Rattle over bumps
11-02-2015, 03:42 PM
#11
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: VERMONT
Posts: 35
I just got confirmation on a shipment of LCA's that im going to replace this week. Im hoping this will put an end to a loud front. I ordered the control arms from Tasca Parts,
66 Stamp Farm Rd
Cranston, Rhode Island, 02921
USA
1-800-598-1484
paid 264.00 for the set,cheapest i could find!
66 Stamp Farm Rd
Cranston, Rhode Island, 02921
USA
1-800-598-1484
paid 264.00 for the set,cheapest i could find!
11-07-2015, 09:29 AM
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: VERMONT
Posts: 35
Well in the past month ive changed out the LCA's, sway bars and strut mounts and the ride quality is night and day, 100% better. There is still something more then just road noise going on but i think it may be something in the rear, control arms possibly. I will change those out over the winter along with a new fuel sending unit cause i noticed my fuel gauge not reading accurately.
Mike
Mike
11-10-2015, 01:30 PM
#16
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Jasper, IN
Posts: 772
I was going to go with the GT500 because Tusca Parts had them for close to the same price as the Moog higher end versions (ck series). I decided to go Moog because they offer a lifetime warranty, whereas the GT500 produced from Ford Performance only has 2 years, and after speaking with a rep at FordPerformanceRacingParts.com and Tusca Parts, they said they don't even cover the warranty any more.
I also found Dorman has a lifetime warranty too when I went to purchase the moog ones. They are $50 cheaper but offer a lifetime warranty too. I started a thread to see if anyone has heard of that brand.
I also found Dorman has a lifetime warranty too when I went to purchase the moog ones. They are $50 cheaper but offer a lifetime warranty too. I started a thread to see if anyone has heard of that brand.
11-10-2015, 01:51 PM
#17
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
For me it was a combo of stuff, strut mounts, sway bar bushings, and control arms. The links honestly did nothing in my case BUT, there are revised end-links for the 2010+ mustangs that fit on the 2005-2009. The revisions are three fold.
1) They add a nut (17 or 18 mm) at the base of the end link stud to make it easier to keep the stud from rotating while you torque the End link nut to 85 ft lbs. The older version had a simple 8 mm hex head.
2) They changed the threads from coarse to fine. This provides better grip so the nuts don't back off.
3) They also added a different locking insert on the nuts used with the finer thread. Again to keep the nut from backing off.
If you buy the upgraded sway bar end links, be sure to pick up the corresponding nuts. They do not come included with the links.
A tip for sway bar end link installation, It's better to remove the sway bar with the old end links attached (obviously remove the stabilizer link from the strut first).
When you put the new end links on, attached them to the bar first. This is so you can properly torque the end links to sway bar to 85 ft/lbs. If you try to do this while the sway bar is in the car, good luck fitting a torque wrench in there. It will butt up right against the engine or engine cradle.
The End links to strut are easy to do since you have the wheel well to work in.
For brands, I wouldn't cheap out on the LCA's by going off brand. You never know with aftermarket if you are getting an equal or better part when it comes to suspension.
Lifetime warranty is crap if you end up replacing the arms every couple of years because they use sub-par bushings in them. The Ford GT 500 ones will probably last as long as the car at this point.
1) They add a nut (17 or 18 mm) at the base of the end link stud to make it easier to keep the stud from rotating while you torque the End link nut to 85 ft lbs. The older version had a simple 8 mm hex head.
2) They changed the threads from coarse to fine. This provides better grip so the nuts don't back off.
3) They also added a different locking insert on the nuts used with the finer thread. Again to keep the nut from backing off.
If you buy the upgraded sway bar end links, be sure to pick up the corresponding nuts. They do not come included with the links.
A tip for sway bar end link installation, It's better to remove the sway bar with the old end links attached (obviously remove the stabilizer link from the strut first).
When you put the new end links on, attached them to the bar first. This is so you can properly torque the end links to sway bar to 85 ft/lbs. If you try to do this while the sway bar is in the car, good luck fitting a torque wrench in there. It will butt up right against the engine or engine cradle.
The End links to strut are easy to do since you have the wheel well to work in.
For brands, I wouldn't cheap out on the LCA's by going off brand. You never know with aftermarket if you are getting an equal or better part when it comes to suspension.
Lifetime warranty is crap if you end up replacing the arms every couple of years because they use sub-par bushings in them. The Ford GT 500 ones will probably last as long as the car at this point.
11-10-2015, 01:58 PM
#18
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Jasper, IN
Posts: 772
11-10-2015, 02:17 PM
#19
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Not against them necessarily. But I don't hold them in the same high regard I used to.
I've just found that Moog quality has gone down hill over the decades. Used to be a time I would recommend them over OEM every time (I worked in auto parts stores and shops for about 12 years growing up). They are hit/miss these days and the whole "serviceable grease port" is a marking ploy.
Most people won't ever bother greasing them after the first time and most shops never think about it these days when they have a customer car up in the air. So, you end up with a part that fails just as fast or faster than the OEM sealed part. If a Moog (or any brand) fails because it was not properly greased, there goes your 'lifetime' warranty.
Dorman to me is also trying to hard to cover EVERYTHING under the sun, they used to be great for hard to find misc parts (like Help! brand stuff). These days I think they just contract someone that wants to produce a part for a particular car just so Dorman can have a part to sell under their Brand. If you compare an OEM part next to a Dorman, you can see the differences. Yes it fits physically but the dimensions (guage of metal, weld joint quality, seal quality) look and feel different than the OEM, and not in a good way.
I've just found that Moog quality has gone down hill over the decades. Used to be a time I would recommend them over OEM every time (I worked in auto parts stores and shops for about 12 years growing up). They are hit/miss these days and the whole "serviceable grease port" is a marking ploy.
Most people won't ever bother greasing them after the first time and most shops never think about it these days when they have a customer car up in the air. So, you end up with a part that fails just as fast or faster than the OEM sealed part. If a Moog (or any brand) fails because it was not properly greased, there goes your 'lifetime' warranty.
Dorman to me is also trying to hard to cover EVERYTHING under the sun, they used to be great for hard to find misc parts (like Help! brand stuff). These days I think they just contract someone that wants to produce a part for a particular car just so Dorman can have a part to sell under their Brand. If you compare an OEM part next to a Dorman, you can see the differences. Yes it fits physically but the dimensions (guage of metal, weld joint quality, seal quality) look and feel different than the OEM, and not in a good way.