KYB vs. Monroe?

[Art5]

It is all worth it. **** yes!!!! I have KOni , but I think they all gone and driving on messed up New York roads it is just a mission! I'll keep my KOni and see if I can rebuild them somewhere down the road.
As for the front, I'm planning on doing Gen 3 subframe swap. As soon as I reach Kirk from NESHO to find out if he can make me a subframe.

 

[NP SHO]

Pinch bolt has successfully been drilled out and the spindle is still in good shape! Grade 8 bolt, washers and locking nut and I'm back on track! Only thing that sucks is I go back to work tonight so once I get the rear all buttoned up the fronts will have to wait until next weekend...

 

[NP SHO]

Get some new GOOD drill bits, drill it out, and replace it with a Grade 8 bolt, washer, and nut. PITA, but doable. BTDT too many times!!!!

Hey Ron, you don't happen to recall what size bolt that was do you? I know it has to be longer than the pinch bolt since it has to come out the other side with enough room to thread the nut on there. Just figured I'd ask.

 

[Bob Gervais]

Glad to hear you got it done! It definitely sucks, having a bolt break like that. As Ron said, been there done that a few times.

The fronts are slightly easier, though with rusty stuff I'd plan on having drills on hand, and perhaps a little more heat, if you can borrow an acetelyne torch or something, that would help.

Also, as the pinch bolts are coming out, try to work them back and forth. In other words, two threads out, one thread in, then back out again. A lot of times they break because of the corrosion on the shank of the bolt. Heck, even better if you can, get the bolt out a couple of turns, and soak it down with some PB Blaster or other penetrating oil (yeah, I said penetrating). If you can let it sit overnight like that, it may help to loosen up all the corrosion.

And yes, it is all worth it once it's done.

 

[Art5]

my bolt broke thread in a spindle, need to take it out now and replace too.
Yeah, does anyone know what size is the bolt?

 

[RonPorter]

Hey Ron, you don't happen to recall what size bolt that was do you? I know it has to be longer than the pinch bolt since it has to come out the other side with enough room to thread the nut on there. Just figured I'd ask.

Offhand, no. I have tried to put that experience out of my mind!!

Might be about a 3/8". Smaller than the pinch bolt, but Grade 8 with the nut worked well for me.

Oh, the fronts will be easier. Bolts are bigger, and I never broke one of those (knock on wood!!). Just do enough heat on them.

 

[NP SHO]

I ended up using a 7/16" diameter, 2-1/2" long Grade 8 bolt with a locking nut. Finally was able to do something with the car besides pressing a drill into the spindle. I have to finish the driver's rear swaybar endlink and torque a couple things and the rear wheels go on until I do the fronts next weekend. I just wanna put that broken pinch bolt problem behind me. lol

New in the rear:
Monroe SensaTrac struts
Monroe strut boots
Intrax springs
Monroe strut mounts
Moog swaybar endlinks
Polyurethane strut rod bushings
Pinch bolt (passenger's side. Driver's side has the Grade 8 replacement)

Can't wait to get the front done so I can start driving it again. Fronts are getting:
Monroe SensaTrac struts
Monroe strut boots
Intrax springs
Ingalls adjustable strut mounts
Moog swaybar endlinks
Rubber strut rod bushings
Inner & outer tie rod ends
Pinch bolts


The anticipation is killing me. Art - good luck with that broken pinch bolt. Like I said - 7/16" diameter, 2-1/2" long Grade 8 bolt and nut will work just fine. If you have any questions, let me know. I'm going to PM you my number in case you need it.

 

[Art5]

I am an idiot! I put that bolt the wrong way. Took me some effort to get it out and luckily it went in fine. I don't know how about you guys, but if I knew how crazy difficult it would be to change rear struts on this car, I would've had it done in summer, when I did all of the bushings. I ended up pulling the whole spindle and then putting in spindle and strut assembley together, which was a ****.

 

[NP SHO]

That sucks that you had those issues, but look on the bright side... it's done. I have a few loose ends to tie up in the rear that should only take a few minutes and then I'm ready to do the front next weekend. What springs are you using? I ended up going with the Intrax because I didn't want to have to screw around with cutting coils off of the Moog springs.

 

[NP SHO]

Hey Ron... What did you torque that Grade 8 replacement to? Should I torque it to the same value that I would torque a normal pinch bolt to?

 

[Art5]

I had SHOSHOP springs when I bought this car, so I thought about leaving them on it. Just painted them and sprayed with poly coating. I also have rear Intrax springs, but I don't know if I should've used them or not, couldn't decide. I still have bunch of parts for strut rods extra , damn I have enough parts to build another SHO.

 

[kevinspann]

Art, I assume you were changing long-body struts?

 

[RonPorter]

Hey Ron... What did you torque that Grade 8 replacement to? Should I torque it to the same value that I would torque a normal pinch bolt to?

Don't recall, but I believe it was tighter than the pinch bolt setting. Don't believe I used a torque wrench, just as tight as I felt comfortable with.

 

[Art5]

Art, I assume you were changing long-body struts?

I honestly don't know for sure. I think it was.

One of my struts made so much mess...leakes out a lot of oil.
Oh, and pinch bolt finally broke too. CRAP!!! Off to the store for a new bolt.

 

[Art5]

Well, advise to everyone who's planning on doing some kind of work in rear suspension of a Ford SHO: get as many tools and extra bolts as you need and plan on doing everything possible in there!
Come to think of it, I never did rear struts in any SHO, until today.
but what a relief driving....... I even have less chattering now.

 

[NP SHO]

Well, I was planning on doing the front suspension this weekend, but when I was gathering all the parts together to get started I noticed that SHOSource didn't send my front strut bearings that I ordered with the adjustable front mounts. Emailed the guys, just waiting for a response. Looks like it's gonna have to get pushed of until next weekend now. Maybe I'll finally get to drive it before summer is over. FML.

 

[ForcedSHO]

Just threw on quickstruts in the rear. Very happy with the quality and the ride is great. Still need to do the strut rod bushings, endlinks and sway bar bushings in the rear. The fronts will be another time.

 

[RonPorter]

Just threw on quickstruts in the rear. Very happy with the quality and the ride is great. Still need to do the strut rod bushings, endlinks and sway bar bushings in the rear. The fronts will be another time.

I've had them on for almost a year now.

They're "OK"

Suited my needs at the time, but they are just marginal IMO.

 

[ForcedSHO]

Yea simple bolt in application. I commute to *** hole city everyday, NYC. My job involves a ton of driving so right now she's just my daily.

 

[Art5]

I've notices that front suspension on SHO last a lot longer than rear, for some reason. Springs sag, struts bounce in the back almost always before the fronts do.