Installing suspension this weekend - any tips?

[greasy]

I will be using a lift and replacing all rear suspension components.

Wanted to make sure, I understand, I can put everything back together loosly and then jack up the rear lower control arm and then torque the bolts? Would that work to preload the suspension?

This is my first time.

i wouldn’t say loosely necessarily. Get things snug to the point where there is no slop, but not so tight that the bushings can’t rotate to a natural, ride height position when jacked to that point.

Sponsored

 

[blankman]

i wouldn’t say loosely necessarily. Get things snug to the point where there is no slop, but not so tight that the bushings can’t rotate to a natural, ride height position when jacked to that point.

So more or less tight, but not torque spec tight?

 

[greasy]

So more or less tight, but not torque spec tight?

I wouldn’t say tight either More of snug. You want the part to be in it’s position and not move in ways it wasn’t intended.

You can also get it good and tight, raise to ride height position, then loosen so the bushing can reposition, and then torque to spec.

 

[greasy]

I’m just offering how I did it. I went through all of this recently and I have no weird sounds, handling characteristics, or issues. Car rides awesome!

 

[blankman]

I’m just offering how I did it. I went through all of this recently and I have no weird sounds, handling characteristics, or issues. Car rides awesome!

It's all good and I appreciate the info and insight. I would rather have someone that has done it let me know than relying on chatter and videos where they are constantly doing different things on the same cars.

IE these bolts are easy to remove , yet I don't tell you we have done 3 different removals of it with no loctite.

Speaking of which, I was provided with blue from the kit....Am I just putting localite on everything except the 3 strut mount bolts in the bay?

 

[greasy]

It's all good and I appreciate the info and insight. I would rather have someone that has done it let me know than relying on chatter and videos where they are constantly doing different things on the same cars.

IE these bolts are easy to remove , yet I don't tell you we have done 3 different removals of it with no loctite.

Speaking of which, I was provided with blue from the kit....Am I just putting localite on everything except the 3 strut mount bolts in the bay?

I only applied blue thread locker to items that had it on it originally or the new part specified its use. Some folks put it on everything for piece of mind. Definitely not on the studs for the CC plates as those should have a nylon locking nut.

 

[offtopic]

If you're doing the lower control arm bushings then you'll need to have the lower control arms out, which will mean that your springs will be out as well. You will be able to reinstall your rear springs without lowering the rear subframe when reinstalling the lower control arms. You will only need to lower the subframe to install the alignment dowels. Be very careful putting the subframe bolts back in. Many people have had to retap the bolt hole.

BMR has great instructions on how to do the lower control arm removal. I didnt remove my exhaust when doing any work on the rear. The only time it was in the way is when removing the rear inner lower control arm bolt. I jacked up the exhaust in that area and it provided enough room to get the bolt out.

Make sure you eat your Wheaties in the morning. The torque on those bolts along with the threadlocker will leave you crippled the next day. An impact gun will help you immensely after breaking the bolts loose.

 

[blankman]

Lower control arm bushings I won't be doing. But the rear toe link and spherical bearings for the knuckles I will be doing. My impact hasn't met a nut or bolt it couldn't move yet. Being hopeful is always my car work downfall.

I do have a question about the sway bars. Holes closer to the bar make for less deflection? Any recommendations on front and rear bar holes? The ones that came with the kit offer only 2 .....uhhh....locations to use.

 

[robvas]

Clean all your threads ands bolts before you put the bolts back in

Make sure you do not re-use any torque to yield bolts

 

[greasy]

Lower control arm bushings I won't be doing. But the rear toe link and spherical bearings for the knuckles I will be doing. My impact hasn't met a nut or bolt it couldn't move yet. Being hopeful is always my car work downfall.

I do have a question about the sway bars. Holes closer to the bar make for less deflection? Any recommendations on front and rear bar holes? The ones that came with the kit offer only 2 .....uhhh....locations to use.

What sway bars are you running? You are correct, the holes closest to the actual bar are the stiffer settings. On my Steeda bars I’m 2nd from the stiffest on the front and full soft in the rear. I’m full soft in the rear because the spring rates in the back are high on the Dual Rates.

Clean all your threads ands bolts before you put the bolts back in

Make sure you do not re-use any torque to yield bolts

I don’t think any of the suspension bolts are TTY. Although if you look at Ford’s instructions it tells you to discard and replace every single bolt.

 

[blankman]

The bars included are these

https://www.performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-5490-G

Well off to a great start. No shop around will touch customer parts. Even tried the i am not providing them to you but you can provide them to yourself from the trunk approach. So loaner tool time. The McPherson spring compressor will absolutely not work. The bolts are so long they hit the lower seat after half a thread. So time do goto harbor freight and use their "loaner" tool program for a clamshell style.

 

[S550HPP]

Taking struts off hanh the calipers and remove rotor then turn on ignition and turn steering wheel to expose strut knuckle bolt end, flip the nut around the nut and hit with 4lb+ sledge hammer they should pop right out otherwise loosen the bolt he'd splines seat with a second or two on I pact them hit ends again.

 

[blankman]

What a pain this has been already. The clam style spring compressor has been great, aside from me having to pry bar the safeties open as the previous user bent all 4 of them. Visually inspecting the thread depth on the old springs with the stock top hats, made me think the nuts weren't installed deep enough. It be nice if the instructions stated that. The new springs were over an inch, almost 2 i ches away from the stops on the bottom of the stops on the bottom perches boot.

Also has been raining since 7am. Took 4 hrs off of work so I could start working on the car and this happens....now it's supposed to snow overnight Sunday and snow on tuesday...I guess I just can't win.

 

[Eyesac]

I know it's not nice to pile on when someone is having a hard time, but: No spring compressors necessary front or rear.

 

[blankman]

I used the spring compressor for the new fronts so I could remove the top hats and replace them with camber plates. I wasn't willing to remove the old struts and Install the new ones just to drop them back out to install the camber plates. Regardless I pushed back the install as it rained all day on saturday and was too cold on Sunday. Of course the weather changed and it already snowed Sunday night. It's supposed to be rainy all weekend again this weekend and I leave for Florida next Friday. So im just pushing it back until I get back and the weather hopefully cooperates.

Sponsored