OT-Late Model Mustang's(1966)

I've rebuilt a few Ford front ends. Describe your problem. Lane

I had a '68 with the 200. Changed the front ball joints, replaced the front springs with those for a 289 then leveled it by adding a booster and shackles to the rear. A big improvement.

I suspect nearly EVERYone has ;) What's the problem?

I have replaced on both sides--upper and lower control arms, all tie rod ends, idler arm, sway bar bushings, strut rod bushings and have gotten the car alighned. The problem is the passenger side inner tie rod wants to bind up against the centerlink when turning one way and the idler arm the other way. I can't figure it out. Maybe one you can help me?

Richard

1966 is not a LATE model, it's an EARLY model. Assuming that you put all the parts together correctly I say that you got the wrong parts. I've rebuilt lots of Ford front ends including early Mustangs, Fairlane, Falcons and have never had the problem. Since the front end needs to be aligned anyway, if it is driveable you might want to drive it to the alignment shop and have them look at it. They will do an inpection anyway before they do the alignment, so it shouldn't cost you anything extra.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Lane

Opps, I forgot that you already had it aligned. They didn't say anything about it? Lane

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 19:10:06 -0500, the inscrutable snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net spake:

Two things come to mind. IF when you replaced the tie rod ends, the ends weren't centered while being aligned. This can cause binding upon turning and will seriously diminish the life of the joints. *It is unsafe and should be repaired immediately.*

Second, which is how my truck showed me the error of my ways, is that when the guy did the alignment, he left the threaded portion of the bolt too close to a suspension piece. Loosen each of the adjusters individually and rotate _just the compression collar the bolt goes through, not the entire sleeve_ so the bolts don't hit when you turn the assembly from lock to lock of the steering wheel. It's most easily done when the front end of the car is supported at the lower ball joints so the car is at normal ride height.

I did a whole lot of FE alignments while working for that body shop, most of them on a Hunter 111A computerized system. The mechanical end was always mine while I watched the body and paint men do their thing.

------------------------------------------------------------------- Do. Or do not. * Stylin' Web Design Services There is no try. --Yoda *

Aren't there some extensions on the LCA to limit steering travel?

- - Rex Burkheimer WM Automotive Fort Worth TX

snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net wrote:

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 18:25:43 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net wrot

Well, made a left hand turn the other day and it locked up. On inspection it seems that where the control valve connects to the centerlink broke. So something is not right. Took the centerlink off, leaving the inner tie rods still connected. Found a man nearby that does nothing but restore old Mustangs and am going to bring it to him to have a look.

Richard