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  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech

Broken Strut Rod !!!!! it happens

  • Thread starter Thread starter FLORD
  • Start date Start date Mar 22, 2004
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FLORD

Founding Member
Sep 3, 2001
617
0
0
bay area
Mar 22, 2004
#1
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #1
yup well i was running around with urethane bushings for the last couple years and the drivers side strut rod broke last week. luckily i was just backing out of the driveway. it could have been a BIG mess anywhere else. the car pulls hard to the broken side when this happens in case you didnt know.

GET THOSE URETHANE BUSHINGS OUT OF THE STRUT RODS IF YOU STILL HAVE THEM IN YOUR CAR !!!!!

have fun.
 

LMan

Founding Member
Aug 10, 2002
1,246
0
0
Mom's basement
Mar 22, 2004
#2
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #2
another data point on this truth. Glad you werent hurt!
 

GT2K

Founding Member
Dec 27, 1999
311
0
0
Mar 22, 2004
#3
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #3
You may want to PM historicmustang... he swears by those things

Glad you were not in a worse situation.
 

dodgestang

Active Member
Dec 15, 2003
1,360
0
37
Cecil County, MD
Mar 22, 2004
#4
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #4
FLORD said:
yup well i was running around with urethane bushings for the last couple years and the drivers side strut rod broke last week. luckily i was just backing out of the driveway. it could have been a BIG mess anywhere else. the car pulls hard to the broken side when this happens in case you didnt know.

GET THOSE URETHANE BUSHINGS OUT OF THE STRUT RODS IF YOU STILL HAVE THEM IN YOUR CAR !!!!!

have fun.
Click to expand...

Upgrade time!!!!

www.streetortrack.com

have their solid mount adjustable rods on 2 65s and I really like them.
 
S

streetgrande69

Founding Member
Nov 2, 2002
976
0
16
Splendora, Tx
Mar 22, 2004
#5
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #5
i got tired of saying it, so here's what i know about it.

and on a side note, the parts came today for my own.
http://www.trinitysmustangs.com/adjustable_strut_rods.htm
 

HistoricMustang

Active Member
Apr 11, 2003
2,359
0
46
Confederate States of America
Mar 22, 2004
#6
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #6
Oh boy.................

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
 
G

GaPonyFarm

New Member
Jan 2, 2004
663
0
0
Columbus, GA
Mar 22, 2004
#7
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #7
Hmmmm.... I may want to keep an eye on that. I swear by the polyurethane bushings, also.
 
O

Opentracker

20+ Year Stangneter
Feb 4, 2004
516
0
16
Mar 22, 2004
#8
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #8
If you put a poly bushing in the front and a rubber one in the rear, you'll still get the benefit under braking from the poly and the strut rod won't get as stressed.
 
7

70Machwon

New Member
Feb 12, 2004
35
0
0
Bay Area, CA
Mar 22, 2004
#9
  • Mar 22, 2004
  • #9
yep, same thing happened to me, went over a small bump, heard a snap,[ and the car pulled hard to the left. Had the polys too, now i switched em to stock. havn't noticed much different, but no snapping yet, but we'l have to see
 

TIGGER

Founding Member
Mar 6, 2000
877
244
104
Portland, OR
Mar 23, 2004
#10
  • Mar 23, 2004
  • #10
Interesting..... this is the first I have heard of this. The poly strut rod bushings came out a couple months after I rebuilt the front end of my 67 coupe (1989). I always wanted to swap them out when I got a chance but never did......
 

jikelly

20+ Year Stangneter
Jul 9, 2003
872
53
99
Lubbock Tx
Mar 23, 2004
#11
  • Mar 23, 2004
  • #11
I know I got new bushings for my 73 but I don't remember if they were poly or rubber. Anyway It would really suck BAD if one of my strut rods broke. Besides the potential damage to my stang, it would be bad because I have never seen any new rods made for my year stang.
 

HistoricMustang

Active Member
Apr 11, 2003
2,359
0
46
Confederate States of America
Mar 23, 2004
#12
  • Mar 23, 2004
  • #12
Hmm..... Strut rod failure, blow out on front, spindle failure, ball joint lets loose, brake pads bottom out, bleeder valve frees up. The list goes on and on and they can all lead to bad things taking place.

