Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Suspension/Steering => Topic started by: Miah on February 06, 2011, 04:39:12 PM

Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Miah on February 06, 2011, 04:39:12 PM
I removed the old ruber bushing in 86'. The new bushing have a metal sleve. I am wondering if I got the wrong bushing. (http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab144/miahb/cougarBushing.jpg)
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 06, 2011, 06:04:27 PM
The old sleeve needs to be removed. Be careful when you install the new one as not to distort the A-arm.
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Miah on February 06, 2011, 08:18:41 PM
I noticed there is also a set without a metal sleeve. (http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/prodimages/Energy_Suspension/ES43108G_lg.gif)
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: bigbada1 on February 06, 2011, 08:19:14 PM
I dont know about the 86 but on my 87 the bushings from energy supension did not have the new shells just the inserts. I not sure that the shells are the same.
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: bigbada1 on February 06, 2011, 08:20:21 PM
Yep those are the one I got for the 87
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Miah on February 06, 2011, 08:39:00 PM
I order them up. The shell doesn't look like it really come out that easy. I think they are the same as the 87. I will be using controll arms off a 88 stang, orginial ones ( in the pic) are really rusty. The stang arems appear to be exact match.
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Beau on February 07, 2011, 04:28:56 AM
Quote from: Chuck W;97082
The 83-86 Tbirds/Cougars used the 79-93 Mustang A-arms.

The  87-88's are the same length as the 94+ Mustang A-arms, but the SN-95  ball-joints are different and will not work with Fox spindles.

As far as bushings, I ordered mine w/o the shells. The new ES bushings fit into the existing shells pretty well, I just used a small rubber mallet to tap them in. Put the supplied lube on them first.

I also warped my driver side control arm pressing the old bushing out...the replacement arm I used, I just burned the bushings out, then took both arms to work and threw them in the sand blaster, cleaned up very nicely, and painted them.
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Miah on February 07, 2011, 08:23:37 PM
I had to use a torch as well. I put the control arm in the shop press with a 5/8' rod and 1in socket. Then heated the shell up and it just came right out. I guess the heat gelled the rubber to where it would slip out of the shell.
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Beau on February 08, 2011, 02:59:29 AM
I think the one that I bent was because that shell just did not want to come out...my bushings didn't come with shells or sleeves or whatever they're called, so I just stuck them in the original shells...good to go. Until I went to reinstall the driver's side c/a and found the  thing was tweaked. Pulled one off my junk white car, threw it and the pass. side arm in the woodstove for about 30 minutes each...no more rubber. Off to work the next night, sandblasted, then primed and painted. Just gotta slap the pass. side arm's bushings in, throw new ball joints in them, and put them back on. But it's somewhere between zero, and 350 below, so I'm quite content to sit here and talk about it instead of actually doing it, lol.
Title: Bushing replacment with energy suspension
Post by: Miah on February 13, 2011, 03:43:29 PM
Here is a pic how I got mine out. Just in case some one decided to undergo this.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab144/miahb/pressactionS.jpg)