91 wagon undergoing suspension upgrade

[Edveen]

Hi all,

The first thing I want to do to my wagon before I undergo a SHO swap is get the suspension redone. I dont know much about suspensions. But After doing research and searches on this forum I have found the following items to upgrade to.

Tokiko Struts/shocks (HB5002 front and HE3715 back)
Eibach Springs (part # 3515.240)
?Sway Bars (going to get the ones from Thumpers website)?


I dont know if these are the best sway bars I should get. I read Project Phoenix website but they only gave the front sway bar dimensions.
What else am I going to need for a complete suspension redo/upgrade (including special tools)? Like the strut towers, etc...
Which brands should I get?


Thanks
Ed

 

[Shoaz]

Something to be aware of with the wagon: the rear suspension has little in common with the rest of the Taurii. Make sure when you get parts that you get stuff that's appropriate for the wagon, e.g., don't just order a four-strut set for a Taurus and expect the rears to fit, they won't.

The weight distribution is different on a wagon, so the usual handling-tweak wisdom won't apply directly. You may wind up with different spring/shock/swaybar combinations to get things where you like it than what you'd have with a sedan.

That being said, the additional weight on the rear may make for a car with overall better balance. The best stock-out-of-the-box autocross experiences I ever had were with a 94 Saturn Station wagon that we used to have. That thing turned really nicely bone stock, and I'm sure the weight balance helped.

 

[Edveen]

Yep. The front tires use struts, rears are shocks. The tokikos I listed are from there catalog which specifficly say for 89-95 Taurus S/W. The eibach springs are from there website also which specifies that its for the S/W. As for the sway bars, im not exactly sure which to get. Im thinking about getting the ones which Thumper used. But im still not sure if they are optimal. Anyone know of any?

Ed

 

[K-Dawg]

I don't think there are many people here who have much experience with wagons. You might have better luck on TCCA. There's at least one guy on either TechSHO or SHOTimes (or both) that is building a SHO-powered wagon; he may be able to help.

 

[batchman]

Since I'm hoping to do a wagon swap when my MTX body bites the rust dust, I was looking at the service manual and noticing the wagon differences at the rear. Lower control arm, brake, strut/vs/shock and sway bar are all different.

That said i'm not certain the wagon can't be swapped over to sedan parts. The unibody portions look very similar from what I can tell. FWIW with my Eibach/Tokiko setup the rear feels just a touch underdamped and the slight extra weight of the wagon may help that.

Keep us posted on your project, I'm two years behind you!

- Jeff

 

[3.8Lwagon]

i don't think it can work. the "strut tenstion rod" (lack of a better term) for the wagon is desigened different. look at the designe pictures or under the wagon and u will see. also the rear suspesion under the wagon i think is better then the sadens. it is closer to a 4 link with stabliszer bar. also the springs for the wagon are way stiffer in the rear end. ask eiback but i think they are in the 350 to 400 lb range. (rember we have to carry 3 extra people)

i have done some suspension work to my wagon u can IM me at oddmale on aim. i can't talk right now bc i have to study.

 

[HyperMikeD!]

Ahhh...finally something I can post on ;0)

http://members.cardomain.com/hypermike

First off everything on the front end is the same as the regular Taurus.
Now the back is totally different. Instead of struts and 4 control arms it has a shock hybrid that connects to a one piece lower control arm. Upon that arm is has a separate spring seat. So you can change springs without pulling the shocks.

Although "Thumper" is one of the first to complete the sho swap...there is always a better way to skin a cat..

You can always reach me at [email protected]
Or http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/fordbastards/

 

[Edveen]

Thanks

Thank you very much for the help. Ill keep in touch with you guys as soon as the school load settles down. Good luck with your showagon hypermike. Its looking extremely good!

Ed

 

[3.8Lwagon]

who did u have make up your rear sway bar mike? and is the ballance right? (should i go thicker or thinner) i am going to be staying with my 3.8 but supper charging it using the T-bird Sc parts

that is the rear from stillen looks nice. are you going to fill in the rear hatch now? i like the blacked out B pillers.
Are u using specaliety products rear camber and toe kits? i have the camber installed now. and the toe is going to be installed when i find the rest of the bushings for the rear.
humm i wounder if a boxed LCA would help tighten up the rear.....

 

[HyperMikeD!]

The rear sway bar was custom made for me by John Sainer. Its 1" with 1" hangers. As for balance...there are still people floating around that saw the Shagon passing SHOs in the turns. It was Vulcan powered then so they left me on the straights but in the twisties it was a whole different story !

The rear hatch/air dam will be filled along with the side markers.

I will probably use the rear camber/toe kit when I get to that point.

The rear already has boxed lower control arms.

Good luck with the SC swap. Have your tranny rebuilt ;0)

MikeD.

 

[3.8Lwagon]

did u just take and box in the factory arms? or did u have whole arms made?

i am going to be heavier in the front end so... do i need a slightly larger or smaller then the 1"..... is the bar solid or holo?

if yu realy wanted to smooth out the rear u can take and move the break lights into the rear glass area and fill the existing break area for a totaly smooth look.

 

[HyperMikeD!]

I would never go smaller with the rear sway bar. The stock coat hanger for a rear sway bar is horrible when compared to the 1".

Rear control arms are stock. You really need to get under there and take a look around to see the differences between the sedan and wagon. There are many.

I was thinking about using other tail lights in the hatch but that is waaaay down the road.

MikeD.

 

[3.8Lwagon]

i was thinking larger or smaller compared to your sway bar. since i will have atleast 200lb more. (the SC is heavy + ic+ heavier block)

the factor arms aren't boxed. they are u shaped. theire are alot of mustang guys that take and weld up the open part of the u to increase the stiffness. but i am not sure if the flemsy metal of our arms could handel the welds.


i am probly going to try and get one of the custom shops around me to make up new boxed arms this comming up summer.

 

[pjtoledo]

The rear sway bar was custom made for me by John Sainer. Its 1" with 1" hangers. As for balance...there are still people floating around that saw the Shagon passing SHOs in the turns. It was Vulcan powered then so they left me on the straights but in the twisties it was a whole different story !

The rear hatch/air dam will be filled along with the side markers.

I will probably use the rear camber/toe kit when I get to that point.

The rear already has boxed lower control arms.

Good luck with the SC swap. Have your tranny rebuilt ;0)

MikeD.

Can you give us some more info on John Sainer? I'm definitely interested in a larger rear bar for a wagon.

Perry

 

[HyperMikeD!]

The thing about the wagon is that it wasnt exactly designed for performance driving. If you "box" in the rear control arms, which are already heavier duty than the sedan, you will have to reinforce the H box they connect to. This is completely different than the sedan and kind of wimpy. The SHO wagon that Ford built for C&D in '93 had alot of unibody reinforcements and there was a reason for that. Keep that in mind.

As for the sway bar...I will have to find his info when I get home and try to post it before I leave out of town this weekend.

MikeD.

 

[HyperMikeD!]

Heres the info on my guy that made my rear sway bar...

John Carlton
Sainer Performance
561-708-8977
561-848-1616

1" sway bar with 1" hangers all eurethane bushings.

MikeD.

 

[pjtoledo]

Heres the info on my guy that made my rear sway bar...

John Carlton
Sainer Performance
561-708-8977
561-848-1616

1" sway bar with 1" hangers all eurethane bushings.

MikeD.

Cool. A few weeks a go I had an internet site for a place in Ca that sold 3/4" bars. Need to go back thru the notes and post it so we have a few choices.


Perry