Replacing the rag joint is cheap insurance against that. The upper arms are modified to allow the coilover to pass through plus there is a special mounting scheme for the coilover to the shock tower. Spherical bearings replace the OEM rubber bushings, provide lower stiction, and virtually eliminate unwanted compliance. Be sure to paint all welds. I try to do so in a way that also helps make up for 40 or more years of wear and aging by replacing worn or damaged parts with cost-effective upgrades rather than installing direct-replacement parts. For a high-performance application a higher spring rate is needed and this produces a harsher ride and fails to maintain as stable a total rear tire contact patch. Its larger size, however, requires some modification of the steering shaft. The upper links are adjustable in length to allow the proper setting to be reached but this may not be possible if the tabs are not located properly. Everything needs to be compatible to get the best result. The tabs to be welded are bolted to the other end before the fixtures are adjusted to rest the tabs in the proper place for welding. With some modifications, however, the basic design even proved to be race worthy. Early Mustangs were never known for having great torsional strength or chassis rigidity. They are usually installed under the dash, either with a new steering column or through modifications to the existing steering column. A pure drag race suspension isnt well suited to street use so I briefly address it in the high-performance street and streetable track-day sections. When an axle assembly with a recessed locating hole is used special metal inserts such as these from Global West are likely to be needed. Panhard rods can be advantageous in some situations where most of the turns on a track are in the same direction. The doublestamped control arm, coil springs, and shock suspension provided good road-holding and handling characteristics for its day, but it is certainly antiquated by todays standards and must be replaced to reach modern high-performance standards. The OEM design utilizes a spring perch that positions the spring on the upper control arm. The Level 1 system comes with non-adjustable shocks and no front anti-sway bar. Straight four-link and some three-link designs are often low in cost and relatively easy to install. The mounting brackets for the lower links are simple to bolt on because they are located by the spring pad pegs on the axle. Basically, keep the stock system healthy until you can afford to toss it. Although these cost more than rubber bushings, they substantially improve performance. Even though much more radical (and costly) options are available, this simple level of upgrading still makes a dramatic improvement in vehicle performance. These arms can use the stock spring perches, etc., or a simple, bolt-on coil-over kit. This is easily done by loosening the locknut on the steering box and adjusting the screw per factory instructions. In addition the OEM spring perch uses a relatively compliant rubber bushing, which isnt the best for performance or durability. Having said that, the stock leaf-spring suspension can be vastly improved, even to the point where it is acceptable for daily use as well as limited track use. Weight and the number of potential leaks are also reduced plus additional header clearance is provided. Its typical of similar mid-priced and more-capable systems. (Photo Courtesy Global West Suspension). This almost fully eliminates any compliance or friction while helping to reinforce the mounting box. For a daily driver that sees lots of potholes and other road hazards its best to use rubber bushings. They dont compress to any noticeable degree and they reduce friction and impact harshness. Replacing them with thicker, square lockout plates eliminates this possibility because they are held firmly in place yet still allow for a wide range of adjustment (in six steps versus continuously). When the additional loads of high-performance driving are to be the norm, additional strengthening measures are needed for the body structure. Global Wests Del-A-Lum bushings replace the OEM rubber bushings and eliminate unwanted movement, compliance, and friction by keeping the springs properly and consistently located. When combined with the better arms, bushings, shocks, etc., they very noticeably improve the dynamics of the vehicle. Using leaf springs also introduces some unique issues. Another prime candidate for replacement is the rag joint between the steering column and the steering box. This is mainly due to the inherent friction between the leaves of each spring along with the more-random motion of each spring (and thus the axle and tires) due to bushing compliance, spring wrap up, etc. Non-adjustable and doubleadjustable versions plus other springs are available. Global West offers a significantly reinforced stock-type lower arm that is boxed on the underside to greatly improve strength. These should be replaced unless you plan on upgrading. The stock eccentric adjusters can loosen and/or shift under hard use, thus causing the alignment to be out of spec. This involves significant cost and complexity including some major modification of the basic vehicle. By using adjustablelength rods with rod ends that index to the frame (to ensure proper alignment) these strut rods also provide additional adjustment capability for a more precise alignment. This is a simple and inexpensive way to improve the