Front Suspension Help Needed

JC SSP

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Do the GT500s come with heat shields or are the bushings resistant to heat? I noticed cats are close to those bushings, but with off-roads the radiant heat might be less?
 

DieHarder

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Do the GT500s come with heat shields or are the bushings resistant to heat? I noticed cats are close to those bushings, but with off-roads the radiant heat might be less?

They come separate. The heat shields are only about $20 - 30/ea anyway. The bitch is finding the right bolts for it. I'd ask a dealer to look up a 2008 or later GT 500. The prints should show all of the parts needed. Get the numbers then comparison shop. Don't be shocked by dealer costs for hardware.
 

JC SSP

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Yeah "Stealership" prices can be astronomical. FYI Battery for my Audi is $800.00!
 

JC SSP

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LOL Its made in Germany, so you know its good! Just like ShamWow!

I got the same battery via my tuner for less than half, including the computer programming for the new battery install. Yes, they have to program the computer that a new battery was installed so it has longevity.
 

Miker

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They come separate. The heat shields are only about $20 - 30/ea anyway. The bitch is finding the right bolts for it. I'd ask a dealer to look up a 2008 or later GT 500. The prints should show all of the parts needed. Get the numbers then comparison shop. Don't be shocked by dealer costs for hardware.
So do some years of the GT500 arms come with the mounts for the heat shields? If they do is there a specific part number? Also would the shields from my current 2005 GT arms bolt up? Pretty confusing issue.
 

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I recently purchased a 2011 Gt. It had done 107,000kms (63k miles ish). The handling was awful, massive squat when accelerating and squirrely braking. It was all to do with the suspension. I wanted it lowered anyway so got the Ford Performance shocks and lowering springs (1 inch), BMR rear control arms (the upper is a bit hard as the central bolt under the seat needs about 200 something torques on it! Rear sway bar bushes etc were done. It totally transformed the car. I haven't done the front control arms or sway bar bushes yet but I am in the process of upgrading the brakes to the Powerstop (Brembo) 4 pots with the 14 inch rotors. At your mileage, as mentioned above, your strut top mount bushings will be sad, the GT500 ones are a good replacement (they come with the Ford Performance shocks I got). It is all easy to replace, just need spring compressors to do the springs without killing yourself. I got most of my stuff from CJPonyparts and Rock Auto.
 
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Im so confused on whats the deal with those shields, hella people running those control arms with no issues for 10s of thousads of miles, they are worth every penny
 

GriffX

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Im so confused on whats the deal with those shields, hella people running those control arms with no issues for 10s of thousads of miles, they are worth every penny
Brake dust shields are heat shields for the ball joints, too. I think if you heat up the liquid in the hydro bushing you will get a changed damping behavior. i wrapped them with a self-sticking heat shield. My car is 07 which did not come with a heat shield anyway. Don't think it is so important.
 

Miker

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Well I have my list.
Ford Racing M-3075-E Mustang GT Shelby GT500 Lower Front Control Arms from Blue Oval Industries. $299.99
GT500 Ford Racing M-18183-C Front Strut
Mounts Upgrade from Blue Oval Industries $112.50
KONI Shock and Strut kit from American Muscle $421.50
Moog inner and outer tie rods Rockauto $64.84
OPR front sway bar end links American Muscle $43.98
Only thing I am still wondering about are dust boots and bump stops for the struts and isolators for the front springs. The Koni's don't come with the boots and I am sure if I had isolators they are rotten by now. Also may just get outer tie rods local if the inners still feel solid.
Just would rather have all the parts so the car is not sitting on stands on the driveway for more than a day.
 
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GriffX

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get the FP Bump stops, night and day difference compared to the brown red originals, or, you hit them more often than you think ;)
 

Miker

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Staying with stock ride height I don't think these work for that.
 

DieHarder

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Im so confused on whats the deal with those shields, hella people running those control arms with no issues for 10s of thousads of miles, they are worth every penny

Heat cycle rubber over time will weaken it. Good to have especially if you have headers or sit in traffic a great deal.
 

Samos3

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Staying with stock ride height I don't think these work for that.
Any particular reason? I did pretty much the same as you about 5 years ago. Although, I used the Ford Performance 1" drop springs (don't remember if they were the K or P springs). I am very happy with the ride (a little stiffer) and ride height. Something to consider is that the factory springs have settled over time. New stock springs might actually raise your ride height slightly. I did have to get the shorter bump stop kit.

My front lower control arms are the FP Boss 302 type (If I recall....Boss 302 control arms with the improved balljoint in the correct size for the GT spindles. Much beefier than the stock GT control arm. I do not know if it the same as the GT500 arm.

