The Santa Clause in the brown shorts brought me some presents!

[No.11]

Yep, Brown Santa came late this year (or super early, depending how you look at it). I'm super stoked!

The box. I didn't think they could pack everything into it, but they did it!

The uppers, beautiful simplicity...

The lowers... O.O blew me away seeing these in person! Spectacular items!

Quality you can feel.

Here it is... a quality set!

I also bought ebrake cables, bracket, trans mount, bolt kit for trans mount, convertible motor mount kit with apr bolts, oil pan gasket, and a front lower ball joint (I should just buy front control arms instead).

It's only too bad I'm stuck with jury duty. I went today and we didn't finish the juror selection process, so I have to show up again tomorrow to finish it. I still have a chance at not being selected though... Fingers crossed for going home and working on the car instead!

 

[94gtfreak]

Looks awesome! Will definitely be a great improvement!

 

[NIKwoaC]

Sweetness, dude! My advice to you is buy a short ratcheting tie-down strap. Use it (and a jack) to hold/move around the rear axle when you're swapping control arms. It really helps a LOT. Also, do them one at a time!

 

[srtthis]

Sweetness, dude! My advice to you is buy a short ratcheting tie-down strap. Use it (and a jack) to hold/move around the rear axle when you're swapping control arms. It really helps a LOT. Also, do them one at a time!

your not joking... first time i did a set i was laying on my back trying to pull the rear into place. it was a F'in pain

btw the brown panted santa just stoped by my house with my new alt bracket from summit!

 

[Mustang5L5]

I agree about the MM arms. When i got mine, they stayed on my kitchen table for a week so i could admire them

 

[No.11]

So, I played ultra conservative at the jury selection today and the defendant's attorney had me excused Work on the car starts tomorrow. I think I should start with the motor mounts and work my way back.

 

[No.11]

I got a chance to work on the car for a bit today. Here's the broken upper. It's stamped "12-28-86" damn it's old!

I was hoping not to have to replace the axle housing bushings, but I'm gonna have to after all. They're pretty banged up.

Just one question though. Should I do the motor mounts before I do the LCAs? If the bad motor mounts could have been the cause of my blown out bushings, I don't want to mess up my new MM LCAs. Also the motor mounts can be done without having to disconnect anything from the engine, right? Just lift it with a jack?

I also am gonna go get another pair of jackstands tomorrow for a total of 4. It just makes everything easier.

 

[Vinnietbird]

I'm swapping motor mounts,and all 4 control arms (all new tubular control arms) at the same time.Nice "gifts" you got by the way.I know I feel good when my boxes of parts arrive as well.Now,if I only had the time to work on the car,and a warm place to do the work.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Yeah, those bushings are definitely trashed. Get the ford rubber ones. Don't go poly here as you want articulation in the upper arms or you increase the chance of axle bind.

I wouldn't sweat doing the arms before the mounts. That arm could have ripped apart on it's own. Just make sure you get to the mounts soon as driving on busted mounts is not safe. Then again, there were a lot of unsafe issues with your car IIRC.

 

[No.11]

Yep I'm not gonna drive the car until all these items are fixed. Might hold off on the oil pan gasket though.

Well thanks. I'm still gathering up the guts to do the motor mounts. Dint wanna damage anything. Is any disconnecting involved? Headers will move right along with it? I plan on floor jacking it.

 

[No.11]

Yeah I couldn't get the ****ing axle housing bushings out so I went ahead and ordered the tool from MM after all The good news is I moved on to the lowers and I removed one control arm. The other...is going to be a bitch unless I move the exhaust...MORE WORK DAMNIT!!! Maaaaaaann, the bushings on those were so bad, I really feel like an idiot for not noticing them right away!The bushings literally came apart in a few pieces when the control arm came out.

I just wish I had brand new springs to install while the control arms are out.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Yep I'm not gonna drive the car until all these items are fixed. Might hold off on the oil pan gasket though.

Well thanks. I'm still gathering up the guts to do the motor mounts. Dint wanna damage anything. Is any disconnecting involved? Headers will move right along with it? I plan on floor jacking it.

Rock the engine side to side with your jack and a 2x4, and replace the mounts one side at a time. You'll probably have to disconnect the intake tube and the exhaust midpipe.

Yeah I couldn't get the ****ing axle housing bushings out so I went ahead and ordered the tool from MM after all The good news is I moved on to the lowers and I removed one control arm. The other...is going to be a bitch unless I move the exhaust...MORE WORK DAMNIT!!! Maaaaaaann, the bushings on those were so bad, I really feel like an idiot for not noticing them right away!The bushings literally came apart in a few pieces when the control arm came out.

I just wish I had brand new springs to install while the control arms are out.

You have to drill them out, basically completely destroying them to remove them. I don't know how the tool works, but a 3/8" drill bit did the trick for me.

 

[No.11]

Is it a common thing to have to unweld the exhaust hangers to get clearance to take out control arm bolts?

 

[Repostyle]

Yup, the brown santa is working overtime this year. He came by my house too and dropped off my new RAM clutch kit, e-brake cables, tri-axe shifter, 03 cobra knob, and new shifter boot. He forgot my new carpet, but his little elves are working hard at time and a half to make it right.

 

[hemi_fan]

I put those same control arms in my car and let me tell you, on the road course the car felt totally different! It was so much more stable than before and wheel-hop was gone! You'll love em.

 

[No.11]

Anyone know where I can find energy suspension spring isolators, or any brand, today?

I'm in the South Bay Area in So Cal.

 

[No.11]

The lower control arms are in! It was pretty tough getting everything aligned, and pretty much every bolt was a battle! I had to drop both exhaust pipes to get access to the bolts on the frame end. But here they are, in place and ready to roll...but the rest of the car isn't yet.

Well it's definitely an improvement from what I had before. Check out these bushings... they're atrocious! One one side it was riding on just the bolt!

I'm just waiting for my bushing removal tool from MM to arrive, scheduled for tomorrow, and I'll put in the UCAs. If not, I may start on my ebrake lines.

 

[Beasty306GT]

the tool for the upper bushings works great...i have one myself..used it once and now its sits in the toolbox till who knows when but there impossible without the tool..just make sure u push in the new ones in the same as the old measure it so everything lines up again

 

[No.11]

the tool for the upper bushings works great...i have one myself..used it once and now its sits in the toolbox till who knows when but there impossible without the tool..just make sure u push in the new ones in the same as the old measure it so everything lines up again

Does the tool work for pushing out bushings in places other than the axle?

 

[Beasty306GT]

Does the tool work for pushing out bushings in places other than the axle?

No just the top axle bushings...removes them and installs them..