1969 FORD MUSTANG steering box

03-02-08
Suspension

03-02-08

IN-VEHICLE ADJUSTMENTS AND REPAIRS

HOISTING INSTRUCTIONS

Damage to steering linkage compo-

nents and front suspension struts may

occur if care is not exercised when po-

sitioning the hoist adapters of 2 post

hoists prior to lifting the vehicle.

If a 2 post hoist is used to lift the

vehicle, place the adapters under the

lower arms or the No. 1 crossmember.

Do not allow the adapters to contact

the steering linkage. If the adapters

are placed under the crossmember, a

piece of wood (2 x 4 x 16 inches)

should be placed on the hoist channel

between the adapters. This will pre-

vent the adapters from damaging the

front suspension struts.

UPPER BALL JOINT

REPLACEMENT

FORD, MERCURY,

METEOR, THUNDERBIRD,

CONTINENTAL MARK III

1.
Raise the vehicle high enough to

provide working space, and place a

support under the lower arm. If a

chain hoist or a jack that has a nar-

row contact pad is to be used on the

bumper to raise the vehicle, distribute

the load along the bumper by using a

steel plate 3 or 4 inches long as a con-

tact pad to prevent damaging the

bumper.

2.
Remove the wheel and tire.

3.
Drill a
1/8-inch
hole through

each upper ball joint retaining rivet.

Using a large chisel, cut off the rivets.

4.
Remove the upper arm suspen-

sion bumper.

5.
Remove the cotter pin and nut

from the upper ball joint stud.

6. Place a box wrench over the

lower end of the ball joint remover

tool, and position the tool as in Fig. 7.

The tools should seat firmly against

the ends of both studs, and not

against the lower stud nut.

7.
Turn the wrench until both studs

are under tension, and then, with a

hammer, tap the spindle near the

upper stud to loosen the stud from the

spindle. Do not loosen the stud with

tool pressure alone. Remove the ball

joint.

8. Clean the end of the arm, and

remove all burrs from the hole edges.

Check for cracks in the metal at the

holes,
and replace the arm if it is

cracked.
F1436-A

FIG. 7—Disconnecting Ball

Joints—Typical

9. Attach the new ball joint to the

upper arm. Use only the specified

bolts,
and nuts. Do not rivet the new

ball joints to the arm. Torque the nuts

to specification.

10 Install the upper arm suspension

bumper. Torque the nut to specifica-

tion.
11.
Position the ball joint stud in

the spindle bore, and torque the at-

taching nut to specification. Install a

new cotter pin.

12.
Install the wheel and tire.

13.
Remove the safety stands, and

lower the vehicle.

14.
Check and, if necessary, adjust

caster, camber, and toe-in. Whenever

any part of the front suspension has

been removed and installed, front

wheel alignment must be checked.

COUGAR, FAIRLANE,

FALCON, MONTEGO,

MUSTANG

1.
Position a support between the

upper arm and frame side rail as

shown in Figs. 8 and 9; then, raise the

vehicle and position safety stands.

2.
Remove the wheel and tire.

3.
Remove the cotter pin and nut

from the upper ball joint stud.

4.
Position the ball joint remover

tool as shown in Fig. 10. The tool

should seat firmly against the ends of

both studs, and not against the lower

stud nut. It may be necessary to re-

move the lower ball joint cotter pin if

it prevents the tool from seating on

the lower stud.

5.
Turn the tool with a wrench until

both studs are under tension, and

then, with a hammer, tap the spindle

near the upper stud to loosen the stud

F 1496-A

FIG. 8—Upper arm Support—Mustangprocarmanuals.com

03-02-21
Suspension

03-02-21

8. Place a box wrench over the

lower end of the ball joint remover

tool, and position the tool as in Fig.

13.
The tool should seat firmly against

the ends of both studs, and not

against the stud nuts.

9. Turn the wrench until both studs

are under tension, and then, tap the

spindle with a hammer near the studs

to loosen them from the spindle. Do

not loosen
the
studs with tool pressure

alone.

10.
Place a jack under the outer

end of the lower arm, and raise the

arm several inches. Remove both ball

stud nuts, and remove t^e spindle.

Installation

1.
Position the new spindle onto the

upper and lower ball joint studs, in-

stall the stud nuts and tighten the nuts

to specifications. Continue to tighten

both nuts until the cotter pin holes

line up with the slots, then install new

cotter pines.

