SFB?

[97V8SHO]

Is it worth the money to get alum sub frame bushings? Or should I just stick with rubber ones? Also, how hard is it change these without a lift?

 

[Dr. Tweak]

Totally worth it to go to aluminum, I'll never go back to rubber. Very easy to change with a floor jack and two jackstands. There are great intructions on shotimes.com I think. If you run into problems let me know, I just installed these on mine... thumb

 

[SHODWN]

you dont even need jack stands its so easy. and yes its worth it.

 

[Bizzy]

Every car feels better with them, I've yet to feel them in an Gen3 but after feeling the differences that they make in gen1's and gen2's I'd have to think that they are worth it in a gen3.

I'll be having more AL SFB's at the best prices around in a new classified ad this upcomming week. Click the like in my sig for the last run of them I offered here.

Again its not up to you to determine whast should and should not be deleted by Moderators. Also Ill ask that you take that sig line out asap.

<small>[ December 30, 2003, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: SHODWN ]</small>

 

[Bizzy]

netviper:
Every car feels better with them, I've yet to feel them in an Gen3 but after feeling the differences that they make in gen1's and gen2's I'd have to think that they are worth it in a gen3.

I'll be having more AL SFB's at the best prices around in a new classified ad this upcomming week. Click the like in my sig for the last run of them I offered here.

Again its not up to you to determine whast should and should not be deleted by Moderators. Also Ill ask that you take that sig line out asap.

Bruce, I was the one who moved the ad to the hole. You had a link to a classified that was already done. I got your email and will take care of things in a bit. In the mean time, you can take the link out of your sig.

 

[ES96SHO]

JDLangevin:
Totally worth it to go to aluminum, I'll never go back to rubber. Very easy to change with a floor jack and two jackstands. There are great intructions on shotimes.com I think. If you run into problems let me know, I just installed these on mine... thumb

If you do the bushings one at a time, is there a need to realign the car afterwards?

 

[Dr. Tweak]

If you do a search you will find instructions to realign the subframe, it isn't too hard.

I don't think that doing them one at a time is going to make any difference. shrug

<small>[ January 01, 2004, 03:56 PM: Message edited by: JDLangevin ]</small>

 

[Mike Kopstain]

I find it easiest to let the front hang and do those two first, then do the rears.

As far as having the car aligned... It's a toss up. Some of the cars I have had done needed it, some didn't. If after you complete the job, the car tracks straight with the steering wheel in the correct position, then you should be good to go.

 

[Bob Gervais]

Ryan Dudek has the one and only set I ever made in his 98. He loves them, and so did I. I've installed 2 sets of Bruce's, and they are well made bushings.

I'd say it's definitely worth it.

As far as the alignment, the subframe will need to be lined up. It takes a 3/4" bar about a foot long (at least on a Gen 1/2). The bar goes through a hole in the subrame, up to the frame rail to align it. However, if the car's ever had front end damage, it may not line up correctly this way. One I just did needed substantial work to realign, but it had been hit twice in the framerails and repaired.

If I were to rate the difficulty of this from 1-10, I'd say it's a 2.

<small>[ January 02, 2004, 08:20 PM: Message edited by: Bob Gervais ]</small>

 

[97V8SHO]

Thanx eveyone for your your help. So when I do the subframe bushings I have 2 in the rear also? I thought I only had 2 up front. Hey Bruce do the SFB's that you sell come with the front and rear ones or do i have to order 2 sets, and when could I buy em?

 

[Dr. Tweak]

There are four, and if you buy a "set" of SFBs, they should be a set of four. burnout

 

[Mr. SHO]

I have a set of Al SFBs I need to put in (whenever it stops raining .) How tight should I torque the bolts?

 

[Dr. Tweak]

80 ft/lbs.

And make sure you use metal washers, preferrably the big recall ones, otherwise it will be hard to torque them correctly. thumb

 

[Bizzy]

97V8SHO:
Thanx eveyone for your your help. So when I do the subframe bushings I have 2 in the rear also? I thought I only had 2 up front. Hey Bruce do the SFB's that you sell come with the front and rear ones or do i have to order 2 sets, and when could I buy em?

A set of my SFB's is 4 bushings to do all four corners. $100/$108 shipped. Click on the new working link in my signature now and you can see the classified thread I have now.

JDLangevin:
80 ft/lbs.

And make sure you use metal washers, preferrably the big recall ones, otherwise it will be hard to torque them correctly. thumb

For AL SFB's I recomend 100 lb/ft to 120 lb/ft. The 80 lb/ft is for the rubber bushings as they need a certain amt to compress. The bushings I sell have a hole machined in the bottom to allow the use of the steel reinforcing plate washer, which I recoment everyone to use. I also recomend that when installing the bushings use anti-sieze on the threads or some kind of light oil as a lubricant. This ensures that you are TQ'n the bolts, and not just fighting friction on the threads of the bolts which can give an innaccurate TQ.

Alot of places in the helms Ford says to lubricate bolts before installing them to TQ them down.

 

[Mr. SHO]

Thanks for the TQ specs. thumb

Since my car is a '97, doesn't that mean that the OEM washers are actually the same ones they use in the recall kit?

 

[Bizzy]

yup you should be ok I think. I believe the recall came out in 98, but I think they knew about the issue in early 97, and they had an earlier recall in 95 or 96 so your stuff should be OK. you might want to just check your VIN at the dealer to make sure there isn't anything outstanding for your car. If the recall for the SF applies to the GEN3 then get it done and get nice new free hardware

Then sell your GEN3 bushings on ebay, I'm sure someone would buy them as I bet they hole up alot better than the OEM GEN2 ones

 

[97V8SHO]

Wow thoughs are some impressive bushings. They look awsome. What happend with the recall? Was it just the washers or what all did it change?