[jonwrong]

I had this horrible squeak/creak from the right front under turning into my steep driveway or moderate braking. I did everything to find it. Changed ball joints, swapped struts from one side to the other. I finally sprayed the hell out of the stock control arm bushings and it stopped only to return two weeks later.

I decided to change the bushings even after reading what a pain it is. You have to disassemble everything. Even had to pull the steering rack loose to get one of the control arm bolts out and the also removed one k-member bolt from each side to clear the other bolt for the control arm.

I am going to press them out this afternoon with a friend. I have a press, but he has one and a ton of arbor plates and GIANT sockets, which make it very easy. It didn't help I am sure that one of the bolts was loose when I went to remove it.

I am changing the struts while I am in there. They have 85k original miles. They are pretty bouncy with the eibach pro kit and seem to be getting worse. I spent a TON of money on my last suspension setup on another car, and swore I wouldn't do it again. I just don't go to the road course enough.

I was thinking about Koni Reds (~$400 shipped) for front and rear. I have always liked Koni, but an opportunity presented itself. I have heard some good and some bad about Monroe struts/shocks. Seems like most suspension gurus recommended against them, but a lot of of lowered mustang owners have had good luck for daily driver applications.

Advanced Auto Parts had a special with free $50 when you spend $100 on their site. One strut and shock is ~$110 after tax. So, I used that promotion twice to spend $220 and receive a free $100, which I would spend anyway. Plus Monroe has a promotion with a $50 rebate on four. All new struts/shocks for ~$70. If they suck, at least I am not out much. Easy enough to change. Gotta be better than 85k 10 year old oem components.

[Warriorofice]

Question like that, how do you remove the bolt that holds the steering gear to the steering column ? i know it's there but don't know how to reach for it.

[ReverendDexter]

I have no issue with Monroes. Personally, I wouldn't buy a Koni (or any adjustable shock, for that matter) unless I was dropping enough coin to get Yellows.

If you're skittish about the Monroes having enough damping for your springs, you can always split the difference and go with some tokico blues. They should only be ~$250 for all four, maybe less if you shop around.

[Bullitt5339]

I would suggest the Koni STR.T's over the Tokico Blues. I swapped out a set of Tokicos on a guy's car for the STR.T's and there was a very noticeable difference between the two, but the price was less than $40 difference.

As far as the bushings, I'm doing mine tomorrow also, along with the X2 balljoints. I've always used a piece of allthread and some nuts and washers to pull the bushings into the control arm, because I don't have a hydraulic press. It works great though.

[jonwrong]

Originally Posted by Warriorofice Question like that, how do you remove the bolt that holds the steering gear to the steering column ? i know it's there but don't know how to reach for it.

It's just back further than the rack on the driver's side. I didn't touch it to pull the arms though. I had to pull the steering rack bolts and pry it forward though. Then remove the center sleeve/tube, and you can push it up out of the way to remove the control arm bolt.

I had to BURN the bushings out as the angle and logistics of the press was not going to work. Now, I am trying to figure out if I have the right bushing replacements. There is hydro and non hydro. The old bushings had a another metal sleeve inside the shell, but I bought energy suspension bushings, with came with shells that won't work with the stock shells.

I am researching this right now. I have an 00 GT.

[Bullitt5339]

Yeah, I always drilled the old bushings out and then burned the residue out.

I was under the impression that GT's had the non-hydro bushings.

What's part number are yours? For my '01, the Energy Suspension part number is 4.3122G and they came with new sleeves.

[jonwrong]

It seems that energy suspension only sells one type. According to Late Model Restoraion, who sells prothane with options for hydro/non-hydro, there is a possibility GTs have hydro. There was definitely a metal sleeve easily movable inside the shell when the stock rubber ones were removed. My ES control arm bushings came with shells that it looks like I won't need to use.

When burning the bushings, there wasa flare up on each one at one point in the process. possibly the hyrdro fluid? Did you even see this stock metal piece inside the shells that you ended up discarding? When you used the ES ones with the sleeves; did you end up using the sleeves?

There is crap information on these hydro/non-hydro bushings. But I DON'T want to do this gain after I used the wrong bushings. The ones I have look like they'd work fine.

[jonwrong]

The ES part number I have is 4.3144G.

[jonwrong]

Here is the pics of burning them out, and here is the pic of the sleeve inside the pressed shell that came out VERY easily after the bushings were out. The sleeve was only on the rear bushings. Also, there is no metal lip or flange on the rearward shell after this is removed. When I look here, I think I need hydro but who the hell knows.

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...l-Arm-Bushings

[Bullitt5339]

I'm sorry, mine are 3144G as well...........

It's been a while since I've done them, but I used Prothanes once, and had to reuse the stock sleeves because they didn't come with new sleeves. I'm assuming with the ES bushings that I can replace the sleeves and all, since it looks like you're right and they only offer one replacement.

I'll be able to tell you more tomorrow when I get my control arms out, but I'm assuming that I will be using the sleeves that came with the ES bushings, and pressing my old sleeves out this time. The instructions are crap, but they do say that if they don't come with new sleeves, you have to reuse yours. These come with sleeves, so I assume you don't reuse yours.

I'll know for sure tomorrow, I guess........lol

I'm doing these bushings, X2 balljoints and bumpsteer kit tomorrow, so if you don't get it figured out before I take mine out, I'll get on my crackberry and post up the definite answer after I pull them out.

[jonwrong]

Cool man. Go for the bushings first to help me out. I'll pm you my number if you need help. I got taking apart the suspension down to a science.

[jonwrong]

My bushings came with shells, but pressing the stockers out is next to impossible with my press. These control arms are just too big and bulky. I did press the new ES bushings out on the sleeves they came in. There is NO way the new bushings and sleeves go inside the only sleeves.

[Bullitt5339]

I've looked at the pictures, and the pics from the other guy's thread where he's having trouble getting the control arms off to begin with, and I kind of have a plan to get the bushing shells out of the control arms with the press, that depending on if I can manuever the control arm where I want it on the big press at my buddy's shop.

I kind of think that I can put the shell against the bottom plate, and press down on the control arm itself with a spacer, and push the shell most of the way out. If that doesn't work, the air chisel will make quick work of it.............lol

I appreciate the offer for help if I need it though, and I'll definitely call if I get stuck.

[jonwrong]

I cleaned up the arms a bit and painted them. Gloss black looks nice, maybe too shiny. I'm sure they will get dirty under the car in no time; at least I stopped the rust in the spring perch. The front stock shell has a step down id diameter from the outside (toward the front) in, which matches the new poly bushings. The rear (bigger) shell has a step too, but it seems like it is in the opposite direction on the step change of the poly bushing. It looks like these poly bushings inside the stock shells (discarding the new shells) is the right fit. I still wonder if somehow I have hydro bushings as only prothane describes. I can only find one product made by ES.

[bens98gt]

So what did you end up using after removing the metal part of the Hydro Bushing?

[digitallife]

Driver’s side ball joint snapped….. Damn…. What a ride trying to stop from 50 mph with no steering control… Anyways, I decided to start rebuilding the front end and I purchased Prothane bushings as the replacement. I removed the rubber bushings by burning, drilling and banging it out, but the shell has another cage looking retainer inside of the shell. Does this need to be removed? Is that was is referred to as the Hydro? Thanks

[jonwrong]

I never really figured out the whole hydro issue. I think I had hydro bushing as there huge flare ups when burning the bushings out as if something was ignited. Don't press the shells out of the a-arms. The bushings I bought came with new shells, and I was careful to remove the new bushings from the new shells and then press the new bushings only into the a-arm existing shells.