LordRipberger

Hey Guys,

My car has cranked over 126k miles and it looks like I can get another 50k or more out of it. The car is awesome.

I have a creaking and the dreaded mustang clunk. I believe it is time to replace the struts (already did the tie rods and control arms). Since this car is a daily driver and a V6, I am not doing any racing or really spirited driving. So I plan to replace the struts with quick struts, nothing fancy. However, if I can improve the ride, so I feel the bumps and pot holes less, that would be great. Suggestions on brand to do either of these two?

I have not changed this kind of stuff before so I am little in the dark. If what I want to do is possible without spending more 1000-1500 please let me know and provide suggestions for strut selections.

This car will soon be the wife's car so I am trying to get it ready for her take over. She has been waiting to have the car as her's since we were dating and she drove it for the first time.

Thanks.

LordRipberger

wow, no one?

dusman59

Look for some take offs from a low mileage car. There should be plenty available as most want to upggrade stock suspensions for track/performance. As for a softer ride in a Mustang I don't think its achievable. Any replacement struts will seem stiffer as the ones your replacing are way passed needing attention.

movielover40

You will get a stiffer ride as newer struts are more firm.

LordRipberger

Do we have a parts selling section?

NVM, I found it.

Goldenpony

Koni STR.T struts are great

LordRipberger

Are those from American Muscle? Do buying struts come with the strut mounts?

Derf00

Any of the quality aftermarket struts will not come with the mounts. Make sure you get the GT500 mounts from FRPP. They are beefier than the OEM GT ones.

Other sources of clunking:

Lower control arms: If replaced, upgrade - go with FRPP (they are identical to GT500) again better than the OEM GT ones (higher durometer rubber and larger diameter ball joint stud when compared to 05/06 GT.

Stabilizer bar bushings (very common clunk point that people miss)

Stabilizer bar links -if replaced - upgrade (2010 versions are finer thread for higher tq holding and have a bigger head to hold the stud while you torque to 85 ft lbs.)
Tip - if you remove the links from the struts then remove the stabilizer bar mounting bushings, you can remove the stabilizer bar with links attached. You can then remove and install the links to the bar before putting it back into the car. WAAAAYyyyy easier than trying to get 85 ft/lbs on the stabilizer links to the stabilizer bar connection while it's in the car with zero clearance.

LordRipberger

I replaced the control arms with the equivalent gt500 control arms about 2 years ago.

My tie rods were all replaced within the last 2 years or and they are now Moog. As well as the end links for the stabilizer bar.

The car doesn't bounce when I go over bumps in the road. So I am wondering is my struts are fine and its the strut mounts that need to be replaced.

Has does a stabalizer bar bushing make a clunk sound? By definition, its a rubber padding between two metal parts. If it is present, how can clunking happen?

Norm Peterson

The rubber can crack or otherwise deteriorate over time and allow a little free motion of the bar inside of what's effectively a slightly bigger hole. It's also possible that the fasteners holding either or both of the brackets that go around the outside of the rubber bushings in place have loosened up.


Norm