Adjustable strut rods

[blackford]

I'll have to take a pic and post it when I get home

I've not heard anyone who has solid mount strut rods complain about road vibration. Those who bring up the concern are usually those who don't have them yet. Bumps in the road are probably felt more, but control is much better under driving and braking conditions. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Let me put it another way...i've not heard of someone who put them on subsequently take them off because of vibration/harshness concerns. I've had them on my 65 mustang for over 10 years and it's something that really never crossed my mind until someone brought it up. The car rides smooth and bumps in the road don't bother me except in the rear because of stiff 4.5 leaf springs that cause the back to take bumps harder than the front. Over time they've relaxed a bit...thankfully. 620 lb front coil springs would probably do more to increase road harshness in the front than solid strut rods.

Can you please share a picture of the strut rod installed? I am curious on how it looks.

 

[mustang7173]

Hello blackford,

Do you have the 620 lb. front coils? Since you mentioned this, I went back to Eaton Detroit Springs and looked up 1973 Ford Mustang Hardtop with 302 with A/C. I see that I can get a coil spring, -1 inch 355 lb spring rate with A/C improved handling.

This should be better than the 620 lb spring. The goal is to lower the front end. I may go to the - 1.5 inch model.

Thanks,

mustang7173 :thankyouyellow:

I've not heard anyone who has solid mount strut rods complain about road vibration. Those who bring up the concern are usually those who don't have them yet. Bumps in the road are probably felt more, but control is much better under driving and braking conditions. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Let me put it another way...i've not heard of someone who put them on subsequently take them off because of vibration/harshness concerns. I've had them on my 65 mustang for over 10 years and it's something that really never crossed my mind until someone brought it up. The car rides smooth and bumps in the road don't bother me except in the rear because of stiff 4.5 leaf springs that cause the back to take bumps harder than the front. Over time they've relaxed a bit...thankfully. 620 lb front coil springs would probably do more to increase road harshness in the front than solid strut rods.

All,

Holly Smokes Batman. Watch at the beginning of the road trip and watch the lower control arm just flex like crazy. After watching this video, unless you driving your mustang to the grocery store and back, stock replacement Lower control arms are no good for performance driving.

As blackford stated, the two point lower control arm would be the idea suspension setup. I cannot wait to see what he comes up with!

mustang7173


Hello blackford,

Nice stuff that you have there! One question! Since the strut rods are solid mounts, should we expect a certain amount off road noise and vibration through the front end?

I remember having stiff strut rod bushings and minor road imperfections would vibrate through the front end and dash area. Is this the trade off for better road performance handling.

Thanks

mustang7173 :bravo:

I just found out about this site from my website visit referral data...glad I found it! Thanks for showing interest.

I own Pacific Thunder Performance Engineering. I recently redesigned the strut rods because I get the brackets laser cut now so they look a little different than the pic on the website. I also sell on Ebay as ptpengineeringinc.

I have been cleaned out again so it's about time to replenish stock again. I bought a new MIG welder so now I have two so I can have a 2nd welder help with production to keep up with demand. I plan to replenish stock in a week or two.

I have been on several mustang websites since around 2000 as blkfrd or blackford. I currently have a 65 FB mustang that I restomodded back in 2004, but I build parts for all vintage Mustangs, Comets, Mavericks, Australian Falcons, Cougars, and whatever else comes along. I just finished building a set of custom strut rods for a customer with a 61 Falcon. They were very similar to 65/66 Mustang strut rods but the LCA mounting holes were closer together and the bracket had to be shortened for the steering stop. The frame mount hole where the old rubber bushings went was smaller too.

I'm also working on some new LCAs that have a dual pivot point instead of the single mounting point. Working on the 65/66 Mustang version of it right now and later mustang version afterwards. Hope to start building these soon.

 

[blackford]

I have GT springs that are supposed to have a bit more rate than stock springs. I've met guys with 620 lb springs in the front of their 65/66 and I remember one in particular who said he made a mistake because he thought that they were way too stiff for street use. Bumps were jarring.

Hello blackford,

Do you have the 620 lb. front coils? Since you mentioned this, I went back to Eaton Detroit Springs and looked up 1973 Ford Mustang Hardtop with 302 with A/C. I see that I can get a coil spring, -1 inch 355 lb spring rate with A/C improved handling.

This should be better than the 620 lb spring. The goal is to lower the front end. I may go to the - 1.5 inch model.

Thanks,

mustang7173 :thankyouyellow:

I've not heard anyone who has solid mount strut rods complain about road vibration. Those who bring up the concern are usually those who don't have them yet. Bumps in the road are probably felt more, but control is much better under driving and braking conditions. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Let me put it another way...i've not heard of someone who put them on subsequently take them off because of vibration/harshness concerns. I've had them on my 65 mustang for over 10 years and it's something that really never crossed my mind until someone brought it up. The car rides smooth and bumps in the road don't bother me except in the rear because of stiff 4.5 leaf springs that cause the back to take bumps harder than the front. Over time they've relaxed a bit...thankfully. 620 lb front coil springs would probably do more to increase road harshness in the front than solid strut rods.

