Frustration with Front end!

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Joined
Feb 17, 2023
Messages
55
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10
Location
Virginia
My Car
73 Mach 1
351C Q car
C6 trans
I recently purchased a 73 Mach 1. As I'm sure is usually the case, the more you dig, the more you find. The bushings on the front sway bar were totally gone and the bar itself was very rusted. Easy fix, just replace it. When I go to replace it I can't get the passenger side to line up. As I investigate more I discover the passanger front tire sits an inch ahead of the drivers front tire. Pretty much all of the rubber is dry rotted and I am planning on replacing. Where is the adjustment at that would have the one tire so far in front of the other? I am trying to figure out what is the easiest route to get the front end right. Another issues is when turning left the back of the drivers side tire rubs the frame. The passenger side does not when turning. Any help would be appreciated.
 

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Looking under the front valance do the strut rods have equal length threads visible (past the nut)? The strut rods are the 7/8” ish diameter rods that are bolted to your lower control arms that connect to the front crossmember with big rubber bushings. The position of the strut rods alters caster.

It is difficult to judge the condition of some of your front end components as everything has been undercoated. Your UCA’s have bolt on ball joints (originally would have been riveted). Depending on who did the work they may or may not have replaced the UCA bushings.

I’d take a glance at the strut rods, and then proceed down the troubleshooting road. Provably get an “as-found” alignment measurement taken so you know what you are working with.
 
Looking under the front valance do the strut rods have equal length threads visible (past the nut)? The strut rods are the 7/8” ish diameter rods that are bolted to your lower control arms that connect to the front crossmember with big rubber bushings. The position of the strut rods alters caster.

It is difficult to judge the condition of some of your front end components as everything has been undercoated. Your UCA’s have bolt on ball joints (originally would have been riveted). Depending on who did the work they may or may not have replaced the UCA bushings.

I’d take a glance at the strut rods, and then proceed down the troubleshooting road. Provably get an “as-found” alignment measurement taken so you know what you are working with.
I have mildly adjusted the passenger strut rod. Rubber bushings are shot. I have new one in order. Have all new steering linkage too. Leaning towards just replacing everything. Anybody have recommendations? Someone loved undercoating. It’s on everything. What a mess.
 
Looking at the condition of the front end parts, I'd start with disassembling the entire thing and evaluating what needs to be replaced. I see cracked boots, mismatched parts, bushings on the spring seats that are starting to fail etc. The passenger caliper stabilizer bracket is missing a bolt and the calipers look pretty old.

I think you have a date with the Rock Auto website.
 
I bought a factory style front end replacement kit from P-S-T suspension..it was decent quality at decent price, replicates old factory setup and feel.

also, not sure your new sway bar connectors are correct, mine are longer than that. Of course mine might be wrong.
 
Not that I like to ride anybody's coat tails "too obviously," but HemiKiller says it well. At 50 or so years of age it is not unusual to have to do a lot of replacing of front end suspension parts. I know on our 1969 Shelby GT500, and the 1973 Mach 1, the prior owners had replaced all suspension parts and spring, front and rear - saving me a lot of grief. And for the 73 Mustang Convertible, with 50 years of age combined with a mere 21,000 original miles driven (barn stored over 40 years), because of the age of the suspension parts I am going to have to do a full rebuild front and rear over the next few years. I will begin with new rear leaf springs, and any rubber bushings front and rear. The control arms bushings and ball joints all look great, but I may replace those parts also to prevent problems later on.

An aside, just because the prior owners replaced all front end parts I am not somehow magically protected from running into problems. For the 73 Mach 1. last October the Right Outer Wheel Bearing (which had been replaced by the prior owner) failed. I ended up having to replace the rotor and hub assembly as the inside of the hub got chewed up pretty badly. The spindle was also damaged and needed to be replaced. With the new rotor and hub assembly the outside races of the inner and outer wheel bearing were pressed into the hub, which meant I needed to get new inner and outer bearings (outside bearing had failed anyway). And because I had a new rotor, I replaced the brake pads despite the fact they had lot of wear left on them. On top of that, because I was dealing with brake parts, what I do to one side I do the the other. So I also purchased a new rotor, pads, and inner & outer wheel bearings for the driver side also. It just kept adding up. Thankfully, the Magnum 500 wheel had not been damaged - it could have been worse.

As you tear into your project I suggest using the best parts available without going nuts (no need for race quality brake rotors, for instance). For wheel bearings I always insist on getting Timken brand bearings. For brake parts I like Raybestos and Bendix, although several other brands also have good quality parts - as long as you ask for their respective premium line of parts. For suspension parts I get Moog for everything I need - you can never go wrong.

Once you do all the work replacing the parts you will need to get the front end aligned. Look for a technician familiar and experienced with Old School alignments. And, as you compress the coil springs, be vary careful to use excellent tools and caution. If you replace the rear leaf springs, you may want a shop with the needed high jack stands to do that work. Even I sub rear leaf spring replacement out to our to a local shop that LOVES working on these older cars, and they listen to my directions re: certain things I want them to do. If I had the equipment that would be one thing, but I do not high really tall jack stands, nor do I have the strength any longer to fight some of those more demanding steps.

Good luck with it...
 
