Removing the front suspension and rear end/axle - Modified Mustangs & Fords Forums at Mustang & Fords Magazine

Removing the front suspension and rear end/axle

  
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Removing the front suspension and rear end/axle

 
chazersize chazersize
New User | Posts: 1 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 08/26/09
08:08 AM

Can someone point me to an article on how to remove everything in the rear (suspension, axle, rear end, etc.)and all the front suspension components for our 69 mustang convertible?  I'm going to build a rotisserie and i need to take all that stuff off of the car.

Thanks!
Chaz  

 
MustangMan MustangMan
Moderator | Posts: 373 | Joined: 07/06
Posted: 08/26/09
10:25 AM

There's really nothing trick in what you need to do except for being careful about the front coil springs. If you are going to replace the front coils you could hit them with a torch and cut them/soften/weaken them so they just about fall out of the car when you unbolt the upper control arm. Otherwise you'll need a spring compressor. Everything just unbolts from the car. Pick up a shop manual and you'll quickly see the basics (unbolting the leaf springs out back and rolling the axle out from under the car, etc.)...

HTH...
Mark  
Mark Houlahan
Editor
Modified Mustangs & Fords Magazine

1965 FFR Roadster 427W/TKO-600
1966 Mustang 289-4V/C4
1968 Mustang 4.6L Three-Valve/5R55S auto
1990 Mustang 347/AOD
1998 Escort 2.0L SOHC/F4E-111 Auto
2002 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0L V-6/5R55 Auto

 
Falcon67 Falcon67
Enthusiast | Posts: 433 | Joined: 12/06
Posted: 08/26/09
05:19 PM

What Mark said.  For the rear, remove the lower shock nuts, support the body, remove the rear shackle bolts and lower the rear, then remove the front spring bolts and roll springs and all out from under.  In the front, remove the springs with a spring compressor, loosen the ball joint nuts and remove the spindle/brake assembly with either the "2 lb hammer special whack" method (preserves the joints) or a pickle fork (destroys the joints, typically).  The rest unbolts easily.  

Scatter the parts around randomly so you forget where they are when it's time to reassemble and you're done.  Or be anal about it and bag/tag/digital photo everything as it comes off.

FWIW - in my experience, you would thank yourself if you examined each part when you remove it and make a call about it then.  If it's a discard or replace, add it to your list of parts, mark it as such and SAVE IT in a special pile for comparison with its replacement.  If the part is a keeper, then clean, paint/etc and bag/tag it.  When all that is done, you will have a good idea of at least part of your parts budget and two piles of parts.  When it's all going back together, pulling out clean parts to place on the pretty chassis is rather nice and speeds re-assembly.  If a replacement part doesn't want to go right, you'll have the old one filed somewhere and may be able to quickly figure out what might be the issue.  If you schedule your replacement purchases during the rebuild phase that will keep you in the warranty window with the part's vendor should a problem appear.  
1967 Falcon 4 door 351C-4V
1970 Mustang 351C-2V
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
Owner built, owner abused.

 

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