What to do first?

[boat]

Since deciding to keep the car, I was curious of things following below, which should I take care of first?

Upper 60k
Front 60k
ATX service
Front motor mount bad, needs replaced
Struts (all) + alignment + 2 new front tires

The trans is not giving any problems

The car needs an alignment, both front tires are bald on the inside edges, already done the LCA's, inner swaybar links, too. One strut mount in back going bad on driverside, and the front passenger side.

As far as the 60k services, I know the water pump has not been replaced when the prev owner rebuilt the motor, but not leaking either, and don't want to wait until it does. I have a squealing that shows up from time to time, didn't do it Saturday at Eric's house.

Could use a little guidance on prioritizing service(s) on this car.

The struts, tires, and alignment are affecting my driveablity of the car, as going down the highway at 65 mph + I get shaking, tells me that tires are out of balance. I will most likely get do the struts and all related done first, as I am not experiencing any problems yet in those other areas. I may have just answered my own question, GEEZ!

But then the question would be, what would be a good idea for the next repair/preventative maintence?

 

[SASHO91]

Get the suspension squared away first. Having a suspension componet fail is not something you would want to happen.

After that, do a full 60k and at the same time throw in a new motor mount.

Finally, give the ATX a service.

 

[Eric VerValin]

I'd look at rockauto for those quickstruts man. There was just a post about em! Really good deal on em now too up until the 31st I believe.

 

[boat]

Since I was already thinking along the lines of getting the struts done, alignment, and tires. Would anyone have recommendations for struts? I was thinking of going an expensive route, but since I would like to get the car back to good drivability, the stock for stock is what I am going to lean towards. Anyone have any other suggestions?? I have looked at NAPA, I can get rear quick struts for around $156 per side, and front strut mounts at around $40 per side.

 

[boat]

Hey Eric, was it the Monroe quick struts, buy 3 get 4th free?

 

[boat]

Would it make sense to change the front struts, if the mounts are going bad, and do quick struts for the front, as well as the rear, at the same time?

 

[38SHO]

do the upper 60k first

who says you need a front 60k...... it can wait unless ur leaking oil all over the place

then do the mount..... you can do that by yourself... not too hard, don't need to tear a lot of other stuff apart to do it either.... just when u got the money for that buy it and put it on

then I'd do the suspension

trust me a mount is more important then the suspension... a severly broken mount can cause havoc and other shit to break

do the front 60k as needed

 

[Eric VerValin]

Yes, the buy 3 get 1 works for the quick struts too.

And at a glance, he's leaking a little from the rear of the engine. I didn't get to pick it up and look at it here, but I'd assume its just the oil level sender gasket, but then again could be his rear main leaking too. (said the trans was rebuilt 80K ago) So I would assume no one has been behind it to replace that seal in a while.

Front looked ok, nothing's leaking that I could see without taking any covers off. Valve covers are starting to seep a bit, plug well's are as well.


As far as the struts and all that.. with just 2 quick struts, plus front mounts, and bearings.. I would almost bet that cost would be close to getting all 4 with the sale they have goin on now.

Strut sale.. ty Plate-o-ribs!

 

[bubba]

You need to get TPR bushings! There cheap and last longer! Blackberry is going to die soon. Do you want stock stuff or performance? Boat!

 

[boat]

On the strut sale at RockAuto, it figures with the rebate, which means you pay for all 4 struts upfront, then do a mail in rebate, so rough calculating it is around $417 w/rebate, before shipping. 2 Rear quick struts and 2 front strut plates with bearings is around $317 before shipping. For 4 quick struts before the rebate and shipping is close to $550.

So maybe, it may not be a bad idea to spend another $100 and have 4 new struts and mounts all the way around??

 

[boat]

TPR bushings? I think due to cost I may go with stock.

 

[RAYJAY]

TPR bushings? I think due to cost I may go with stock.

TPR bushings are the replacment bushings for the SHO made by moog.

TPR just means thermal plastic rubber.

there blue in color and there better than rubber a little stiffer
cost wise not much more. if your doing the struts do the bushings rember there just as old as the struts and just or more wore out.

if you order the struts from rockauto you can get the bushings at the same time
Jeff

 

[boat]

So these bushings, are they at the top of the strut towers? Or are they somewhere else, I am a little new to this, not sure where these go, or what I am looking at once I order the quick struts???

 

[platoribs]

There are swaybar end link bushings and swaybar bushings, all can be purchased in TPR. The quickstrut assembly includes everything associated with the strut/spring assembly (except for the pinch bolts!).

 

[itwonder]

According to Monroe technical support, the springs on the Quickstruts are rated for the SLO, and do not match the specified stiffness for the SHO or police sedans. But they are the least work by far to install. I have not found the Moog TPR bushings to be all that great, and certainly not on the strut tension rods. See the post in the suspension forum about this. There are better choices.

I concur with doing the suspension work first, provided she is running good. Don't worry about the WP. I ran one 130k and it still did not leak a drop. Check the plug wells for oil. If found, then put the top 60k next in line after the suspension work.

 

[rubydist]

The quickstruts are perfect for the rear - I put them on my white 94 and they have non-linear springs that are significantly stiffer than the Ford parts they replace. (I posted a thread w/ the spring rate calculations, etc.) I don't know about the springs used in the front quickstruts.

 

[SHOCH]

IMO Do the suspention first, motor mount, then 60k. What's the point of running good if it doesn't handle right, wears tires wrong, or worse something lets go on the road.
It will roll easier when you have to push it, sho logic. lol
TPR on mine.

 

[RAYJAY]

According to Monroe technical support, the springs on the Quickstruts are rated for the SLO, and do not match the specified stiffness for the SHO or police sedans. But they are the least work by far to install. I have not found the Moog TPR bushings to be all that great, and certainly not on the strut tension rods. See the post in the suspension forum about this. There are better choices.

I concur with doing the suspension work first, provided she is running good. Don't worry about the WP. I ran one 130k and it still did not leak a drop. Check the plug wells for oil. If found, then put the top 60k next in line after the suspension work.

Bob i got the TPR bushing on my 94 20,000 mile since install and no problems

did you silicon your before you installed ??

Jeff

 

[boat]

I am wanting to do a transmission flush (have a drain plug installed), and then do an oil change at the same time, then get my cruise control recall done at the same time. I was planning on going and seeing a local SHO mechanic (works at a Ford dealer here in the Fort Wayne area), Chuck at Dimension Ford.

The question is, should I wait to do the oil change until after the upper 60k is done? Or does it matter?

 

[93rev2sev]

Seems natural to do the front 60k AND motor mount first, since all the front 60k stuff will be out of the way of the mount...

??