Upper Control Arm Install Q's

[Stanger007]

View attachment 419432
I've got D&D Motorsports econo upper and lower control arms (thanks for the tip Eades) sitting in the shop but only have a few hours to do 'stang work this weekend so I figured I'd at least get a start.

Has anyone changed out their rear upper control arms without removing anything else? Care to throw out any tips?

I was planning on putting the car in the air, hitting the bolts with some PB blaster and unbolting the arms... is it that straight forward?

Where can I find the stock rubber axle-end bushings for the upper control arm? Couldn't find them on 50resto and I dread just throwing $ at the dealership for them.

:SNSign:

Thanks guys,
Wes

EDIT: I found this thread over on the 5.0 forum - looks like swapping uppers is no big deal. Anyone who wants to chip in their 2c is welcome.

 

[Bosko5.0]

use pry bars and another person, remove them one at a time then

i was going to go with those but i dont think it should take a month to delivery so i just bought steeda control arms next day got em

i did mine on jack stands using a jack to jack the axle up (both CAs on the housing already positioned them up to clear exhuast) then jacked them into position put bolts in, put suspension under load and torqed to specs.


napa should them, i bought mine for $35 from MM with there tool but the steeda CAs came with the housing bushings

good luck

 

[Chythar]

Bosko5.0 has it right. If you change one at a time, the axle won't shift when you change the uppers. Definitely put the axle on jackstands when you change the lowers, or the axle WILL shift. I got my bolts loose with a good amount of effort.

 

[Stanger007]

Thanks for the help Bosko5.0 and Chythar!

i was going to go with those but i dont think it should take a month to delivery so i just bought steeda control arms next day got em

A month! You must have asked for super rushed delivery... it took two months to get mine.

napa should them, i bought mine for $35 from MM with there tool but the steeda CAs came with the housing bushings

Does it look like I need to have that tool to get them pressed in without removing the axle from the car or does it just help?

Wes

 

[badstang123]

The install is very straight forward. You will have no problem if doing one arm at a time. The only part that is a little tricky is the axle bushings. I too got mine from Maximum Motorsports. While many have problems removing them I used an air hammer and they flew out in less that 5 seconds

I put the same control arms in my car about two weeks ago. They are going to tighten up the rear end a lot. I noticed a little better hooking up but not too much on launch. I'm running some pretty hard tires on the street though so that is a lot of the reason for that. The handling and tightness is corners is way better though. You will be very happy with them. Best of luck.
- Justin

 

[Bosko5.0]

there tool removes the metal casing and all then it install it comes with instructions, they can be removed/installed with the axle in the car.

 

[ProKiller]

Bosko5.0 has it right. If you change one at a time, the axle won't shift when you change the uppers. Definitely put the axle on jackstands when you change the lowers, or the axle WILL shift. I got my bolts loose with a good amount of effort.

so that's why it took so long to get the one side out when i did my lowers..... ....where were you last year with that info.

 

[Stanger007]

Ha... ok I'm tackling the uppers this weekend - I'll put up some pics when I get done.

 

[Chythar]

so that's why it took so long to get the one side out when i did my lowers..... ....where were you last year with that info.

Right here, ProKiller. The question is, where were YOU?

I ran into the same problem the first time I changed my rear springs. the bolt was tough to get out, and as soon as I pulled the bolt out the whole axle shifted an inch or two. Nearly wet my pants after that one - I thought the axle was going to fall off. It was a real pain to shift the axle back so I could get the bolt back in place.

 

[Stanger007]

I've been dealing w/ steering on my '72 Mach 1 today - talk about a pain working with bolts that haven't been touched in over 34 years!!!

Hoping the '95 is just a bit easier on the UCA/LCA bolts.

 

[4Jenna]

Use a air hammer to get the uca bushings out

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/iwwida.pvx?;item?item_no=PT-6309BL 1&comp=LRS

Install is real easy of the arms

 

[Stanger007]

Wow I just got in from changing out the arms and doing a little test drive. That was a crazy easy install. I didn't even take any pictures.

I jacked up the car on jackstands - placed a floor jack under the differential and did one side at a time. Use the floorjack to manipulate the axle and line up the holes. Only took about an hour start to finish.

The car is more stable and doesn't want to shift to the left nearly as hard as it used to. It's so cold I was having trouble getting traction so I can't give a full report on them. Car does launch straighter now than it did before.

Eades - did you drop any grease on the bushings when you installed yours? I put just a touch of some purple grease in them just to make everything slide together.

Didn't notice any more noise from these arms (still have stock rubber in axle end).

Lowers go on next weekend... looking forward to that.

Wes

 

[badstang123]

With those arms your supposed to pack the center with some polyurethane grease. I greased them up very well on mine. If they're not making noise though, I don't know that your really need to bother going back and doing it.

 

[4Jenna]

Yes I used grease