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1989 Mustang LX Rear Suspension Upgrade - Bringing Back The Bite

1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Here are the two ends of the... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Here are the two ends of the UPR lower control arms. The arms offer solid mounting, and the front side of the bar features an adjustable Heim joint. We set the lower control arms to the same length as the Southside bars.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
These aluminum sleeves are... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
These aluminum sleeves are inserted on the Heim-joint ends. The UPR XD-series feature tool-steel sleeves for extreme drag-racing duty.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The lower control arms bolt... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The lower control arms bolt in easily. Factory mounting holes have to be drilled out to accept the new -inch hardware from UPR. The stock arms are bolted in using 12mm hardware.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Here is A comparison of the... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Here is A comparison of the stock upper control arm (right) and the UPR Pro-Series upper arm. Adjustability and strength are the key components to our new control arms. UPR also offers upper and lower control-arm-mount reinforcements for those cars with damaged torque boxes. Our car was fine, but we've seen heavy damage in vehicles that log serious miles on the dragstrip, especially stick-shift applications.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The factory bushings were... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The factory bushings were wore out, cracked, and unreliable.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The stock (right) versus the... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The stock (right) versus the spherical bearing.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The bearing is installed on... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The bearing is installed on the rearend housing, and the control arms bolt-in easily.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
According to Martorella, pinion... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
According to Martorella, pinion angle should be set at -1 or -2 degrees for most applications. He said the UPR upper control arms can be adjusted without removing it, making it easy to compensate for different size tires and lowered cars. Adjust pinion angle when the car is level on the ground or a drive-on lift.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Ride height is a critical... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Ride height is a critical aspect of performance. Lower cars cut the air better, but that affects the body's ability to roll back on to the rear tires at launch. Adjustable spring perches are welded to the chassis, and the ring is used to set ride height.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The stock spring cup is cut... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The stock spring cup is cut out.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Rondeau welded the new unit... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Rondeau welded the new unit in place.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The spring is squeezed into... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The spring is squeezed into place. It might look goofy: The spring is bent and the bottom is half on the perch when the suspension is fully extended. Once the car is on the ground, the spring sits normally. Double check the top and bottom of the coil to ensure the spring is sitting solidly on the perches in a post-install inspection.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Here's The stock rear shock... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Here's The stock rear shock (left) and the new adjustable Strange shock.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The knob at the bottom of... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The knob at the bottom of the shock is used to adjust the stiffness and looseness of its rebound. The looser the shock, the harder the car will hit the tires. There are ten settings on these shocks. Full loose is when the knob is turned counter-clockwise.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Strange shocks are direct... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Strange shocks are direct bolt-in items.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Our cheap exhaust system of... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Our cheap exhaust system of unknown origins blocked us from installing an antiroll bar. The bend over the axle interfered with the mount.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
A set of turndowns is in the... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
A set of turndowns is in the future for this car; the antiroll bar will be put in at that time.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Differential fluid smells--badly--after... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Differential fluid smells--badly--after many years of use. We popped off the diff cover and drained the old fluid.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Once the old differential... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
Once the old differential was removed, we unbolted the ring gear and inspected it. It's hard to believe, but after 15 years of use, the ring and pinion gears looked perfect. Neither gear showed any signs of wear.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
New bearings were pressed... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
New bearings were pressed on the Detroit Locker differential.
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The ring gear was bolted on... 
   
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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
The ring gear was bolted on and torqued to 70 ft-lb. The caps holding in the differential are torqued into place with 70-85 ft-lb of force.

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1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View 1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View 1989 Mustang Lx Rear Suspension Upgrade Front View
 
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