stability and consistency of suspension alignment. They provide at least as much tunability with superior geometry plus theyre still far less costly than a full Mustang II subframe system. The loads are also more widely distributed, minimizing concentrations, which can cause problems at weak spots. TCP offers this particular system in three types: polyurethane bushings, spherical bearings, and billet aluminum arms with spherical bearings. They simply bolt onto the existing factory or aftermarket (preferred) upper arms and require only minimal adaptation on top of the shock towers. It presented a challenge for packaging when you wanted to install headers. This construction accomplishes several things. Add-on electric power assist kits can significantly reduce steering effort on just about any vehicle and do so without the need for a pump or hoses. If your old/OEM system needs any significant amount of investment for your daily driver or high-performance street car this Borgeson setup is the better way to go. A very effective and reasonably priced way to dramatically improve steering performance is to replace it with a more contemporary system such as this one from Borgeson (left). A Monte Carlo bar provides additional support by connecting to the shock towers across the engine bay to further reduce their movement relative to each other. These Global West tubular upper control arms are stout enough to handle even the most extreme loads. You can upgrade the parts and make substantial improvements in performance. You simply have the rack and a means for mounting tie rods and U-joints plus a means for connecting to the steering column. All spherical bearings have grease fittings and are capable of being readjusted and even rebuilt if necessary. The real benefit, however, is the greatly improved stiffness and torsional bending. First-generation Mustangs were equipped with mundane hydraulic shocks at the factory, which faded after severe acceleration, hard braking, and aggressive cornering. The cradle may interfere with large exhausts. Global West offers top-quality chrome-moly tubular arms that provide superior strength and torsional rigidity over the stock stamped-steel arms. Filed Under: Ford Tech Tips, Mustang, Mustang Performance Upgrades, 2022 DiY Ford. Some of the provided locknuts are fairly thin so its easy to strip them; thicker ones are easy to find. The problem with these systems is usually the hydraulic ram/cylinder and/or the associated control valve. When combined with a proper roll bar/roll cage structure you have as stable (and safe) a platform as possible (without a full tube chassis) when starting with an early Mustang body. The increase in weight is minimal plus its located low and centrally in the car, thus helping to improve handling. Note the use of Del-A-Lum bushings (no rubber), the reinforced spring perch mounts, and the extra bar. The most common example is that the shock towers tend to bend inward toward the engine. A Mustangs cornering ability is improved while body roll is limited. In addition, it provides even more beneficial geometry while still using the basic OEM design. Bolt-in designs are generally not as effective as weld-in designs but welding them after theyre bolted in usually helps. These can be used with stock or aftermarket upper control arms, though the latter is really best. In its time the suspension of the first-generation Mustang was as advanced as any pony or muscle car suspension from Detroit. The support cradle is reinforced by gussets and links, which extend forward to attach to the original leaf-spring mounts. Polyurethane perches cushion the ride, allow less movement, and last longer. The springs and shocks have been replaced with more performance-oriented parts plus the spring perches were replaced with polyurethane parts. The majority of the front suspension loads are imposed on the shock towers yet theyre only partially welded from the factory. Eliminating compliance and flexing of the lower arm is of little benefit if the arm is not kept in proper alignment/ adjustment. You can replace the various bushings associated with the anti-sway bars (end links, mounts) with highquality polyurethane parts, such as those from Energy Suspension. An export brace bolts between the firewall and the shock towers to brace them under hard cornering. Upgrading the lower control arms follows the same theme as the uppers but takes things a bit further. For a high-performance street car, you probably dont need adjustable anti-sway bars.You still must, how ever, ensure the bar(s) is matched to the rest of the suspension. TCPs g-link system is a canted four-link design. The ride can be a bit harsher. Replace or upgrade the strut rods if theyre bent. They can even improve the ride due to less initial impact friction (stiction). Think drag racing. The mid-priced g-link system has steel lower links versus the lighter, more-obvious, and more-costly billet aluminum links of the highest-cost system but it is otherwise identical. This provides increased firmness for high-performance applications. Some units integrate the assist motor directly onto the rack, though that can be a packaging problem. More importantly, the integration of the power assist directly into the steering box greatly improves steering feel and response. After the axle has been verified as being correctly located and centered these adjustable fixtures are run between the axle and the upper link mounts on the cradle. Ridetech offers