Crap. I can't do this job as is. I was told by BOB's that I could just use my floor jack with my jack stands as precaution. I only have 1 pair of ramps for the car
Lower control arms ?
- Thread starter RI GT500
- Start date
Crap. I can't do this job as is. I was told by BOB's that I could just use my floor jack with my jack stands as precaution. I only have 1 pair of ramps for the car
You can def do with just ramps/jack/jack stands, lift does make easier as some have said. I don't have any personal pics at fingertips, but quick google seach came up with http://www.stangnet.com/2007/03/12/s197-ford-mustang-lower-control-arm-install/ for S197 (2007 install) with just jack/jack stands/ramps. Call me tomorrow and I'll be happy to give any help/advise. I'm sure there are tons of other how to's on this as well. 
For safety sake, you always want the car to rest on two jack stands. Using just a floor jack to support the weight of the car while you do the work is pretty risky IMHO. Good pair of jack stands cost about $25 at the hardware store.
Lift car with floor jack, support with 2 jack stands at axle, swap LCA's, lower onto ramps, torque bolts, lower to the ground, done.
Thanks Steve and Barspen. Will give that a try.
Can I reuse the LCA bolts or do I have to buy new ones?
Can I reuse the LCA bolts or do I have to buy new ones?
Most people reuse the bolts (I did). Ford recommends replacing them.
Steve;
Got my LCAs and attempting to do the job today. Reading instructions. Do I have to take rear wheels off to get at the brake cable bracket or can I just leave them on making for a simpler installation?
Got my LCAs and attempting to do the job today. Reading instructions. Do I have to take rear wheels off to get at the brake cable bracket or can I just leave them on making for a simpler installation?
I have bmr's
Does anyone have a picture of the clip that holds the rear emergency brake line? I can get to the top of the cable from inside the wheel but I can't determine how to undo the clip to get the cable free. If I can get the clip off I can avoid having to take the wheels off
WTF. What size is the control arm bolt? Closest I have is 3/4" and it is too big.
Is the dang bolt metric??
Is the dang bolt metric??
I can't point to very many bolts on these late model cars that aren't metric............
R
got the bolt out it was an 18MM
Now the axle shifted to where the control arm won't bolt up!!
How the heck do I get it back in place?
Now the axle shifted to where the control arm won't bolt up!!
How the heck do I get it back in place?
Post #75
"I needed a cargo strap when installing the LCAs since the rear tends to shift a little and the strap helped line of the ends."
-Barry
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Thanks Robert. Borrowed an 18mm wrench from the neighbor. Then after I got the first arm out the axle shifted back so the bolts didn't line up. Had to borrow a wrachet strap from the same neighbor and wrap around the axle and hooked onto the underside of the body and was finally able to get the whole lined up.
Those little brake clamps are a BI*** too if you don't take the wheels off like I did. If I did it all over again I'd just remove the rear wheels. Lesson learned.
4 hours later I finished but I could not get enough leverage on my Craftsman 1/2 torque wrench to get it to "click off" at 130 ft pounds. Just not enough room at jack height and on ramps. I think I'm going to just cruise into a local shop with a lift and ask if them if I could have 5 minutes of "air" time so I could tighten to 130 pounds.
Other than that, LOVE the look of the Bob's LCAs and construction is top notch. Thanks to all the help from Steve (BOB's) and members of this forum. It's very satisfying when you complete a job/mod yourself
Those little brake clamps are a BI*** too if you don't take the wheels off like I did. If I did it all over again I'd just remove the rear wheels. Lesson learned.
4 hours later I finished but I could not get enough leverage on my Craftsman 1/2 torque wrench to get it to "click off" at 130 ft pounds. Just not enough room at jack height and on ramps. I think I'm going to just cruise into a local shop with a lift and ask if them if I could have 5 minutes of "air" time so I could tighten to 130 pounds.
Other than that, LOVE the look of the Bob's LCAs and construction is top notch. Thanks to all the help from Steve (BOB's) and members of this forum. It's very satisfying when you complete a job/mod yourself
I am a little late to the party so I know this won't help you in your install but this video helped me a bunch:
[video=youtube;8uPE_Tx5Xhk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uPE_Tx5Xhk[/video]
Also when my rear shifted I used a bottle jack laying flat on top of the LCA and wedged between the LCA mounting points on the rear end and the car (used a metal plate to keep the top of the jack supported). A few pumps on the jack and the LCA holes lined up perfect.