I also did the GT500 rear lower control arms, an adjustable panhard rod to correct the axle position due to even the slight drop from the springs.
 

Samos3

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This is how mine sits. (The louvers are not attached...just checking the look).
Stock wheels 18x8.5
Tires are 255s.

20221126_125527.jpg

20221126_125505.jpg
 

GlassTop09

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Im so confused on whats the deal with those shields, hella people running those control arms with no issues for 10s of thousads of miles, they are worth every penny
Here ya go.........................

The advent of the heat shields on the front lower control arms came via of this Ford issued TSB starting w\ 2011-2013 MY provided below:

All warranty replacement FLCA's came w\ these heat shields as Ford determined from failure analysis that the rear hydro bushings failures were heat-related (the OEM cats reside very close in proximity to the rear FLCA hydro bushings......as they do on all 05-14 GT's). They were later added as std equipment for all '14 MY S197's (I checked thru www.fordparts.com & the only MY these showed up as a replacement part was 2014 MY).
14 FLCA Rear Bushing Heat Shield Mounting Screws.JPG IMG_0642.JPG
Here's the Ford part# for the self-tapping heat shield bolts (they come in a 4 ct-pack only, so you have to buy 2 of these) & the Ford part# for the heat shields are visible in the picture. They are side specific (L-R).

I ordered all this thru my local Ford dealership at the time...............yes, these bolts costs more than the shields.

The Ford Performance M-3075-E GT500 FLCA kit I bought for my '09 GT came w\ the OEM heat shield mounting tabs on the rear hydro bushing housings.

Hope this helps.

PS edit (2-25-23)-- Here's pictures of the heat shields on my '09 GT:
14 FLCA Rear Bushing Heat Shield DS.JPG 14 FLCA Rear Bushing Heat Shield PS.JPG In the end to each their own, but when Ford sends out a TSB & designs a remedy on a part issue that is a common part design on any MY S197, the failure is just as prone to happen on any MY of these vehicles, so I installed the Ford remedy on mine for peace of mind........the proximity to heat--thus potential premature failure--is just too great. I replaced my '09 GT's original FLCA's due to finding both FLCAs rear hydro bushings had splits in them causing excessive caster deflection on semi rough roads........wonder what was causing the rubber to break..............
 

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Miker

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This is how mine sits. (The louvers are not attached...just checking the look).
Stock wheels 18x8.5
Tires are 255s.

View attachment 85916

View attachment 85917

That's quite a bit lower than mine. If I could get some low mileage stock springs for a song I would replace them when swapping in the Konis. Mine might have settled some with 150K on it but it definitely sits higher than yours. My tires are 275/40-18. I cannot pull my car into my driveway without backing it in.
 

Miker

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Here ya go.........................

The advent of the heat shields on the front lower control arms came via of this Ford issued TSB starting w\ 2011-2013 MY provided below:

All warranty replacement FLCA's came w\ these heat shields as Ford determined from failure analysis that the rear hydro bushings failures were heat-related (the OEM cats reside very close in proximity to the rear FLCA hydro bushings......as they do on all 05-14 GT's). They were later added as std equipment for all '14 MY S197's (I checked thru www.fordparts.com & the only MY these showed up as a replacement part was 2014 MY).
View attachment 85919 View attachment 85920
Here's the Ford part# for the self-tapping heat shield bolts (they come in a 4 ct-pack only, so you have to buy 2 of these) & the Ford part# for the heat shields are visible in the picture. They are side specific (L-R).

I ordered all this thru my local Ford dealership at the time...............yes, these bolts costs more than the shields.

The Ford Performance M-3075-E GT500 FLCA kit I bought for my '09 GT came w\ the OEM heat shield mounting tabs on the rear hydro bushing housings.

Hope this helps.

PS edit (2-25-23)-- Here's pictures of the heat shields on my '09 GT:
View attachment 85921 View attachment 85922 In the end to each their own, but when Ford sends out a TSB & designs a remedy on a part issue that is a common part design on any MY S197, the failure is just as prone to happen on any MY of these vehicles, so I installed the Ford remedy on mine for peace of mind........the proximity to heat--thus potential premature failure--is just too great. I replaced my '09 GT's original FLCA's due to finding both FLCAs rear hydro bushings had splits in them causing excessive caster deflection on semi rough roads........wonder what was causing the rubber to break..............

Is there some reason I cannot simply take off my heat shields from my stock arms and bolt them on to the GT500 arms?
 

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