2.
Connect the spindle connecting

rod to the spindle arm. Install the re-

taining nut and tighten the nut to

specification. Continue to tighten the

nut until the cotter pin hole lines up

with the slot, then install a new cotter

pin.

3.
Install the gasket and splash

shield on the spindle. Tighten the at-

taching bolts to specifications.

4.
Install the hub and rotor on the

spindle.

5.
Install the caliper to the spindle

and tighten the attaching bolts to spe-

cifications. Check for the correct flex-

ible hose routing (Part 2-2).

6. Install the wheel and tire and ad-

just the wheel bearings (Part 3-12).

7.
Lubricate the steering stop on

the lower arm and the mating flat on

the spindle with the specified lubri-

cant.

8. Remove the safety stands, lower

the car and check camber, caster and

toe-in.

FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER

REPLACEMENT

FORD, MERCURY,

METEOR, THUNDERBIRD,

CONTINENTAL MARK III

1.
Remove the nut, washer, and

bushing from the shock absorber

upper end.

2.
Raise the vehicle on a hoist and

install safety stands.
3.
Remove 2 bolts attaching the

shock absorber to the lower arm and

remove the shock absorber.

4.
Place a washer and bushing on

the shock absorber top stud and posi-

tion the shock absorber inside the

front spring. Install the 2 lower at-

taching bolts and torque them to spe-

cifications.

5.
Remove the safety stands and

lower the vehicle.

6. Place a bushing and washer on

the shock absorber top stud and in-

stall the attaching nut. Torque it to

specification.

COUGAR, FAIRLANE,

FALCON, MONTEGO,

MUSTANG

Removal

1. Raise the hood and remove 3

shock absorber upper mounting

bracket-to-spring tower attaching

nuts.

2.
Raise the front of the vehicle and

place safety stands under the lower

arms.

3.
Remove 2 shock absorber lower

attaching nuts and washers.

4.
Lift the shock absorber and

upper bracket from the spring tower

(Fig. 26) and remove the bracket from

the shock absorber.

Installation

1. Install the upper mounting

bracket on the shock absorber and

torque to specification.

2.
Position the shock absorber and

upper mounting bracket in the spring

tower, making sure the shock absor-

ber lower studs are in the pivot plate

holes.

3.
Install the 2 washers and attach-

ing nuts on the shock absorber lower

studs and torque to specification.

4.
Install the 3 shock absorber

upper mounting bracket-to-spring

tower attaching nuts and torque to

specification. Then, remove the safety

stands and lower the vehicle.

LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

Removal

1.
Remove the stud nut at the

upper eye of the shock absorber. Re-

move the upper eye stud bracket to

crossmember attaching bolt and re-

move the stud bracket. Refer to Fig.

22.
2.
Remove the bolts which attach

the shock absorber to the suspension

lower arm. Lower, and remove the

shock absorber.

3.
Examine the shock absorber unit

and rubber bushings. Replace parts

that are defective, deteriorated, or

worn.

Installation

1. Fully extend the shock absorber

and position it inside the coil spring.

Connect the lower end of the shock

absorber to the suspension lower arm.

Torque the attaching nuts to specifica-

tion.

2.
Insert the upper bracket stud

through the bushing in the shock ab-

sorber upper eye. Install the stud

bracket to crossmember attaching

bolt. Do not tighten the bolt: at this

time.

3.
Install the upper eye bracket

stud nut. Torque the nut to specifica-

tion.

4.
Torque the stud bracket- to-

crossmember attaching bolt to specifi-

cation.
The
shock absorber upper
eye

stud
nut
must
be
tightened
to com-

press
the
rubber bushing before
the

stud bracket
is
bolted
to the

crossmember;
otherwise,
the
upper
at-

tachment could
be
loose
and
noisy.

REAR SHOCK ABSORBER

REPLACEMENT

FORD, MERCURY,

METEOR, THUNDERBIRD,

CONTINENTAL MARK 1(11

1.
Raise the vehicle on a hoist.

2.
Remove the shock absorber at-

taching nut, washer and insulator

from the upper stud at the upper side

of the spring upper seat. Compress the

shock absorber to clear the hole in the

spring seat, and remove the inner in-

sulator and washer from the upper at-

taching stud.

3.
Remove the self-locking attach-

ing nut, and disconnect the shock ab-

sorber lower stud from the mounting

bracket on the rear axle housing (Fig.

4).

