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Topic: Rearend and swaybar question???? (Read 1998 times) previous topic - next topic

Rearend and swaybar question????

I know this subject is getting old but I was at the local boneyard getting some goodies today,was looking at some 94-up Stang front control arms and was looking at the rear axles w/disc,will they fit my 87 Bird LX or are they too wide like the Mark VII?

I was wondering about the rear control arms as well?

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #1 –
If I remember right,the sway bars will swap over.As far as control arms,I don't know.I think the upper control arms from Fox Stangs are shorter than ours,but can't be sure about the SN-95's.I'd guess that they wouldn't be right either.Wait a while and someone else will chime in.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #2 –
Thank you Vinniebird,

Just getting a good solid "game plan" going,found a lot of good info,now just working on sifting out the best ideas.

Our car is an 87 LX  3.8,AOD,7.5 w/no sway bar,9in brakes ect,just put a set of 10 hole wheels and new tires. Yesterday I found a rear sway bar from a V8 87 Cougar,was thinking of grabbing the front as well? along w/the springs and maybe the 8.8 w/10in drums???  What suspension setup are you running? your bird was a V6 right?

My 4 1/2 yr old daughter got her first ride the other night in "The bird" I asked how she liked it and her awnser was "I like it daddy,We're going to put a bigger engine in it right? "

Gues it's in the genes lol?
 

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #3 –
Quote from: desotorandy;302406

My 4 1/2 yr old daughter got her first ride the other night in "The bird" I asked how she liked it and her awnser was "I like it daddy,We're going to put a bigger engine in it right? "

Gues it's in the genes lol?


cutest kid ever!
:cougarsmily:5.0 HO, E303 cam, Exploder/Cobra intake, smog pump delete, Ford Taurus electric fan, MAF conversion, BBK headers, MAC 2.5" off-road exhaust w/x-pipe, AOD w/shift kit, 8.8 Trac-Loc rear w/disc brakes, 5-lug conversion w/'98 Mustang GT 17" wheels, Mach 1 springs:cougarsmily:

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #4 –
My car was always a V-8.The V-6 and V-8 sway bars are smaller than the Turbo Coupe bars (unless,like my car,it's a Sport model which shares the thicker Turbo Coupe bars).That what you should grab.They are thick,and really do make a difference.Fox Mustang swaybars (the 5.0 Stangs) are the same as the Turbo Coupes ('87 and '88).They are pretty easy to find,and generally fairly cheap.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #5 –
The rear is most likely a 7.5 if it's from an '87 car. The 10" drums are smooth, while the 9 inchers have fins.
Still, it's possible it will have a trac loc, look for an axle code on the door jamb sticker.
Info: http://www.coolcats.net/tech/general/axleinfo.html

I'd keep the v6 springs, at least on the front, as the v8 weighs more than the 6, so the V8 springs are taller and they're not what you want, unless you're going to a v8 very soon.

Your little girl has a good head about your car lol ;)

Have no idea about the Stang arms, someone else will speak up.:D
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #6 –
True.My Bird came with a 7.5,10 inch drums,and 2.73 Traction Lock and the TC sway bars.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #7 –
Your questions are pretty vague, and all this stuff is covered here on the forums.

Short answers:
-Rear sway bars will work.
-Rear control arms are the same as the 79-93 Mustang, and thus are too short for the Tbirds/Cougars.
-rear axle assemblies 94-98, same overall width as the 83-88 Tbirds/Cougars, 99-04 are wider. 

Want more detailed answers, hit up the search function and check out the past threads.  There are at least 2 a couple threads dedicated to the rear axle differences stickied already.  One even has a handy chart...
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #8 –
Thank you everyone,

Yeah,my children are into cars,planes,boats and trains,they got it from me,I got it from my dad and he got it from his father,they loved trains and anything mechanical,my family is orig from Endicott NY and worked for IBM,so they used to go to the races at 5mile point,Fonda speedway and so on,it's a rich family tradition to be mechanically minded,plus it's in the genes lol.

I hope to find info about the 94+ axle housings w/disc brakes being a good fit for a fox bird?

The rear in that Cougar was an axle code 8,w/10in brakes,seems it wasn't a traction lock unit,butI did grab the rear sway bar off of it tho since my bird hasn't got one at all,may get the front as well?
I'm going to keep the V6 springs in till I get the V8 driveline ready to install ect,I don't want to mess things up since I drive it every day.

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #9 –
I read the first post a couple of times to confirm.

Quote
was looking at some 94-up Stang [SIZE="6"]front[/SIZE][/I][/B] control arms.....will they fit my 87 Bird LX

If you are indeed referring to the front a-arms then they are in fact the same dimensions.  I believe the spring pocket is different, however.  I can't remember if it's deeper or shallower, but you CAN use them.

Hope this helps.
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #10 –
Quote from: V8Demon;302618
I read the first post a couple of times to confirm.



If you are indeed referring to the front a-arms then they are in fact the same dimensions.  I believe the spring pocket is different, however.  I can't remember if it's deeper or shallower, but you CAN use them.

Hope this helps.


To clarify...they are the same dimensions as the 87-88 cars.  The 83-86 cars use the Fox Mustang front control arms.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #11 –
I believe, from prior searching, the spring pocket is deeper on the stang arms.

I was gonna say also, he's looking at the front arms. LOL
Mike

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #12 –
Quote from: mcb82gt;302635

I was gonna say also, he's looking at the front arms. LOL


Re-read the first post...he also asked about the rear arms...

;)
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Rearend and swaybar question????

Reply #13 –
Thanks guys,

Yeah,got that,I have a pretty good idea now what I'd like to use ect,thanks everyone for your help.