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Changing front A arm bushings to Whiteline

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I had already changed the rear front A arm bushings to Whiteline and forgot to take any pictures but there are other threads on those so you'll see them in my pictures but no description of the swap. Except to say it is messy but once done does make a really nice noticeable difference to the steering feel.

Another place you'll feel these bushing changes is under braking. The original setup from Ford both bushings allow the A arm to move a significant amount reward as braking forces are applied. The Whiteline bushings both the front one and the back one are much stiffer in the axial movement along the lower A arm pivot.

The rear bushings I changed later because when I bought my rear bushings the fronts weren't included and I didn't know they existed. They don't make as big a difference in feel. They do decrease the sticktion and spring rate slightly. While the poly on the Whiteline bushings is slightly stiffer than the rubber it is also thicker so it probably deflects about the same as the stock bushings. But unlike the stock bushings the Whiteline bushings are lubricated the liner sleeve and outer poly sleeve are not bonded together so the yellow bushing in the arm is free to rotate on the inner gold sleeve. On the stock bushings the inner sleeve is bonded together with the outer sleeve making it act like a rubber spring.

This is with everything removed except the A arm. The front bolt can be removed with the rack turned all the way to the opposite side.

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The bushing we're changing.

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The new setup going in.

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Clamp the arm securely.

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An extra long 1 1/4 inch hole saw. Use water to lubricate the saw and keep from melting the rubber to the saw. You'll need a pretty large high torque drill motor.

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I forgot a picture here. Once the rubber and inner sleeve are removed use a saber saw or Skill saw to cut through the out sleeve of the bushing. Make sure to cut towards the arm so if you score the outer sleeve you don't leave a stress riser where the outer A arm sleeve could crack. Once it is cut through it will come out really easy with a couple of hammer taps and a drift. Clean up the end touch up with paint. Put the new bushings in as pictured and lubricate and put the center sleeve in, lube it too, wipe away excess grease and reassemble.

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Nice work and great job of documenting it. I'll move this to the How To forum.
 

pufferfish

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How is NVH after this swap? Do you have part numbers for these? I have only seen the rears for 05-10 mustangs.
 
BTW I have yet to attempt the bushings 908ssp is documenting here, but this install is a PAIN IN THE ASS! I'm having a hell of a time getting the rear bushings off. This is not a project for the faint of heart or a project that can be done in a day. If it wasn't so damn spendy I'd recommend the Ford Racing control arms with the extended ball joints, but alas the poor college student status that I currently hold forces me to spend hours cutting bushings and overall wishing I had not decided bushings were a good mod to do... Luckily, I'm doing everything at once so the front end shouldn't ever have to be taken apart again except for maintenance. It remains to be seen if extended ball joints, bumpsteer kits, bushings, sway bars, adjustable end links, caster/camber plates, AST coilovers, and ARP wheel studs will make me faster on the track. I'm going to bet on yes, but dammit if I won't have had worked hard for it.
 

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