What have you done to your mustang today?

Gabe

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Finished upgrading the wife's Shelby to polyurethane diff bushing, rear swaybar bushings, and rear stabilizer links bushings.
Prothane for the diff mount, Energy Suspension for the sway bar and links.
The diff bushing was so much easier to do than those freaking stiff-ass Energy Suspension pieces. Worst part was getting the link back onto the bar. Once the bushing is inserted into the link, it squeezes the middle of the bushing just enough to make it extremely hard to get that bushing to go onto the bar.
But yeah, that diff bushing needed to be done.
So many noises have been silenced :)

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06 T-RED S/C GT

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Gabe! By just looking at how dry rotted the diff bushing was, I'm curious if it was that which was responsible for causing most of your clunking sound noises or were the rear sway bar and rear stabilizer end link bushings just as bad? Anyhow, I haven't quite got around to checking mine yet, but just knowing how difficult of a time you had getting the end links/bushings back onto the sway bar, I may just go ahead and replace the entire end link assemblies altogether rather than just replace the bushings and go thru the headache as you did in getting them back onto the rear sway bar. Meanwhile, thanks for updating and also good to know that replacing your bushings has in fact, resolved your noise issues :waytogo:
 
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Gabe

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Gabe! By just looking at how dry rotted the diff bushing was, I'm curious if it was that which was responsible for causing most of your clunking sound noises or were the rear sway bar and rear stabilizer end link bushings just as bad? Anyhow, I haven't quite got around to checking mine yet, but just knowing how difficult of a time you had getting the end links/bushings back onto the sway bar, I may just go ahead and replace the entire end link assemblies altogether rather than just replace the bushings and go thru the headache as you did in getting them back onto the rear sway bar. Meanwhile, thanks for updating and also good to know that replacing your bushings has in fact, resolved your noise issues :waytogo:


Thanks Rocky. It took me much longer than I ever thought it would, but I'm glad it's done.
Only issue now is I really like the firmer/more controlled ass-end of her car, now I wanna do this to mine, LMAO.
I think I'll give myself some time to recover though, both mentally and physically. :lol:

Meanwhile, I put together a video chronicling my adventure:


 

06 T-RED S/C GT

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Thanks Rocky. It took me much longer than I ever thought it would, but I'm glad it's done.
Only issue now is I really like the firmer/more controlled ass-end of her car, now I wanna do this to mine, LMAO.
I think I'll give myself some time to recover though, both mentally and physically. :lol:

Meanwhile, I put together a video chronicling my adventure:


Hey Gabe! Thanks much for putting together the video. After viewing your adventure, there is no way I'd even attempt going thru the hassle as you did putting the bushings into the stabilizer links and then getting the links back onto the rear sway bar. I have neither a vice in my basement nor the patience you have to say the very least lol. Therefore it appears I'll just fork over the additional $$$ and replace the entire sway bar including the rear stabilizer end links and just be done with it. In the meantime, congrats on a job well done and a much earned R&R recovery time :cheersman:
 

Gabe

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Working on the slow-to-retract driver seatbelt in the Shelby.
Bucket of water, some laundry detergent, some dishwashing liquid (why not?), and about 20 minutes later I can't see the bottom of the bucket anymore.
Guess 12 years and almost 77,000 miles of wear has built up some grime on there.
From what I hear this is a good way to get its retracting speed back.
I'll find out.

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Macman45

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Oh wow. Interesting Gabe. Mine is insanely slow to retract, and worse with the harness bar. Wonder if it is dirt on the belt itself. Keep us posted when it dries out.
 

bujeezus

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Damn Gabe. After watching that video, I'm sooo glad I've got the Ford links that have the caps that unbolt.
 

06 T-RED S/C GT

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Working on the slow-to-retract driver seatbelt in the Shelby.
Bucket of water, some laundry detergent, some dishwashing liquid (why not?), and about 20 minutes later I can't see the bottom of the bucket anymore.
Guess 12 years and almost 77,000 miles of wear has built up some grime on there.
From what I hear this is a good way to get its retracting speed back.
I'll find out.

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At-a-boy Gabe! You would think with all that grime you got out, it should be working at 100% again? Perhaps some WD-40 might help? Anyhow, for what it's worth, you did an awesome job and sure looks like new again
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Gabe

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At-a-boy Gabe! You would think with all that grime you got out, it should be working at 100% again? Perhaps some WD-40 might help? Anyhow, for what it's worth, you did an awesome job and sure looks like new again
thumb.gif

Thanks Rocky. Seems a little better but definitely not great. We'll see what the wife says when she tries it.
 

Gabe

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We finally had the chance to take the Shelby out for a good drive, after all the recent work I did to it.
The rear-end extremely well-behaved, quiet, firm, and controlled. No more rattles/clunks over every little bump, and easier to engage first or reverse.
The new upper diff bushing and stabilizer bar & links bushings are working great.

As far as the driver's seat belt, this morning I used some 400-grit thin sandpaper to clean the belt slots in the upper mount and the "presenter" thing. Seat belt now reels back in better.
Between the drama-free rear and the seat belt no longer becoming a coiled up mess behind her seat every time she unbuckled, the wife is much happier with the car.
Yay, I get to stay another couple of weeks, lol.
 

06 T-RED S/C GT

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Glad the new bushings resolved all the rattle/clunking noises Gabe! I'm sure your especially glad the wife is much happier with the seat belt drama now behind you as well lol. Meanwhile, congrats on another job well done and "Happy 4th of July" :patriot:
 

Gabe

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Glad the new bushings resolved all the rattle/clunking noises Gabe! I'm sure your especially glad the wife is much happier with the seat belt drama now behind you as well lol. Meanwhile, congrats on another job well done and "Happy 4th of July" :patriot:


Thank you Rocky, and same to you and yours!
 

bujeezus

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Damn those look beefy
I've always hated how dinky the factory links look. I can see them pretty well through my rear wheels. I had originally planned to just change the links out (American Muscle said they would fit the stock bar) but my rear sway bar was 18mm for some odd reason so I went ahead and got a new sway bar too. I love the way it looks now. Those old rubber bushings were getting pretty wore out too. I probably need to do the fronts too...
That looks really good.
22mm or 24?
My car already has a 24mm bar, I'm hoping to upgrade the links and bushings soon. Will most likely do a setup like that
22mm (7/8") It was super easy with those split bushings.
 

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