Check your stuff on a regular basis. I spend 10 hours with my ride off the track for every hour I spend on the track and it is kind of fun.

The other option is to "park" your Mustang and then nothing will ever happen.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
 

monk302

Founding Member
Apr 18, 2001
742
2
16
New Jersey
Mar 23, 2004
#13
  • Mar 23, 2004
  • #13
HistoricMustang said:
Hmm..... Strut rod failure, blow out on front, spindle failure, ball joint lets loose, brake pads bottom out, bleeder valve frees up. The list goes on and on and they can all lead to bad things taking place.

Check your stuff on a regular basis. I spend 10 hours with my ride off the track for every hour I spend on the track and it is kind of fun.

The other option is to "park" your Mustang and then nothing will ever happen.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
Click to expand...

Historic, have you created your own budget minded strut rods?? I was looking at mine on Sunday and was thinking its time for them to go after all of the stories I have heard.

Thanks,

Mike
 

HistoricMustang

Active Member
Apr 11, 2003
2,359
0
46
Confederate States of America
Mar 24, 2004
#14
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #14
monk302. My strut rods are the ones that came on the car when it was built in March of '65. They get inspected, along with other stuff on the car, quite often. If anyone is interested, I have a check list that I use before each event of things to check on the car. This list could be helpful even on street cars.

Let me know.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
 

monk302

Founding Member
Apr 18, 2001
742
2
16
New Jersey
Mar 24, 2004
#15
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #15
HistoricMustang said:
monk302. My strut rods are the ones that came on the car when it was built in March of '65. They get inspected, along with other stuff on the car, quite often. If anyone is interested, I have a check list that I use before each event of things to check on the car. This list could be helpful even on street cars.

Let me know.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
Click to expand...

Sure, some outside perspective when examining my car is always welcome. PM me and if you need my email I will send it over to you.

Thanks
 

thehueypilot

Active Member
Feb 25, 2004
1,084
0
37
Medina,Tennessee
Mar 24, 2004
#16
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #16
Don't forget that these parts are over 30 years old and have a lot of cycles on them. Parts do wear out over time. If they are not replaced by original or NOS parts the quality could be "Made in China" junk. I would check to see if the original part that broke has a "FORD" logo stamped into it. The aftermarket parts look good, but are not tested to the OEM standards.
 

FLORD

Founding Member
Sep 3, 2001
617
0
0
bay area
Mar 24, 2004
#17
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #17
You know I just went for it.
i ordered the TCP rods . I dont have time for anymore funky biz breaking stuff

i wasnt excited about dropping the big bucks, but they look as strong as they get. no more foolin around.

my friend gave me a stock rod and i bought rubber bushings im taking it all back.

i talked to mustangs plus, they said they flip the cup washers when they use urthane strut rod bushings and havnt had probs, that may be a solution. it makes sense. but im not goingto worry about bushings any more. we dont need no stinkin bushings. hehe

watch out for broken stuff. anybody need a driver side strut rod?
 
M

mustangracer

Founding Member
Jun 15, 1999
360
0
0
Southern California
Mar 24, 2004
#18
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #18
My question to all those who've had a strut rod break is what year car? It seems that most I've heard about have been 67 & later. I'd wager most break due to improper torquing. The 65-66 style torques down to a stop instead of the later style's nut on each side, just my 2 cents..
 
F

Fostang

Founding Member
May 8, 2002
1,400
0
36
Stockton, Ca
Mar 24, 2004
#19
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #19
I drove mine for years with poly's hard and never had a problem.
 
S

streetgrande69

Founding Member
Nov 2, 2002
976
0
16
Splendora, Tx
Mar 24, 2004
#20
  • Mar 24, 2004
  • #20
i just hope that this info lets some people out there know that there is a potential problem. i broke mine a year or so after i put on polys.

i'm really glad you guys haven't had problems, but like historic said, if you inspect the components, it might save you the problem. but then again, if you don't know there is a potential for a problem, you won't look. so i just hope this get a few to look.
 
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