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  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
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Rebuilding the Suspension

  • Thread starter Thread starter 66ford289
  • Start date Start date Feb 4, 2006

66ford289

New Member
Apr 10, 2005
100
0
0
Feb 4, 2006
#1
  • Feb 4, 2006
  • #1
Now that i've got the engine wrapped up i'm having some difficulty keeping it under control. I want to completely rebuild the suspension. I have come up with different totals depending on the approach I want to take replacing what needs to be done. Also I want to add one of the basic handling kits from any of the parts wareshouses. If I replace everything, it around 850 bucks. At the opposite end I was wondering if I could replace what is considered to be wearable parts. It just seems to pay for parts like the control arms is just paying for new parts so you don't have to clean the old ones. I know that the stock ones are known for flexing but I also know they can be re-enforced and i'm willing to do so. In other words regardless of the amount of work is it okay to just replace things like bushings and wearable parts.
 

red65

Member
Apr 12, 2003
411
0
17
Ann Arbor, MI
Feb 4, 2006
#2
  • Feb 4, 2006
  • #2
As with most things, it depends on what you plan to do with the car. Typically, refreshing a 40-year old suspension with new bushings, ball joints, tie-rods, etc makes a huge difference in how the car feels - you can bring it back to factory condition without an enormous investment.

On the other hand, if you want to go racing, you'll want to do different things than if you just want a well-behaved street car. So - more details required before anyone can give you good advice...
 

66ford289

New Member
Apr 10, 2005
100
0
0
Feb 4, 2006
#3
  • Feb 4, 2006
  • #3
I will most likely end up getting into racing, but I would like to do so without buying tubular arms and coilover kits. How can I work around a mostly stock suspension and attain this goal? Do kits like Mustangs depot street performance kit (http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Suspension/susp-kit.htm) work well? Or will I have to step it up. This will be a car with racing being the exception, not the rule.
 
5

5.0ina66

Member
Jun 6, 2003
664
0
16
Ohio
Feb 4, 2006
#4
  • Feb 4, 2006
  • #4
I'll share my plan: rebuilt suspension, rebuilt steering box Shelby drop, perfromance alignment, GR2 shocks, new GT leaf springs, 480# 1" drop coil springs, 1" front & no rear sway, Export brace and Monte Carlo bar, Globabl West subframe connectors, and roller perches, boss302 engine crossmember and a roller idler bearing.

From what I can tell from people with similar setups, it'll ride pretty good and handle great. The roads here suck, so it'd better ride good. I'm not sold on the idea of fancy bushings or rear bars. All the aftermarket bushings seem to self destruct or make noises you'd usually hear in an aquarium.
HTH
--Kyle
PS: All kind of performance handling crap and a worn out steering box ain't gonna jive....that'd be #1 on my list of things to rebuild.You rebuild the suspension and everybody forgets the box.
 

66ford289

New Member
Apr 10, 2005
100
0
0
Feb 5, 2006
#5
  • Feb 5, 2006
  • #5
Good point and one that I overlooked about the steering box. Funny how one would overlook that after the publications of any modifcation always talk about the importance of the "complete package".
 

red65

Member
Apr 12, 2003
411
0
17
Ann Arbor, MI
Feb 5, 2006
#6
  • Feb 5, 2006
  • #6
HistoricMustang, who posts here often, has put together a very fast car using a lot of modified stock parts, and he's done it on a budget. Check out his site at:

http://www.historicmustang.com/tech.html

He's obviously spent a lot of time on it, and it'd be good reading for you, I think.
 

66ford289

New Member
Apr 10, 2005
100
0
0
Feb 5, 2006
#7
  • Feb 5, 2006
  • #7
I feel like i've been tricked by the aftermakrket..........Historic makes it seem easy.
 
C

co6b5ra

Member
Oct 20, 2003
41
0
6
bettendorf IA
Feb 6, 2006
#8
  • Feb 6, 2006
  • #8
66ford289 said:
Now that i've got the engine wrapped up i'm having some difficulty keeping it under control. I want to completely rebuild the suspension. I have come up with different totals depending on the approach I want to take replacing what needs to be done. Also I want to add one of the basic handling kits from any of the parts wareshouses. If I replace everything, it around 850 bucks. At the opposite end I was wondering if I could replace what is considered to be wearable parts. It just seems to pay for parts like the control arms is just paying for new parts so you don't have to clean the old ones. I know that the stock ones are known for flexing but I also know they can be re-enforced and i'm willing to do so. In other words regardless of the amount of work is it okay to just replace things like bushings and wearable parts.
Click to expand...

If you're interested make me an offer on this setup. http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=611032
 

HistoricMustang

Active Member
Apr 11, 2003
2,359
0
46
Confederate States of America
Feb 6, 2006
#9
  • Feb 6, 2006
  • #9
66ford289 said:
Now that i've got the engine wrapped up i'm having some difficulty keeping it under control. I want to completely rebuild the suspension. I have come up with different totals depending on the approach I want to take replacing what needs to be done. Also I want to add one of the basic handling kits from any of the parts wareshouses. If I replace everything, it around 850 bucks. At the opposite end I was wondering if I could replace what is considered to be wearable parts. It just seems to pay for parts like the control arms is just paying for new parts so you don't have to clean the old ones. I know that the stock ones are known for flexing but I also know they can be re-enforced and i'm willing to do so. In other words regardless of the amount of work is it okay to just replace things like bushings and wearable parts.
Click to expand...

Been there and done that:

http://forums.stangnet.com/search.php?searchid=1030216

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
 
6

65mistress

Member
Aug 17, 2004
405
1
17
Generica USA
Feb 7, 2006
#10
  • Feb 7, 2006
  • #10
Historic
Nothing in the link. Either it's my system or the link is not doing what you want it to.
 

HistoricMustang

Active Member
Apr 11, 2003
2,359
0
46
Confederate States of America
Feb 7, 2006
#11
  • Feb 7, 2006
  • #11
65mistress said:
Historic
Nothing in the link. Either it's my system or the link is not doing what you want it to.
Click to expand...

Put "Suspension Rebuild" in the Search Function and you get 113 posts. That should get you going in the right direction as you will get the link that will not work for some reason.

Welcome to StangNet and Happy Motoring!

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

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