One more question. Were you happy with the moog lower control arm? Good quality?
Yeah they weren’t in good shape, bad bushings and the Scott Drake ones are supposed to be an improvement over the oem ones, though not as much so as the roller bearing ones but not as pricey either, I got the Scott Drake ones on sale.
Moog makes quality parts in my experience, all the parts I bought seemed well made and have great reviews.
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This winter on my 67.
- New upper control arms from CJ that have the Shelby drop built in. No holes to drill.
- 1 1/8" sway bar w/greasable urethane mounts and end links.
- New Strut bushing from Open Tracker. They are cupped to allow them to move freely.
- New spring perches that have bushings that allow them to move freely.
- Welded in spherical bearings in lower arms. Allows them to be installed without bushings.
- 1" lowering springs
- Urethane spring insulators
- Rebuilt power steering ram and valve body.
- Welded in shock tower braces like the boss 302.
- Export brace for shock towers.
My approach to suspensions it to free up the movements as much as possible so that the spring is the only thing allowing the suspension to move up and down. With no springs in the car, I can move my one side up and down by hand and it moves the others side through the sway bar. My car is a GT so it has the FE in it and it drives awesome. You would not know it had a big block in it during cornering.
If you can, weld in spherical bearing mounts into the lower arms. Gets rid of the mushy binding bushings.
I’m full aftermarket suspension, steering, and brakes with all components sourced from Street or Track. Up front are tubular control arms, adjustable strut rods, Bilstein shocks (Sport damping) and coil over springs with Unisteer rack and pinion steering. 1 1/8” front anti sway bar. Wilwood aluminum 4 piston calipers and 13” x 1.125” vented front rotors/12” vented rear rotors. Rear suspension is Flex-Form composite mono leaf springs and Bilstein shocks. The car corners flat when pitched hard in to a 90 corner at 35mph but spring rates are controlled by the shocks very nicely and ride is very controlled. 245/45-17 front tires on 17x8 wheels with 275/40-17 rear tire on 17x9.5” wheels. Exactly what I envisioned when I selected the components and supplier.
A little late to the parade but I will add my thoughts:
A few years ago, I pulled the trigger for a suspension and steering refurbishment on a '69 Mach 1 (fairly close to the Cougar mechanically) that had been in the family since the early 1970’s. When I get around to refreshing the '70 Cougar, I expect i will repeat my choices.
I replaced all wearable suspension pieces with USA Moog pieces from Open Tracker; Bilstein Street Valving shocks all around; Rubber parts such as Strut Rod Bushings, Sway Bar End Links, Rear spring bushings and shackles, Opentracker roller spring perches, the Arning Drop, Scott Drake Export Brace.
I sent the steering hydraulics and steering box to Chockostang for refurbishing, and topped it all off with an alignment to OpenTracker specs. The control and comfort experience was immediately transformed to one of a near new condition vintage car. Worth every penny.
Thanks you for your advise. Where did you get your spherical bearing mounts?
I used the ones from Open Tracker.
Moving arm side to side.
Moving suspension by hand without springs.
Jim