4.
Expel all air by performing step

3 On Vehicle Tests in Part 3-1.

5.
Place the inner washer and insu-

lator on the upper attaching stud, and

position the shock absorber so that

the upper attaching stud enters the

hole in the spring upper seat. While

holding the shock absorber in this po-

sition, install the outer insulator andprocarmanuals.com

03-12-02
Wheels
And
Tires

03-12-02

LIFE GUARD TIRE

The Goodyear Power Cushion Tire

(available
on
Thunderbird, Lincoln

and Continental Mark
III
models)
fit-

ted with
the
Life Guard Safety Spare
provides
a
tire within
a
tire with
two

separate
air
chambers
(Fig.
3). If the

outer tire casing should
be
punctured

or otherwise damaged causing
it to go

flat,
the
Life Guard Safety Spare will

carry
the
load
of the
vehicle
and
will
allow driving
at
speeds
up to 40 mph

with good control
up to a
distance
of

40 miles.
A
Safety-Signal built into

the Life Guard tread produces
a
lope

or vibration indicating
the
outer tire

has lost pressure.

HUB AND ROTOR

ASSEMBLY
INNER

BEARING

CUP
GREASE

RETAINER

ADJUSTING

NUT

OUTER

BEARING

CONE
AND

ROLLER

INNER BEARING

CONE
AND

ROLLER

WHEEL

ASSEMBLY

F1416-A

F- 1380 •
A

FIG. 2—Front
Hub and
Rotor Bearing
and
Grease

Retainer Disc Brakes—Typical
FIG. 3—Life Guard Safety

Tire—Sectional View

IN-VEHICLE ADJUSTMENTS AND REPAIRS

HOISTING INSTRUCTIONS

Damage
to
steering linkage compo-

nents
and
front suspension struts
may

occur
if
care
is
not
exercised when
po-

sitioning
the
hoist adapters
of 2
post

hoists prior
to
lifting
the
vehicle.

If
a 2
post hoist
is
used
to
lift
the

vehicle, place
the
adapters under
the

lower arms
or
the No. 1
crossmember.

Do
not
allow
the
adapters
to
contact

steering linkage.
If the
adapters
are

placed under
the
crossmember,
a
piece

of wood (2x4x16 inches) should
be

placed
on the
hoist channel between

the adapters. This will prevent
the

adapters from damaging
the
front
sus-

pension struts.

FRONT WHEEL BEARING

ADJUSTMENT

The front wheel bearings should
be

adjusted
if the
wheel
is
loose
on the

spindle
or if the
wheel does
not
rotate

freely.
The
following procedures will

bring
the
bearing adjustment
to
speci-

fication.

DRUM BRAKES

1.
Raise
the
vehicle until
the
wheel

and tire clear
the
floor.
2.
Pry off the hub cap or
wheel

cover
and
remove
the
grease
cap (Fig.

1) from
the hu6.

3.
Wipe
the
excess grease from
the

end
of the
spindle,
and
remove
the

cotter
pin and nut
lock.

4.
While rotating
the
wheel,
hub,

and drum assembly, torque
the
adjust-

ing
nut to 17-25
ft-lbs
to
seat
the

bearings
(Fig.
4).

5.
Locate
the nut
lock
on the ad-

justing
nut so
that
the
castellations
on

the lock
are
aligned with
the
cotter

pin hole
in the
spindle.

6. Using
a 1
1/8-inch
box
wrench,

WITH WHEEL ROTATING

TORQUE ADJUSTING
NUT

TO 17-25 FT. LBS.
BACK ADJUSTING

NUT
OFF
1/2
TURN
back
off the
adjusting
nut one
half

turn. Retighten
the
adjusting
nut to

10-15 in-lbs with
a
torque wrench
or

finger tight.

7.
Position
the
lock
on the
adjust-

ing
nut and
install
a new
cotter
pin.

Bend
the
ends
of
the
cotter
pin
around

the castellated flange
of the nut
lock.

8. Check
the
front wheel rotation.

If
the
wheel rotates properly, install

the grease
cap and the hub cap or

wheel cover.
If the
wheel still rotates

roughly
or
noisily, clean, inspect
or

replace
the
bearings
and
cups
as re-

quired.

TIGHTEN ADJUSTING

NUT
TO
10-15 IN.-LBS.
INSTALL THE LOCK

AND
A
NEW COTTER
PIN

F1417-A

FIG. 4— Front Wheel Bearing Adjustmentprocarmanuals.com