Originally posted by jcboeckl:
Can you answer my question about bounciness?
Like at Highway speeds. Good review though, makes me want to get it asap.
As far tools for the installation what was needed?
Also why did you need to press new bearings?
And why is new axle bolts a must. Sorry for so many q's but I just don't know much about suspension. Yet 
ThanksOh, I'm sorry, I forgot to answer your questions.
The Tools required for the install:
-A metric wrench and socket set.
-a T-55 torx socket for one lousy bolt that holds the lower ball joint in place
-a 6 or 7 mm allen head socket to remove the front caliper pins.
-An air/electric impact wrench is nice and saved me tons of time.
-Most important, a spring compressor. I got a loaner from AutoZone for $40. Then when I was done returned it and got my money back.
-For the rear, you need a t-40 torx socket to remove the single rear caliper pin.
*all other bolts are 15mm or 18mm
The kit comes with new bolts that clamp the stearing knuckle to the strut, and a new locking nut for the top of the struts.
In the rear, once all of the linkage is removed from the hub, you need to remember to remove two bolts that hold the rear strut up into the shock tower. They have 10mm heads and are easy to get at. The rear strut has a "stop" plate on it that rests on a matching stop plate fixed to the car body when the strut is fully extended. After all the linkage was off and the two bolts holding the strut were removed, I just used my small floor jack to jack up the strut about an inch or so and the rolled it out so the strut stop could clear the body stop. Then brace the jack as you slowly lower it down.
Oh yeah make sure you have a good rubber hammer to separate the struts from the hubs. You don't want to beat on a gas charged strut with a regular hammer.
As far as the axle nuts, the stock ford ones are a shiity assembly of sheet steel that is clamped into a stack and then crimped. You'll see what I mean. They seem to be tighten-to-yield bolts and will eat up the threads if you reuse them. Its also bad because my axles were stuck in the hubs really bad so the rubber hammer wan't enough to knock them out. I had to use a regular hammer and it mushroomed the end of the axle a bit. Using a brass drift and a hammer is better, but I couldn't find mine.
Anyway, I spent an hour with a thread file repairing the two axle shafts.
The bolts are the same size as a typical HOnda axle nut. I was able to find two nuts for $5 at AutoZone that had a wide base that acted like a washer. They had 1.50 mm thread pitch.
I replaced my right front hub-bearing because it was worn. With the car on jack stands and the wheel on, I could grab the wheel and shake it in-out on the car. I couldn't feel anything while driving, but the right front brake rotor was apparently running hotter. With the bearing worn, the rotor wobbles with the wheel and the caliper does not. Bad deal. It was a $45 bearing from Napa autoparts and required someone with a hydraulic press to change it.
There are a few small details that I forgot. Leave the rear sway bar nuts undone until you have both sides back together. That makes it easier to move around. Its a similar issue with the fronts.
Now That's everything.
warmonger
