Topic: Front Suspension Noise 1966 Mustang

[1967 eight barrel]

I would look at two specific possibilities. 1. Cracked shock tower. 2. Broken or damaged spring perch.

One of the ways to look for shock tower damage is to have someone light up the shock tower from the inside with a bright lamp while looking through the wheel well with the wheel off the vehicle. You'll likely see light. The nut on the upper control arm is 75LBS. Make sure it's tight.

The spring perch has a spring stop, usually on the inside there is a lip that stick up where the spring rest. Make sure the spring wound end is against the stop on the perch. Check the bushings, also make sure you tightened up the perch/saddles to the upper arm.

                                                                                                  -Keith

[Building 3]

Thanks for that input.  I checked today and everything is as it should be. It only makes the very loud noise upon hard braking. Driving normally it is fine.  So in a panic stop situation or in a sudden brake lock-up, that is when you hear the loud "bang" as if something broke. But so far, nothing has.

[tomtri66]

I also have experienced this problem, so there are at least 2 of us.     I will be checking all the mentioned areas and replacing the strut rod bushings when I go through the front end.  Thanks for all the advice!

Has anyone had experience or knowledge about urethane bushings breaking strut rods under normal use?  I have heard a few people recommend not using them, besides the fact that they are not concourse, of course. 

Thanks,
Tom

[Building 3]

I am coming to the conclusion that it probably is an inferior part installed in my right suspension. The left side does not make noise and neither does my other '66 which also had its front end rebuilt. So I think the right side needs to come apart again.

As far as urethane bushings go, I would be careful since they are hard and I doubt were even around when Ford was engineering the Mustang, so no consideration would have been made for them. I did install them in a 1980's pocket rocket I have of another brand and they really tightened up the handling.  Nice and crisp, but I had the knowledge that these were used in these cars in rally events back then, so I knew they would work to improve the handling considerably. Of course for Mustangs they are not Concours and they usually come in bright colors like red and blue so they are easily seen.

[Bob Gaines]

I am coming to the conclusion that it probably is an inferior part installed in my right suspension. The left side does not make noise and neither does my other '66 which also had its front end rebuilt. So I think the right side needs to come apart again.

As far as urethane bushings go, I would be careful since they are hard and I doubt were even around when Ford was engineering the Mustang, so no consideration would have been made for them. I did install them in a 1980's pocket rocket I have of another brand and they really tightened up the handling.  Nice and crisp, but I had the knowledge that these were used in these cars in rally events back then, so I knew they would work to improve the handling considerably. Of course for Mustangs they are not Concours and they usually come in bright colors like red and blue so they are easily seen.

They also have tendency to squeak.

[J_Speegle]

As far as urethane bushings go, I would be careful since they are hard and I doubt were even around when Ford was engineering the Mustang, so no consideration would have been made for them. ................

Seen a number of posts on the Boss site where owners blamed broken strut rods on their use. Just reporting.

[1967 eight barrel]

Jeff is right. They are known for binding and breaking where the threads are. Moog makes an improved version that allows the rod the proper movement and doesn't bind.

                                                                                                                                          -Keith

[slk25]

I just tried to install the Moog Kit and found that using the original washers stacked up the length so the nut would not grab the threads on the rod and the bolts for the lower arm were over a half inch too far back to mate to the holes in the arm.
So I ended up reusing one of the original rubber bushings with the Moog bushing on the nut end of the strut rod.
It fit that way.

[1967 eight barrel]

I just tried to install the Moog Kit and found that using the original washers stacked up the length so the nut would not grab the threads on the rod and the bolts for the lower arm were over a half inch too far back to mate to the holes in the arm.
So I ended up reusing one of the original rubber bushings with the Moog bushing on the nut end of the strut rod.
It fit that way.

You did something wrong. There are no issues with thread length. My suspicion is you didn't back off the nut on the back side to the end of the threads towards the wheel before you attempted to install them. You can't mix the two bushings if you have the improved style. You will wind up bending the lower control arm if it binds and breaks the strut rod. Remember, you MUST have the vehicle re-aligned once you change the bushings as well.

                                                                                                                -Keith