three levels of coil-over, or ShockWave/air-spring, configurations. These can be adapted to work with most engine swaps such as this 5.0L EFI engine. Inexpensive rebuild kits with superior materials reduce the tendency for leaks or excessive play after the rebuild. The reinforcement of this Global West arm (top) is more obvious because it is boxed to significantly improve strength while keeping weight and cost fairly low. Global West, Total Control Products, and others offer direct-replacement springs with various rates and ride heights to suit various situations. Theres little point in upgrading to a more expensive, adjustable shock in a daily driver unless you intend to stay with leaf springs for the foreseeable future. These coil-overs easily replace the existing springs, perches, and shocks with simple, modular units that provide far greater tunability and adjustment potential. Because there are far fewer of these bushings their effect is less. The system weighed more and was prone to leaks. Tubular, non-OEM arms are also available. The far greater handling and braking forces of high-performance use require a significant redesign of the strut bars. (Photo Courtesy Chris Alstons Chassisworks), These direct-bolt-in Varishock coilover shocks from TCP provide easily adjustable ride height and shock valving with the OEM front suspension design. Side-to-side movement is almost completely eliminated through the use of Delrin thrust surfaces. The high-performance street car takes things up a notch by using upgraded components at the front and eliminating the leaf springs at the rear. Electric-assist systems generally dont have the same direct feel as a hydraulic system. Global West Suspension, Mustangs Plus, and others make upgraded upper arms that are stronger and have revised geometry to take advantage of a dropped location. One way to help ensure proper handling balance for a given vehicle is to source all components from a single supplier as a matched kit for a particular type of driving. Remember, the suspension is a system, not just a combination of parts. These stronger square plates are held in place by the factory flanges and dont move out of adjustment under heavy loading as the OEM cam bolts often do. They suffer from having a panhard rod that creates lateral movement of the rear axle due to the arc the panhard rod swings through. The steering is much more direct and responsive while also being much more durable and reliable with minimal risk of leaks. If you have no need to keep the original components for judging at a show, for example, it just doesnt pay to keep the stock system unless its in good shape and you dont want to put much money into a daily driver. Global West offers normal, reverse-eye, and mid-eye springs, which can drop the rear of the vehicle up to 112 to 2 inches below stock while preserving the correct spring shape/arc (some others alter the spring shape). These designs completely eliminate any excessive for-and-aft movement of the strut rod while greatly reducing friction and strength. Better rack-and-pinion systems such as the TCP conversion kit mount the rack in such a way that its not bearing any load other than that of the steering forces. Air springs are able to change damping characteristics on demand for increased ground clearance and performance at various speeds and applications. They reduce movement and provide more cushioning compared to their rubber counterparts but they can squeak if not greased. Global West developed these revised strut rods to virtually eliminate any movement along the centerline of the rod, thus maintaining a much more consistent rod location/alignment and minimizing the effects of hard braking and cornering. If the cost of doing this proves to be too high you can perform an upgrade instead. They can come with revised geometry to further improve handling in street or road race use. This further reduces flexing and adds strength by tying much of the rear of the car together to absorb the suspension loads. The strut rods are an often overlooked component in the front suspension. You experience better steering every time you drive the car. It was very strong too. Their design is unique in that the spring and shackle bolts ride inside a plated steel sleeve that is inside precisely machined cylindrical Delrin bushings. A rod end or spherical bearing is normally used in place of the rubber bushing, along with a much stronger and adjustable rod. The advantages of doing so are many, whether you go power or manual. The Level 3 system includes the front bar along with the best shocks (single adjustment for rebound with dual-stage high- and low-speed adjustments for compression, plus remote reservoirs) and is the preferred choice for this vehicle type. Mustangs Plus offers a chassis-strengthening kit that provides weld-on reinforcement panels primarily for the floorpan area. Its also fine for a street/strip car that just drag races. You can easily and smoothly move either one through its full arc with just your fingers after its been installed. In extreme cases and/or where the box is leaking or otherwise damaged you can have it rebuilt or buy one that already has been rebuilt. When you upgrade the suspension there is generally a very small tradeoff in a slightly harsher ride and the possibility of a feeling bit more vibration in the cabin but the improvement in dynamic response compensates for it. The design of these components is critical if they are to provide any