Preparing to make adjustable strut rods

Fordmus67tang · Feb 9, 2010

I'm preparing to make some adjustable struts rods for my 67 mustang. I saw the instructions on Daze's website which was really helpful for planning, but it was for a 64 1/2. Wondering if anybody has made the adjustable strut rods for a 67 and if anybody has tips or concerns to look for?

I'm rebuilding my front end suspension and below is in the works. Had to replace my driver side shock tower and thought about dong the things below since everything is off the car.

- 1" shelby drop
- roller LCA (will fabricate my own)
- edelbrock shocks
- roller idler arm (converted to manual steering)
- rebuild UCA (roller UCA is too pricey at the moment)

Thank you,

rbohm · Feb 10, 2010

there is no difference in the procedure in building adjustable strut rods for either generation mustang. just follow dazecars instructions and you cant really go wrong.

Fordmus67tang · Feb 10, 2010

Sweet... Thank you...

JonK · Feb 11, 2010

I followed Daze's instructions but didn't want to machine my strutrods any thinner than necessary to thread them so I went with larger heims, tube and bought the next larger clevis from the same co. he mentions. I had to grind off the top part of the bolt head but it fit between the front mount with a little grinding. Here's some pics to give you an idea of what I did.

I installed them but haven't driven the car as I'm still installing the drivetrain.
The larger clevis fit into the front mount hole perfectly with just a little polishing this avoided having to make the pipe piece and odd sized washer to make the smaller clevis fit. Don't know if this'll be any better/worse than the Daze version but it was less work/adapting for me this way and less material was removed from the original strut rod thickness. I did shorten the length of the bolt threads but once installed there is no room for the nut to back off.
I may get flamed but this is what I did and will monitor it closely once the car is on the road.

I did similar upgrades to yours listed but also added roller spring perches and eccentric kit.
Jon

Tim65GT · Feb 11, 2010

I also made a set, but in the process of modding the clevis it BROKE. I didn't want that cast piece on my car under the stress of suspension forces, so I made some from 1/4" steel and had a buddy weld them for me.

Fordmus67tang · Feb 11, 2010

JonK- thank you for the pics. Most likely I'll be following your setup because your steering rod is exactly the same size as mine. It looks like you used a 5 inch steel tube? Do you have pics of the strut rods on the car? I might do what Tim65GT did with the clevis. Get some steel and weld it together.

Thank you both for the good idea. I'm pretty sure both setups are fine.

JonK · Feb 12, 2010

I'll have to measure them when I get home this weekend and take some pics on the car. Can't remember the tube length off hand but I got them from a different suppier than speedway as I didn't find short enough ones in their catalog.
Jon

Fordmus67tang · Feb 12, 2010

I really appreciate it. My buddy at work saw the strut rods on my computer and he thought it was pretty cool, but he didn't like the fact that the strut rods are bolted directly to the strut rod bracket with no flex. I told him that the heim joints will move up and down, but do you know if anybody put a bushing on the adjustable strut rods for flexibility?

JonK · Feb 12, 2010

One of the main reasons for the adjustable rods is the elimination of the bushings, the bushings compress and stretch allowing the alignment to change with braking, accelerating and cornering. Pretty sure it was explained in the Daze article or his suspension101 article. The heim joint allows it to move in an up/down arc only and doesn't allow the push/pull on the LCA that the bushings did.

Why remove the bushings and then try to put them back on?
Jon

Fordmus67tang · Feb 12, 2010

I totally agree with you on this one. Why put it on when you just fabricated one that removes the bushings. My buddy was concern about the impact, if someone or you would have a front end collision. I think any big front end collision, it's not just the strut rods I would be worry about. haha.

JonK · Feb 13, 2010

If you had a front end collison hard enough to reach the strutrods or the mounts and push them back the damage would be the same with the stock strutrods and the adj. strutrods as the stock strut rods are still a solid steel rod connected to the LCA and the bushings are surrounded by large bushings and nuts so they'd move as one piece. A hard enough hit would be sending you to a frame shop anyway. If the hit didn't reach the strut rod (there is a large frame in front) then the strutrods wouldn't move unless the frame was bent.
I think he's thinking of too many 'what if's', the (if)amount of damage from a possible (if)wreck and what effect a changed part would have.

I'm more worried about me surviving with fewer injuries in a wreck, the car can be repaired. I've focused on installing front power disc brakes, 3 pt. seatbelts, newer seats with high back, bolsters and a headrest (whiplash), collapseable steering column, etc.
Jon

Fordmus67tang · Feb 13, 2010

Disc brakes was the first thing I replaced on the car back in high school. I am thinking about replacing my steering column with a 68 for the collapseable column, but it's the last thing on my list. My goal for now is to get the front end complete so I can drive it. Its been 6 or 7 seven years since I drove the car. Just ordered my roller perches kit today... going to purchase the bearings for my LCA and hopefully get started on it next weekend.

Where did you purchase your eccentric kit?

JonK · Feb 13, 2010

Lots of people make them but I got mine from John:
Opentracker Racing Products - Lower Control Arm Camber Kit

I now plan to learn how to do my own alignment. I think with the roller perches, adj. strut rods, lockable eccentrics, etc. I think it'll make getting the adjustments accurate, consistent and repeatable easier to do as compared to the rubber bushings wearing/flexing and changing the settings.
Jon

JonK · Feb 17, 2010

Here's some pics on the car, the adj. tubes are 6" long:

Eccentrics installed:

Jon

Fordmus67tang · Feb 19, 2010

Thanks JonK. Very nice!.. I like it a lot man..

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