Guest cul08r Guests Posted 10/08/04 04:09 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 04:09 AM Hi Guys,Well it has been a while since I have posted here and just though I should update you all on the SAGA with my suspension knock.As most of you know, I was referred back to my suspension place by 3 different Ford dealers who blamed the knock in my front end on all sorts of things, centering around my lowered Kings springs and Whiteline swaybar. These included my struts, the strut tops, the swaybar bushes and the upper and lower control arm bushes.Last week I had the control arm bushes replaced by a Ford dealer at my expense ($750) which failed to resolve the problem. I finally had it into the suspension place today and the problem was found, and fixed. FREE. No parts replaced. A 10 minute job.With one mechanics head under the car, on an uneven piece of driveway, they saw that the swaybar support was loose as a goose, and were then able to replicate it on the hoist. The bracket is not the one that holds the bush around the swaybar, it is the one that joins that bush and bracket to the chassis rail. It is about 9" long, and black metal.The four bolts that hold this black bracket to the chassis (2 inside and 2 outside chassis rail) were extremely loose, allowing the whole bracket to move about 1 inch forward and backward when the suspension flexed...Time off work and travel expenses going to 3 different Ford dealers to check the problem: $500.00Replacing upper and lower control arm bushes: $750.00Phonecalls to dealers and suspension place: $30.00Seeing the look on my face when the guy showed me the FREE fix, that should have been spotted by the first dealer....PRICELE$$Andrew Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Member 453 Member For: 22y 4m 27d Location: Kurrajong, Sydney Posted 10/08/04 04:24 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 04:24 AM I have to ask... did they at least take the bushes off your hands for you?Grant Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152919 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goose 00-XRG / 006-FPV Donating Members 530 Member For: 22y 4m 23d Gender: Male Location: Brisbane, QLD Posted 10/08/04 04:44 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 04:44 AM cul08r said: was loose as a goose I resent that!!!But good to hear it was a nice easy fix. Bad to hear that it cost you over $1kAdam Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152924 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cul08r Guests Posted 10/08/04 05:17 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 05:17 AM Grant,I don't quite understand your question. Am I missing some subtle undertone, or am I misinterpreting your question.I have the original bushes in my garage, and the new ones are still in the car. I am not chasing anyone for money or anything, but I am expecting top notch service from the suspension place when they lift my 4WD this friday!Goose, I didn't want to ruin your reputation...Andrew Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152939 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducatijb Lifetime Members 3,448 Member For: 22y 25d Gender: Male Location: sydney Posted 10/08/04 05:24 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 05:24 AM Glad you at least got it sorted Andrew... Go the Ford dealers... Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152942 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretzel EMS makes MAGIC MUMBO ! Member 192 Member For: 21y 4m 16d Location: Melbourne Posted 10/08/04 05:33 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 05:33 AM Andrew,Good to hear that you've finally got it resolved ! Unfortunate it has cost you so much in $$$ and time though ! Having now sorted out the issue, and having the bushes replaced for no apparent reason, can you say that the lowering of your car (Which is with the same springs I have in mine, except no swaybars) did in fact damage the bushes, or was that just the dealers way of fobbing you off ?Just interested to know if I should have them loosened, and re-tightened at it's current ride height like mentioned in your earlier post about the clunk !Thanks in advance Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152944 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Member 453 Member For: 22y 4m 27d Location: Kurrajong, Sydney Posted 10/08/04 06:02 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 06:02 AM cul08r said: Grant,I don't quite understand your question. Am I missing some subtle undertone, or am I misinterpreting your question.I have the original bushes in my garage, and the new ones are still in the car. I am not chasing anyone for money or anything, but I am expecting top notch service from the suspension place when they lift my 4WD this friday!Goose, I didn't want to ruin your reputation...Andrew Ah, ok. I thought that Ford made you pay for replacements when there was nothing wrong with the originals, my bad.Grant Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152961 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cul08r Guests Posted 10/08/04 06:42 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 06:42 AM (edited) Pretzel,I would recommend getting the place that fitted your suspension to put the car up on a hoist that supports the wheels (as opposed to letting them hang free) and getting the bushes loosened off and re tourqued to the correct settings at the new alignment. A professional place like pedders apparently does this as standard practice but I am not aware of the exact torque figure that is required. I will never know if I needed the bushes replaced, because they were quite damaged in the removal process and could not be properly evaluated.Also get them to check if the bolts I mentioned are loose from the factory and require tightening.Grant,As I said above, I will never know if the original control arm bushes were at fault. What I do know is that after fitting them there was no change in the vehicle that I noticed, and the problem was not solved. The Ford dealer have stated that there was excess movement in them and they are too damaged to test, due to the hammers and screwdrivers that they obviously used to remove them.I am just stoked that at 6pm I will have my old T back (I have barely driven it in 6 weeks) and now I can hopefully sell it with confidence...Andrew Edited 10/08/04 06:44 AM by cul08r Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-152978 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr X Donating Members 998 Member For: 21y 9m 4d Gender: Male Location: Adelaide Hills Posted 10/08/04 09:06 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 09:06 AM cul08r said: I am just stoked that at 6pm I will have my old T back (I have barely driven it in 6 weeks) and now I can hopefully sell it with confidence...Andrew Glad to see the problem,s sorted,truly sorry to see your selling the T .What are you going to replace it with? Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-153035 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antisocial Weird Member Member 1,347 Member For: 22y 2m 25d Location: ACT Posted 10/08/04 09:35 AM Share Posted 10/08/04 09:35 AM Quote when they lift my 4WD this friday!I see the problem...you are indecisive....One car is too low, the other too tall. :lol: Best not to think of all the other things you could have spent that $1K on... Link to comment https://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/topic/12267-important-suspension-info/#findComment-153048 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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