noticeable benefit and not have ground-clearance issues. In higher-performance situations a rear bar may prove to be beneficial if it helps balance the car but this probably isnt an issue with a daily driver. You need to install tubular upper control arms as the first step in this upgrade. They significantly reduce the amount of movement yet still provide some isolation from noise and vibration, etc. A simple, inexpensive upgrade is to replace the OEM anti-sway bar bushings and links with polyurethane-based parts such as these from Energy Suspension. Leaf springs serve their purpose well as a good, simple, safe, durable, and relatively inexpensive form of rear suspension when using a solid axle. This geometry is inherently superior to the OEM design for a number of reasons yet the same basic control arms and strut rods can be used. No suspension system can work to its full potential unless its connected to a stable platform/vehicle. Installation of a new steering box is pretty simple; its a direct bolt-in. To achieve the ultimate in front-suspension performance while still retaining the factory shock towers a full coil-over conversion system is necessary. This relocates the mounting point of the coil-over assembly to the lower control arm to better distribute forces. The anti-sway bars themselves can also be upgraded with thicker/stiffer parts to reduce body roll. When building a high-performance or restomod Mustang, installing subframe connectors is an absolute must. These arms offer additional strut rod mounting holes plus revised geometry for potentially better performance, especially when used as part of a complete negativeroll kit. Ensure the nuts on the U-bolts are evenly tightened and not overtightened to the point of warping the flanges. The rear spring eye receives the same type of Del-A-Lum bushing and enjoys the same benefits. They reduce the amount of body roll and improve the overall response of the suspension. The reason is the tabs to be welded to the axle housing must be precisely located to ensure the axle is properly located in all directions. You cannot precisely tune spring rate for the best compromise between road holding and ride comfort. These bushings rest inside anodized aluminum housings, which are inserted into the spring and/or frame rail. Harder bushings help minimize slight fore and aft movement. Rebuilt rams are available, though theyre not cheap. A higher-output pump is required so one is supplied with the necessary mounting bracket, hoses, steering link adaptor (if needed), and even a new rag joint. This isnt necessary in a drag race situation where the front bar may be removed (at least at the strip) to reduce weight. These cars tend to sag a bit due to a combination of metal fatigue, corrosion, rust, loose or missing fasteners, and broken welds. A simple but critical upgrade is to fully weld the shock towers. The following is an installation overview of a Borgeson powersteering conversion. Even if this looks okay its a good idea to replace it if its been on for a long time because the rubber deteriorates over time, thus creating more play and slower steering response. Still, there are a few things you can do to the stock suspension to improve it enough for street and moderate performance use. For the daily driver you can reinforce the basic body structure to provide a more stable foundation for the suspension. Otherwise, wait to upgrade it. The extra rails also can provide a more convenient jacking point for lowered cars. The guidelines for the front apply to shock absorbers: Stick with a premium brand such as Koni (Classic line) for simple and nonadjustable versions. Manual racks are sometimes preferable, however, where lightweight is a priority and high cornering (or parking) forces are rarely, if ever, encountered. You may need to modify the stock steering column a bit but its a small price to pay for the benefits you receive. The best Monte Carlo bar designs use thick, straight tubing with thick brackets and adjustable rod ends with opposing threads to allow adjustment by simply rotating the bar (versus having to adjust each side separately). SHARE THIS ARTICLE:Please feel free to share this article on Facebook, in Forums, or with any Clubs you participate in. Unfortunately, these bushings tend to allow too much unwanted movement and, over time, they fail. The TCP system has high-quality components, a modular design, and many adjustments, so you can set it up for high-performance street use or for a day at the track. Finally, because this design has such inherently low internal friction there is a reduction in impact harshness and an improved ability for the spring to move through the desired range of motion. Over time even normal loads can lead to cracks in the towers. In some cases you may need to further trim the column housing. Even on a road course car a stiffer bar may not always be best if it throws the handling balance off, especially with lighter small-blocks. They tend to leak due to wear of the seals. Its a question of achieving the proper balance. The best export brace designs have thick flanges and welded joints to minimize movement. Based on 19792004 Mustangs, its a direct bolt-in with only minimal welding required. The tabs almost surely need to be trimmed a bit before welding to minimize gaps between the tabs and the housing. This provides firm or soft roll control. Second, because there are no bushings that compress, the springs only rotate in the vertical plane; they