Control Arms

[ognalysis]

I have an 06 GT Stage 2 I bought used from a friend of a friend.

I replaced the LCA ball joints since they were making all sorts of noise.
Well, the new Moog ones I pressed in seem to be slipping out, and one the boot is completely torn in half. First pic is passenger side, second is driver side.

I'm looking at just replacing the LCA entirely, since I don't really know how old they are. I'm fairly confident they were replaced at some point in the car's life, but I don't know for sure.

I'm aware of the BMR LCAs, but I'd rather not drop the $600 for a street daily.

Moog, TRQ, FRPP, all seem fairly comparable. Since it's a stage 2, I'm pretty sure they came with the upgraded GT500 LCA, but I'm not 100% certain. My main concern is FRPP having zero warranty on parts.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Miker]

Ford GT500 LCAs and don't look back. Get them from Blue oval industries.

Front Suspension Help Needed

So I am going to tackle the front today. I am thinking the first thing I am going to do is somehow mark the position of the LCAs before jacking up the car. Hopefully I can reach under there with some paint or chalk and mark the arm and the mount. I can then transfer the mark on the lca to the...

www.s197forum.com

If you check out this thread there are some pics of the stock GT arms and the GT500 arms side by side. Easy to tell them apart even on the car.

 

[ognalysis]

Hah, I actually already have your post saved for torque spec reference, I just don't think I went further down the page.

Good stuff. Based on your pictures, I think you're right.

Did the 06 Stage 2 not actually have GT500 arms, or did they change the LCA design since then?

 

[ognalysis]

It's frustrating that Ford refuses to put zerks on their parts, though.

 

[Samos3]

Hah, I actually already have your post saved for torque spec reference, I just don't think I went further down the page.

Good stuff. Based on your pictures, I think you're right.

Did the 06 Stage 2 not actually have GT500 arms, or did they change the LCA design since then?

Two things...one, the GT500 came out after 06. Two, I'm not sure when the arms were first installed on a GT500, but I recall they were referred to as the Boss 302 arm with a regular, non-Boss ball joint. I think the Boss was 19mm and the regular was 18mm.
Either way, a much more substantial control arm, by several pounds. I've had them in for 5 or 6 years, no problems.

 

[DieHarder]

That's weird that they would slip like that. Moog are supposed to be lifetime so you could press them out; get new ones and have them pressed back in to save a few hundred if you wanted provided the cups are still good. Or, go with the GT-500 arms. More expensive but stouter in just about every way especially in that area (solid piece of metal).

Buyer beware. If you do get the GT-500 arms be sure to get the Motorcraft/FRPP arms. There are some cheaper knockoffs out there that look the same but can't vouch for their construction.

Motorcraft Front Lower Control Arm with Ball Joint Left Driver Side for Mustang | eBay

<li> Fits these vehicles:</li>.

www.ebay.com

 

[JC SSP]

I am willing to bet that those ball joints were previously replaced at one time by banging them out and in without the proper tool. As such, the hole in the arm has been elongated and the ball joint will not seat properly and move around.

I agree Moog are excellent replacements and usually come with greasable zerk fittings, so you might have the wrong part number?

New factory or preferred GT500 arms will resolve the issue. Just my .02 cents.

 

[GriffX]

FYI: My Mercedes workshop manual recommends for suspension nuts to protect them and the open threads with wax spray against corrosion.
I do this for some years now and it is so much easier to remove them again.

 

[Midlife Crises]

I thought the 19mm ball joint came out for the 2011 model year and requires a different spindle.

 

[ognalysis]

That's weird that they would slip like that. Moog are supposed to be lifetime so you could press them out; get new ones and have them pressed back in to save a few hundred if you wanted provided the cups are still good. Or, go with the GT-500 arms. More expensive but stouter in just about every way especially in that area (solid piece of metal).

Buyer beware. If you do get the GT-500 arms be sure to get the Motorcraft/FRPP arms. There are some cheaper knockoffs out there that look the same but can't vouch for their construction.

Motorcraft Front Lower Control Arm with Ball Joint Left Driver Side for Mustang | eBay

<li> Fits these vehicles:</li>.

www.ebay.com

I get most of my stuff from LMR or American Muscle. LMR has been good so far on providing OEM parts.

