and having never done so before, I thought it would be a big PITA without using air tools.
I did spray the bolts/nuts down with panther piss (pb blaster), and used a short piece of pipe for an extension, and didn't have much of a problem, save for the lower one, on the passenger side.
Stripped off about half of the thread on it, before the nut finally turned off. Gave my arms a hell of a workout, considering.
So anyway, since the bolts are 22 years old, I'm gonna grab some new bolts from the hardware store...
I've looked around a bit, but can't find the torque specs for these..anybody got em? Thanks! :D
You'll have a hard time finding the grade 10.9 bolts at the local hardware store.
Sometimes you can use 1/2" bolts (grade 8) in place of the originals, if you're reinstalling stock arms. However, with aftermarket arms or bushings, you'll need to know what size the sleeve is spec'ed for.
IIRC, the torque spec max is 90ft-lbs, with the suspension loaded with the weight of the car.
What are you installing in their place?
CHE's..
Torque them with the suspension loaded eh? Will remember that :D
I figured I'd take an upper and a lower into the store with me, to find a good bolt..or try to, anyway.
Worst case, I'll get under the white car and pull a bolt or two from it.
BTW, did I post this in the wrong section? :punchballs:
Mine came with bolts. Although I couldn't use them because they were to short. lol
You can find 10.9s at Fastenal. They had to order them for me.
When you're at the yard,grab some control arm bolts.
Yep, Fastenal is awesome with hard to find hardware. Exactly where I got my new bolts from.
Thanks for the tips fellas..I for sure will get 'em from fastenal.
I'd pull one from another car, but it might be the same way.
So, putting it all back together is gonna suck with the car sitting level and loaded on the floor :hick:.
Wish I had a lift, lol.
I do have a building with a concrete floor, I might make a platform of sorts, with some pieces of I beam I happen to have, and a couple long 2x12's...just to get a little clearance under it so I can get under to torque the bolts down.
I get a bunch of stuff from McMaster-Carr all the time too.
Couldn't you put the jackstands under the axle, and a-arms to load the suspension? Would leave you room to work.
Could if I had any lol :hick:
Don't worry...it won't be one of those deals where I never come back to post the results...I'm not one to take chances.
I'll probably buy or borrow some jack stands...safety rocks ;)
safety first buddy :beatyoass: :beatyoass:
Put the front on ramps then...:shakeass:
how did you unbolt the lowers with the rear being loaded?
When I unbolted the lowers, the rear was already out lol
I have the car supported under the floor pans by a pair of old truck wheels/tires, and some artfully applied blocks of wood. (to keep from pinching the fuel lines) :hick:
I'll get it all back together without being flattened by a Fox lol
I got a plan.........
Dude, be careful
I used jack stands under the frame rails,and a two ton floor jack under the center of the diff.I lower the rear after unbolting the shocks and remove the springs.After that,I drain the fluid,and remove the axles,then unbolt the brake backing plates hanging the brake assemblys up (I don't unhook the brake lines so i won't have to bleed them).After that,lift the rear,unbolt the control arms and pull the diff out.Really,it takes me no time at all,and I'm safe.
Let me know if you can't get the bolts. I'm at the yard alot and we have 0 Rust down here. When I pulled mine. The bolts still had the factory inspection paint on the them. I'd hate to have one of our own crash because of some jenky home despot bolts.
-Z
Mine still had the paint on them as well when I pulled them.
Well, if someone can get some good bolts that aren't rusted all to hell and gone....I'm game.
I have bolts and nuts still in the original LCA's in the garage.I think most are OEM,and maybe one or two are from the CHE's I got.
Want to sell me some of them...?
PM me a price if you do, and I'll throw some money your way :D
Got the rear in place, ordered a new rotor, and rear pads, and have found that the caliper is seized, hence why I needed a new rotor.
Guess it's time to play the waiting game again.
Now that that's pretty well done, I'll start on the fronts.
Might be September before I'm done, although I'm hoping for next weekend. :hick:
So I was impatient, and couldn't stand it any longer.
Blocked off the rear brakes, and took it for a little drive down to the highway and back.
The front is still loose as a Vegas hooker, but the back does seem firmer. A lot firmer.
CHE's should be the first suspension mod ever done to one of these, hands down. As soon as some new shocks are on the back, it should be even better. I've got CWE shock brackets, but the 'Stang shocks I have are still too short. Guess I'll need SN-95 shocks...
The front needs work, and I'll be addressing that next.
With the 3.55's out back, it pulls a bit stronger than it did with the 2.73s, obviously. Well worth the work.
First gear gets useless pretty fast.
I made three good romps on it, all from a stop, and I'm satisfied...for now. :evilgrin:
Nice work. Gears make all the difference.I'm still debating on installing the 3.73 rear back into the Sport.
What is the advantage of being able to use Mustang shocks over the standard pieces?
Better selection to choose from, and probably cheaper ;)
They're off of an '89 Fox Stang vert...installed on the Tbird they're fully extended.
I've got TC rear springs, the Sport's stock rear sway bar, and 225/60/16 tires, although that wouldn't make any difference, I reckon.
The only thing I can think of is that they are not the correct shocks for a Mustang, or else it was lowered...only thing I can think of. ;)
It's gonna get new shocks soon so I'm not really sweating it :D
Fox rear shocks and SN95 rear shocks are the same length compressed and extended. The front struts are different but not the rear shocks. I have Chuck's adapters on the rear of my '83 with Koni's for a Fox Mustang and they work great. Take the Mustang shocks you have to the parts house and see what the deal is.
Darren
They're junk, they came with an 8.8 rear, so I used 'em...I'll get new ones soon. :D