It’s my first post here in the community, and I’m SO GLAD this forum exists. I’ve been reading and reading and had so many questions answered, and yet new ones continue to come up… it’s never-ending lol.
I am here to ask regarding my 1967 Cougar that I am in the process of ordering/prepping to replace most of the suspension on the cat. I’ve already ordered (from WCCC) new Shocks (all 4), Coil Springs, Leaf Springs, Shock Tower supports (preventative measure), Rear Seat Support Panel, Front Sway Bar, and the Export Brace.
Now I know I need to replace the Leaf Spring Insulators, so those have been ordered as well. My question is regarding the U-bolts and their length.
I ordered the Competition/AC/289/3spd (Item 43001) Leaf Springs to replace the stock factory leafs. I do plan to add an AC system into the vehicle in the near future which is why I opted for the AC model. From Don’s Leaf Spring Installation video, he didn’t go into detail whether he reused the factory U-bolts or replaced them with the Competition U-bolts (1/4" longer, item #41364) since he also opted for the Competition/AC rated springs.
I read a few posts on here that some people had trouble with their U-bolts reaching past the bottom plate to thread the nuts on. Now It may be because the new insulators haven’t been squished/bedded fully since they’re new, but I want to make sure if I can reuse my “standard” U-bolts or I need the longer “competition” U-bolts since I ordered the competition leafs…
One last quick question, the reproduction standard U-bolts do not have the flattened surfaces, would that be a big deal or damage anything when torqued to specs?
Thank you in advance, this is my first time ever working/replacing the suspension on a vehicle… In other words, I’m a “noob” haha
I would go ahead and get the U bolts as well. Even if you were just doing a stock suspension replacement the U bolts are an item you would want to replace after 53 years.
Those were the original wheels (less hubcaps) that came with the cougar. I have new wheels and tires on order, so those will go after the suspension replacement. The hubcaps that came on the wheels (but taken off) are like the ones pictured below:
Welcome to the forum! I’ve had my Cougar for a couple years now. First classic car for me and I have been enjoying it. Learning a lot as I go through various sections of the car. Here’s some other things you may want to look out for. I’m going through the front suspension and steering of my car so these are some things I’ve picked up along the way.
You can add a 90° grease zerk fitting to the front upper control arms. Helps with maintenance.
Look into the “Shelby Drop” if you are going to add the shock tower supports.
How’s your steering? WCCC has some good videos on front end steering slop. I did a bunch of small repairs and the steering feels so much better.
Be sure to check your front wheel bearings, ball joints etc… Again, Don’s video is a great resource.
It’s a lot of work but the reward is great. Be sure you have the service manual for the Cougar. It’s very helpful for repair procedures etc… If you plan out your work and know your goals everything should turn out fine. I tend to take one part of the car apart at a time. Reassembly is less confusing then.
While you’re in there, spring for a larger front sway bar. I was fortunate to find a 7/8 inch (.875) diameter one - very hard to find - which was the old 390 size.
I plan to put in the zerk fittings as I plan to remove the upper control arm to weld in the shock tower supports. Will be replacing the spring perches as well with roller perches as well.
I won’t be doing the Shelby drop this time around though.
Steering is nice and tight, but will check everything again.
I wanted to purchase the complete service manuals set that WCCC sells, but they’re out of stock at the moment.
I will most likely rent the coil spring tool from the local auto store when replacing the coil springs, kind of hesitant as a massive compressed spring worries me a bit
The front sway bar is getting replaced with a 1" bar with all the new linkages and mounting hardware, but I am curious about installing a rear sway bar. Not sure which ones would work best as the '67 Cougars didn’t come with rear sways from factory (from what I’ve been reading).
If you are not trying to fix cracked shock towers, swapping in a heavier engine, and/or hammering this thing around a road course, you can safely skip the shock tower reinforcement.
Well the shock towers aren’t cracked and I couldn’t see any stressed areas, but I am putting the supports in as a preventative measure.
What other reasons does the Cougar benefit from the Shelby drop? I know it’s about lowering the center of gravity of the car for better handling, but I’d rather not drill holes if it’s not really needed
Also, I plan to put new wheels/tires, don’t want any rubbing/clearance issues because of the Shelby drop. Looking at running 225/60R15 tires in the front with 15x7 wheels
I would definitely recommend using the ‘custom’ spring compressor for this application, it makes the job much easier and safer than the generic auto parts store version. WCCC actually loans those out for free (you pay for it up front but get a full refund when you return it within 60 days). Website says out of stock at the moment but maybe ask them since you’re buying a lot of stuff there, they might be willing to loan you one of the new ones off the shelf.
I think the Shelby Drop only means drilling two (1 inch lower) holes per side that change the geometry of the stock upper A-arm. So you would have perfect access to make this mod at the same time you are welding in the braces. Any other changes like lowering the car, different spring rates etc… are only complementary modifications. The Shelby Drop can be a stand alone change.
Not trying to push it but hey…It’s Carroll Shelby were talking 'bout.
Wait, you don’t want to drill 4 holes, but you’ll weld in the plates?
The drop will give you a bit more tire clearance to the fender lip, as it increases negative camber through the suspension’s travel. Lower COG, less body roll. It’s the way these cars should have been built, and Klaus was a Ford engineer.
But I get it. Not everybody cares about such things.
Well, when it’s put this way then I shouldn’t have an issue with drill two more holes on each side lol. My concern is making sure the wheels/tires fit in the front IF I did the drop. I purchased factory height coil springs, not the 1" lower ones, just so that there is no is no issues with the fitment
The car wont be driven hard, tracked, or anything. I just want to drive it on the weekends and not worry about the crappy roads and body rolls during turns and driveway access. Right now, I can feel every grit, stone, and crack on the road!
I second this, the WCCC compressor helped a lot when I did my 70 last year, and was much safer, faster, and easier than dealing with the the parts store compressor that I tried before. I recently helped my brother with his 66 Mustang and we did successfully use the parts store compressor, however it was less than ideal, especially compared to the WCCC loaner tool.