Given how much work it was for me to press them in the first time, I think I'd rather just get new arms, despite the cost.

Though, I'm not sure what you mean by cups.

 

[DieHarder]

I get most of my stuff from LMR or American Muscle. LMR has been good so far on providing OEM parts.

Given how much work it was for me to press them in the first time, I think I'd rather just get new arms, despite the cost.

Though, I'm not sure what you mean by cups.

My bad. Reference to the holes they press into.

 

[ognalysis]

@Miker , do you happen have the part number for the GT500 arms? Yours look different from the ones I'm finding available.

 

[Samos3]

I thought the 19mm ball joint came out for the 2011 model year and requires a different spindle.

That is what I understand. FRPP started putting the earlier ball joint in them as an upgrade/performance part for 05-10 models.

 

[Miker]

This is where I got them but they do not look like the ones I got. Don't know what's up.

2005-2009 Ford Racing M-3075-E Mustang GT Shelby GT500 Lower Front Control Arms

•Brand New •Fits 2005-2009 Mustang GT & 2007-2009 Shelby GT500 •Original equipment on 2007-2009 Shelby GT500 •Increased strength ball joints •Kit contains 1 RH and 1 LH lower control arm assembly NOTE: Some factory fasteners are one time use. Please reference a Ford service manual for reuse...

blueovalindustries.com

 

[Miker]

Also I save all my receipts and when I look up the parts by webpage from my invoice at blueovalindustries.com it says page no longer exists. I would call them or email and see what's up. The arms they have listed look like regular GT arms in the picture.

 

[Miker]

OK I contacted them and they for some reason had the wrong photo up. They do have them and they just got 10 sets in yesterday. Also when I got mine there was no shipping or sales tax. Not sure if that's still applicable. Good luck!

2005-2009 Ford Racing M-3075-E Mustang GT Shelby GT500 Lower Front Control Arms

•Brand New •Fits 2005-2009 Mustang GT & 2007-2009 Shelby GT500 •Original equipment on 2007-2009 Shelby GT500 •Increased strength ball joints •Kit contains 1 RH and 1 LH lower control arm assembly NOTE: Some factory fasteners are one time use. Please reference a Ford service manual for reuse...

blueovalindustries.com

 

[Samos3]

Two things...one, the GT500 came out after 06. Two, I'm not sure when the arms were first installed on a GT500, but I recall they were referred to as the Boss 302 arm with a regular, non-Boss ball joint. I think the Boss was 19mm and the regular was 18mm.
Either way, a much more substantial control arm, by several pounds. I've had them in for 5 or 6 years, no problems.

Did a little more fact finding...as I understand it:
05-10 lower control arms (smaller ball joint)
07-10 GT500 arm (same arm as regular 05-10 with (improved?) balljoint and bushing)
10-14 control arm (beefier arm with larger balljoint)
05-10 upgraded control arm (same arm as 10-14, but smaller balljoint so it fits the 05-10)

Note: I think this is due to the change in the balljoint:

05-10 (produced before 8-03-09)
10-14 (8-03-09 and later production)

 

[Miker]

The metal on the 07 to 09 gt500 arm is much stouter than the 05 to 09 gt arms. The arm to the front bushing is welded on not part of the same stamp. The durometer of the bushings is stiffer. The ones listed also have the provision to swap the heat shields from the stock arm. And the ball joints are heavier duty.

 

[ognalysis]

The metal on the 07 to 09 gt500 arm is much stouter than the 05 to 09 gt arms. The arm to the front bushing is welded on not part of the same stamp. The durometer of the bushings is stiffer. The ones listed also have the provision to swap the heat shields from the stock arm. And the ball joints are heavier duty.

Strange, the part numbers are the same, but LMR and AM pictures don't have that reinforcement.

https://lmr.com/item/M3075E/2005-10-Mustang-Ford-Racing-Gt500-Style-Front-Lower-Control-

 

[Miker]

From what I gathered Ford supplies the photos and the last updated photos were incorrect. It would follow that all vendors of the frpp parts would get the same photos
Blue Oval Industries actually thanked me for brining it to their attention and then why I was chatting updated it to the correct picture.