping them around is its my only car and I live far from everything. I will not have the energy to swap the bushings around tomorrow as I used up all my energy today (I am very ill and have a very bad back) and am in such a great ammount of pain. I also have to see a specialist in Dallas on Friday so I have to get the car aligned tomorrow. It bugs me that they are backwards but I cant really do too much about it right now and they will last just fine for the next couple months.


Viking, those are anti-rattle clips. If you are getting a rattle it is because the are worn out. They should be replaced when you put in new pads as I have.

 

[vikingdiesel]

Viking, those are anti-rattle clips. If you are getting a rattle it is because the are worn out. They should be replaced when you put in new pads as I have.

what are they for? and can I just remove them all together?

 

[LaserSVT]

what are they for? and can I just remove them all together?

Anti rattle clips do what their name says they do. If they don't then they are worn and the part they keep from rattling (your brakes) will continue to rattle when they are removed.
Get new ones ya cheap bastage. :lol:

 

[NoLimit95]

Viking, those are anti-rattle clips. If you are getting a rattle it is because the are worn out. They should be replaced when you put in new pads as I have.

First sentence but....... I have to say that I don't have them on my 94 and never had any problem with my brakes making any noise at all. They also aren't wearing down fast either. I guess my clip was already gone when I changed mine, idk.

 

[LaserSVT]

Damnit m_maker! Now its aggervating the hell out of me. I am gonna have to get up really early now and swap them around. The drivers side is such a PITA though.

 

[NoLimit95]

Laser, get an extension cord, a light, something to drink and do it while it's cool out, or a little less humid. We'll wait on ya.

 

[vikingdiesel]

its not that im cheap, its just that i dont feel like taking the brakes apart again, I can just take the wheel off the use pliers to pull out and take them off completely. You dont understand, I know that they are ANTI-RATTLE clips, but what for? Rattle what? Whats the purpose of them, Ive never had a car with these rattling clips, why would I want clips to rattle or not, this is what im asking.

 

[LaserSVT]

Laser, get an extension cord, a light, something to drink and do it while it's cool out, or a little less humid. We'll wait on ya.

No freakin way! :lol: The bugs are terriable at night around lights but there are critters out there that will eat me or really hurt me. We have wolves (I can hear howling as we speak), cyote, mountain lion, rabid raccons, rats, huge spiders (one was walking away with a cotter pin earlier)
Besides I am in a rediculous ammount of pain right now. I have taken three 10mg Vicodens and an Oxy (all legal prescriptions) a couple hours ago and its just tolerable. Gonna have to do it in the AM.

Damnit, I would have been just fine waiting a couple months had I not known they were backwards. I cant stand half ass or incorrect repairs so even though I will replace them when they wear out with OEMs I will still flip them around tomorrow. Gonna be another long ass day.

 

[NoLimit95]

its not that im cheap, its just that i dont feel like taking the brakes apart again, I can just take the wheel off the use pliers to pull out and take them off completely. You dont understand, I know that they are ANTI-RATTLE clips, but what for? Rattle what? Whats the purpose of them, Ive never had a car with these rattling clips, why would I want clips to rattle or not, this is what im asking.

Just take them off and then listen for any rattle noise. Like I said, I don't have them on my 94 and I don't hear any rattle.

 

[rooster1969]

Good Luck with your repair and at your Dr. appt., also Great Pics.

 

[NoLimit95]

No freakin way! :lol: The bugs are terriable at night around lights but there are critters out there that will eat me or really hurt me. We have wolves (I can hear howling as we speak), cyote, mountain lion, rabid raccons, rats, huge spiders (one was walking away with a cotter pin earlier)
Besides I am in a rediculous ammount of pain right now. I have taken three 10mg Vicodens and an Oxy (all legal prescriptions) a couple hours ago and its just tolerable. Gonna have to do it in the AM.

I don't blame you. I forgot where you were. I'm in the city, kinda and all I have to worry with are the little brown bugs that can't see but love light. 3 Vicodens explains the rapid posts you make lol. I take a 1/2 a 10 and I'm like a crack head just looking for something to do. A spider big enough to walk away with a cotter pin would be enough to keep me inside. I can handle snakes but I hate spiders. Good luck tomorrow or later on. I just robbed the 93 some more so that's why I'm still up.

 

[turn_on68]

No freakin way! :lol: The bugs are terriable at night around lights but there are critters out there that will eat me or really hurt me. We have wolves (I can hear howling as we speak), cyote, mountain lion, rabid raccons, rats, huge spiders (one was walking away with a cotter pin earlier)
Besides I am in a rediculous ammount of pain right now. I have taken three 10mg Vicodens and an Oxy (all legal prescriptions) a couple hours ago and its just tolerable. Gonna have to do it in the AM.

Damnit, I would have been just fine waiting a couple months had I not known they were backwards. I cant stand half ass or incorrect repairs so even though I will replace them when they wear out with OEMs I will still flip them around tomorrow. Gonna be another long ass day.

Did you jack both sides and put on jack stands before you tried to remove the bottom piece that the air strut attaches too? If not, that is why it was so hard.

 

[LaserSVT]

Did you jack both sides and put on jack stands before you tried to remove the bottom piece that the air strut attaches too? If not, that is why it was so hard.

Yes I did and no its wasent.
I dont have air struts for one. For two the previous owner replaced all the bushings and tie rodsm before I bought it and he put one of the LCA bolts in backwards so it hits the steering rack and you cant take it out to drop the LCA.
I cant drop the LCA from the tire side cause because the ball joint tool I have is not wide enough for the joint.

 

[luxuryrules]

Did you jack both sides and put on jack stands before you tried to remove the bottom piece that the air strut attaches too? If not, that is why it was so hard.

It can also be a matter of the metal bolt rusting to the inside of the metal sleeve, making it next to impossible to slip out. The first time I swapped struts, I tried to minimize the tension on the bolt (both sides on jackstands, two jacks holding up the strut itself and the LCA to minimize the tension), and I still had to whale on it with a BFH to get the silly thing out.

It was fun. Basically, it was about the best thing ever, aside from perhaps doing the TPS on this car.

 

[wood_e]

I only have one side of my conversion done. Those SRBs are a total PITA!!

 

[Myco]

Doing this on Sunday. Friend has a lift so hopefully it won't be such a PITA.

thanks for the pics so I I can see which was the bushings go on. I'll be doing the strut mount bushings, outer tie rod ends, and control arm end links. And I'm thinking about replacing the left lower control arm but I haven't bought it yet and was going to wait and look and see if it needed it before I did it. They aren't very expensive if I remember right. Could I get the right LCA from autozone or orielly?

BTW: how do you like to tokico shocks? I've been thinking about switching from the arnott's. The tokico's I believe are the most firm from what's I've heard and read. Any reviews?

 

[LaserSVT]

The Tokicos are great! The ride is superb but the controll is solid. Big dips and bumps are smooth and corners are flat. Its hard to describe but the car feels more German. :lol:

I just got done swapping the strut rod bushings around (thanks m_maker) and it does seem to be better.
Now I am off to go get her aligned.

 

[vikingdiesel]

post the pic of how you switched them around, I am trying to figure out the correct way vs the way you did it first