Granada swap.....tie rod question

[mustangfb66]

I have a set of Granada front discs that I am going to put on my '66 stang (it is a V8 and has Power Steering). I also have the appropriate drum/disc manual master cylinder from the same year granada.

I looked in Mustangs Plus and saw that they have special tie rods which fit the granada spindles. I think $80 is a little expensive for a tie rod.....

I found some spacers on ebay which allow you to use the stock mustang tie rods. Is this a good idea? My tierods are almost new so I'd like to use them if possible.

I also heard that I could use tie rods from a granada. Do they have the same thread pattern as the mustang (for the tie rod connecting sleeve). Do they have to be from a P/S equipped granada as well?

Which of these is the best? Are there any other options that I have over looked? Should I stay away from any of these?

Thanks,
Efren

 

[ashford]

did it to my falcon just buy the $20 tie rods for the granada their a little on the long side but i squeezed by

 

[67coupestang]

yea just get granada ends...

 

[D.Hearne]

Those "special" tie rod ends are the same ones you can buy from your local parts house for $20. This also applies to 75% of the other "special" parts the classic cars catalogs sell. Try your local parts houses for your parts before looking elsewhere, many of the parts are still available, even though the cars are nearing 40 years in age.

 

[69 302/351c]

Exactly, got mine at the local auto supply for about $20...in stock too!

 

[HistoricMustang]

Would suggest trying NAPA. They have good quality stuff for a buck or two more.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[mustangfb66]

Does any one happen to have a part number? Or should I just look up a '77 granada with power steering? Do all granadas use the same steering parts (6 vs V8)?

Efren

 

[D.Hearne]

As far as I can tell, al the Granadas/Monarchs use the same front spindles, be it a V8 or 6 cylinder .

 

[D.Hearne]

If you'll ask an old time parts guy, he'll look it up in the books to tell if there's a difference.

 

[67coupestang]

no i think the 6 is a 10" rotor... and maybe 4 lug?

 

[mustangfb66]

I got my spindles from a '77 6 cyl. it had 11" rotors and 5-lugs.

I was actually thinking about the tie rods being the same between 6 and 8 cyl. cars. Not the spindles. Like 6cyl stangs have weaker steering parts than the V8s.

Efren

 

[69stang351]

Actually, I can verify this, I got my rotors off a 77 granada with a 6 in it and they are 5-lug 11 inch, so im sure cuz it is a heavy big boat of a car that the 6 stuff is the same as the 8... good stuff!

 

[D.Hearne]

Damn, that's strange, all the Granada/Monarch disc setups I sold back a few months ago had 10.5 inch rotors. My 68 Monterey has got 11's.

 

[HistoricMustang]

Hearne, I believe mine are also 10.5 but you guys have my interest up. I will put a tape on 'em to see.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[D.Hearne]

It's got me wondering too. I sent my kid to a local J-Yard the other day to get the rotors and spindles off a 78 T-bird and he came back with 10.5 inch Granada rotors, not he bigger ones the big birds came with( or so I assumed LOL)

 

[P51C]

I've done more than a dozen Granada swaps on Falcons, Comets, and early Mustangs, both 6 and V8. Here's what you need to know about the tie rod ends: V8 manual steering cars can use the Granada tie rod ends on both sides, but the factory P/S on '65-'66 V8 Mustangs and '65 V8 Falcons and Comets have drivers' side inner and outer tie rods that have a larger diameter threaded shaft than the passenger side. This means that the adjusting sleeve that connects them is also larger, so the Granada outer tie rod end will not work - it'll just slide in and out without engaging any threads. This is on the drivers' side only, the passenger side has the standard V8 shaft diameter, so the Granada tie rod end can be used on that side. These were the only Ford cars that I know of that used the large diameter shaft, even huge '70s LTDs and Thunderbricks used the smaller, standard size tie rods. Because of that, there is no factory tie rod application that can be used to mate the Granada spindle to the Mustang P/S. The special tie rod to mate the two is a custom piece made by Rare Parts, and I've used at least 5 of them in conversions. It's essentially a stock Mustang outer tie rod made with the bigger Granada taper shaft. $80 is a good price for this part, when it first came out a few years ago, it was around $100. I think you can get away with the adapters, but the special tie rod end will give you the closest thing to factory engineering, and I think it's the safest way to go.

-P51C

 

[69stang351]

Well, what about the '69 power assist steering?? I don't remember if I used the tie rod ends from the granada for my setup but I might have.. and now that you mention it my rotors might be only 10.5 inches also... I will have to take a measuring tape to em!

 

[bartman]

I agree with p15c. the difference is weather or not you have power steering. On my 66 coupe I had power steering and had to use the tie rod end from mustangs plus. About six years ago I think I paid $125.00. So $80.00 is good. That is a special made part and I would not be comfortable with some kind of spacer. After all it is only your life on the line!

 

[stangman67]

So, all this talk about the problem on 65-66 mustangs with power steering, what about the later cars. I am currently doing this (next week on my spring break), so id like to know what i need. I have a 67 with power steering. Thanks for the info.

 

[HistoricMustang]

Mine are 10.5" also. They came from a '78 Granada.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com