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Install tips & hints please

Tele5.0

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I was hoping that you guys could give me a little advice or helpful hints. I will be installing lowering springs as well as the BMR TCA045, BK054 & CB005 all at the same time. It's the vertical links, cradle lockout and diff lockout.

I will be doing this unfortunately in my garage with a jack and jack stands. Any advice or tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated. ie Order of steps, do I lower the entire rear end???etc... Also, what spring compressor would you fellers recommend as well as any additional tools I may need.

I have done extensive motor work in my days but this will be my first real suspension work so I thought I would reach out and see what everyone has to offer. Thanks in advance!:cheers:
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markmurfie

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I was hoping that you guys could give me a little advice or helpful hints. I will be installing lowering springs as well as the BMR TCA045, BK054 & CB005 all at the same time. It's the vertical links, cradle lockout and diff lockout.

I will be doing this unfortunately in my garage with a jack and jack stands. Any advice or tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated. ie Order of steps, do I lower the entire rear end???etc... Also, what spring compressor would you fellers recommend as well as any additional tools I may need.

I have done extensive motor work in my days but this will be my first real suspension work so I thought I would reach out and see what everyone has to offer. Thanks in advance!:cheers:
I think the cj pony parts YouTube videos are excellent. The two bolts in the lower part of the front strut take a big hammer to get out. Not a lot of room to get a good swing, but if you use one hand to lift the weight of the hub while hitting they come out eventually. In the rear there are four main bolts I had to loosen one side and remove the other two and still had to put some weight on the cradle to get the springs out. Using the Jack you can lower the cradle gently. I just rented a strut compressor from oreillys. It didn't fit prefect, but did the job and besides the rental deposit it was over all free.
 

jabrax

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A few notes from my install trials and tribulations. This is coming from a total Noob to car mechanic sh*t. Much respect to guys/gal that do this for a living. I'm going back to paying yall LOL

Rent the correct spring compressor. I asked for a "Spring compressor" and spent over an hour working with a dangerous situation working with a "coil spring compressor". Be sure to ask for a "strut spring compressor"
I was a able to get the stock spring off and had a good fight scratching my new spring trying to get it compressed, just didn't feel safe and checked the good ole internet to find my problem, wrong f'ing compressor :headbonk:

Beating out the two Spline bolts. I ended up getting a fresh set from ford dealer. They were able to get in 1 day. Reason": I beat the crap out of mine with a 4lb hammer to get them out. One nut was bad enough that a socket wouldn't fit to tighten down. I tested all of the nuts and bolts and they were slightly off, meaning the nuts would not screw down without sticking points. The splines were also flattened in patches. I played it safe and just installed new ones.

Upper Strut Bolt - I couldn't get this to torque. I used an impact wrench to remove. However, when it came time to put on with the new spring, the strut would spin when the bolt got to a certain point. The only way to do this and assure you have torqued to the proper spec is with a strut nut socket - Online for 14 bucks (i haven't purchased). What i did to get it started was use the 2 socket approach mentioned on the forum to get the bolt deep enough to show 2 thread. Put a 21MM socket on top of a 10mm socket and fish an extension through the 21mm. Hold the 21 by hand and just a couple of turn of the 10mm would be enough to hold.

Those few situations were a good 3 or 4 hours for me to figure out (total noob).

Think I wil do a noob guide for installing the mgw shifter and sway bars. Anything that could go wrong, I've done it lol
 

Drakoni

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I did the ford racing suspension kit and one thing i can say is the CJ videos will tell you most of the info you will need. The info above is spot on. When it comes to lowering one side of the sub frame I would ask for help from a friend. You really have to push down on the unbolted side to get the spring in, i mean really push. I was almost standing on it to get the spring in, it really pissed me off trying to do it with no help.
 

markmurfie

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I did the ford racing suspension kit and one thing i can say is the CJ videos will tell you most of the info you will need. The info above is spot on. When it comes to lowering one side of the sub frame I would ask for help from a friend. You really have to push down on the unbolted side to get the spring in, i mean really push. I was almost standing on it to get the spring in, it really pissed me off trying to do it with no help.
To give a perspective I weight between 240-250lbs and needed to have almost all of my weight on the hub while I pulled and replaced the springs. Make sure it's a big friend.
 

