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Joined: Oct 2000
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Originally posted by csvt99:
How long has the clunk been "gone"
Fixed it this past Thursday. When I took the bar off to "adjust" the retaining rings I could see the spot where it had been banging against the subframe.
1999 Ford Contour SVT #900/2760 (SOLD)
2005 Mazda 6s
2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1998 Ford Ranger 4x4
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Joined: Oct 2001
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Quote:
I could see the spot where it had been banging against the subframe.
hmm...i've got that same issue
Guess i'll have to get new bushings
99 T-green svt
K&N & heatshield
Opt. y-pipe
Borla
Superchip
DMD
Magnecore wires
Metal impeller water pump
BAT / Bilstein kit
21mm BAT bar w/ boxed subframe
215/45/ZR17 Toyo Proxes FZ on Rage 5.0's
jimmkreider@yahoo.com
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 291
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Could you expand a bit on your comment "I could see the spot where it had been banging against the subframe."?
Was it on the driver or passenger side? Did it have anything to do with the kink in the sway bar?
On my 95 SE the OEM sway bar was staright with no kink, while my 96 SE had the kink. Also, as I recall, the kink should be on the drivers side. Now others may disagree, but as I mentioned earlier, before installing a buttressed subframe I always reassemble and run the suspension through it's complete range of motion on the garage floor. There also exists a typical car to car variance. Plus there's not a lot of clearance for the OEM sway bar and bigger bars make the small amount of clearance even less!
Bushing preload is only required for rubber bushings which move in a radial axis. Nut/bolt assemblies should be tightened with the car's suspension in it's normal "at rest" position. The Ford factory Service manual explicitly mentions this procedure.
Hey JD-give me a close up of that subframe and the buttressing on the sway bar "socket"!
Redcoat Raceworks. Performance parts and custom fabricating for Contours, Mystiques and Cougars. Specializing in chassis and suspension parts. Custom end links, control arms, strut tower bars, engine torque braces, etc.
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Joined: Oct 2001
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I'm going to have to check with my mechanic to see if he did the "prelaod"...on that note...if he didn't, will it make a significant difference? As far as the "rubbed" area on my sway bar, I forget what side it was on. The subframe was out of the car when I looked at it. Before it was put pack in, there was enough clearance that it wasn't touching or rubbing, but that was before it was back in the car. Also, two days after the suspension was done, I took it back in the shop ( to try and find the noise source). I disconnected the saw bar from the endlinks and started moving it around. The bar did not scrape at all until I spun it down and towards the front, then is rubbed a good bit. The thing is though, the sway bar will never see that kind of motion when it is in use (hooked up to the endlinks, etc.) On Oct. 7th when I get home I'm going to take it off and see what the deal is, and if that raw spot has gotten any worse  I'll also put new bushings on and hopefully that will make a difference too.
99 T-green svt
K&N & heatshield
Opt. y-pipe
Borla
Superchip
DMD
Magnecore wires
Metal impeller water pump
BAT / Bilstein kit
21mm BAT bar w/ boxed subframe
215/45/ZR17 Toyo Proxes FZ on Rage 5.0's
jimmkreider@yahoo.com
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jd28 are the pivot points of the leading and trailing rear control arms sources for squeaking noises and if so can lubing those bushings stop the squeaking noises?
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Originally posted by contour_phoenix_when:
jd28 are the pivot points of the leading and trailing rear control arms sources for squeaking noises and if so can lubing those bushings stop the squeaking noises?
The pivot points of the controll arms (which are metal tubes the bolt goes threw that attaches it to the subframe) do not (or shouldn't) turn. Really those remain stationary after you tighten the controll arm bolt. The bushing around the tube is attached to it and then the controll arm. This is why it has a spring like action too it if you where to remove the arm to knuckle bolt you notice the arm kinda moves up in motion and if you pull down on it, let it go it will springs back. So using lube shouldn't help the bushing. Notice in the picture after removing the old sub frame the controll arms are standing up. If I where to loosen the arm bolts they would drop to the ground. This is proof that the arms don't really pivot on the bolts.
I would just replace them if you have high mileage. Mine where 28 each.
JD a.k.a Fingers
"Don't Panic"
'98 Contour GL 2.0L VCT ATX 88k
'98 Contour LX 2.5L MTX 120k
Street racing can kill
just less of a chance with a 2.0
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Originally posted by Bradness:
Hey JD-give me a close up of that subframe and the buttressing on the sway bar "socket"!
JD a.k.a Fingers
"Don't Panic"
'98 Contour GL 2.0L VCT ATX 88k
'98 Contour LX 2.5L MTX 120k
Street racing can kill
just less of a chance with a 2.0
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Originally posted by jd28:
Originally posted by Bradness:
Hey JD-give me a close up of that subframe and the buttressing on the sway bar "socket"!
That's exactly what I need. I just learned that the BMW Z3's and E36 3-series have the same problems as our Contours. Why didn't they just have them boxed in from the factory?
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Good handling, small back seats, and now subframe failures. (Wasn't there a waterpump issue, too?) The Contour gets trashed and BMW is still the media darling. Not fair! Not fair!  (I still like E36s, though)
Function before fashion.
'96 Contour SE
"Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998
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So I guess I have the same problem, but I'm curious as to what, exactly, about preloaded bushings causes the clunking?
I lowered the rear about an inch. I did not r&r the whole subframe, so the bushings should be at their stock deflection angle, so now under slight strain.
Function before fashion.
'96 Contour SE
"Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998
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