Any tips? Installing Springs, Shocks, Subframes, control arms this weekend.

[fastfiftymike]

Hey Guys,

This coming weekend I will be installing new front/rear springs and shocks and Upper and Lower Control arms.

I bought the BBK Stage 2 kit from Brothers:

Level 2 KYB Suspension Package with Progressive Rate Springs (1987-1993 Mustang) [ KT027P ] from Brothers Performance Warehouse

And I got Maximum Motorsports Upper and Lower Control arms.

Any tips for installing all of this stuff? What the best way to tackle the control arms? The rear supsension should be easy, but what about the front? Any advice for the front?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

The front springs just get the car up on a hoist or blocks. Take the necessary parts out of the way, then put a floor jack under the ball joint area of the control arm. Slowly lower the control arm down and the spring will come out. Do the same for the rear springs.

The UCA's are a PITA...IMO. The lowers are much easier.

Shocks and struts are simple. Subframes...weld them in, be careful and don't burn up your car.

 

[Mustang5L5]

The UCA's are a PITA...IMO. The lowers are much easier.

For me it was the opposite. My stock 20-year original UCA's came out easily with Hand tools.

My LCA's however were seized where the bolt passes through the sleeve requiring me to use a sawzall to cut the bolt and take it out of the rear.

However...i was taking the entire rear out..not just changing the arms. I did the whole job on my back with hand tools and it wasnt bad dealing with 20 year old bolts from a New England environment

 

[LxVert]

Subframes...weld them in, be careful and don't burn up your car.

+1

 

[LXstang5.0]

im in the process of doing the same stuff right now. i got the whole rear down within a day. it was very easy. the front im not doin the control arms but the springs aand shocks and im having some problems with the springs. so take your time and dont get frustrated but should be done without takin it anywhere and spending money

 

[fastfiftymike]

Ya for the front, im just gonna get a spring compressor to be on the safe side. I dont like the idea of dropping the a arm like that - I just imagine a giant friggin coil flying at my head. Ill drop the springs, then take the shocks out and replace that.


Anything else I should replace while im in there? I got new bushings going in, but what about Tie rod ends or ball joints?

 

[351dreams]

Before I start....I have a four cylinder car. I'm in the middle of doing a 5 lug four disc conversion. I have found out alot of info on my own. Just trying to get the spindles off is tricky. I broke a 2 jaw gear puller. Had to get a bigger one and the use of a hammer to finish getting them off. One of the ball joints was leaking grease. So I decided to replace them.
I didn't need a spring compressor. But I suggest you remove the sway bar link kit first. My car is on jack stands in my drive way. And I do have an air compressor. Air tools make it so much easier. ex. top bolt on strut.
I rented a chassie kit from advance auto to take off the ball joints. The only way I could get the ball joints out was to take off the control arms. To take off the control arms I had to loosen the steering rack ( just the two mounting bolts). Then you can move the rack just enough to remove control arm bolts. I could not get the new ball joints to go in straight so I took them to my local shop and had them pressed and greased in the control arms for 20 bucks.
I will start tomarrow putting it back together. Good luck to you