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SmokedSS

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Did my rears in about 4hr. *Backed car on race ramps * Jacked under rear center and set rear on jack stands* chocked front wheels* removed race ramps* remove wheels* 1 side at a time support rear under spring perch *unbolt shock top bolts and brake cable support* remove front and rear bolts holding rear to sub-frame with small bracket on front, remove vertical link and slowly lower jack and then remove jack * use 2x4 to pry down pull spring out and then reverse (make sure spring is seated correctly). Make sure you don't pinch any wiring when you are prying. Jack the rear back up (installing the rear cradle lockout) and start bolts by hand not to cross thread before using any force or impact. Install new vertical link may require some prying.

I did each side springs, cradle lockout, vertical links and adjustable toe rods 1st by dropping 1 side at a time. Then I dropped the cradle again but this time I dropped the rear both sides and installed the differential lockout and then re-installed and torqued, , then the front in the same order. This is what worked best for me in changing out everything back there.

Fronts are easier but as jabrax mentioned may sure you get the correct spring compressor to make life easy. Jack up 1 side, set jack stand under frame, remove wheel, pop out 2 abs clips for clearance, remove brake caliper, remove top sway bolt, remove 2 lower strut bolts (leave nut partially on and knock out), remove top 3 strut to frame bolts making sure to hold onto strut when removing the last nut, then remove strut from car. With spring compressor change out spring using impact on nut to avoid shaft spinning. When installing new spring use strut nut socket and 10mm combination wrench to hold shaft in place and properly torque nut. Re-install ion reverse order using Loctite where required and proper torqueing all bolting.
 

Gibbo205

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To give a perspective I weight between 240-250lbs and needed to have almost all of my weight on the hub while I pulled and replaced the springs. Make sure it's a big friend.
Would you say that is the hardest part of the FRPP install is getting the rear springs in?

The rest looks pretty easy like installing front and rear shocks, plus swaybars and the bushes I shall get a shop to press in.
 

Gibbo205

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To give a perspective I weight between 240-250lbs and needed to have almost all of my weight on the hub while I pulled and replaced the springs. Make sure it's a big friend.
Would you say that is the hardest part of the FRPP install is getting the rear springs in?

The rest looks pretty easy like installing front and rear shocks, plus swaybars and the bushes I shall get a shop to press in.
 

markmurfie

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Would you say that is the hardest part of the FRPP install is getting the rear springs in?

The rest looks pretty easy like installing front and rear shocks, plus swaybars and the bushes I shall get a shop to press in.
Its hard for me to say what the hardest part was because the whole thing took me about 2 hours. I have air tools and a lift. I used my air hammer for bolts in the bottom of the struts so that didnt take any time at all. The strut compressor I rented wasnt ideal but the only problem was the coil diameter was to big to allow the safety pins to close but it still compressed the spring fine. after following the direction for lowering one side of the rear cradle I knew i would need to put some weight on it so I put one hand on the hub and pushed down and pulled the spring out with my other hand. A lever would make up for the lack of weight. I would say most people will struggle to get the bolts out of the bottom of front struts. If a hammer is not working you may be able to get the strut compressor lined up and use it to press them out.
 

jvandy50

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I sprayed pb blaster on strut bolts and they just fell out :)

OK ok, maybe not but they came out shortly after I soaked em with a few more licks from the dead blow
 
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Tele5.0

Tele5.0

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Thanks guys! So....what spring compressor would you guys recommend? I would like to order online and just keep it as I will be doing my wife's springs as well.
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