Driving without Strut Rods installed

Hey.....what could happen? Leave them off, saves weight, car probably will go faster, you'll get used to the primo handling, thats what hot rodding's all about right? Trying new things the factory hasn't thought of?........

 

Ic thanks. Sounds similar to what my Packard has.

Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE smartphone

 

Even the stock ones are adjustable, you shift the position of the two nuts holding the bushings. Going to a heim gives a more definite adjustment, may reduce the number of shims needed, reduces deflection under heavy braking and cornering. I haven't yet but it's going to be my next suspension mod. Sooner than later if all the other changes make the car hard to align.

 

The rod adjustment controls the caster of the suspension. Look up "caster" to see how important this is.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STRUT-RODS-...DefaultDomain_100&vxp=mtr&hash=item51969c49f7

that took all of a minute and a half...

 

unbe-fricken'-lievable! Dd

 

'bout 20 years ago the police stopped a suspiciously slow moving car near by where I worked. He was on his way to the parts store to buy new front disc pads for his car. The old pads which he'd already removed where lying on the passenger seat so he could show the parts guy what he wanted.
This post brought it all back to me

 

ding ! Ding !

 

If you have to ask what could happen......

 

LoL...I know what caster is but I didn't realize that this style Ford had adjustment at the strut rod intended to allow setting it!

Making major caster adjustments that low on the spindle will make for a wheelbase change as well, certainly more than adjustment at the upper control arm eccentrics, so at least be careful doing it!

Modding the strut arm for less braking deflection and improved handling makes good sense.
Still not sold on setting caster at that location though.

Hmmmm....Maybe for initial rough settings/wheelbase matching and then fine tune at the eccentrics.
I can see that!

 

I agree with hot rod primer 100 percent. Don't be stupid.

 

Yep, not only no but HELL NO. That is a quick way to get killed or kill someone else.

BTB I'd almost bet that first generation Mustang pieces are the same. Someone with an interchange that covers that year can tell for sure but I did see that the bushings are the same. Most of the 6-/66 Falcon, Fairlane and what not suspensions interchange with First generation Mustang.

 

Eccentrics!? I know us Comet drivers are an odd bunch but that don't mean we need adjusting! Lol!

If'n we're speaking the same language here I don't think this suspension has eccentrics, you use shims on the upper and lower mounts to adjust things.

 

Hahahahaha...you got me.

My Mustang/Ford days were 25 or so years ago but this last couple of years I've been building a B body Dodge.
When I asked my brain for an image of a Mustang upper control arm inner pivot shaft I GOT instead the inner pivot for a B body Dodge!

Then again...between the Fords and the Dodge I played with a couple of Ramblers.

You're lucky I didn't describe the workings of a trunnion!
...and you call yourself eccentric?!?!

 

Well thanks for all the info guys. The shop re-threaded the rods and did the alignment no problem. Before, it had bad bump steer. Now it drives a world better. I expected a lot of smart ass replies as it is a message board.
Asking a question about something I am not 100% familiar with may make me ignorant but not an idiot.

 

Matt, that makes sense now. It prevents lateral movement of the A-arm. I initially thought the rods were to assist the stabilizer rod in hard turns or body roll. Thanks

 

Yep, no eccentric bolts on that model. I used to figure out what change I needed to make, loosen the nuts and take a heel bar to pry the A frame out so I could change the shims.

If you have to take the spindle off one with that suspension style it works real well to stick a short length of 2x4 between the upper A frame and the "frame rail" section that runs along under it. That holds the A frame up a bit when you raise the car up off the wheels and makes it a lot easier to deal with taking the spindle off.

 

Yea I found that wedging a piece of wood up in that area works well for taking off the spindle.

 

I broke one parking my 61' falcon, got luck y it wasnt on the highway. Tried to drive about 3/4 of a mile to my friends house and it was the scariest thing in the world! talk about bump steer! Made it 2 blocks and I very carefully turned around and parked it. I took some 1" DOM tube, and some 5/8" acme thread grade 8 (strongest I could find) and plug welded the threaded rod into the DOM. Then took 1/2" x 2" cold rolled bar stock to make the bracket and notched it into the end of the tube that doesnt have threaded rod sticking out of it. Strong as hell and probably stronger than the forged stock piece and it cost me about 30 bucks total. Ill try and grab a picture of them tomorrow if you wanted to see how they look.

 

I'd love to see pics of what you fab'd up.