joes90gt

I just installed weld-in full length subframes, UMI upper & lowers control arms, Poly axle bushings and new poly spring isolators. Also installed lower battle boxes.

All bolts were torqued with the car under weight of course.

Got about 3k miles on since I installed everything. Problem is all the creaking, popping, binding sounds coming from the rear. Really noticable when I slowly pull forward then put car in reverse and slowly back up. Apparently something is moving, causing all the noise, but I'm at a loss.

Since I stiffened everything up, do you think I broke a couple of spot welds on the upper control arm boxes?

I just re-lubed all the bushing zerc fittings, and retorqued all bolts.......what am I missing?

my94pony

try using loctite it worked for me

joes90gt

Thanks, but nothing was loose.

badlx87

I've heard, and read, that upper control arms with bad bushings can cause this. My brother is going through this same exact issue on his 86 build. If he gets different upper control arms soon, I'll let you know if it changed his.

joes90gt

With all the guru's on here that suggest upgrading the rear suspension thread after thread after thread, well I have done that and none of the guru's have any advice on this?

I can't imagine I'm the first guy to experience popping & binding after installing LCA's , UCA's, with full length weld-in subframes.

Jfsram

You may have broke the control arm box or boxes. The problem here is I think I"m the ONLY member who believes polyurethane bushed rear control arms in Mustangs will break the boxes. Many will flatter themselves thinking their super drag racing launch broke it but the fact is the lack of ability to allow the suspension to articulate broke it.

You can read about my explanation here.
https://mustangforums.com/forum/5-0l...y-of-pics.html

joes90gt

JFSram- Thanks for the response. I'm seriously considering removing the UMI LCA's & UCA's and putting the stock ones back in....I will box weld the stockers first before I put them back in.

I'll look for broken welds & crack when I get everything apart. Pisses me off that I got to cut out the brackets I had welded in for those lower lift bars! Figure I'll go ahead and reinforce the upper torque box spot welds while I got the upper arms out. I already had the lower boxes reinforced but I'll give them a good look over too.

Seems I've read alot of strong opinions on rear suspensions here on MF, but apparently it just isn't working for my driving habits. I don't know how pulling into the local cruise in with my suspension popping/creeking is suppose to be cool......More of an embarrassment than anything else....and to think its an upgrade (?)

Jfsram

I just/am going through this now too Joes90gt but mine was the extreme. South Side Machine bars. They do not have a polyurethane bushing. They have an extremely thin nylon bushing. At least you can twist polyurethane a bit.

My uppers were stock with polyurethane and my boxes were ok.
The lowers were trashed and it's not from drag racing. As I was removing the old set up. Springs and shocks both removed with the arms still attached. Car frame was on stands and rear axle was on my floor jack. Rocking the axle up and down so it's tilting side to side. I could see my cracked boxes. That tilting was opening and closing the crack. More proof was my bolt holes for the front of the lower control arms were oval. Not oval from launching but up and down from articulating.

BTW, mine although broken was quiet. No popping or creeking. I was only down there to do an entire rear axle assembly swap.

83fox50

i just installed lakewood uca's and lca's, and i dont have any noises what so ever.
i just made sure to use a good quality grease to everything during assembly, and then once installed i greased everything till it was squirting out the sides.

joes90gt

Mine were quiet for around the first 1,000 miles or so. Of course I greased the **** out of them during install and made sure all contacting faces where clean and greased also. When noise started I re-greased, and re-torqued under weight....no difference.

When I first got mine installed, I wanted to think they were just great...after all, nobody wants to spend money and then turn around and admit it sucks. Well, after a few thousand miles, they creak, pop, bind, etc. Not great, awesome or whatever anymore.....they suck!

I even welded in battle boxes AND lower torque plates AND full length sub-frames.

Now I think I should have left well enough alone....