Fox Body Front Suspension Question

Willybill32 · Apr 16, 2020

I’m slowly making progress on my ‘86 GT. It’s running, and I’m driving it. I notice the steering is a little sensitive on the highway at speed (70+) and figure it’s time to replace the front suspension bushings.

in looking at options, I can buy just the lower control arm bushings, or I can buy new lower control arms which include the bushings already installed along with new ball joints. If I were to go that route, I can buy the LCAs from Ford, reproductions from LMR, or replacements from Dorman, Moog or others. Can anyone offer any insight on which options are the best?

deathb4dismount · Apr 16, 2020

I purchased the FRPP ones from LMR and they are good quality. The LMR ones are about $100 cheaper if you want to go that route. The quality of the ball joint is what I would be concerned about, but they do look like good repros.

Willybill32 · Apr 16, 2020

deathb4dismount said:
I purchased the FRPP ones from LMR and they are good quality. The LMR ones are about $100 cheaper if you want to go that route. The quality of the ball joint is what I would be concerned about, but they do look like good repros.

Yeah, they look pretty good. I’m hoping to hear from someone that used the LMR repros to make sure they had a good experience. I found Moog LCAs as well, and always felt a Moog made good products.

Rdub6 · Apr 16, 2020

1986 FORD MUSTANG 5.0L 302cid V8 Control Arm | Shop Now at RockAuto

Suspension Parts and More for Your 1986 FORD MUSTANG at Reliably Low Prices. Fast Online Catalog. DIY-Easy. Your Choice of Quality. Full Manufacturer Warranty.

www.rockauto.com

Rock Auto has them for $80 a side. Dorman brand.

Mustang5L5 · Apr 16, 2020

Years ago, the 1993 service arms were the way to go.

Part number F3ZZ-3078-A (passenger) and F3ZZ-3079-A (driver).

They used the firmer SSP-spec bushings, upgraded low-friction balljoints, and were a little thicker steel.

Ford racing still has the M-3075-A control arm kit, which used to offer these arms, but they aren't the same these days. Think Cobra intake...the first version was the good one, and rd 2 was a cheap china copy.

Jalapeno5 · Apr 16, 2020

Willybill32 said:
I’m slowly making progress on my ‘86 GT. It’s running, and I’m driving it. I notice the steering is a little sensitive on the highway at speed (70+) and figure it’s time to replace the front suspension bushings.

in looking at options, I can buy just the lower control arm bushings, or I can buy new lower control arms which include the bushings already installed along with new ball joints. If I were to go that route, I can buy the LCAs from Ford, reproductions from LMR, or replacements from Dorman, Moog or others. Can anyone offer any insight on which options are the best?

I've had aftermarket K-members and aftermarket A-arms. Honestly, stock is always the best option in my opinion. If it were my car.. I would pick up a set up replacement bushings and ball joints and go that route. If you're handy.. you can pop off the a-arms and drop them off at a shop to replace the bushings and ball joints and pick them up the next day. But that's just me!

KRUISR · Apr 16, 2020

I went with polyurethane bushing front and rear in factory control arms. Don't remember if they were Prothane or Energy Suspension. I now have a set of aftermarket rear arms again with poly bushings. I have no complaints with them.

revhead347 · Apr 16, 2020

If you have never pressed in control arm bushings....buy the whole control arm. That's a crap job right there.

Kurt

Dom88LX · Apr 16, 2020

revhead347 said:
If you have never pressed in control arm bushings....buy the whole control arm. That's a crap job right there.

Kurt

+1

I would buy the new control arms just to save yourself the headache of fighting ~35 year old bushings/ball joints

CarMichael Angelo · Apr 16, 2020

I burned out the old bushings and left the shells on the red car.
It was as easy as burning down a house.

Once they started burning, they literally popped out of the old shells.
it was simply a matter of cleaning up the old shells, and beating in ( with a rubber mallet) the new replacements.

Why everybody has to go through the whole “ press the old one out, press the new one in” process is a mystery to me.

revhead347 · Apr 16, 2020

CarMichael Angelo said:
I burned out the old bushings and left the shells on the red car.
It was as easy as burning down a house.

Once they started burning, they literally popped out of the old shells.
it was simply a matter of cleaning up the old shells, and beating in ( with a rubber mallet) the new replacements.

Why everybody has to go through the whole “ press the old one out, press the new one in” process is a mystery to me.

One generally presses in new shells. I've burned them out of the cast axle housing in the back, but that's not the correct process for the front control arm bushings. I have a press, and have done way too many BMW bushings that are all at odd angles; so the Mustang stuff doesn't bother me so much. However, if you don't have a press, and the right tools, odds are you will bend the control arm before you get that bushing out.

Kurt

Jalapeno5 · Apr 18, 2020

Most auto shops can replace the bushings and ball joints; no problem. That's all i did. I dropped them off and picked them up the next day.

Fox Body Front Suspension Question

Willybill32

But at least it's tight!

deathb4dismount

Crap, didn’t realize my crotch was in that picture

Willybill32

But at least it's tight!

Rdub6

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

1986 FORD MUSTANG 5.0L 302cid V8 Control Arm | Shop Now at RockAuto

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Jalapeno5

Member

KRUISR

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

Dom88LX

Member

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

Jalapeno5

Member

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Fox Body Front Suspension Question

But at least it's tight!

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But at least it's tight!

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Member

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

Member

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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