s550 Weakest Links

[ice445]

Rear differential design/bushings. The threads of the bolt take all the shock loads and the bushings aren't correctly concentric. At least sleeve the bolts if you do nothing else. I've already torn a stock bushing slightly and my car is dead ass stock. It's literally a horrible design.

Sponsored

 

[Rapid Red]

Driver ?

That was my first thought too...

Proving once again great minds think alike

Yes, usually someone who destroys a clutch and half shafts at the same time is doing something wrong or over launching the car before doing supporting mods first.

Mr Donute, and not to forget unskilled people with tools and no common sense. Some found at the dealer

 

[ctandc72]

Rear differential design/bushings. The threads of the bolt take all the shock loads and the bushings aren't correctly concentric. At least sleeve the bolts if you do nothing else. I've already torn a stock bushing slightly and my car is dead ass stock. It's literally a horrible design.

You tore a bushing? Was it replaced? Reason I ask, I've swapped IRS pumpkins in several S550s. Every one of them (all modded) the bushings looked messed up when I had the pumpkin out - they weren't.

 

[ice445]

You tore a bushing? Was it replaced? Reason I ask, I've swapped IRS pumpkins in several S550s. Every one of them (all modded) the bushings looked messed up when I had the pumpkin out - they weren't.

Nope, still driving like that. It's just a small half inch tear in one of the corners. None of the others have anything similar that I noticed. No drivability issues present. I don't want to take it to the dealer becuase I already know they have to replace the entire rear subframe since Ford will not provide the bushings individually. It's a lot of work and I expect they will have the car for quite some time. So until it actually causes a problem, I'm leaving it alone.

 

[BimmerDriver]

... and not to forget unskilled people with tools and no common sense.

I don't know why you had to drag me into this thread.

LOL, I confess to being surprised that a stock car could snap an axle.

 

[Wallyopp]

Proving once again great minds think alike



Mr Donute, and not to forget unskilled people with tools and no common sense. Some found at the dealer

Not sure what you’re point is , haven’t had a single issue aside from this and I don’t think I was just beating on the car lol, like I said I dropped the clutch at 3/4K when this happened and I definitely don’t think that is dogging the car ( correct me if I’m wrong though, if it was driver error I would absolutely love to know why )

 

[Rapid Red]

Not sure what you’re point is , haven’t had a single issue aside from this and I don’t think I was just beating on the car lol, like I said I dropped the clutch at 3/4K when this happened and I definitely don’t think that is dogging the car ( correct me if I’m wrong though, if it was driver error I would absolutely love to know why )

Not to be taken personally, conversation when south after the first "driver" post showed up.

 

[ORRadtech]

Not to be taken personally, conversation when south after the first "driver" post showed up.

Agree, nothing directed at the OP. Title asked about S550 weakest link and after recently watching some "hold my beer" mustang videos it seemed that the driver was generally the cars weakest link...

 

[S550steve]

I'd start there or try OEM intake and see if that fixes it.

Thanks man!! That car is a fn awesome car jus worried about it. Seems like it shouldn’t do that being it only has 1200 miles

 

[Wallyopp]

Not to be taken personally, conversation when south after the first "driver" post showed up.

Agree, nothing directed at the OP. Title asked about S550 weakest link and after recently watching some "hold my beer" mustang videos it seemed that the driver was generally the cars weakest link...

Ah I see, I mean if there is something I am doing wrong I would like to know since it was implied (stated) earlier by someone else. But yes I do see a lot of "mustang driver" videos, and I am in agreement it is definitely driver issues there ..

Thank you for clarification

 

[Qcman17]

Ah I see, I mean if there is something I am doing wrong I would like to know since it was implied (stated) earlier by someone else. But yes I do see a lot of "mustang driver" videos, and I am in agreement it is definitely driver issues there ..

Thank you for clarification

My "driver" reply was intended in jest and it was meant to reflect all of the idiots that pile into crowds and such hence the smiley face with it. It was a precise response to the thread question not the actual post. Orradtech got it....

 

[MICHPP2]

Nope, still driving like that. It's just a small half inch tear in one of the corners. None of the others have anything similar that I noticed. No drivability issues present. I don't want to take it to the dealer becuase I already know they have to replace the entire rear subframe since Ford will not provide the bushings individually. It's a lot of work and I expect they will have the car for quite some time. So until it actually causes a problem, I'm leaving it alone.

I just found a small tear in my driver side rear differential bushing. I was thinking about just replacing them with poly bushings, since half my rear suspension is already apart for RLCA bushing replacement, but now I'm thinking about just throwing in the Powerflex inserts (70a) and calling it a day. I'm not sure if that's a good idea though, since that tear is there.

 

[ice445]

I just found a small tear in my driver side rear differential bushing. I was thinking about just replacing them with poly bushings, since half my rear suspension is already apart for RLCA bushing replacement, but now I'm thinking about just throwing in the Powerflex inserts (70a) and calling it a day. I'm not sure if that's a good idea though, since that tear is there.

If the tear doesn't go all the way through from the center to the outside edge of the bushing, I'd just do the inserts. That's how my tear is, it's not straight through. The insert will prevent the rubber from flexing as much with its added rigidity which SHOULD in theory keep the tear from ever growing.

BUT. It's the wrong way to go about it. If the bushing is torn, it *should* be replaced first. The problem is that replacing those bushings is complete ass to do. I work on cars and am reasonably proficient, and even I don't want to do it. You have to cut the outer shell in two places, being careful not to nick the subframe itself. On top of that then you have to press in the new bushings, which in order to have actually decent access you need to remove the rear subframe entirely, which is not a fun job just by itself. Especially putting it back and getting it lined up. Without a lift and two people it's suffering incarnate.

Just do the inserts. Or have warranty take care of it, but then who knows if they'll do it right and how long its going to take.

 

[MICHPP2]

If the tear doesn't go all the way through from the center to the outside edge of the bushing, I'd just do the inserts. That's how my tear is, it's not straight through. The insert will prevent the rubber from flexing as much with its added rigidity which SHOULD in theory keep the tear from ever growing.

BUT. It's the wrong way to go about it. If the bushing is torn, it *should* be replaced first. The problem is that replacing those bushings is complete ass to do. I work on cars and am reasonably proficient, and even I don't want to do it. You have to cut the outer shell in two places, being careful not to nick the subframe itself. On top of that then you have to press in the new bushings, which in order to have actually decent access you need to remove the rear subframe entirely, which is not a fun job just by itself. Especially putting it back and getting it lined up. Without a lift and two people it's suffering incarnate.

Just do the inserts. Or have warranty take care of it, but then who knows if they'll do it right and how long its going to take.

I just looked at it again and the tear is bigger than I thought. It goes from the right side across the top of the metal sleeve in the bushing, but doesn't reach the outer shell (race?) of the bushing.

I'm out of warranty so I'll be doing most the work myself. I hear you on the inserts, that would definitely be easier, but I'd rather just do it once and be done with it. The suspension is already apart, so it would be easier to replace them with new bushings now rather than pulling it all apart again later.

The flip side is if I put inserts in and hate the NVH I can just pull them and sell them on here, and invest in a new subframe to get back to stock NVH levels.

Ford is really milking us by not offering a simple rubber bushing replacement. This car is my first and definitely last Ford product.

 

[Rapid Red]

NO car is perfect...

Sponsored