Just bought a Eibach. Should I join the RAC?

[Johnd1]

Originally Posted by thearrow

John, what is wrong with the left side window trim??

Talking about the bit over the top of the window sill - It is all spotted - looks like weather damage.

The bit under the window is a bit bent and buckled. This part is no longer available.



Here's another small problem: Alana had her Cougar serviced. No major problems but her mechanic found that the Quote '"bleeder nipples on the Front Brake Calipers had been broken off''. Any ideas on the easiest way to fix this or do I try to find some new/second hand Calipers?

PS. My air conditioner suddenly stopped blowing cold air so I got them to '"Remove gas from aircond, flush complete system, replace leaking G Schreder valve. Evacuate and regass system" AUD$260

This fixed the cold air problem however after not having driven her for a week when I took the car out yesterday no cold air again! Bummer.

Cheers
John
A Bloody Paraplegic

[thearrow]

Mine had the same problem and also the trim piece that runs along the roof line that covers where the panels join also faded and started to crack so what I did was took it to a panel beater and got him to respray and fix it.

They did an OK job but warned it might happen again so now I try and keep it well polished in the hope it might delay it.

Don't ask me what it cost but it wasn't a lot and now the car looks a lot better.

If your sircon is not working take it back because it means you have a leak somewhere in the system. Any half decent repairer should be able to test for this, I think they use a dye in the system which shows up where the leak is.

Hope this helps.

[Johnd1]

Well I finally joined the RAC because I got a flat battery and I took my Cougar in for a $280 service today. Of course I got a small list of what I need to get fixed as well.

The car has done 115,000ks and I am told the the left and right front lower ball joints are excessively worn which is a worry because the same people serviced the car at 114,250ks in 2009 and didn't notice anything wrong then! Work that one out..

I was told that you can no longer get the ball jounts on their own and I have to get the whole assembly (whatever that is) for RHF $800.00 and LHF $700, then there's labour costs.

The aircon compressor is also kaput which is why I don't have any cold air. Quote around $2,000 if I can find one!

I hope the following link is okay to put in here but given that we have 2 Cougar Eibach's I feel a whole lot better about parts. They have a compressor for $671 at https://pontiworld.com.au/ and ball joints for $36 each.

I can also get some off eBay for around $50 a pair including postage but I think I might stick with the US Ford Service Parts people....PS: I just noticed that they are based in Australia..

Update on Alana'a Cougar..quote from Ford for a new ABS Module $6000,00 - it's being sent over East for a $275 rebuild tomorrow. Will let you know how we go...

Cheers
John
Perth Western Australia

[REDDYZ]

John, lower ball joints are part of lower control arms and they are one piece. 2001 models have a bit different setup, different mounts on lower control arms and detachable ball joints. $1500 for L & R is way too expensive. The one you mentioned in pontiworld.com is only ball joint and wont fit your car. You need the whole control arm which is $225 on that website. Goto www.rockauto.com and look under Mercury Cougar 2000, 2.5L, Suspension you will find cheapest around $48 each. I have been dealing with them for over a year now and their support, warranty is excellent. There are two types. You need the one which looks like the one in the image below.



You better cross check with the one on you car. Mine is Eibach and I have the similar one in the above image.

$2000 for air con and that if you find one is again hopeless. A/C compressor can be taken out and fitted back in under 30mins. Its very simple on Cougars. R&R should cost under $50 if part is supplied by you. The compressor listed on pontiworld wont suit Australian Cougars. Its for American Cougars. You can distinguish them by the hose mounting points. It is sort of very hard to find compressors that suit Australian Cougars. You need to search on UK ebay or UK websites or wreckers. Wreckers is the best option. I had lot of dramas for over a year with air con in my car and finally fixed it by replacing a hose bought from wreckers. In this process I happened to buy a second hand compressor too from wreckers. As these compressors are rare pieces I wouldn't want to sell it, keep it for myself, will be useful someday for my car. If you have no luck finding one, then let me know I will help.

Keep us posted before you buy anything, because you might end up buying parts which suit American Cougars and not yours. Also, we will help you save $$$.

Yogi

[thearrow]

John, Yogi is absolutely correct, I had to replace my control arms at about the same distance as you. What happens is the rubber inserts in the arm wear out. Pontiworld are OK for this and they will have them in stock. If I was you I would replace thme on both your cars as it is inevitable.

[Johnd1]

Thanks for that information. Without it I would have bought the wrong parts as the sellers of both the Aircon Compressor and the ball joints told me that they have the right bits!

Latest news on Alana's Cougar Eibach: The Auto Electrician who was supposed to take out the ABS Module panicked and had a rethink and reckoned that he wasn't qualified to take it out...

The mechanic (who passed the buck to the Auto Electrician) reported that there were clunking noises coming from the front of her car...So new ball joints will be needed for hers as well....

