Installation Instructions for
Mustang II crossmember kits
1) Obtain entire front suspension
from a 1974-79 Mustang II or 1974-80 Pinto/Bobcat with either manual or power
steering (your preference). Our kits will work with either one without
modifications. Make sure you get all the mounting bolts and hardware.
2) Remove all front sheet metal
from firewall forward.
3) Locate & mark centerline
of front axle on top, sides & bottom of both frame rails with a scribe.
4) Suspend car on jack stands
placed just in front of firewall or at very end of frame horns. Shim if
necessary to get the frame level.
5) Bolt or tack weld a piece of
angle iron or square tubing between the frame rails at the very end of the frame
horns.
6) Remove all stock suspension.
7) Thoroughly clean entire front
of frame where crossmember, spring towers & strut rod brackets will be
welded on. This can be accomplished with stripper, wire wheel or course
sandpaper. All paint, dirt and grease must be removed to obtain strong, pure
welds.
8) Measure frame in an X from
same points of opposite frame rails, to determine if your frame is square before
continuing. Measure and record location of radiator core support (on vehicles
where it is part of the crossmember that will be removed).
9) Remove front crossmember on
models where it will interfere with the new Mustang II crossmember.
10) On models with a C
channel frame, the frame must be boxed from at least the firewall forward to at
least 4 ahead of the new crossmember location. We make precut boxing plates
for most popular models, or you can fabricate your own out of 3/16 plate
steel.
11) Locate crossmember with rack
mounts forward under the frame, centering it with your marks on the frame. With
chassis sitting at anticipated ride height and rake, check crossmember for level
forward and aft as will as side to side. If necessary, shim with weldable steel
material until everything is right. Now measure lower control arm holes, making
sure they are equal distance from each side. Double and triple check all
measurements, then tack weld in place. Check measurements once more then weld in
place, alternation sides to prevent overheating frame. Note: If you are
not completely confident in your welding skills then by all means have someone
who has the necessary skills and equipment do the welding for you.
12) Place the spring/shock towers
on a workbench or the floor and carefully space the centers of the shock holes (
) apart with the angled sides outward. Then clamp them to a piece
of heavy angle iron or square tube, being careful to get them parallel with each
other as well as maintaining the
(
) spacing. Set this assembly on your frame centering it with your
axle centerline marks as well as side to side. The spring towers mount with the
notched side to the back. (This provides the anti-dive angle just as in the
original factory design.) Check measurements then tack weld in place. Next tack
weld the gussets in place, angling them in to meet the lower crossmember. Short
gussets in the rear, long ones in the front. With everything tacked in place,
recheck all measurements, and then weld in place alternating sides to prevent
overheating.
13) Install lower control arms in
the crossmember without the springs. Clamp a straight
edge across the bottoms of both control arms to keep them level. Attach
the strut rods to the control arms and install strut rod the bracket from kit on
the strut rod, sandwiching it between the strut rod bushing with the angled face
of the bracket parallel with the outside of the frame rail. If the ball joint is
still in the control arm, wrap it with a wet rag to prevent burning it when you
heat the strut rod. Heat the strut rod at the bend to a dull red, then slowly
bend it outward and upward as needed to bring the bracket completely parallel
with the outside of the frame rail. On some models, the frame is too thin, so we
include frame-doubling plates to go between the frame and the strut rod
brackets. If this applies to your application, weld the doublers to the frame
and then weld the brackets to the doublers.
14) Install the rack and pinion
on the crossmember with the provided hardware.
15) Next step is to build your
steering shaft. In building your steering shaft it is sometimes possible to use
the stock rag joint at the rack then a universal joint at the steering column.
If more angle is needed at the rack then use a universal joint there, also.
Connect the two universal joints with a length of Ύdia. shaft. Make sure
your steering column is securely attached. Note: When building your steering
shaft, have your engine in place as well as your drivers side exhaust before
building the shaft. Make sure that the universal joints are in phase with each
other, in other words the universal joints must be lined up with each other,
just like in a drive shaft. We recommend that you use only the best quality
needle bearing universal joints in you steering shaft. We can supply these or
you can buy them elsewhere, but PLEASE use only the highest quality components,
your life depends on it.
16) Locate your radiator mount
per your earlier measurements, weld it in place. (If applicable)
17) At this point you are ready
to assemble your front suspension. Proper ride height is achieved when the lower
control arms are level with the ground. Sometimes it is necessary to cut ½
to 1 of coil off of the springs with an abrasive cutoff or grinder. Never us
a torch! Before doing this, install all sheet metal, engine, etc. then install
stock height springs to see how the car sits. Dont cut coils without first
checking with all the weight on the front end.
18) For shocks, we highly
recommend quality gas units. Some shocks have a rubber bumper on the top, which
you must remove and add a shock washer below the shock bushing.
19) Re-install sheet metal,
trimming it to 1 of new suspension.
20) Install brake lines, hoses
and bleed brakes. (For even better braking we highly recommend one of our brake
kits that allow you to replace the small 9 rotors with 11 rotors that will
increase the braking surface by 65%.) Call for info.
20) Check suspension, steering
and brakes to make sure they are all functioning properly.
22) Set basic alignment specs as
follows: Ό toe-in, 0 degrees camber and 1 degree caster. Then take it to an
alignment shop and have it aligned to stock Mustang II specs.