Here are the upper and lower...
Here are the upper and lower control arms, along with new strut rods. Total Control furnishes all ball joints and fasteners. Close study of these components shows high quality and attention to detail.
Well begin with the...
Well begin with the lower control arms. Here the lower ball joint screws into the arm. These screw-intype ball joints are common to certain Chrysler products. Well snug it down and install the grease fitting.
These metal inserts at the...
These metal inserts at the small end of the arm replace rubber bushings found on stock arms, reducing end play to zero.
Heres the lower arm...
Heres the lower arm being installed. Its a snug fit. A little tap brought the arm into position.
Moving on to the upper control...
Moving on to the upper control arm, the ball joint goes in next. Dont forget to install the grease fittings.
Secure everything firmly....
Secure everything firmly. You dont want any loose ones here.
The upper control arm goes...
The upper control arm goes into position. Be sure to use the extra-long bolts furnished by Total Control.
Underhood, we see the nuts...
Underhood, we see the nuts go on the control arm attachment bolts. Notice that the stock location holes are not used. The new holes are 1 inch lower on the shock tower. Use the supplied template to locate and drill the new holes. This relocation of the upper control arms is one of the tricks Carroll Shelby used on the 65 GT350.
The seats for the spring perch...
The seats for the spring perch on the new upper control arms are much thicker than on the stock arm. Youll need to drive out the stock attachment bolts on the new perch, as shown here, and install the long bolts.
Heres the perch with...
Heres the perch with the new bolts going in. Dont even think about reusing your old spring perches!
Here we install the spring...
Here we install the spring perch onto the upper control arm. The super thick supports on this arm ensure a sturdy foundation for the spring.
Installation of the nuts with...
Installation of the nuts with lock washers completes the spring perch installation. Notice the small port in the ball joint cap that accepts the grease fitting.
Its time to install...
Its time to install the spindle. We begin by lowering the upper arm into position. After tightening, secure with the provided castle nut and cotter key.
Here we raise the lower arm...
Here we raise the lower arm into position.
This photo shows the lower...
This photo shows the lower ball joint stud in place in the bottom of the spindle. Because the Chrysler ball joint stud is longer than needed, be sure to install the supplied spacer on the stud as shown before installing the castle nut.
The upper urethane seat is...
The upper urethane seat is in place on the coil spring. This will keep things from squeaking when its back together. The spring seat also absorbs road noise and vibration.
It requires a little practice...
It requires a little practice and patience to use the spring compressor tool. Theres a lot of stored energy when a spring is compressed, so you need to be careful. On our Mustang, the old spring had already been removed. The new spring is compressed off the car. Notice how the threaded free end of the tool protrudes through the top of the shock tower. In this photo, its easy to see why you couldnt position the tool threaded end down; youd have interference with the spring perch. This means that you cant drive the tool with a socket. You have to use a wrench, bit by bit.
We use strong-arm tactics...
We use strong-arm tactics to get the spring into place. Actually, we inserted the spring without too much effort. The difficult part is getting all the rubber pieces to stay in place during installation. Note the doughnut on top (see the previous photo, where the doughnut is out of position) and two small pads on the spring perch.
Its time to move on...
Its time to move on to strut rod installation. Look at these solid-steel bulletproof pieces attaching the front of the strut rod to the chassis. They replace the factory rubber bushings. There wont be any caster play here.
Attach the bracket to the...
Attach the bracket to the front of the strut rod using the supplied bolts. Thats a spherical end in between.
Place the strut rod into position...
Place the strut rod into position on the chassis. Notice we already have our antisway bar link kit in position.
The strut is ready to receive...
The strut is ready to receive the attachment bolt with its beefy washer. The fit here is very exact on both ends of the strut.
Once the front is secured,...
Once the front is secured, the back of the strut can be positioned for attachment.
When the strut end lies flat...
When the strut end lies flat on the control arm, fasten it into position using the provided nuts.
This photo shows one jamb...
This photo shows one jamb nut on the strut rod. Adjustment is no longer accomplished at the front of the rod. All alignment settings here will remain rock solid.
Heres another adjustment...
Heres another adjustment point for alignment on the upper control arm. Theres no need to add or subtract shims for alignment in this dimension. Going shimless is nice; everything in your alignment will be a precise science now.
Here is the Total Control...
Here is the Total Control suspension installed. We had a few questions during our installation, and customer support was excellent.
If youre interested...
If youre interested in a state-of-the-art front suspension that eliminates the coil spring upper arm, contact Total Control for the coilover setup shown here.
When great handling is the objective, factory-supplied front suspension components have limitations. When cornering forces mount, they begin to flex and deflect, partially due to the bushings on the upper and lower control arms. Though these bushings decrease vibration and road noise, they also can work against you.
But it's not only the bushings that hinder hard cornering in your early Mustang. The control arms are low-cost stamped steel and can't withstand cornering loads found on a road course or, for that matter, a twisting mountain road. Even with a new factory frontend, the control arms flex and the rubber bushings distort. Then alignment settings change. This compromises steering accuracy and alignment geometry and, hence, handling ability. It's difficult to enjoy precise handling when your Ford's frontend geometry is changing constantly.
This is where Elk Grove, California-based Total Control comes in. We spoke with them about our handling concerns for our 5.0L EFI '65 Mustang. We were ready to go with a new stock frontend, but before we did we sought advice. Total Control recommended a complete set of upper and lower control arms. Also included were new adjustable strut rods, ball joints, and all necessary attachment hardware.
These components don't have rubber bushings. All ends are aircraft-style Heim or spherical rod end joints. Another difference is the construction; the arms are welded steel tubing. The quality is first rate, and it's easy to see that these are truly flex-proof components. With the bushings gone, there is no play at the strut rod ends or control arm ends. These Total Control components ensure absolute rigidity. We had our own new springs and spring perches and were very anxious to get started.