Front Bushing damage when lifting car

[tfowler9]

I have a Mohawk lift in my garage. When I lift my '71 Mustang using the car's frame, it destroys the front shock bushing.  

Any suggestions?

I have been taking the nuts off the top of the front shocks before lifting and then reinstalling when complete. A big hassle.

Thanks Tom

 

[73pony]

Take a look at this thread.

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-ford-front-suspension-support-tool-by-tommy-zees?highlight=upper+control

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

About the first thing in the Ford service manual tells you not to lift with a two post lift unless you block the upper control arms. Everyone blames the bad rubber bushing on the shocks but they are not intended to hold the full force of the coil spring only the gas in the shock. 

If you do not want to make the steel tool I cut some blocks of wood that I lay on top of the frame rail that the upper control arm will rest on. 

It can also split the big bushing in the front cross member with the radius rods. 

If I forget the blocks it crushes the bushings.

I think the other link will get you the details.

 

[tfowler9]

About the first thing in the Ford service manual tells you not to lift with a two post lift unless you block the upper control arms. Everyone blames the bad rubber bushing on the shocks but they are not intended to hold the full force of the coil spring only the gas in the shock. 

If you do not want to make the steel tool I cut some blocks of wood that I lay on top of the frame rail that the upper control arm will rest on. 

It can also split the big bushing in the front cross member with the radius rods. 

If I forget the blocks it crushes the bushings.

I think the other link will get you the details.

Thank you - the wood worked just fine!   Tom

 

[donkost]

So then basically the only type of lift where this doesn't come into play is a drive-on storage type of lift, correct? I guess it would even be an issue when using a floor jack in the front. I'd have to think that many thousands of people could have potentially damaged their bushings without realizing it.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Yup.  Mine are shot, and I have only had the car up on a lift and/or jack stands a handful of times since 2011 when the suspension was first (re)installed.

I actually need to locate the urethane bushings I picked up so I can swap 'em out - the 'clunking' coming from the front end on less-than-smooth roads has me worried.  I need to quit fartin' around and get those TCP (CPP, Alston, whatever) bolt-in coil-overs and just be done with it.

 

[7173Vert]

I still try to understand why this happens today... For thirty + years I jacked my Mustangs up, I stored them off the ground, wheels hanging every winter for year’s. Never had a problem. In the last 10 years or so, this issue has raised its ugly head. There is only one reason for this in my mind, inferior rubber components forming part of the shock absorber. They just do not hold up the same as the older manufactured parts did.

 

[Aus73Mach1]

Having just rebuilt the front suspension on my 73 Mach1, and being new to Mustangs, I came across this problem. I purchased a new set of KYB Gas-A-Just front shocks. Bolted one of these onto the spring saddle and found the piston rod was a couple of inches short of the top support. I've never seen this on a vehicle and wasn't keen to see suspension load transferred to a shock tower mount, so went back to the parts store and queried if these were actually Mustang shocks. On checking the catalogue there were two types for the 73 Mustang. The KYB EXCEL-G shocks were the same size as the ones I removed so I exchanged them for these. These went into the front with no problem, hanging from the 2 post hoist, lower control arm resting on the chassis and the shock bolted correctly into the top mount with no strain on any bushes. What have I missed here?

Is this related to heavier springs, competition suspension, etc?

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ptp-19-901-bl/overview/

For $6, these were the last set I had to buy for my 73 vert. About eight years ago, I had noticed my front shock bushings (purchased from local auto parts store in 'Help' section) were completely destroyed after couple hundred miles of driving, much less lifting front end up. Once the poly ones were installed, that ended that particular issue.

 

[SteveO_71]

I also use pieces of wood between the frame and crossmember and it seems to work. It was easier putting new shocks on and its also helps when installing brake line to the caliper since the line has some slack in it.

Also as mentioned, I have to believe that this is an issue for a lot of cars in addition to the mustang.

 

[Stanglover]

I still try to understand why this happens today... For thirty + years I jacked my Mustangs up, I stored them off the ground, wheels hanging every winter for year’s. Never had a problem. In the last 10 years or so, this issue has raised its ugly head. There is only one reason for this in my mind, inferior rubber components forming part of the shock absorber. They just do not hold up the same as the older manufactured parts did.

 I couldn't agree more. Back in 1982, I stored my 72 Mach 1 (which I wish I'd never sold) up on 18" high jack stands (hoping to keep rodents out) for 5 years. Of course I was not aware of this potential issue of shock bushing failure at that time. When I took the car out of storage, there was absolutely no problem with bushings. I did have a problem with a RAT that somehow got inside and had a family! NO holes anywhere in that car and no idea how it got in. Car stank for months!!! Oh! and DON"T use moth balls inside either, stripped the "chrome" off all the trim. Oh how we learn the hard way!!

Geoff.

 

[Stanglover]

Having just rebuilt the front suspension on my 73 Mach1, and being new to Mustangs, I came across this problem. I purchased a new set of KYB Gas-A-Just front shocks. Bolted one of these onto the spring saddle and found the piston rod was a couple of inches short of the top support. I've never seen this on a vehicle and wasn't keen to see suspension load transferred to a shock tower mount, so went back to the parts store and queried if these were actually Mustang shocks. On checking the catalogue there were two types for the 73 Mustang. The KYB EXCEL-G shocks were the same size as the ones I removed so I exchanged them for these. These went into the front with no problem, hanging from the 2 post hoist, lower control arm resting on the chassis and the shock bolted correctly into the top mount with no strain on any bushes. What have I missed here?

