North American Turbocoupe Organization



83-86 Front Suspension Rebuild
RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#1
I'm about halfway through the front end rebuild on my 84 and thought I would share the info.

I've found Mustang guides extremely useful. The suspension on the fox body is the same on almost all applications.

It was a world of difference when I redid the rear with KYB and ES bushings, can't wait to be done with the front. The front is way more work though. Putting in new ball joints and tie rod ends while I'm in there, OE ones feel solid but they are >30 years old and have 80k on them.

I got the springs out without a compressor and I plan to put them back in without a compressor, too, using the back of the A-arm jack method. We'll see how it goes.

Most parts from Rockauto:

- KYB 235002 GR-2 Struts $56/ea

- KYB SB103 Strut Boots, $11/ea, using the polyfoam bump stop instead of the rubber bump stop that came with the strut mount kit

- KYB SM5054 Strut Mounts $27/ea, not sure on the order for the sleeve and bearing, hope it doesn't matter? Universal instructions don't tell you much.

- Ball Joints Moog K8259 $33/ea
- Tie Rod Ends Moog ES2150RL $20/ea
- Spring Isolators ES 4.6102R $34

- Tie rod boots ES 9.13130R, these do NOT fit. They are listed in a few places but they are way too loose on the tie rod and way too small for the ball joint. Only wasted $6, will try and return them.

- LCA Bushings ES 4.3132R $45, came with shells but I don't want to press the old ones out since I didn't when I did the rear rebuild. Going to put the bushings in the OE shells. Should have saved $10 and gone with the Prothane 6-205 kit. Oh well.
Springs, re-using stock (same as rear)
Going to re-use the OE bolts but put on new Class 10 M16x2.0 nuts, as recommended.

Could have shaved off quite a few bucks by going Mevotech Supreme and Gabriel, but I don't trust how cheap those parts are... I know the KYBs are quality and made in Japan. The other stuff is probably made in China.

A few links I found useful:
http://natomessageboard.com/ubbthreads.p...ber=224299
https://fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/12/.../index.php
http://forums.corral.net/forums/2811393-post14.html
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#2
On the OE strut mounts I had one stud each broken off the mount so I couldn't break the nut loose. Had to cut them out with the angle grinder and cutoff wheel.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=C5...=folder%2c Pics

Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
Reply

Not B Anymore Offline
Administrator
#3
Nothing beats a nice, tight front end! I replaced everything but the struts on the '86 a couple years ago and it was like a new car. I think replacing the steering rack and tie rods made the biggest difference in my case.
Brian Leavitt
'86 TC 5-Speed -- MS2x w/COP | 83 lb. injectors | T3/T4 50 Trim Stage 3 .63AR | Full 3" Exhaust - No Cat | Motorsport FMIC | Ranger Roller | Ported E6 | Walbro 255HP | Kirban | 20psi | 120-amp 3G | 8.8" 3.55 rear | '03 Cobra Wheels
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#4
Wasted hours today trying to get the stock springs back in. Macpherson style won't work and neither will the fork and hooks style available as loaners from the auto stores. Going to buy one with hooks on both ends people say works...
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
Reply

RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#5
Added more pics

OE tie rods and ball joints actually didn't look too bad. The new Moog units look a little beefier.

Pressing out the ball joints was a piece of cake for the first one, in and out (no hammering!). Pushing the second one back in I had trouble with if going crooked so I just tried to reposition and straightened it out for the last few 32nds. Hope that's adequate, other forums seem to think so.
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
Reply

Big Al Offline
Member
#6
Now it's off to the alignment shop and yer done! Looks great!

Please report back about the ride quality of those struts
SOLD: 1988 Thunderbird Turbocoupe, Now a 5 Speed, all options, Black. Stinger 3 into 2 with Magnaflows, Gillis Valve
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#7
Finally got the spring back in one side and everything torqued down. The spring compressor with hooks on both ends did the trick, just had to disassemble it inside the spring to get it out.
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
Reply

Not B Anymore Offline
Administrator
#8
I made my own spring compressor out of some allthread, nuts, and flat steel. Cheap and easy.
Brian Leavitt
'86 TC 5-Speed -- MS2x w/COP | 83 lb. injectors | T3/T4 50 Trim Stage 3 .63AR | Full 3" Exhaust - No Cat | Motorsport FMIC | Ranger Roller | Ported E6 | Walbro 255HP | Kirban | 20psi | 120-amp 3G | 8.8" 3.55 rear | '03 Cobra Wheels
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#9
For the other side once I got it figured out, it went in really fast. Like maybe 20 minutes from the start to torquing the control arm bolts. Got a 4" piece of 3/4" pipe for the spring compressor instead of a stack of washers like other people did. Just jack up the back of the A arm and let the jack do the work, and then catch up the spring compressor using a ratchet. Trying to drop the ball joint end of the A arm is definitely the WRONG way to do it with stock springs.

Got the tie rods on today and most of it put back together. Just need to repack the bearings and it's alignment time.

How much grease goes into new Moog joints? Both the rod ends and ball joints looked to have grease relief valves on the boots but I am nervous about over filling and popping them. They bulge a bit but no grease is coming out of the valve. There's also definitely some air still in there.

more pics
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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