Advice for Sheared Steeda Differential Bolt

[IvanCRF]

I put the new diff cover on, got the diff in the subframe after hours of manhandling it around trying to get the holes to line up, re-assembled the lower control arms.

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[Doctor Fishtail]

Ivan, you are my inspiration!! Sorry for the Steeda Diff kit problems you have had it has cost you BIG $$. The more I read and watch the more respect I have for BMR. Your Mustang is going to be insane. I wish you were closer to me I would jam over there to help. Keep up the good work. And if you dont mind could you please post all suspension parts you replaced? Again thanks for sharing.

 

[IvanCRF]

Ivan, you are my inspiration!! Sorry for the Steeda Diff kit problems you have had it has cost you BIG $$. The more I read and watch the more respect I have for BMR. Your Mustang is going to be insane. I wish you were closer to me I would jam over there to help. Keep up the good work. And if you dont mind could you please post all suspension parts you replaced? Again thanks for sharing.

Thanks, brother. I'm just a noob so I think anyone can do this with plenty of time and patience.

It's cool to have this forum because we make it through stuff like this together and share knowledge.

I wish I was near more Mustang maniacs too.

New Stuff:

1 new diff cover: I could not get the sheared bolt out. I broke two easy outs and wore out my cobalt bits. A new diff cover is about the same price as the bits I wore out and broke.

2 Koni Rear shocks: because of 1 busted driver's side shock

BMR Lower Control Arm Bearings & Ford Performance Knuckle To Toe Link Bearings: I decided get rid of as much slop as I could since everything was torn down.

BMR Aluminum Differential Bushings: because I don't want to ever lower my cradle again. BMR said they've never seen a sheared bolt with solid aluminum diff mounts.

BMR Billet Aluminum Spherical Vertical Links: might as well get rid of more slop

 

[Doctor Fishtail]

Thanks, brother. I'm just a noob so I think anyone can do this with plenty of time and patience.

It's cool to have this forum because we make it through stuff like this together and share knowledge.

I wish I was near more Mustang maniacs too.

New Stuff:

1 new diff cover: I could not get the sheared bolt out. I broke two easy outs and wore out my cobalt bits. A new diff cover is about the same price as the bits I wore out and broke.

2 Koni Rear shocks: because of 1 busted driver's side shock

BMR Lower Control Arm Bearings & Ford Performance Knuckle To Toe Link Bearings: I decided get rid of as much slop as I could since everything was torn down.

BMR Aluminum Differential Bushings: because I don't want to ever lower my cradle again. BMR said they've never seen a sheared bolt with solid aluminum diff mounts.

BMR Billet Aluminum Spherical Vertical Links: might as well get rid of more slop

Nice. I myself got the BMR Aluminum Differential kit also. Kelly at BMR is sincerely one bad ass dude. I have dealt with both Steeda and BMR and Kelly is much more help. Please keep us up to date on repair.

 

[IvanCRF]

My car is slowly looking like a car again.
The cradle was crazy to get in. I used my motorcycle jack and a scissor jack together in many different combinations to get the cradle flush with the body before tightening down.
So far no problems other than stripping a lower Koni shock mount with my torque wrench set at 35ftlbs so I need to go to the store to get a longer bolt and nut for it.

 

[BMR Tech]

Looking good brother! May the NVH Gods be with you my friend.

 

[Doctor Fishtail]

Great job. I just ordered the BMR vertical links also.

 

[Digital_Synapse]

Dear baby Jesus above, that looks like a nightmare. Thanks for sharing your experience brother. :cheers:

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Nice. I myself got the BMR Aluminum Differential kit also. Kelly at BMR is sincerely one bad ass dude. I have dealt with both Steeda and BMR and Kelly is much more help. Please keep us up to date on repair.

That's hysterical.

 

[Doctor Fishtail]

Nice. I myself got the BMR Aluminum Differential kit also. Kelly at BMR is sincerely one bad ass dude. I have dealt with both Steeda and BMR and Kelly is much more help. Please keep us up to date on repair.

Ya see Mr. Toddfastback, I just posted my opinion of my experiences with both companies. Thats it. ;)

That's hysterical.