Is this related to heavier springs, competition suspension, etc?

 Did you change the front springs? 

Back in 2016 I believe it was, I changed my worn out front suspension. I bought a so called complete kit, top and bottom control arms, springs etc. etc. I too bought KYB Gas-A-Just shocks for my 71 Mach 1 and had the exact same problem, but we did get them in. However the front of the car sat 2" too high. OK, something is radically wrong here. What I found was the freakin springs were totally wrong for the 71-73 cars. Not only were they 2" to tall, they were the wrong gauge wire and too many coils, i.e. the wrong spring load. Turned out this "kit" was a Scott Drake POS and I regret buying it. Long story, but I eventually reinstalled my original, still good, springs. Once I did that, the KYB"s fitted perfectly and I have never had a bushing issue with them either after jacking up the car. I did however need to install a thick washer UNDER the steel top caps to compress the bushing enough so they did not move around in the shock caps. See pic#2 Pic #1 shows how far through the KYB shock sits with original springs, about 1" 

Geoff.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I know that everyone wants to blame the rubber. But if you go back and look in any Ford service manual from 1965 up they all tell you on the first page to block the control arms or you damage the bushings. Not us making it up Ford put it in the service manual for a  reason. 

A coil springs has thousands of lbs. of stored energy the bushing on the shock is only resisting the charge in the shock and the valving. 

As far as two post 4 post. If you lift on a 4 post you still have to jack the front so does the same thing. 

I will scan the Ford manual today and send on this link. It is part of the normal service on a Mustang, Maverick, Granada and others that use similar front suspension. 

I had just put brand new ones on and forgot to block and busted one the first time I lifted it and they were NOS originals not Chinese.

I saw someone also say they jacked under the front end. You should never jack a mustang up by the front cross member or under the engine. You can and will bend the chassis not designed to take the loads in that direction. You can jack under the lower control arm the little u brackets welded to the bottom are for jacking there. The torque box is other lift area and of course the front mount on the rear spring. 

It is all physics equal and opposite reaction. When new people would sometimes crack windshields lifting incorrectly. These are very weak chassis and with rust even weaker.

 

[7173Vert]

I know that everyone wants to blame the rubber. But if you go back and look in any Ford service manual from 1965 up they all tell you on the first page to block the control arms or you damage the bushings. Not us making it up Ford put it in the service manual for a  reason. 

A coil springs has thousands of lbs. of stored energy the bushing on the shock is only resisting the charge in the shock and the valving. 

As far as two post 4 post. If you lift on a 4 post you still have to jack the front so does the same thing. 

I will scan the Ford manual today and send on this link. It is part of the normal service on a Mustang, Maverick, Granada and others that use similar front suspension. 

I had just put brand new ones on and forgot to block and busted one the first time I lifted it and they were NOS originals not Chinese.

I saw someone also say they jacked under the front end. You should never jack a mustang up by the front cross member or under the engine. You can and will bend the chassis not designed to take the loads in that direction. You can jack under the lower control arm the little u brackets welded to the bottom are for jacking there. The torque box is other lift area and of course the front mount on the rear spring. 

It is all physics equal and opposite reaction. When new people would sometimes crack windshields lifting incorrectly. These are very weak chassis and with rust even weaker.

Is the rubber. Its changed over the year's on repo parts... Most are well aware of the Ford manual pages and blocking, etc. The point is..., we have never had to do this before, ever. Now we do. Thanks

 

[Hemikiller]

Since this came up again, let'd do a little survey and get some data.

Have you had the upper front shock bushings split? If so, what shocks were you running?

I'll go first -

Yes, KYB Gas-a-justs

 

[Don C]

Gabriel shocks, 15+ years old, hasn't been left dangling for an extended length of time, but front end was off the ground for at least a day last year, without the control arms blocked or braced.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I know that everyone wants to blame the rubber. But if you go back and look in any Ford service manual from 1965 up they all tell you on the first page to block the control arms or you damage the bushings. Not us making it up Ford put it in the service manual for a  reason. 

A coil springs has thousands of lbs. of stored energy the bushing on the shock is only resisting the charge in the shock and the valving. 

As far as two post 4 post. If you lift on a 4 post you still have to jack the front so does the same thing. 

I will scan the Ford manual today and send on this link. It is part of the normal service on a Mustang, Maverick, Granada and others that use similar front suspension. 

I had just put brand new ones on and forgot to block and busted one the first time I lifted it and they were NOS originals not Chinese.

I saw someone also say they jacked under the front end. You should never jack a mustang up by the front cross member or under the engine. You can and will bend the chassis not designed to take the loads in that direction. You can jack under the lower control arm the little u brackets welded to the bottom are for jacking there. The torque box is other lift area and of course the front mount on the rear spring. 

It is all physics equal and opposite reaction. When new people would sometimes crack windshields lifting incorrectly. These are very weak chassis and with rust even weaker.

Is the rubber. Its changed over the year's on repo parts... Most are well aware of the Ford manual pages and blocking, etc. The point is..., we have never had to do this before, ever. Now we do. Thanks

I have owned since new and always an issue. There is also the fact that when the rubber flows around the center core it has a nit line. that is where it breaks not who  made it but how the material flows. I was automotive product, process tooling engineer I know the issues. 

Here is scan of one of the warnings from 1972 Ford manual.

You can make them out of aluminum and they will not split but ride like **** like the urethane do.

IMG.pdf

 

[NOT A T5]

Even the polyurethane bushings will get destroyed if you leave the tires dangling!

 

[73pony]

KYB Gas-A-Just and yes.