Rear Control Arm Upgrade

Topic: Rear Control Arm Upgrade - Pictorial (Read 834 times) previous topic - next topic

Rear Control Arm Upgrade - Pictorial

May 04, 2009, 01:39:58 PM

Hey guys. Didn't forget about you all. I've been working on my 85 bird. After some reading at coolcats, I performed the rear control arm upgrade. Nothing special except that I documented it all step-by-step, including the pinion angle adjustment.

Anyhow, I just need to reference the CHE stuff in my article as an option since I went with some Lakewood gear.

http://www.fordmuscle.com/forums/suspension-articles/485692-fox-thunderbird-rear-control-arm-upgrade-pinion-angle-check.html

Rear Control Arm Upgrade - Pictorial

Reply #1 – May 04, 2009, 03:04:25 PM

Do you have a pic or two of a side view after the swap?
Just curious to see how the wheel/tire looked in the well afterwards.
Good writeup too! :D

Rear Control Arm Upgrade - Pictorial

Reply #2 – May 04, 2009, 03:18:12 PM

Thanks. Hmmm. I didn't antite a change in the ride height from the new control arms. However, the rear WAS sagging about a 1/4" from level before I started, car sits perfectly level now. I'm sure this was corrected not from the new control arms themselves but from the new upper and lower coil spring bushings (aka isolaters) I added during the swap. The old ones were trashed and flattened.

Oh, or were you more concerned about the minor shortened wheelbase affect? I'll take a pic but everything looks normal.

Rear Control Arm Upgrade - Pictorial

Reply #3 – May 04, 2009, 03:29:50 PM

Well both, actually.

I second your decision on new isolaters, I'm going to put new ones in when I do my bushings up next week.
I'm just debating on doing the control arms now, while everything is apart, or wait till later..lol