dont twist or cock at an angle under load. The springs themselves are available in various configurations and rates to suit different needs. They allow use of all stock components but, realistically, these parts should also be upgraded to achieve the best result. The OEM parts arent very strong so its best to use good aftermarket components such as those sold by Mustangs Plus and Global West. The shocks provide 71 2 inches of travel. In addition, the frame bushing is also replaced with a Del-A-Lum bushing to eliminate another source of unwanted compliance and instability. The TCP kit meets all these criteria while also having an exceptionally quick ratio (three turns lock-to-lock versus four or more for OEM racks), straight-cut gears, a large-diameter rack for strength, and the correct geometry. Written by Frank Bohanan and Posted with Permission of CarTechBooks. They do, however, require periodic lubrication to prevent noise. This quickly makes the steering more vague and slow. Upgraded aftermarket lower control arms provide significant performance improvement over stock. An adapter is added to the lower arm to accept the bottom mount of the coil-over unit. First, there is virtually no compliance in any direction. These OEM-style arms feature slightly revised mounting nuts and cross shafts to reduce play via more precise threads. They are also lighter than the components they replace. Global West offers negative-roll components for road racing; those optimized for drag racing are fine for street use. The steering is responsible for the cornering loads the suspension has to deal with but, more importantly, it takes you where you want to go (most of the time). With this Global West complete coil-over conversion system, the OEM spring/shock setup is replaced by a coil-over setup, which mounts to the revised lower control arm to better direct/distribute the spring forces. Perhaps the most common method of stiffening up the body is to use subframe connectors, such as these weld-in units from Global West. Similarly, ride height can be changed by adjusting the collars on the shocks or by moving the upper shock mount to a different hole in the cradle. Kits from other suppliers can include new rear springs and/or other components as well. This torque-arm/pushrod system does an incredible job of improving handling performance and traction under acceleration and braking. You can inexpensively upgrade to a higher durometer/stiffer rubber to reduce movement yet still have cushioning so the benefits are significant. Early Mustangs benefit greatly from a Monte Carlo bar (the straight, adjustable bar between the shock towers) and an export brace (the fixed bars running between the firewall and the shock towers). Air springs add weight and take up space. This firming up of the leaf spring mounts requires stronger shackles to ensure the springs stay properly located. The simple design of leaf springs doesnt offer many possibilities for change but they provide very dramatic results. For a daily driver the most costeffective thing to do is to replace the existing bushings with firmer/higher durometer versions such as these available through Global West. For a daily driver the factory leaf spring-style suspension is usually retained. This upgraded daily driver rear suspension doesnt look much different than the original suspension unless you look closely. Such bars may be smaller or larger in diameter than the stock bar depending on differences in materials, design (solid versus hollow), shape, and adjustability (extra holes, etc.). Single/16-step and double/256 combination shocks are available along with numerous spring rates. Friction and wear are greatly reduced so they last longer. The internal structure of these bushings is such that the spring eye can only rotate around the mounting bolt; it cannot cock sideways or move back and forth as is possible with a compressible bushing. To make things even stronger, you can weld the mounting plates wherever you can get to them. (For extreme/track use more radical modifications are needed.). The system is simpler, and there are a lot fewer joints. The stock rear suspension is a model of simplicity but soft rubber bushings produce greater compliance. The caster is adjusted on the strut rods that have jam nuts. The main reason is their complexity. A final feature of the g-link is its exceptional provision for ongoing maintenance. It is not a step-by-step guide because there are too many differences among cars. Full welds do a much better job of distributing these loads across the entirety of the shock tower, thus avoiding the concentrated stress that causes cracks. TCP includes specific mounting hardware for each car. These panels box off the bottom of the car while better tying together and reinforcing the major structures. Although the ride and handling were not very refined, it was a capable suspension. If a strut rod bushing fails you can be sure that happens, severely and quickly. The stock upper control arm is adequate for many high-performance street applications and does not need much improvement. The installation of the upper links is by far the most difficult aspect of installing this suspension. The suspension is crude by todays standards but it had pretty high limits and capability.
Transparent Transfer Paper For T-shirts, Nike Tech Fleece 2017, Ecco Therap Mens Low Lace Dt, Prismacolor Botanical Set, Wedding Vendor List Template Excel, Transparent Transfer Paper For T-shirts,