Front Suspension

[Warren]

so some drunk bastard smashed my car while it was parked overnight. Now Im left with the bill.. I have to replace the front struts as my wheel is bent and this bent the strut in the tower.

I plan on using the monroe quickstruts that have the spring with them already.

When removing the old ones, do I have to worry about the strut popping out with great force? What is the best way to remove these things without killing myself? Any tips orhints would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phoenix]

Remove the 3 nuts on top without worries.

But DO NOT EVER remove the center one without having the spring compressed with a compressor tool.

 

[Toolman]

The strut/spring is a self-contained unit, you do not remove the spring. When you raise your car to remove the wheels, the springs, while still under tension, will pose no threat to you, unless the damage is so severe that the strut mounts are on the verge of rupturing off.

Struts, fronts especially, are not a difficult job. Once you remove the swaybar link and ABS line, you have only to remove the pinch bolt and the three strut mount bolts.

 

[Toolman]

guess I need to refresh my screen more often! haha

 

[frosho]

One thing to add. Don't bother trying to remove the ABS sensor from the knuckle. Just follow the wires to the plug in the engine bay (just past the hole through the fender, next to the strut tower) and disconnect it there. They get seized in the knuckle pretty often which makes them easy to break upon removal.

 

[Toolman]

One thing to add. Don't bother trying to remove the ABS sensor from the knuckle. Just follow the wires to the plug in the engine bay (just past the hole through the fender, next to the strut tower) and disconnect it there. They get seized in the knuckle pretty often which makes them easy to break upon removal.

No need to remove the knuckle, as it looks as if he is only replacing the struts. But if he has ABS, he will need to unhook the ABS line from the strut itself. Guess I could have been a little more clear.

It will be pretty self-explanatory once you get the wheel off Warren.

 

[Warren]

Ok I have no clue whats wrong here. I replaced the tenstion/strut rod, the strut assembly, the lowercontrol arm/balljoint Shifted the subframe as close to aligned as possible and the wheel still is not centered and is about 1/2" to 1" from rubbing against the front bumper. Its definately not as bad as it was before i changed all of these parts because before i did any work the wheel was pressed against the front bumper and rubbing against it.

What would be the next culprit causing this? Bent subframe?

 

[kevinspann]

What does the other side look like?

 

[Warren]

What does the other side look like?

the other side is completely fine. Ill go out and take pics now

 

[Art5]

the other side is completely fine. Ill go out and take pics now

If you didn't change control arm but everything else, I assume that's where the problem is.Most of the time if COntrol arm bends few degrees, you can't really see it, but alignment wise it could be visible.

 

[kevinspann]

If you didn't change control arm but everything else, I assume that's where the problem is.Most of the time if COntrol arm bends few degrees, you can't really see it, but alignment wise it could be visible.

If the control arm is bent, something is probably seriously ******.

It would bent the control arm mounts on the subframe before the control arm itself.

Need more pics to evaluate.

 

[Art5]

If the control arm is bent, something is probably seriously ******.

It would bent the control arm mounts on the subframe before the control arm itself.

Need more pics to evaluate.

Can't dissagree with you on that. If control arm went forward then this would happen, what caused it to shift , picture could give better idea. But if he changed strut rod , he should've noticed if control arm shifted to the front or not. or the angle changed.

 

[frosho]

You didn't put on an adjustable strut rod, did you?

If not, I think your subframe is tweaked at the strut rod and/or control arm mount locations.

 

[Warren]

I replaced the control arms just to be sure. I also replaced the strut/tension rods with ones from another Taurus that are straight. Here are pics. I’m thinking that somewhere my sub frame must be bent. I don’t think my knuckles are bent. What’s the difference between the knuckle and the spindle?

The tire is definitely a lot better than it was but I would say the drivers side that wasn’t hit as a 3 1/2 finger gap between the wheel and the front bumper cover where as the passenger side that got hit is about 2 1/2 - 3. I included pics of before and after as well as the driver’s side.

Let me know if you guys see anything bent or anything I have missed. The only things that have not been swapped out are the tie rods inner and outer ends, and knuckle/spindle and hub.

Also when my steering wheel is centered, the drivers side wheel is straight while the passenger side is turned in towards the drivers side maybe about 2-3+ inches?

This is a 94 MTX with 160k miles on her. From the pics do you think that’s an aftermarket or stock exhaust and cats? From what I remember the stock had straight drops and this one has smooth mandrel bends.

after

drivers side

Passenger side with wheel off

 

[biker889]

get a picture of the front nut on the tension rod/subframe area if you can.

 

[Warren]