Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: Franck DJ (Don) (email redacted)

I am going to rebuild the fron end on my Mach 1. All of the rubber is shot
and although I do not see any
rust other than surface rust, I bend my end wrench trying to
loosen the bolt on the coil spring saddle. I am
looking a kits that contain:
Lower A-arm
Upper A-arm
Coil Spring Saddle
Spring Insulators
Strut Rod bushings
End Links
Sway Bar bushings

The price is
289 (Laurel Mountain Mustang)
299 Canadian Mustang
319 Mustangs Plus

Has anyone had experience doing this? Are the parts basically
equal? It seem that I get alot for my money
but am I replacing things that I do not need to?

Don Franck
(email redacted)
Pantera #1777
Wk 713-241-6820 / Wk Fax 713-241-7620
HM 281-856-8049 / Hm Fax 281-859-9531
geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/9415
"Some people said it couldn't be done. What they meant was "They couldn't
do it".



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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Don,

beware of laurel mountain mustang , i ordered a front end kit from them.
the ad said the lower control arm bushings were poly. i asked the guy on the
phone and he also said they were poly. however when i got the parts in the
mail , the lower control arm bushings were very soft rubber !
the rest of the parts were good quality though.....

-Jason

'66 coupe

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Don ,

you probably could just clean up your upper control arms , put a new
shaft kit and ball joint on them , paint them and re-use them.

they usually arent in bad shape , just be sure to inspect them close.
this will save you a bit of money....

-Jason

66 coupe

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Mail From: speegle (email redacted)

Franck DJ (Don) wrote:
>
> I am going to rebuild the fron end on my Mach 1. All of the rubber is shot
> and although I do not see any
> rust other than surface rust, I bend my end wrench trying to
> loosen the bolt on the coil spring saddle. I am
> looking a kits that contain:
> Lower A-arm
> Upper A-arm
> Coil Spring Saddle
> Spring Insulators
> Strut Rod bushings
> End Links
> Sway Bar bushings
>
> The price is
> 289 (Laurel Mountain Mustang)
> 299 Canadian Mustang
> 319 Mustangs Plus
>
> Has anyone had experience doing this? Are the parts basically
> equal? It seem that I get alot for my money but am I replacing things that I do not need to?

A few comments. I prefer (as yoyu've priced) replacing the complete
upper and lower A arms. Often used ones have very small cracks, stripped
thread or other problems due to age and use.

Your list seems pretty complete. I would suggest that you check where
the A arms are coming from Moog, reproduction or where. SOme of the
reproduction A arms had a problem with clearing the inner shaft and
bushing area and produced a binding situation

Also please don't buy simply on lowest price. Service, shipping, taxes
and help all count

Hope this helps

Jeff Speegle
MCA ANHJ
>

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

In a message dated 09/22/1999 9:40:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
(email redacted) writes:

> I bend my end wrench trying to
> loosen the bolt on the coil spring saddle. I am

I did the same thing. I broke 3 sockets before l removed the whole arm, and
brought it to work were I could use air tools. Well, I found the secret, I
was trying to remove the top bolts, well the nuts on the bottom come off, the
bolts on the top are fixed to the spring saddle. Good luck.

Paul Bradway
70 coupe
72 LTD convertible

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Subject:
Message-ID: <(email redacted)>

Franck DJ (Don) wrote:
>
> I am going to rebuild the fron end on my Mach 1. All > of the rubber is shot and although I do not see any
> rust other than surface rust, I bend my end wrench
> trying to loosen the bolt on the coil spring saddle.
> I am looking at kits that contain:
> Lower A-arm
> Upper A-arm
> Coil Spring Saddle
> Spring Insulators
> Strut Rod bushings
> End Links
> Sway Bar bushings
>
> The price is
> 289 (Laurel Mountain Mustang)
> 299 Canadian Mustang
> 319 Mustangs Plus
>
> Has anyone had experience doing this? Are the parts > basically equal? It seem that I get alot for my money > but am I replacing things that I do not need to?

I am in the process of rebuilding the front end of my '68 Cougar. I have a few comments:

1. If I remember correctly, the bolts for the coil saddles are locked into the saddles and won't turn. The nuts need to be removed to remove the saddles - don't try wrenching the bolts.

2. I have had a bad experience with "Canadian Mustang". I bought over $500 of suspension parts from them, including supposed 620 lb/in springs. It took almost 2 weeks to recieve the parts, and the idler arm that I ordered was back-ordered and took almost a month to receive. But more to my dismay, the springs they sent have a spring rate of about 285 lb/in, not 620 lb/in. I have determined this by using a formula for calculating the spring rate based on the geometry, and also measuring it using a drill press and a bathroom scale. The manager at Canadian Mustang was unwilling to admit their mistake/deception, was rude, and was not willing to give me a full refund for the springs. I have not yet bought anything from "Mustangs Plus", but they seem to have a very good reputation from what I have read.

3. If "all" the rubber is shot, it is best to replace all the items you mention. I found that most my parts on my front end didn't really need replacing except for the upper A-arm shafts and nuts (very worn), spring insulators, tie-rod boots, and steering coupler (rag joint).

Just my experience ....

Scott H.
'68 Cougar XR7






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