1979-93 Ford Mustang Control Arm , Spring, Ball Joint Tips (Read before you start)

I'm in the process of rebuilding the front suspension on my 1986 Mustang GT. I've learned a few things along the way that may save someone else time, frustration and money.

TIP #1 - Stock Mustang front springs are REALLY hard to put back in. Forget the videos you've seen on Maximum Motorsports or Late Model Restoration. Lowering springs are typically MUCH shorter than the stock springs. A stock spring will be a couple inches longer than where the bottom spring pocket is in the control arm fully extended down. It's not even somewhat close. We will get to the Maximum Motorsport spring tool in a bit, but for now, it won't help at all. The parts store spring compressors will collapse the spring, but then you can't remove the compressor. The hole in the spring pocket is too small for the tool to be removed through. THIS IS WHAT YOU DO. Before you drop the control arm to remove the spring, wrap a chain around each side of the spring while the control arm is compressed. Bolt the chain together. The chain will want to slip, so hose clamp the chain to each side of the spring. This is what it looks like.

If you already removed the springs, rent a compressor from your parts store and compress the spring on your workbench and then chain it.

TIP #2 - Maximum Motorsports spring compression tool. It's PROBABLY worth the $25 but not essential. What it does is keep the spring in the spring pocket. My thought is that you want to mess around with the chained spring as little possible. Just the spring expanding a bit if the chain slips to the most compressed side could break your finger. An outright breaking of the chain or the spring slipping out of the pocket could kill you. The tool is cheap insurance and a big hassle saver. IT WILL NOT eliminate using a spring compressor on the stock springs.

TIP #3 - Spend the $325 on a new set of Ford Performance control arms. Trying to replace your pressed in ball joint is a HUGE waste of time and money. Ball joints in 1979-2004 Mustangs are not designed to be replaced. Here's how the ball joint replacement work around goes. The replacement ball joint is slightly larger than the stock ball joint. Theoretically, you press the ball joint back in and the 30 year old metal expands to hold it tight. Here's the problem, most parts stores won't allow you to return the ball joint if this doesn't work. There's no second try either. The control arm hole is now enlarged and it's over. The ball joint press requires a $105 deposit at the parts store. My experience with my Mustang was that neither ball joint went in tight. This using $50 worth of good quality AC Delco ball joints, down the drain. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. The passenger rear control arm bushing in your control arm will probably be shot from too many curb attacks. The internet will have you believe that you can simply melt the old rubber bushing away with a propane torch and insert new poly bushings. MALARKY!! On just one bushing, I spent 30 minutes melting it and another 15 minutes cleaning the remaining rubber out with a Dremel round sanding disk. The Ford control arms are new. They have quality Motorcraft ball joints installed and high durameter bushings.

LESSONS LEARNED - SQUEAKING IDLER PULLEY ON 93 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD 5.7 TBI

A few weekends ago it was time to replace the radiator. 1993 is an oddball year for the Fleetwood. A number of components are one year only production, not having been used on any other GM vehicles. A great local radiator shop ordered a new unit from Performance Radiator and then had to replace the oil cooler tank with one that has the proper size fittings. Cost was about $250.

I installed the radiator and started the car to the most annoying squeaking. It don't squeal, it squeaked. And down the road to part replacement Lollipolusa I went. It was very hard to tell whether it was coming from the idler tension pulley, water pump or AC compressor. Everything has original parts, so everything is past its useful life.

Replaced the pulley with no improvement. Replaced the water pump. That created its own challenges. No change. Replaced the AC compressor with a used one from Pic A Parts. No improvement but my wallet was a $100 lighter by now and I used the last ounce of my jug of R134.

Doing the troubleshooting I should have done in the first place, I started the car and used a wrench to change the load on the idler pulley. I actually moved it in the less tension direction. Sound went away. I pulled the pulley back off and inspected it and did not find a place where it was rubbing. Reinstalled the pulley and shot some WD40 into it. The squeak went away temporarily. Pulling my hair out by this time.

So now the only thing left is the serpentine belt. The belt just didn't make sense as the cause. It was squeaking not squealing. Why would shooting WD40 on the bearing effect the belt? The belt tension indicator was showing it was getting to the "too stretched" point. I put the wrench on the pulley while the car was running and this time created tension. Yep, stopped the noise.

The Gates website says most noises are the belts themselves. Sure they say that, they need to sell new belts. I guess they know what they are talking about. A new belt and this saga was complete, for now...

$150 down but cognizant that everything I replaced was past it's lifetime. Money today or money tomorrow.

Still have to chase down the fuel gauge not reading correct since I changed the fuel pump. I have to recharge the AC as it has a leak in the high port valve. It never ends with classic cars.