The e-brake cable is easier with the wheels off but I didn't find it very difficult with them on either....the video helped quite a bit.
I was able to get the car high enough with the floor jack to torque the bolts to 130 ft/lb but it was tight.
I hope this helps the next person.
[video=youtube;8uPE_Tx5Xhk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uPE_Tx5Xhk[/video]
Also when my rear shifted I used a bottle jack laying flat on top of the LCA and wedged between the LCA mounting points on the rear end and the car (used a metal plate to keep the top of the jack supported). A few pumps on the jack and the LCA holes lined up perfect.
The e-brake cable is easier with the wheels off but I didn't find it very difficult with them on either....the video helped quite a bit.
I was able to get the car high enough with the floor jack to torque the bolts to 130 ft/lb but it was tight.
I hope this helps the next person.
Ricky;
Nice find! That part on the clip definitely would have helped. Like you said hopefully others doing the same mod will find this thread
Nice find! That part on the clip definitely would have helped. Like you said hopefully others doing the same mod will find this thread
Yep. Finally got it done. I think the wratchet strap tied around the axle is a must because the axle shifted both times I took OEM arm off.
Other than that it took me quite some time to get enough leverage to apply the 130 ft lbs of torque using jack stands and jack.
The LCAs look beatiful and match my polished aluminum Trueforged wheels
Other than that it took me quite some time to get enough leverage to apply the 130 ft lbs of torque using jack stands and jack.
The LCAs look beatiful and match my polished aluminum Trueforged wheels
How do you like the ride now? For me, it was a night and day difference. It was an eye opening experience. Up to then, I always thought LCAs were for dragsters since they were the only ones ever talking about them. I had no idea how much they could improve handling! My car went from feeling like a hopped-up Mustang to feeling like an M3 (until I installed an aftermarket K-member and A-arms.)
I didn't have any wheel hop whatsoever and my car launched pretty well to begin with but I think that's mostly attributed to the FRPP springs and the 305/35/20 Nitto Drags on the rear
Having said that I did notice that it took a little bit of slop out of the rear on launches. Hard to explain but it just launches like it's on rails now. I still have torque steer (pulls to right) but that's to be expected. Very happy with the product and install.
Now if I could only fix my pull to the right! I had my car to 3 independent garages years ago claiming they could do an alignment. 2 out of 3 didn't have the correct equipment (lasers couldn't get low enough and front chin splitter etc. interfered with the Hunter equipment). Finally got the 3rd shop to go it and they placed the alignment lasers on the outside of the rim with 3 clamps.. OUCH!!! the guy promised it wouldn't gouge my Trueforged rims and they didn't. BUUTTTTT... first ride out of the shop and the car pulled to the right! I took back and the guy swore up and down that it was dead on to specs and what I was experiencing was the car pulling because of the "CROWN" in the road. BS!! Like I don't know what that is. I told him it pulled steadily to the right no matter what road I was driving on including completely FLAT freshly paved roads. If it pulls to the right, it PULLS! Anyway I've been just dealing with it but it's so annoying and I don't trust any of the shops around here.
I'm also hoping that the other 2 shops didn't improperly jack the car up on the suspension etc. and bent something? That's a possibility I've been pondering but how the hell would I be able to identify and/or correct that?
Having said that I did notice that it took a little bit of slop out of the rear on launches. Hard to explain but it just launches like it's on rails now. I still have torque steer (pulls to right) but that's to be expected. Very happy with the product and install.
Now if I could only fix my pull to the right! I had my car to 3 independent garages years ago claiming they could do an alignment. 2 out of 3 didn't have the correct equipment (lasers couldn't get low enough and front chin splitter etc. interfered with the Hunter equipment). Finally got the 3rd shop to go it and they placed the alignment lasers on the outside of the rim with 3 clamps.. OUCH!!! the guy promised it wouldn't gouge my Trueforged rims and they didn't. BUUTTTTT... first ride out of the shop and the car pulled to the right! I took back and the guy swore up and down that it was dead on to specs and what I was experiencing was the car pulling because of the "CROWN" in the road. BS!! Like I don't know what that is. I told him it pulled steadily to the right no matter what road I was driving on including completely FLAT freshly paved roads. If it pulls to the right, it PULLS! Anyway I've been just dealing with it but it's so annoying and I don't trust any of the shops around here.
I'm also hoping that the other 2 shops didn't improperly jack the car up on the suspension etc. and bent something? That's a possibility I've been pondering but how the hell would I be able to identify and/or correct that?
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