Just a note from down the road apiece

[R. Button]

Am installing new tires - fronts were just about at Lincoln's head on the penny test. I got a deal on the Continental Extreme Contact Sport tires. We'll see how well they do in the rain!

And along with the tires I have replaced my Koni shocks with new Koni's as the current shock's were just a bit over the warrantee period and were all spring and very little "shocking"! :D I purchased the shocks at one of the FFR open house sale table! (The stuff you can find at their open house sale table!) :)

Also as long as I was under the car it was a good time push some grease into all of the fittings.
The FFR front lower control arms have been on the car shortly after FFR released them, so they have felt a bit of up and down over the roads I have traveled... and ya they are also well beyond the warrantee period! :D

While pushing a little grease into the fitting this dropped on me!
I think a 1/2 million + a few more miles is about the life of these rubber bushings.
I see now that FFR has created a very solid set of bushings to replace the VERY old style rubber bushings.
Just ordered 4 sets of them.

185767

Just a thought in case you are coming up on 1/2 million miles on your FFR Mark I :D

[BRRT]

I salute you sir.
Quite amazing!

[R. Button]

And FFR has already shipped out the new bushings for me. I just ordered them early this AM! :)

[cc2Arider]

Wowsers! That's a lot of miles on what many consider a "hobby" car -- truly amazing!

I'm surprised you haven't been offered some sort of high-mileage award by FFR yet (or maybe you have?) :cool:

Craig C

[steno]

Ralph, I'm closing in on 100k on my car, but you definitely put me to shame!
If you're coming to London...don't forget the Cougar!!

[GoDadGo]

Ralph,

Please do an update on your tires after you get them wet?
Being down in Slidell Louisiana we get about 62" of rain each year.
I'm interested to see how your new tires do once you've driven them in the rain.
Also, my Nitto's (555's) have aged out (2015 Production Year) so they need to be replaced.
I've been looking at the Conti's because I had them on my last two motorcycles and they were A-Okay!

Steve

[mrmustang]

Ralph,

I'm far behind you at 137,xxx miles, you and I differ in that it took me 32 Cobras to get there :D .

Bill S.

[R. Button]

I'm in the process of getting the new Spherical bearing inserts installed on the lower control arms.
This is what I did...

The car was running really well - no steering issues, take your hands off the wheel and it would go straight down the road. BUT the streets here had become pot hole city and it seemed like the frame banged hard going through the pot holes.
There had to be come kind of issue with the front suspension. That's when I found the rubber bushing breaking apart.
I had new shocks on the bench all ready to install. I have new springs all set to the same heights as the current shocks on the car. thus started my night work last week!

A lot, a lot of thinking was going on about how to get the old rubber bushing out! I worked on the right side first - it's the side closest to my tool bench! While thinking about the control arm I worked on installing the new KONI shocks all around - found a right front one was frozen! Sprayed oil on the shaft and left it sit on the floor soaking while I worked. Pulling out the right side lower control arm was a challenge! The bolt was half rusty, you could see the rust on the bolt as it slowly came out! An Impact wrench + prying on the bolt were used till it was part way into the bushing, then spray oil and the impact wrench (buy stock in a spray oil company as I used a LOT of it!) got the bolt out..

Now, getting the bushing out. Buy this time I really wanted it done. Age is catching up with me and I knew the pain in the shoulders were going to be very painful later.

I used a small 1/8" drill to put holes in the rubber bushing - that did not help! Then while sitting I thought if I just had a mini press! So I got out my pullers found a large round steel ring used to install axle gaskets, used that ring to hook the puller too, sprayed oil over it all. Then an impact wrench spun that long bolt right into the metal tube till it all popped out. Half the bushing metal tube was rusty, the the rest had a thin layer of oil.

Installing the new bearing inserts was easy till I realized the old grease fitting was in a lot deeper than the thickness of the metal on the lower control arm. So out came the grease fitting. The rest all slipped in nicely. When we went to slide the control arm between the "ears" on the frame - it didn't fit! The "ears" were closer together than the new bushing assembly. After 5+ hours of working on this I needed a break. Son and granddaughter came over to help. I got a long 5/8" threaded rod, cut it down to about a 10" long rod. Used 2 grade 8 bolts with 2 grade 8 washers, put the assembly, we created, between the "ears"! The tighten down the bolts till the "ears" gave in and offered us the space we needed to install the lower control arm. Now the right control arm goes up and down smoothly.

Next the left control arm

[Geoff H]

Just bringing this back to the top to see how the left side installation went. I saw over the weekend that the ends/ears of my bushing are starting to tear off. I will check play in the LCA this week, and if worn, I am considering this bushing: https://www.factoryfiveparts.com/16332-spherical-bearing-inserts-for-front-lower-and-2015-irs-control-arms/ . Is it the same bushing you installed? If so, how is the ride with the new bushings?

Thanks,
Geoff

[DanQ]

My son runs the Continental Extreme Contacts on his Honda Civic SI for summer use and loves them. They are very good both dry and in the rain, but below 40 degrees, (a reality in Minnesota), they become loose. I bought them for my '33 Hot Rod as well, but have not driven it yet. They are very light weight compared to most tires, so their response is very quick.

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[R. Button]

I also just installed a set of Continental tires on my car. The Extreme Contact Sport tires! So far they hold the corners extremely well!
And Continental had rebate program. I took the wife out to a dinner and use the rebate card to pay for it!! ( A WIN WIN!)

Once we fought with getting the bushings out on the right side - the left was much easier as we were prepared!

The metal bushings work well - very precise steering. Great for road racing BUT for the open road - at least for me, I noticed/felt every crack in the road! FFR recently got in the polyurethane bushings with the sleeves! I got a set and will put them in after this weekend.

Right now getting ready for the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival. A few laps on the old street course, then park downtown and talk with the people that come by to look at the various cars.

The next day, I head up to the Glen track - enter the car show while I wait to go out on the track for a few laps. I love the car shows - I get to talk with the families and the kids. AND I have 4 boxes, this year, of 1/32 scale, metal, pull-back, AC Cobra's in Red, Blue, Yellow and White to give to the kids. Not so much looking to win at the car show. Last year I won the sponsors award at the Festival! There is no way any other award is going to beat it! I got a trophy, a Motul watch, and a hat autographed by the sponsor. The sponsor was Al Unser Jr! He and his wife came by to, I later learned, watch the people around the car. Then Al told the committee his pick for the sponsor award. The committee chairman came over to let me know not to leave the area. And also explained what Al told them.

I'm ready for the Festival weekend!

[Mastertech5]

I have the extreme contact DWS contis on my Hot Rod that have cross cut sypes in them on part of the tread and will funnel water out better.

[Geoff H]

Thanks for the update - your experience is very helpful!