Well after waiting 6 weeks the adjustable extreme duty rear control arms I order from Maximum Motorsports arrived yesterday. These are the arms that have spherical bushings on each end.
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa33/thunderjet302/Thunderbird%20web/control%20arm%20_zpsrzekhu2z.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/thunderjet302/media/Thunderbird%20web/control%20arm%20_zpsrzekhu2z.jpg.html)
I'll be using 98 Mustang GT rear springs with these arms along with some brand new Gabriel Quad-Shocks I installed this past winter.
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa33/thunderjet302/Thunderbird%20web/quad%20shock_zpsflqxlcws.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/thunderjet302/media/Thunderbird%20web/quad%20shock_zpsflqxlcws.jpg.html)
I'm pretty sure this should eliminate the last vestiges of wheel hop and let the car hook off the line. I'll hopefully get the rear arms swapped on this weekend. Of course the only rusty bolts on my Thunderbird are the ones that hold the front of the rear control arm to the frame. When I swapped the 8.8 axle in last fall the control arm to axle bolts came out like butter. Heck they even looked brand new. I'm just hoping I can get the front bolts out as easily. If not it's off to the local mechanic :hick:
BTW the rear springs in the above picture are original to the car. Yes they are un-rusty and still have the factory coating and spring tags on them....
I'll be interested into how it rides after and how much noise they transmit.
ooo. Pretty. I've got their CC plates showing up for mine tomorrow.
I actually went over this with Maximum Motorsports. The spherical bushings will be slightly noisier than polyurethane but not much so. As far as ride harshness it should be ok. I'm using the 98 Mustang GT springs because they are relatively soft. MM suggested them to keep a smooth ride and balance out the handling.
After this I think I may install a Maximum Motorsports panhard bar. That'll be next years project.
Well the rear arms went in pretty easy. Start to finish it took me about 3.5 hours to get the old arms out and the new arms in with just hand tools. I can't drive it today as it keeps snowing on and off. Hopefully tomorrow I can.
Here's some pictures.
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa33/thunderjet302/Mobile%20Uploads/control%20arm%20driver%20_zpshxcszfil.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/thunderjet302/media/Mobile%20Uploads/control%20arm%20driver%20_zpshxcszfil.jpg.html)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa33/thunderjet302/Mobile%20Uploads/control%20arm%20passenger%20_zpseausxc6c.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/thunderjet302/media/Mobile%20Uploads/control%20arm%20passenger%20_zpseausxc6c.jpg.html)
So I really didn't have to worry about the factory bolts. They came out like this.
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa33/thunderjet302/Mobile%20Uploads/control%20arm%20bolt%20_zpscnrajjhl.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/thunderjet302/media/Mobile%20Uploads/control%20arm%20bolt%20_zpscnrajjhl.jpg.html)
Not rusted to in inner bushing shell at all. They looked like new. California is great for keeping cars non rusty.
Maximum stuff is nice. We did a few front end kits for Mustangs. Not cheap, but most things good typically cost.
So some observations after driving the car around.
Pros:
The ride has vastly improved over the stock control arms and stock springs. One would suspect that solid spherical bushings and 98 Mustang GT springs would make the ride more harsh but surprisingly they improved the ride. The rear shaking side to side over bumps has been eliminated. The ride on smooth or rough pavement has gotten much better. Bumps at 70-75 mph on the highway that used to make the rear dance around now just produce a thump and the rear stays in place.
Axle hop accelerating hard from a stop is gone. Trounce on the throttle and the car just shoots straight ahead. With the old control arms flooring the throttle on a 3-2 downshift would make the rear dance and the tires chirped and spun. The chirp is still present but the car stays straight as an arrow and just lunges ahead.
The rear is extremely planted now. The grip on curves in tenacious. Combined with the 04 Cobra control arms up front the car just garbs the road around corners now. I swear it would throw me out of my seat without the seat belt on. It just sticks.
Cons:
The solid spherical bushings on both ends of the control arm transmit noise from the rear. I can actually hear the rear differential spinning now with the windows up and the radio off. It actually can be heard over the exhaust with the windows up. I don't notice any noise or vibrations from the spherical bushings just the noise from the differential spinning. My solution has been to turn the radio on ;)
Thanks for the feed back. The differential noise would have been the last thing I would have thought to be concerned about. I will see how long the bushings hold up, even if I have to replace them once in a while I can live with that. Sounds like a blast to drive, makes me think I should get busy.
Nice work
Thanks for the feed back. I knew somebody else would know what the volume control was for.....LOL.
Another odd benefit is that the new rear control arms actually soften the feel of the transmission shifting. The AOD in my car shifts very firmly and with the stock control arms you could really feel it shifting through the entire body. With the new arms the feeling of the transmission shifting has been greatly reduced. Probably because the rear axle isn't flopping around :hick:
I also have an aluminum driveshaft on my car which probably amplifies driveline noises as well. I was honestly surprised that the differential whirring sound was the only side effect of the spherical bushings. With the windows down it's not very noticeable. With the windows up (exhaust led out) the noise is much more noticeable with the radio off.
I should have warned you about that. Same thing in the Mustang. With a Detroit locker.
It's not too bad as I run a 31 spline Traction-Lok with carbon fiber clutches but it's noticeable with the radio off. If I turn the radio on it doesn't bug me at all. The noise is just the natural whirring a set of gears and a differential make.
I know this post is old but did the ride height change with the GT springs?
They dropped the rear about 3 inches. I had to jack the spring perch up half way to get the rear up to the same height as the front end.
Thanks
The top of the tires were pretty much even with the wheel well lip. You have an 84 which has less "junk in the trunk" than the 87 to 88 cars so it may not sink as much.