Mustang5l5's Progress Thread - Archived Progress thread '08-'20.

[Mustang5L5]

More stuff. It feels like Xmas!

Poly spring isolators and a red 21-tooth speedo gear for my t-5 swap.

Also, the Steeda HD upper control arms. They are like stock arms but with a nice zinc finish. They are also $60 cheaper than the FMS HD arms. They came with axle bushings, but unsure if i want to run them. They feel a little stiff so i might to grab some OEM axle bushings instead.


I just need to order my Max Motorsports LCA's now and i can get to work. I'm gonna start on the rear end in the next few weeks. I need to sand all the surface rust down and prep it for POR-15. I still need to pick up a diff cover, but i'll stick with a cheap autozone chrome unit just for now and change it later

 

[Mustang5L5]

I haven't yet...which is why i haven't bought them.

I can't decide if i want to get the adjustable ones, or the standard arms...and then i can't decide if i want extreme duty or regular. I don't want to get the adjustables in case i get coil-overs...but then if i don't get coil overs, i'd rather have the adjustable perches so i can adjust my rear height.

Gotta do some research while i pay my credit card down a bit for upcoming goodies

 

[Mustang5L5]

More parts.


94-98 axles. I blasted the ends of them and gave them a light coat of paint. I have the shafts greased and sealed up to prevent rust.


FMS M-4050-B kit. New kit. Has two new axle bushings, 2 new C-clips and a bottle of friction mod. Not bad for $35.



I'm going to pick up a nice mod for the engine on Sat. Kinda chips into my rear-end build budget...might have to stretch it out a couple weeks but stay tuned as i'll be starting the resto on the rear. I won't be rebuilding the diff. I already had it done when i put the 3.73's in.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Forgot to add. I finished up the transmission a couple weeks back.


Former 2.3L T-5 converted to a 90+ 300 ft-lbs T-5. Stock shifter for now til i buy an MGW.

For now, it's sitting in a corner of my living room under my coffee table!! Good thing i live alone!


PS: You'll notice the painted Cobra grill on the bottom shelf of the coffee table

 

[Mustang5L5]

More cleaning/prep/paint work.


I have two sets of front calipers. The '98 Cobra calipers on the left, and Mach 1 calipers on the right that i took off my '03 GT when i traded it in. Unsure which to use. The Mach 1's have bigger pistons, but the '98 Cobra calipers are better sized for my MC and also say COBRA.


OR....sell them both and buy the M-2300-B kit

Ford Racing Performance Parts [M-2300-B]

 

[Chuckman]

I didnt know the Mach had bigger pistons, or is the 99+ cobra/mach caliper bigger that the sn95 cobra calipers?

the 03+ cobra brakes have something like 2mm bigger of pistons than the earlier years, dunno if the machs are the same though?

ive got 03/04 cobra calipers on mine, they look and perform great, im just not a huge fan of the cobra name on them though since its only a gt (i got a deal on these though, the whole front package was less than the bullit package that i really wanted). if you stencil or decal on the pony logo on the machs id go with them, i dont think youd really see the difference with the bigger pistons without going antilock.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Late Model has this kit for $12 for a bearing and seal.

79-04 AXLE BEARING AND SEAL MUSTANG

So $24 for both bearings and seals. Not bad, but seems cheap compared to what I listed above. I don't want to put crap in when the originals have gone 21 years no issues.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Look at what I got

 

[Mustang5L5]

After some cleaning up, removal of carbon and some paint.

 

[Mustang5L5]

STarted tearing down the axle tonight. Damn how i forgot how much I hate diff fluid. Ugh.



The LCA's are still on because the bolts rusted to the metal sleeves and won't come out. So i gotta sawzall the bolts out and haven;t done it yet.

I also need to drill out the top rubber bushings.

The axle seals were trash. Both sides were leaking fluid. I yanked them and tossed them. Also there felt like there was a little play in the bearings so they are coming out too. How do you guys get the bearings out?? I need a slide hammer right?? Anyone know if Autozone rents that?

The 3.73's looked good after 30K miles. No chips or abnormal wear.

I started wirebrushing the rear down. lots of loost rust to get off before I paint it.


I have black and gray POR-15. WHat color should I go??

 

[Mustang5L5]

I need to get this more "smooth" before i put the POR-15 on. Might have to drag it outside and use power tools to get all the loose rust off.


I gotta sandblast all the misc bolts, brake line brackets and the differential weight. I'm prob not going to put the weight back on, but i want to have it painted up and ready just in case i get vibrations and want to put it back on. It doesn't even weight that much. I don't know why people make a big deal about yanking it.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I agree.

I need one anyway. My fill port is stripped and here was my solution. Gotta get a new cover that i can use to also fill it.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Got the stupid upper bearings out. They weren't really a big deal. Drill bit to the rubber part, whack the center pin out. Whack the rubber out, then hammer and chisel to the outer shell. 10 mins each side and I was done.

Putting the new ones in will be a PITA. How do i do it??



I've decided to have the entire rear sandblasted. So as soon as i get the LCA's off (PITA due to seized bolts in the inner sleeve) remove the outer axle bearings and spend some more time wire brushing the entire axle, i'll look into blasting it.

Unsure if i should remove the carrier and clean out the inside. I can put it back in without having to reshim anything right?

anyone know what size thread the vent tube is?? It's not NPT. Looks straight thread. I want to seal it with a bolt for now.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Couple more parts. These are the Ford Racing upgraded A-arms.


Got these cheap with very low miles on them (<300 miles). Considering they are $350ish now, i couldn't pass up the deal.

Now i'm off to rent a slide hammer to get these axle bearings out of the tubes.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well, axle bearings are out

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well, i finally got the LCA's off. The bolt siezed in the sleeve and i couldn't whack them out even soaking in PB blaster for weeks. I used up way too many sawzall blades. Grade 10.9 bolts are TOUGH! I had to crack out the grinder and grind the head off the bolt.


Anyway, that's it. Time to degrease the hell out of it, wirewheel it down and then put POR-15 on it!

 

[Mustang5L5]

MM's extreme duty adustables

I'll order them when i actually plan on putting the rear back in.

 

[Mustang5L5]

i would do the IRS if its a steal

What would be a steal?

He wants $800/bo with a set of H&R springs F&R and an KB IRS brace.

He might be selling the springs separate though. I was thinking $500 or so


If i buy it I wouldn't be putting it in now. I really want to get the car driving and don't want to stop my rear end work and change directions and toss an IRS in. I would have to do some modifications and would like to research it well first. So if i bought the IRS, it would sit in storage for a year or two. Kinda makes me want to wait and pick it up then considering the price of IRS's has dropped a lot. I remember back in '99/00 you couldn't get one for under $1500-2000. Now i see sub-$1000 IRS's all the time. I missed out on one for $600 last summer. But like i said, if i buy it, I wouldn't be installing it just now.



As for my current solid rear 3.73--equipped, Cobra brake equipped axle......

I got the LRS bearings and seal kit in today. They are Torrington bearings which are the same as OEM...so i'm happy. Not bad for $24.

I also got a nice finishing touch

 

[Mustang5L5]

I think i'm good to go! Ready for POR-15! I just need to degrease the axle first, let it dry and then go to town!!

 

[Mustang5L5]

I made these little plugs from some parts at a hardware store to keep oil in, water and dust out and just seal everything up....esp the HORRIBLE smell of diff fluid