Read Suspension

Discussion in 'Technical' started by 4gottenmuscle, Aug 29, 2022.

  1. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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    I have a 1973 Ford Maverick with the LDO Package Interior. I just had the front suspension completely overhauled to a heavy duty suspension with all precision parts. My question to you guys what does a 1973 Ford Maverick have as a rear suspension. I'm not quite sure I've never really read on it so I'm just asking you guys get an idea because since I replaced the suspension in the front and did the alignment the ass end of the car drifts when I turn corners so does that mean that the rear suspension is worn out as well and needs to be replaced. And almost feels like there is no support braces under it it literally sways into the next Lane almost like has plenty of oversteer. Just wondering if that rear ram that is under the car in between and 2 fully adjustable KYB gas adjustable shocks.
     
  2. mojo

    mojo "Everett"- Senior Citizen Supporting Member

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    What is rear ram your referring too? Never heard of rear ram under these cars!
     
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  3. Jaybee

    Jaybee Member

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    Hmmm, no idea what you're describing. The cars came with parallel leaf spring suspension and tube shocks...about as simple as a rear suspension can be. If this doesn't describe what you're seeing, well...maybe a pic would help.

    So...let's assume you have a stock rear suspension and consider what could go wrong.
    - Shock absorbers. They do wear out.
    - One or more broken spring leaves. Particularly if it's a main leaf that can lead to some really odd behavior.
    - Bad bushings in the forward leaf spring bracket or the shackles. This one is pretty likely.
    - Loose U bolts. Pretty rare, but it's easy to check and easy to fix.

    Without some extra work, these cars don't handle like modern cars. For one thing, they have a single, light sway bar on the front rather than front and rear sway bars. It makes them lean more than a modern car unless you upgrade your front sway bar and add one at the rear.

    It's also possible your issue is still at the front. Wheel alignment from the days of skinny, bias ply tires don't necessarily work that well with modern, radial tires. Everything on the page linked below applies to Mavericks as well as Mustangs. They're very similar. In particular and most important to this discussion, look about 1/4 down the page for “1967-1970 Mustang, Falcon & Cougar Performance Alignment with or without Shelby drop”. If you dial in those numbers your front end will perform about as well as it can without additional modifications.

    https://dazecars.com/dazed/suspension101.html#3
     
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  4. TeeEl

    TeeEl Member

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    As mentioned above; leafsprings, bushings, & shocks. After almost 50 years, they all need replaced.
    I added a rear sway-bar but fabricated my own mounts and end-links. The mounts that come from Addco are atrocious. I also have 1-inch lowering blocks which improve handling due to lower center of gravity (looks better too)...
     
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  5. Hotrock

    Hotrock Rick, an MCCI Member Supporting Member

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    You must have the optional rear articulated steering system that came on some of our cars. :biglaugh:

    Nice looking Maverick!
     
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  6. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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    Thank you very much I work really hard like all of the other Maverick enthusiasts like myself to find the parts necessary to rebuild that's the problem I'm looking for a donator car that I could drive halfway across the United States if I need to with the trailer to pick it up there's a few parts that I can't get such as the cluster gauge itself the shielding the plastic that goes on the outside on the dash around the cluster gauge the lower part of the dash which holds the dashboard and the radio that is also broken the dash cover I need to buy a new one of those and wore it one door panel and the two door runners and the interiors complete.
     
  7. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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  8. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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    Okay thank you very much I will check on that and I will let my mechanic know he said that he's never worked on a Maverick before but he is up for the challenge he's worked on other old school cars but a Ford Maverick is the first of its year and it's style that he's worked on so it'll be a challenge for him but if he has a guideline to go by then I'm pretty sure he can make it work the best.
     
  9. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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  10. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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    I also plan to change out the front suspension over time and the rear suspension and go to rack and pinion after I move out of the county I live in cuz there's many potholes on the road I'm afraid to use rack and pinion in a county like this because I heard that rack and pinion sometimes breaks down if you hit potholes that are real deep or heavy and that could happen here. I moved from the big city to the country or the mountains and everything here is much harder on vehicles. But to take it just to car shows I would leave it stock because stock looks best and it earns more respect but if I was going to go to a modified stock I would change the class but I chose to have just stock only class.
     
  11. Krazy Comet

    Krazy Comet Tom

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    So which is it????????? Front suspension overhauled or not????????


    There's nothing exoctic about Maverick/Comet. Front & rear suspension is exactly same as any Falcon, Fairlane, Torino(prior to '71) or Granada. Includes Mercury siblings. Mustang/Cougar prior to '74 also same. Suspension used '60 Falcon thru '80 Granada. A few of the specific components differ(for instance spring lengths & ratings) but all operate the same. A seasoned mechanic can work on any of these.
     
  12. 4gottenmuscle

    4gottenmuscle Gone but never 4gotten.

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    Well 7-8 months ago the maverick had the original old front suspension parts. But now, it has New front suspension parts on it.
     

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