All,

Holly Smokes Batman. Watch at the beginning of the road trip and watch the lower control arm just flex like crazy. After watching this video, unless you driving your mustang to the grocery store and back, stock replacement Lower control arms are no good for performance driving.

As blackford stated, the two point lower control arm would be the idea suspension setup. I cannot wait to see what he comes up with!

mustang7173


Hello blackford,

Nice stuff that you have there! One question! Since the strut rods are solid mounts, should we expect a certain amount off road noise and vibration through the front end?

I remember having stiff strut rod bushings and minor road imperfections would vibrate through the front end and dash area. Is this the trade off for better road performance handling.

Thanks

mustang7173 :bravo:

 

[blackford]

Here is a pic of them installed on a 65/66 mustang. Basically the same for 71-73 except the adjusting tube is longer and the LCA bracket is different.

65-66 Adjustable Strut Rod Installed

I've not heard anyone who has solid mount strut rods complain about road vibration. Those who bring up the concern are usually those who don't have them yet. Bumps in the road are probably felt more, but control is much better under driving and braking conditions. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Let me put it another way...i've not heard of someone who put them on subsequently take them off because of vibration/harshness concerns. I've had them on my 65 mustang for over 10 years and it's something that really never crossed my mind until someone brought it up. The car rides smooth and bumps in the road don't bother me except in the rear because of stiff 4.5 leaf springs that cause the back to take bumps harder than the front. Over time they've relaxed a bit...thankfully. 620 lb front coil springs would probably do more to increase road harshness in the front than solid strut rods.

Can you please share a picture of the strut rod installed? I am curious on how it looks.

 

[tony-muscle]

Thank you, but I can't see the picture because I am not registered in that forum.

Here is a pic of them installed on a 65/66 mustang. Basically the same for 71-73 except the adjusting tube is longer and the LCA bracket is different.

65-66 Adjustable Strut Rod Installed

I've not heard anyone who has solid mount strut rods complain about road vibration. Those who bring up the concern are usually those who don't have them yet. Bumps in the road are probably felt more, but control is much better under driving and braking conditions. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Let me put it another way...i've not heard of someone who put them on subsequently take them off because of vibration/harshness concerns. I've had them on my 65 mustang for over 10 years and it's something that really never crossed my mind until someone brought it up. The car rides smooth and bumps in the road don't bother me except in the rear because of stiff 4.5 leaf springs that cause the back to take bumps harder than the front. Over time they've relaxed a bit...thankfully. 620 lb front coil springs would probably do more to increase road harshness in the front than solid strut rods.

Can you please share a picture of the strut rod installed? I am curious on how it looks.

 

[Qcode351mach]

His is basicly the same as the street or track setup I have installed in my cars

If your interested in the street or track pm me

http://www.streetortrack.com/Street-or-Track-Adjustable-Strut-Rods-pr-16135.html

https://www.streetortrack.com/pages.php?pageid=5&mode=preview

 

[tony-muscle]

Wondering if anyone out there has tried these rods?

http://www.pacificthunderperformance.com/collections/1971-1973-mustang

I just found out about this site from my website visit referral data...glad I found it! Thanks for showing interest.

I own Pacific Thunder Performance Engineering. I recently redesigned the strut rods because I get the brackets laser cut now so they look a little different than the pic on the website. I also sell on Ebay as ptpengineeringinc.

I have been cleaned out again so it's about time to replenish stock again. I bought a new MIG welder so now I have two so I can have a 2nd welder help with production to keep up with demand. I plan to replenish stock in a week or two.

I have been on several mustang websites since around 2000 as blkfrd or blackford. I currently have a 65 FB mustang that I restomodded back in 2004, but I build parts for all vintage Mustangs, Comets, Mavericks, Australian Falcons, Cougars, and whatever else comes along. I just finished building a set of custom strut rods for a customer with a 61 Falcon. They were very similar to 65/66 Mustang strut rods but the LCA mounting holes were closer together and the bracket had to be shortened for the steering stop. The frame mount hole where the old rubber bushings went was smaller too.

I'm also working on some new LCAs that have a dual pivot point instead of the single mounting point. Working on the 65/66 Mustang version of it right now and later mustang version afterwards. Hope to start building these soon.

Do your rods have a spherical joint at the end? I can't see that on the picture. Just curious if it will allow lateral movement besides the up and down movement. The Global West and TCP have a spherical joint where they meet the chassis.

 

[droptop73]

I'm sure this has been posted before, but this pretty crazy

To me it doesn't look like those bushings are properly adjusted. Not to say there isn't deflection, that video seems misleading to me. The adjustable strut rods will control the lower much better and eliminate "stiction" in the suspension's movement.