The bleed nipples on her brake calipers have been broken off but I think that I have someone to fix that problem...

If I have then we can fix the nipples > take out the ABS Module > get it fixed > put it back in > bleed brakes > replace lower ball joints and lower control arms at the same time...

With my Cougar Eibach: Yogi....I can't find the ball joints and lower control arms on http://www.rockauto.com..what are all the different versions (numbers) of the 2.5L motor that they have on there?

With the Aircon Compressor: I will check around the places that you have suggested and see what I come up with....I did find some s/h units in the UK on eBay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tchlink:top:en but I am getting myself a little confused with the different models....but then I am getting on...

Cheers
John
Perth Western Australia..

[REDDYZ]

I suspect that the knock sounds are not from ball joints. They could be from top strut bearings. Dust goes very easily into the bearings and they break as they are made of plastic. If it is ball joints you will notice while dry steering full lock both sides. I hope that your mechanic know what he is doing. And I wonder what to panic about taking the module out. Anyway, the aircon compressor on the uk ebay is not Cougar's. Probably its for old model american mercury cougar. I will send some pics of the compressor check your PM.

[thearrow]

John the clunking noise will almost certainly be the strut bearings and the only fix for this is a new set of struts, get your mechanic to check them for you. If it is this I have been through this before and it is no problem to get new ones from the USA. The standard struts are not suitable because Eibachs are lowered but do not despair I know where you can get suitable replacements.

[REDDYZ]

Originally Posted by thearrow

John the clunking noise will almost certainly be the strut bearings and the only fix for this is a new set of struts, get your mechanic to check them for you. If it is this I have been through this before and it is no problem to get new ones from the USA. The standard struts are not suitable because Eibachs are lowered but do not despair I know where you can get suitable replacements.

Dave, strut bearings are not part of the struts. They are separate.



I think in your case the strut shaft was broken on the top end and thats why you changed the strut. Was that your's or someone else? But am sure you can replace bearings alone.

[Johnd1]

Originally Posted by Johnd1

The car has done 115,000ks and I am told by Titan Ford that the the left and right front lower ball joints are excessively worn which is a worry because the same people serviced the car at 114,250ks in 2009 and didn't notice anything wrong then! Work that one out..

I was told that you can no longer get the ball jounts on their own and I have to get the whole assembly for RHF $800.00 and LHF $700, then there's labour costs.

Since then I had Pedders go through my suspension and would you believe it....there's next to nothing wrong! L/H Boot (CV) torn, Sway bar bushes worn and that's it...

Originally Posted by REDDYZ and thearrow

I suspect that the knock sounds are not from ball joints.

Alana had her car checked by another Pedders dealership and was told that she needs new strut hats and bearings, rear trailing arm (and) bushes, front bearing hubs. I am going to have her car checked at my Pedders place and have all the work done there so that we get to know more about the Cougar Eibach's.

Originally Posted by thearrow
John the clunking noise will almost certainly be the strut bearings and the only fix for this is a new set of struts, get your mechanic to check them for you. If it is this I have been through this before and it is no problem to get new ones from the USA. The standard struts are not suitable because Eibachs are lowered but do not despair I know where you can get suitable replacements.

This is a photo of my strut hat/cap or whatever you call it. They are not sure how much of a gap should be between the hat and the body. Anyone have any idea. Arrow, where did you get the Eibach struts etc from?



More parts here http://www.abloodyparaplegic.com/ford_cougar_parts.htm if you could have a look and comment it would be appreciated.

Cheers
John
A Bloody Paraplegic

[REDDYZ]

Originally Posted by Johnd1

Since then I had Pedders go through my suspension and would you believe it....there's next to nothing wrong! L/H Boot (CV) torn, Sway bar bushes worn and that's it...



Alana had her car checked by another Pedders dealership and was told that she needs new strut hats and bearings, rear trailing arm (and) bushes, front bearing hubs. I am going to have her car checked at my Pedders place and have all the work done there so that we get to know more about the Cougar Eibach's.



This is a photo of my strut hat/cap or whatever you call it. They are not sure how much of a gap should be between the hat and the body. Anyone have any idea. Arrow, where did you get the Eibach struts etc from?



More parts here http://www.abloodyparaplegic.com/ford_cougar_parts.htm if you could have a look and comment it would be appreciated.

Cheers
John
A Bloody Paraplegic

Strut hats are not wear and tear items. Only when you replace them is when they break into two or crack. That gap is normal. The reason you see that gap is because Eibachs has lower suspension and use small profile springs. When you jack up the car and let wheels hang down, you wont see that gap and when you put weight in the car that gap will increase. When you take those hats off, you will notice that they are not rubber but metal plates. They have to be on special order from Ford, I dont think anyone else would sell them. That gap is normal and like I said dont change them unless they break or crack.