What is hysterical is that I am putting BMR parts on my car and you just cannot deal with it. :lol: I like to be on the winning team.

 

[IvanCRF]

Update: From A Noob's Perspective:

I just about wrapped up this project. It took me nearly a month from start to finish working alone.

I was very excited to see how crazy the ride was going to be after hearing all the NVH concerns about aluminum diff inserts. My car fired up with no problem. It was great to hear it again after so long.

I can see why some folks don't like the aluminum diff bushings. When cruising around, it sounds like a small vacuum cleaner is on. The car had a similar sound, although far less noticeable with my previous diff inserts. Also, the radio needs to be turned up quite a bit more to drown out the sound of the diff, but it is cool to listen to the car.

My Koni shocks are set to the softest setting, but my ride is very bouncy compared to before. I'm not sure why it's so bouncy with my stock springs so I welcome any input.

As for vibration, my stock Nissan Frontier 4x4 vibrates far more compared to this car. I did not perceive more vibration through the steering wheel, but did notice a small bit more through the shifter. Overall, I have a small increase in vibration compared to how the car was with my previous diff inserts. I am very glad to take on much more noise compared to vibration. I believe leaving the CB005 and not going to delrin cradle bushings helps maintain levels of vibration because the rubber cradle bushings absorb some vibration.

There is far less slack in the drivetrain and the crappy stock shifter and drivetrain are far happier and give a far more positive feeling of engagement knowing where to go without the rubbery slop.

This car's front end used to lift up very much upon accelerating. Now, it lifts the front less, but the car moves forward better. I gave the car hell and finally have zero wheelhop. It was always my goal to get rid of wheelhop too. I was even power sliding around on purpose and not wheel hopping at all, just burning rubber.

I hardly drive this car, but I'm very excited to drive it more. Even with stock power at 4000 feet and warm weather, this car feels like an animal after driving around a truck for the past month.


Thanks to everyone for helping me out and guiding me. Everything I wrote is from a beginner's perspective and I gained new tools and new parts but more importantly, I gained knowledge and learned patience with this project.

I hope this thread helps out other noobs like myself who were previously too paranoid to tear into their cars. I had no choice other than to do this project myself and believe anyone can do this with lots of patience and focus.




Beat up cradle bolt. I think it got beat up when trying to fight a spring that wasn't seated correctly. I noticed something was wrong when I saw light atop the CB005 cup. I ordered new cradle bolts to do the job right. I have spare ones just in case now. Maybe not realizing the bolt is stripped and trying to tighten down beyond the torque value is how the mounts get stripped.



Almost there.



I numbered both sides and bolts just to be safe when re-installing.



Finally off jack stands and back to being on'ry.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Wow, man! Great work getting your car settled.

I'm surprised you didn't do an LCA bearing as well - I just installed one and the car is finally tight in the back.

As for the rear being bouncy, was it bouncy before you did this work on the same shock and shock setting? If you were running OEM shocks and went to Koni's, just give it about .25 to .5 turns and I bet that helps. If not, you did take the LCA off the car which has a big old bushing in it; that might need to be "clocked". You'll figure it out.

Really cool to see such a detailed wrench thread! Happy you got it all better.

 

[BMR Tech]

I'm surprised you didn't do an LCA bearing as well - I just installed one and the car is finally tight in the back.

He did.

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1516557&postcount=86

 

[IvanCRF]

Wow, man! Great work getting your car settled.

I'm surprised you didn't do an LCA bearing as well - I just installed one and the car is finally tight in the back.

As for the rear being bouncy, was it bouncy before you did this work on the same shock and shock setting? If you were running OEM shocks and went to Koni's, just give it about .25 to .5 turns and I bet that helps. If not, you did take the LCA off the car which has a big old bushing in it; that might need to be "clocked". You'll figure it out.

Really cool to see such a detailed wrench thread! Happy you got it all better.

Thanks. I did do the BMR LCA bearings and Ford Racing Toe bearings while everything was torn down.

I will take your advice and firm up the shocks a quarter turn. I had the stock suspension before this.

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