Install the new bushings and tighten the bolts.
Adding to the Road & Track Box, Schwynoch also specified Maximum's adjustable rear lower control arms replete with NASCAR-style "weight jack" bolts so we could adjust ride height as need be. He also specified Maximum Motorsports' torque arm to complement the Panhard bar that comes in the Road & Track Box.
"The Mustang four-link came from the '78 Fairmont, and its design was fairly compromised to begin with," Schwynoch says. "It doesn't do anything exceptionally well; in fact, body roll should be controlled by the springs and sway bars, not the control arms as is the case with this setup. The four-link has a tendency to bind up, and when the tires break loose, the handling can be unpredictable. The popularity of the Mustang unfortunately showcases all of its deficiencies due to its old engineering."
The team at Maximum Motorsports took its shop car and set out to design a more current suspension setup for the Fox, and they ended up with a Panhard bar/torque arm setup. "We tried a three-link design during development, but found the torque arm to have noticeably better traction than the three-link with the Panhard bar," Schwynoch says.
In Part 1 of our suspension buildup, we're installing all of the front-end components, as well as the subframe connectors. This includes MM's progressive-rate coil springs, Bilstein struts, urethane sway bar mounts and end links, as well as caster/camber plates and aluminum steering rack bushings, to name a few items.
The full-length subframe connectors will keep our low-mileage Pony's chassis nice and stiff so that the suspension components can do their jobs properly and efficiently. Next month, we plan to tackle the rear of the car by installing the Panhard bar and new adjustable lower control arms, along with our newly built rear-axle assembly.
The torque arm is something we plan to hold off on until we near the end of the project. We'd like to get some seat time with the four-link/Panhard bar setup before we install the torque arm. That way we can give it a more in-depth evaluation, and return to you with the best feedback possible about the change in performance.
That said, check out how we renovated the business end of our snake, and be sure to check in with us next month as we follow up with the rear suspension and get ready to make this project a roller.