Not that I like to ride anybody's coat tails "too obviously," but HemiKiller says it well. At 50 or so years of age it is not unusual to have to do a lot of replacing of front end suspension parts. I know on our 1969 Shelby GT500, and the 1973 Mach 1, the prior owners had replaced all suspension parts and spring, front and rear - saving me a lot of grief. And for the 73 Mustang Convertible, with 50 years of age combined with a mere 21,000 original miles driven (barn stored over 40 years), because of the age of the suspension parts I am going to have to do a full rebuild front and rear over the next few years. I will begin with new rear leaf springs, and any rubber bushings front and rear. The control arms bushings and ball joints all look great, but I may replace those parts also to prevent problems later on.

An aside, just because the prior owners replaced all front end parts I am not somehow magically protected from running into problems. For the 73 Mach 1. last October the Right Outer Wheel Bearing (which had been replaced by the prior owner) failed. I ended up having to replace the rotor and hub assembly as the inside of the hub got chewed up pretty badly. The spindle was also damaged and needed to be replaced. With the new rotor and hub assembly the outside races of the inner and outer wheel bearing were pressed into the hub, which meant I needed to get new inner and outer bearings (outside bearing had failed anyway). And because I had a new rotor, I replaced the brake pads despite the fact they had lot of wear left on them. On top of that, because I was dealing with brake parts, what I do to one side I do the the other. So I also purchased a new rotor, pads, and inner & outer wheel bearings for the driver side also. It just kept adding up. Thankfully, the Magnum 500 wheel had not been damaged - it could have been worse.

As you tear into your project I suggest using the best parts available without going nuts (no need for race quality brake rotors, for instance). For wheel bearings I always insist on getting Timken brand bearings. For brake parts I like Raybestos and Bendix, although several other brands also have good quality parts - as long as you ask for their respective premium line of parts. For suspension parts I get Moog for everything I need - you can never go wrong.

Once you do all the work replacing the parts you will need to get the front end aligned. Look for a technician familiar and experienced with Old School alignments. And, as you compress the coil springs, be vary careful to use excellent tools and caution. If you replace the rear leaf springs, you may want a shop with the needed high jack stands to do that work. Even I sub rear leaf spring replacement out to our to a local shop that LOVES working on these older cars, and they listen to my directions re: certain things I want them to do. If I had the equipment that would be one thing, but I do not high really tall jack stands, nor do I have the strength any longer to fight some of those more demanding steps.

Good luck with it...
Thanks for the great info. I've already done the rear. New springs and shocks. Now to the front. Where have you found the best place to be to get parts? At this point I pretty much plan on replacing everything while I have it apart.
 
Opentracker racing sells boxed LCAs and kits to box your own. The OEM style lower control arms are stamped steel. Boxing them in by welding a shaped section of steel turns them into a box shape from a “U” shape and adds rigidity.


What do you mean by you boxed in the lower control arms?
 
Opentracker racing sells boxed LCAs and kits to box your own. The OEM style lower control arms are stamped steel. Boxing them in by welding a shaped section of steel turns them into a box shape from a “U” shape and adds rigidity.
"Boxing" the lower control arms means you weld a plate on the open side almost the whole length of the arm making it a square opening instead of a u shape when viewed from the end. Stiffens up the arm. We used it on our dirt circle track Mustangs,
 
I recently purchased a 73 Mach 1. As I'm sure is usually the case, the more you dig, the more you find. The bushings on the front sway bar were totally gone and the bar itself was very rusted. Easy fix, just replace it. When I go to replace it I can't get the passenger side to line up. As I investigate more I discover the passanger front tire sits an inch ahead of the drivers front tire. Pretty much all of the rubber is dry rotted and I am planning on replacing. Where is the adjustment at that would have the one tire so far in front of the other? I am trying to figure out what is the easiest route to get the front end right. Another issues is when turning left the back of the drivers side tire rubs the frame. The passenger side does not when turning. Any help would be appreciated.
put your car in park or in gear, don't set the park brake, have someone (preferably a big dude or dudette) rock the car forward and back kinda violently while you watch the strut rod bushing area for movement. You shouldn't see any movement at all.
 
Sherrif41 put together a front end kit from RockAuto on a similar thread that I started last week for me. I was comparing the complete kits to buying everything separately. Only missing a couple things but a very complete list if you want to check it out. Also about 1/2 the price as opposed to CJs full rebuild kit.
 
Sherrif41 put together a front end kit from RockAuto on a similar thread that I started last week for me. I was comparing the complete kits to buying everything separately. Only missing a couple things but a very complete list if you want to check it out. Also about 1/2 the price as opposed to CJs full rebuild kit.
Thanks. Ironically, those are some of the exact items I ordered already. Let the fun begin!
 
Sherrif41 put together a front end kit from RockAuto on a similar thread that I started last week for me. I was comparing the complete kits to buying everything separately. Only missing a couple things but a very complete list if you want to check it out. Also about 1/2 the price as opposed to CJs full rebuild kit.
did your total price include shipping? Rock Auto ships from 4 different warehouses and freight can add up quickly, it will still be less the other vendor you mentioned.
 
did your total price include shipping? Rock Auto ships from 4 different warehouses and freight can add up quickly, it will still be less the other vendor you mentioned.
Total price with shipping and tax is just over $400. Maybe its because I am in AZ but looks like it would all ship from 1 location for $37.99
 
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