The later Maverick/Comets have a support gusset welded in just below the UCA mounting points. Wonder if these will seat flush or require partial removal of the gusset.
Good question! Jason has a 72. Maybe someone w/ a later model can add to the conversation. Later models, meaning 73 and up?
Global west has a set of strut rod bushings that are way better than stock for $90.00 . They say for street use adjustable strut rods are not needed. For guys on a budget this is a good choice.
Maybe adding a set of TCP coil overs $799.00 would give us a really nice set up for guys on a budget.
You can buy higher durometer rubber bushings for much cheaper than that. The Moog improved designs are stiffer than stock(I went and to the parts store to compare with my worn out stock pieces) and then there are the Mustang suppliers selling the ones which are even stiffer yet/more towards the poly bushings as well. If someone wants those direct links I can dig them up later on if need be.
It has been noted those stiff bushing have a tendency to break strut rods! I have no experience w/ them, but think there is creditability to what has been noted.
There most certainly are some potential issues with them being installed on some cars/parts combos/ and in the manner that they are being used. I don't want to start another big debate around here, you probably realize that I rarely shy away from that but because I think there is more than enough of that going on as it is. I can only tell you that there have literally been millions of the poly strut rod bushings sold through the years and they are still being marketed. Not every single application that is using them has broken. I have had them installed on many cars and will also use them on my Comet for the time being as well until I build a custom rod setup to take their place. Here's the biggest issue with using them. Quality and overall condition of the strut rods themselves. Using stiffer than stock bushings on poor parts can cause undue stress to an already weakened part. Worn threads and gouged wear at the rods taper where it meets the threads would not be the best application for the stiffer bushings. Driving styles. Drive it like a punk teenage car thief?.. probably going to bite you in the rear quicker than a casual cruiser briskly entering off a freeway on-ramp and hitting the brakes because you need to slow down and blend into the traffic flow. Too much clamping force/bushing preload being used on stiffer bushings. Think about how much a stock rubber bushing can still deflect at full preload torque spec's. Would you think that a higher durometer bushing would require that same amount of preload to surpass that original rubber bushings level of deflection? I can tell you for fact that it does not and this is where people get into the most trouble with them. I have seen some people install them so tight that it actually raises their cars front end heights with a big block under the hood! I've made that same mistake myself too. What that is signifying is that the strut rods bushings are now much stiffer and binding to the point that the car cannot even articulate through its same range of movement and is holding the front end up as result of it. The braking response at the tire will be drastically improved but not good at all for suspension articulation and especially these measly thin strut rods when you start getting really aggressive. The trick is to only preload them to the point that they can still articulate nearer to the original rubber bushings ability.. yet still maintain a sufficient amount of preload so that they still provide sufficient reductions in deflection over the softer rubber parts they have replaced. Keep in mind that I'm not saying that you or anyone else should use them.. only that others have and still do install and use them and I will have no problem using them myself knowing the parts limitations. I'm definitely what most would call a crazy driver on the roads.. but I'm also not completely ignorant or stupid of the physics involved with doing such things either. Plus, my kids drive in the car with me these days too, so I'm more conservative and concerned about overall safety than I used to be. PS. I should have also mentioned that the spacer needs to be replaced with a slightly longer version to reduce preload on the poly versions of these bushings too. Stainless pipe/sleeves of similar wall thickness work well. This is what allows you to still reach nearer the required torque spec's for the nuts without too much bushing preload being applied and restricting the movement of the strut rod. Here are some of the other versions of the bushings that I had saved. There are others on my other computers if someone was interested in more alternatives but these are pretty decent from the research I had done on them before saving the links. http://opentrackerracing.com/product/calvert-racing-strut-rod-bushing-set-1967-1973-mustang/ http://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-strut-rod-bushings-heavy-duty-1967-1973/p/SRB10/
Just like mojo said, mine is a 72 without the reinforcements, so I could not give you an accurate answer. I do know this part number is listed for 70 - 77 Mavericks.
