clunk or knock from right rear on shifts

[GlassTop09]

This is the one I would use if doing this job today. I might also consider using the upper control arm and mount from the 11-12 GT to take advantage of the longer length arm.

On using an 11-14 OEM UCA (or aftermarket version dimension-wise), I had the exact same idea initially as well due to the extra 1" of length reducing the amount of pinion pitching\deflection during vertical suspension travel.........until I read Billy Johnson's posting on the Roush 3rd Link UCA's design\performance aspects about 4 yrs back (a Jack Roush modified OEM Ford 05-10 GT\07-09 GT500 UCA assembly) thus I bought 1...........little did I realize that mine would be 1 of the last ones Roush produced\sold before discontinuing these, but this piece paired w\ this 13-14 GT500 UCA diff bushing is a match made in heaven for any street\strip performance S197........especially when also paired w\ the same 13-14 OEM GT500 LCA's.

At OEM Bullitt ride heights (I'm sitting on 08-09 OEM Ford Bullitt front\rear take-off springs) & geometry, wheel hop is non-existent.......even on 6,000 RPM WOT clutch dumps, the pinion hardly deflects at all.......just enough to not shock the tires (Conti Extreme Contact DWS06 in 295\35\18 on 07-09 OEM Ford GT500 18"x 9.5" wheels thus also on GT500 designed offset & contact patching) so hard on initial clutch engagement so that they lose all resemblance of traction thus traction recovers very quickly w\o lifting & rear end tracks straight (due to the 13-14 GT500 LCA's) thus stays properly behind the chassis........thus allows the full TQ output use of this 4.6L NA V8 w\o any TQ modulation applied while easily maintaining control of the chassis.

The old adage applies............"spinning ain't winning".

To top my setup off, I'm waiting on my set of Maximum Motorsports S197 rear LCA relocation brackets to get here (they're the only manuf that makes these to work w\ the OEM Ford-designed S197 rear axle LCA's) so that I can up the anti-squat to around 74% (the 1st hole down from stock).......this should tighten up my car's launches\corner exit acceleration to the hilt w\o breaking traction but still retain\maintain full OEM rear axle ride & articulation thus control.........making the perfect street performer\driver's car.

Well.........this is my long-winded way of saying I agree w\ everything you've stated...........I think you'll love the improvements if\when you do it.

 

[GlassTop09]

I have my original at 155K. I've replaced pretty much everything else front and rear. Removing the stock one from the top of the diff why it's in the car I have heard is a real PITA.

You heard correct............been there, done that more than once........why you want to get some type of UCA diff bushing removal\installation tool if doing this work while rear axle is still hanging under the car. Far, far easier to R&R the axle assembly to do it, but IMHO you still need some type of driver tool\piece to properly straddle the flange when installing so all driving force is applied to the bushing's outer metal shell instead of to the innards.

Hope this helps.

 

[07 Boss]

I wrestled with that BMR bushing until it pissed me off and installed this one from Steeda. Job done.

Prolly tried to put it the wrong way like I did. Took me a few tries before I tried the other side and it went in like butter.

Removing the stock one from the top of the diff why it's in the car I have heard is a real PITA.

That is what I heard. I have only done it with it off the car and it was easy peasy. Luckily I was swapping diffs and getting the tubes and brackets welded so the whole thing was out of the car. I can't imagine the awkwardness of trying to clear out the stock bushing while under the car.



Here is the link to the BMR bushing. https://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=products&productid=781&superpro=0

 

[Midlife Crises]

Prolly tried to put it the wrong way like I did. Took me a few tries before I tried the other side and it went in like butter.

I did get the darn thing pressed into the old bushing sleeve and ran it for a while. I took it out when I was trying to find the cause of a weird lunge on hard launch. I found a split poly bushing in my upper control arm. When I replaced the split poly bushing and and the BMR bushing the weird lunge went away.

 

[MasterofDisaster]

All y'all are smart and full of good ideas. I installed a C&L control arm and the prothane dif bushing this afternoon. The clunk is gone.


Took me about four hours. Some people say you don't need to drop the fuel tank, but I couldn't get the bracket out without dropping the tank.

I tried a couple hole saws. The 1 1/4 inch was ok, but insufficient. The 2" was too big. I think 1 3/4" would have worked better. I ended up drilling out enough rubber that we could pull out the steel bolt sleeve. A cup brush on a drill worked great once we got down to a thin layer of rubber. A couple flap wheels helped. I also used a drywall screen and a wire brush on a dremel for the last hangers on.

I kept the bushing in a freezer for a couple days and didn't take it out until ready to install. It slid into the sleeve pretty easily. The steel sleeve took some persuasion from a plastic hammer. The prothane grease is really tacky - much tackier than any grease I've ever seen.

Anyone know why Ford wants your shocks at ride height before torquing the flag bolt?

The left side shock was ride height, but even pushing down on the car, I couldn't get the right side to ride height. Maybe the tape I used slipped?

Riding around with the back seat removed is kind of cool. It's definitely louder and the pitch of the gears is higher. Plus I found $1.02 in change and some bird seed the stupid chipmunks stashed in my car.

 

[crjackson]

It's definitely louder and the pitch of the gears is higher.

The increased noise was unbearable in my car. I had to revert to a new stock bushing eventually.

 

[GlassTop09]

Anyone know why Ford wants your shocks at ride height before torquing the flag bolt?

Ok, I'll bite............................

According to Ford's instructions, the mark they say to use is to mark on the shock body where the bottom of the shock dust sleeve resides when the car is on the ground............this is a visual marking of the normal rear suspension's loaded ride height. This is only needed to be known when the rear UCA\LCA's are using the OEM Ford-designed rubber bushings (these bushings are a bonded-rubber design........meaning the inner metal sleeves are bonded to the rubber as is the outer sleeves are) thus the rear axle needs to be set in the neutral position or half-height (normal loaded ride height) before they're retightened to prevent putting a preload (or twist if preferred) on the rubber in the bushings at normal ride height.

If the rear UCA\LCA bushings are not this type of design, then this is not needed to be done prior retightening as the inner sleeves are designed to spin\slip inside of the poly (why the provided PTFE grease)\heim joints thus doesn't matter.

Hope this helps.

 

[07 Boss]

All y'all are smart and full of good ideas. I installed a C&L control arm and the prothane dif bushing this afternoon. The clunk is gone.

Glad you got it sorted. That piece is often forgotten about or overlooked.

 

[Midlife Crises]

Took me about four hours. Some people say you don't need to drop the fuel tank, but I couldn't get the bracket out without dropping the tank.

You’re not alone. That bracket is captive on my 2010 also. No matter how much wiggling, it does not come out until the fuel tank is lowered a bit.

 

[MasterofDisaster]

Thanks, gents. Much appreciated!

 

[Autokyrios]

Yep, just put some stands under the fuel tank and drop the straps. When I service mine, I always have to drop it quite a bit.

An adjustable UCA is good for any suspension that isn't stock dimensions and ride height. It does a heck of a lot of work in our cars so it's worth the cost. LCA's are basically just push-rods but the UCA has to deal with everything. Just don't go with a completely solid (spherical) UCA solution. Did that once...omg the noise. Now I run a hybrid (bushing on housing, spherical on chassis) and it's amazing.

And yeah, getting the bushing out of the axle housing is a royal pain. I have the MM tool, the cups are fine but the bolts that come with it aren't great. Funny enough, I'm tearing down my axle assembly now and I've had the bushing remover stuck on the housing for some time as I stretched the bolt and haven't been arsed to cut it off yet.