Whats wrong with the struts? why do you want to replace them? Just replace strut bearings if they are faulty and should fix the problem. Replace front and rear sway bar links and you will have better suspension feel.

Its a common mistake most of the mechanics make while judging rear trailing arms on Cougars. Unless the trailing arm bushes are cracked and broken you dont need to change them. And the car has to do more than 500,000kms for them to break. They feel soft and twisty when you check them and mechanics think that they are sagged and worn. Thats the way they are. If you have to replace the trailing arms you have to replace the hub too. Trailing arm bush is part of the hub. I had few suspension issues before and bought the rear trailing arm bushes and later found that they are part of the hub and they cant be pressed out to replace with new ones. So a set of bushes are sitting in my inventory for no use.

You dont need to replace the whole hub if bearings are worn. Only bearings alone can be replaced.

[Johnd1]

Originally Posted by REDDYZ

Whats wrong with the struts? why do you want to replace them? Just replace strut bearings if they are faulty and should fix the problem. Replace front and rear sway bar links and you will have better suspension feel.

The big problem with the Eibach's here in WA is that next to no one here has seen one let alone worked on one. My struts are okay but Alana was told that her hats need replacing.

Given that Titan Ford said that my front ball joints need replacing at a cost of $1,500 + labour when there was nothing wrong with them we are having trouble trusting anyone. Neither she nor I can do any of the work on the cars so we have to rely on other people to advise us.

We think that we have found the right guy at my local Pedders shop but even he is not sure what parts definitely fit.

He is happy to fit the parts if I supply them but he hasn’t got the time to research and find the correct parts himself which is understandable.

So far I am pretty sure that we have the front ball joints right but I am still guessing on the rest......if any bits are needed.

Once Alana's car has been checked at my Pedders shop next Wednesday I am hoping that we will know what we need to replace but I will still have to find the correct parts.

Cheers
John
Cougar Eibach Parts

[thearrow]

John I don't think the KYB struts are suitable because your Eibach is lowered you will need "adjustable" struts. I think the KYB struts are for standard Cougars only.

It is virtually impossible to get replacement Eibachs from anywhere (inlcuding the USA) so I switched mine to Bilsteins.

[Johnd1]

I got a call from NSW this morning and I can have an Air-conditioner Compressor out of a Cougar (not Eibach) that has done 83,000ks for $400 delivered to WA so I am going to take that.


With Alana's car: They want $750 for the ABS Module so I will have to think about that.

Given that the ABS, Traction Control and one of the other lights only stay on on the odd occasion (they are called the three amigos which shows how common this is) I was told that a brake bleed may (big???) fix the problem. Can’t hurt I don’t suppose.

Alana’s car goes over Pedders Pits for a look see underneath on Wednesday.

Cheers
John
Cougar Eibach's

[Johnd1]

Hi Guys,

I had Alana’s Cougar Eibach checked during the week and I have to order some bits. Can you help me with the actual part aftermarket part numbers etc or best replacement bits? I am not being lazy as I have gone through all the parts but am a little confused as to which ones actually fit the Eibach's.

This is the report:

Lower Control Arm and Inner Bushes. Right and left excessive play.

I have ordered the following:

DORMAN Part # 520204 {#976G3042BA, F5RZ3078B**
Includes Ball Joint and Bushings; Front Right Lower; 4 Bolt Hole Attachment

DORMAN Part # 520203 {#97BG3051BA, F5RZ3079B**
Includes Ball Joint and Bushings; Front Left Lower; 4 Bolt Hole Attachment

Cost me US$47.18 each (AUD$247 for the pair delivered to Western Australia) but they went up to $60 a unit overnight for new orders.

Front Suspension:

Strut Mounting Plate: Sagged or collapsed: Need to replace.

Steering Gear: Rack ends slightly worn: Replace.

Sway Bar Links: Slight movement in Ball joints: Need replacing.

Rear Suspension:

Shocks: Recheck in 6 months.

Strut Mounting Plates: Not Visible ?

Trailing Arms Lower: Excessive movement in Front and Rear Split Bushes: need replacing.

Sway Bar Links: Bushes Cracking: Need replacing.

AND ON MINE:

Front Suspension:

CV Joints: LH Boot torn: Needs Replacement.

Rear Suspension:

Sway Bar Bushes: D Bushes Worn: Requires Replacement.

Not too bad a list given that Alana's Cougar Eibach has done 150,000ks and mine 115,000ks.

Yogi. Thanks again for the info on the Air Con Compressor for my car. That has been paid for and should be on it's way next week.

Now we just have to work out the problem with Alana's ABS light coming on and we will be honkey dorey as they say!

Cheers
John
Cougar Eibach's

[Johnd1]

Just about completed the parts list so will post them here when I have finished
Cheers
John