WTB: spacers for panther frame bolt bushings

[BerniniCaCO3]

Lincolnmania had these made up about a year ago.
I declined at the time, thinking I'd *never* get around to doing the job, and it wasn't wholly necessary.

Well, planning to do shocks because of some real bounciness, I was lifting the car by the body and the frame only followed suit 1-1/2" later. Bad sign?


Anyone here buy a set from lincolnmania that perhaps you don't need, or won't get around to installing, and you'd be willing to resell to me?

The car is already on jack stands and I'm starting to tear out brake line for a brakes overhaul. I want to do this next week, in tandem with the brake work, so please give me a call at four one zero, eight zero two, nine zero one four! (or a text) (or a PM)


thanks!!!
-Bernard

[Mr Bean]

I just did the body mounts on my 85' and I didn't see the need for those spacers. Bushings went on no problem at all.

[BerniniCaCO3]

awesome! Did you end up using them at all?
I have a 1990- I know the engine/body was 86-91, but the frame was the same in 1985 still?

3 questions:

If I understand correctly, I'll be ordering 8 of the 'es 9.4102' bushings, costing $195? There are 16 body mounts and each kit comes with 2 bushings?

These look like the right bolts for a good price-- correct length threaded, good grade/quality, etc.?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-M10-x-80mm-1-50-Pitch-Hex-Head-Flange-Bolts-Phosphate-Metric-10-9-Grade-/140635161231?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20be82428f&vxp=mtr

Finally, I'll be reading up... but without pneumatics or impacts or acetylene torches, how scary a job is this? The movement when I lift by the pinch weld does indicate a body mount concern?
One reason I want to do it now, however, is that the opportunity may simply not come up again.

[purplebomb302]

On a full frame vehicle, you should be lifting by the frame and not the pinch welds on the body.

[Lincolnmania]

On a full frame vehicle, you should be lifting by the frame and not the pinch welds on the body.

then how you gonna get the body off the frame? the 4 jack stands go under the frame


i friggin love how people gotta be critical of something that i have done 10 times or so

bernard: if you are not sure about the process then bring it up here so you can get assistance.............the quickest we have ever done this job here was 10 hrs (me and mrltd when i was healthier) the longest about 20 hrs (several of the bolts broke)

[Lincolnmania]

I just did the body mounts on my 85' and I didn't see the need for those spacers. Bushings went on no problem at all.

so what did you use then to take up the space between the bushings and the frame of the car?

[Brown_Muscle]

then how you gonna get the body off the frame? the 4 jack stands go under the frame


i friggin love how people gotta be critical of something that i have done 10 times or so

bernard: if you are not sure about the process then bring it up here so you can get assistance.............the quickest we have ever done this job here was 10 hrs (me and mrltd when i was healthier) the longest about 20 hrs (several of the bolts broke)

Well, planning to do shocks because of some real bounciness, I was lifting the car by the body and the frame only followed suit 1-1/2" later. Bad sign?

Originally he was just jacking up the car to replace the shocks, and instead of using the frame he used the body. Just thought I'd clarify, i don't have anything else to contribute here. lol

[sly]

I just did the body mounts on my 85' and I didn't see the need for those spacers. Bushings went on no problem at all.

this was on the newer frame though. I think the box/aero frames need the spacer.

[BerniniCaCO3]

"this was on the newer frame though. I think the box/aero frames need the spacer."

My box is from 1990-- the 1985 didn't?

Mr Bean, did you end up using your spacers? If not, I will buy them from you-- if you did, I need to tell lincolnmania asap to order a set, which is gonna take 2 weeks. That would mean that I couldn't do the spacers while I do the brake lines (the car can't sit for that long), but I guess there isn't that much overlap between brake/fuel lines and the body mount jobs?

[sly]

he didn't buy spacer and has a whale frame on his 85.

[87gtVIC]

I suggest using an impact. Heat wont help out much because all of the captive nuts are hidden really well. If you spin them loose you will have to go cut open panels to get your bolts out and use nuts to secure them.

My car was pretty rusty on the underside and iirc only two or three captive nuts spun loose. Your results may vary.

I know on my car the spacers were indeed needed so the bushing would fit snugly in the holes.

That is the correct part number as well.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?26257-My-1987-Two-Door-Crown-Victoria-AKA-THE-BROWN-BLOB&p=665415&viewfull=1#post665415

Search around my thread and see pics of things...Spacers, and bushings.. May be back from there a few pages....

[Mr Bean]

so what did you use then to take up the space between the bushings and the frame of the car?

Nothing. I don't see that small amount of play as an issue. The frame gets sandwitched between upper and lower bushings. There is a bolt going through both of them which screws into the body. The bolt prevents bushings from sliding around.

Also, I suggest using 1998+ OEM body mount bolts. They are longer than OEM box bolts and work out nicely with ENS bushings.

[BerniniCaCO3]

I'm a bit confused by what the spacers do-- does the nut bottom out on the bolt before it can clamp so you still have vertical space (requiring a washer)?
Or is the bolt diameter smaller than the hole in the frame, so the frame can still shift sideways? So the spacer is more of a tube, adding girth there.

I think from context it must be the latter (understand I haven't done this job before, and I haven't dug into it yet either so I haven't seen what we're talking about). Without the spacer, can the body shift side to side 1/8"? I think I do want to take up that space.


sadly lincolnmania I now live in iowa city! I used to live in Baltimore so that was more feasible.

I just sent you a PM. I have 2 weeks the city has granted me to leave my nuisance on jackstands (even on my own driveway, which is not city owned! oh well),
Is there any chance grainger, mcmaster-carr, or fastenal, etc., would have something in stock that could be kludged to make work? I don't want you to order another whole set just for me, and, I'm worried about the 2 week lead time to get a set.
In hindsight I should have planned for this job; it's more spur-of-the-moment since I finally both have time and nice weather.

[L1011tristar17]

This is a slightly relevant question, but is there a way to do the bushings one mount at a time without jacking up the car? Where you would unbolt one mount and have the rest of the mounts support the weight of the body while replacing that mount. You would use a jack to slightly raise the body to give clearance for the new bushing + spacer. Does anyone think that could work?

[Mr Bean]

This is a slightly relevant question, but is there a way to do the bushings one mount at a time without jacking up the car? Where you would unbolt one mount and have the rest of the mounts support the weight of the body while replacing that mount. You would use a jack to slightly raise the body to give clearance for the new bushing + spacer. Does anyone think that could work?

You can't. Body has to be lifted off the frame to remove and install the bushings.