Lower control arms!
12-18-2013, 04:27 PM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 55
Lower control arms!
Hey i had my mustang at the dealer and they told me that both lower control arms are bad and a outer tire rod is also bad and gave me a quote of $1000.00 for repair. How should i go about this? seem a little expensive. Also how do these go bad? My car is a 2005 with 60 miles on it. Would my after market wheels be bad for this or is it just wear and tear. I have beat on it alittle through the years. Thanks for any input.
12-18-2013, 04:46 PM
#2
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
The front lower control arm ball joints are known to be garbage on the mustangs from 2005 to 2009. Tie rod is not typical. Unfortunately the ball joints are not easily removed from the control arm.
The factory arms with ball joints cost around $400-500 along with about 50 for one tie rod, add labor to install everything and an alignment, that's about $1K.
If you are handy, you can buy FRPP control arms for about $300 for the pair (if you know where to look) and a moog brand tie rod for about $20, install them yourself, then have an alignment done. All for around $400.
The FRPP control arms have upgraded ball joints and higher durometer bushings for a tighter suspension. They are stock on 2007+ GT500's. Moog is a great aftermarket brand for OEM suspension parts.
I just got all of my parts in myself, FRPP Front LCA, FRPP Strut Mounts, Upgraded Sway bar links and KYB struts and shocks to do the work myself.
Strut mounts, control arm (ball joints), sway bar end links are all the known problem areas on the front of 05-09 mustangs. Tie rods (maybe) and Struts are just because my car is going on 6 years old and has 50K+ miles on it. I don't want to get back under there in a year or two.
The factory arms with ball joints cost around $400-500 along with about 50 for one tie rod, add labor to install everything and an alignment, that's about $1K.
If you are handy, you can buy FRPP control arms for about $300 for the pair (if you know where to look) and a moog brand tie rod for about $20, install them yourself, then have an alignment done. All for around $400.
The FRPP control arms have upgraded ball joints and higher durometer bushings for a tighter suspension. They are stock on 2007+ GT500's. Moog is a great aftermarket brand for OEM suspension parts.
I just got all of my parts in myself, FRPP Front LCA, FRPP Strut Mounts, Upgraded Sway bar links and KYB struts and shocks to do the work myself.
Strut mounts, control arm (ball joints), sway bar end links are all the known problem areas on the front of 05-09 mustangs. Tie rods (maybe) and Struts are just because my car is going on 6 years old and has 50K+ miles on it. I don't want to get back under there in a year or two.
12-18-2013, 08:08 PM
#3
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 26
American Muscle has these, I'm hoping they'll be wrapped up in a box under my tree a week from now.
http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-f...ms-0511gt.html
http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-f...ms-0511gt.html
12-18-2013, 09:09 PM
#4
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ct.
Posts: 223
12-24-2013, 01:38 AM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 2,388
Before doing ANYTHING though, do you have any ISSUES with the front suspension, like clunking or sloppiness in steering? If not, you dont need to replace anything. With 60k miles, that's not many miles. Now as mentioned, the ball joints have been reported as frequent issues, but not both sides at the same time.
Both on my '05 and '06 they are still stock and have not been replaced, one with 75k miles the other around 55k.
A tie rod is easy to check for being worn out, dont cost much, and are easy to replace.
Both on my '05 and '06 they are still stock and have not been replaced, one with 75k miles the other around 55k.
A tie rod is easy to check for being worn out, dont cost much, and are easy to replace.
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