Metco control arms installed - love them!

[Fourth Horseman]

I took today off of work so that I could install my new Metco rear control arms, and they went on with ease. The entire process took about an hour. The new parts slid right into place and fit perfectly. I'm very impressed with how well built they are.

I'm even more impressed with how the car corners now. The combination of the Adco rear sway bar and the Metco control arms really makes the back of the car feel tight. Cornering at speed is very positive with a lot less felt slop. The rear just tracks straight and true right behind the front. It lends a feeling of confidence as you don't get the impression that the back just isn't up the challenge like you do with the stock setup.

Plus, they look really nice. Pics are in the gallery.

Thanks TAF & Metco for the great addition to my Marauder! :up:

[studio460]

Hey, Fourth! I just received mine this week also. Beautiful, aren't they? I just can't believe what an incredible value these arms are for the quality! Did you have to raise the rear wheels on ramps/jackstands and raise the rearend separately with another jack as the installation instructions said? Bought some Mobil 1 synthetic grease, but couldn't find a grease gun I liked. I used petroleum-based Marine wheel bearing grease on my Addco swaybar's polyurethane bushings--didn't know at the time that petroleum grease could eat away at the poly bushings. After lowering my car with the Eibachs, adding the Addco sway bar, and installing the lower-profile Nittos, I honestly can't imagine the car handling any better than it does now (the car is like on rails as it is now!). Hopefully, I'll be able to notice a difference.

[woaface]

They look ok...but you'll need me to sticker them for that "offical look"!

[rayjay]

Anyone know if there are poly bushings for the factory sway bars? Made a great difference on my previous ride. For a full size car I'm really impressed with the out of the box handling. Thats saying alot coming out of Focus ZX3 that was setup to handle like a go kart. I went through the local twisties tonight pretty good. Its not the same obviously, but I was impressed for the size of the vehicle and being box stock.:D

[studio460]

Anyone know if there are poly bushings for the factory sway bars?
I asked Energy Suspension at SEMA if they made a set of poly bushings for '03 Panthers--they DO NOT. They only make them for up to '02 Panthers. Haven't heard of anyone offering a poly bushing set for our cars yet. The guys at Metco said they would look into it, but I haven't heard anything.

[Fourth Horseman]

Hey, Fourth! I just received mine this week also. Beautiful, aren't they? I just can't believe what an incredible value these arms are for the quality! Did you have to raise the rear wheels on ramps/jackstands and raise the rearend separately with another jack as the installation instructions said? Bought some Mobil 1 synthetic grease, but couldn't find a grease gun I liked. I used petroleum-based Marine wheel bearing grease on my Addco swaybar's polyurethane bushings--didn't know at the time that petroleum grease could eat away at the poly bushings. After lowering my car with the Eibachs, adding the Addco sway bar, and installing the lower-profile Nittos, I honestly can't imagine the car handling any better than it does now (the car is like on rails as it is now!). Hopefully, I'll be able to notice a difference.

Yup, I followed the instructions just as they said. I put the rear of the car up on jack stands and then used a floor jack to lift the differential about half way. Installation was really easy, and I'm no pro at turning wrenches. It was just as simple as dropping out the old parts and sliding the new ones in place.

I used Mobile 1 synthetic grease as well. I bought a new grease gun for it, since my other gun is loaded with petroleum based grease. The gun was the only complication I had. It was so long that I couldn't get the gun on the grease fittings. I should have bought a gun with a hose instead of a pipe attachement. I ended up modifying the grease gun so that it has about a 30 degree bend in the pipe so that it could fit. I really need a lift. :)

Your car, being lowered, probably already handled better than mine with regular ride level, but the bar and arms made a huge difference. I think your call will probably still be improved by these. They're great!

[EbonyMarauder03]

are you still using the stock wheels with those nittos? what size nittos did you get? are they the drag radials? thanks.

[merc406]

They look Great 4th !! , no more noise back their?

[FiveO]

Very nice...

:up:

[studio460]

are you still using the stock wheels with those nittos? what size nittos did you get? are they the drag radials? thanks.Yes, stock rims. This is the best tire combo I could find to fit my rims and still give me a (slightly) wider contact patch, a lowered profile, and still retain the factory rake. Beware, however, if you put these tires on, you MUST lower the car with the Eibach front springs or else the car will look funny.

Nitto NT-555 245/40/18; 255/45/18 Extreme ZRs

These are not the drag radials--regular street tires.

[TripleTransAm]

So, if I understand correctly, these arms are the same length as the stock arms, right? So angles remain as spec'ed from the factory, etc. So what exactly brings about this improved feel? Is it the fact that they don't 'walk' as easily on the bolt/bushing surfaces? Do the stock pieces flex?

What does it do for ride stiffness, if it's that obvious an improvement in handling?

[Fourth Horseman]

They look Great 4th !! , no more noise back their?

I've still got some noise when going through deep gutters, and it's moving forward. I'm convinced it's body mounts. I'm going to stop by the dealership service center that installed my 4.10 gears and see what they recommend. Can body mount bushings be lubed? Or maybe just tightening them down would help. We'll see. In any event, I'm convinced my noises are not suspension related.

[Fourth Horseman]

So, if I understand correctly, these arms are the same length as the stock arms, right? So angles remain as spec'ed from the factory, etc. So what exactly brings about this improved feel? Is it the fact that they don't 'walk' as easily on the bolt/bushing surfaces? Do the stock pieces flex?

What does it do for ride stiffness, if it's that obvious an improvement in handling?

As far as I know the angle is exactly the same. They dropped right in place of the old units and everything seemed to line up exactly.

I seem to be getting a lot less slop in the axle than I did before. It's noticeable the first time you corner under power and at speed. I can't say it's done anything for body role or anything like that. This weekend I'm going to test it on some highway corners where joints in the pavement used to induce some axle hop. I want to see if that's improved.

But so far my testing has left me feeling a whole lot more confident in the rear of the car. Does that translate into actual performance improvement? Hell if I know. What I DO know is that the slop I used to feel back there made me uncomfortable in pushing the car hard through corners. That slop is gone and I feel better about driving the car harder now. For me, that's worth the small price of this upgrade.

[gonzo50]

I took today off of work so that I could install my new Metco rear control arms, and they went on with ease. The entire process took about an hour. The new parts slid right into place and fit perfectly. I'm very impressed with how well built they are.:up:
Hey Fourth Horseman, you say the entire process took about an hour, I'm doing mine tomorrow and just need to know if the bolts were hard to break loose. Did you use any specials tools or anything that I should look out for ? Thanks ;)

[drobin]

Is it necessary to replaced the old jam nuts with NEW ones as the service manual states???? Is it advisable to pre-lube with grease before installing???


"drobin"I
Donald

[Fourth Horseman]

gonzo50 - They can easily be done in an hour to an hour and a half. I didn't use any special tools. Just a ratchet to take the bolts out and a torque wrench to put them back. Oh, and a 21mm box wrench to hold one of the nuts (the rear nut on the lower arm). The rest of the nuts are all of the kind that hold themselves in place, which really helped a ton. The bolts were not too hard to break free, but on a couple I did have to squish myself into the wheel well and put my full weight on the ratchet to get them to start to move. The hardest part is that you just don't have a lot of room to move in there. Tightening everything back down was also sort of tough in spots because I couldn't really get a lot of leverage on the torque wrench. But, as with most things like this, if you just keep at it you can get it to go. Not too tough, really.

drobin - I noticed the book said to not re-use the nuts, but they came off looking just fine so I decided to try using them again. The instructions that came with the Metco arms said to just use the same bolts and nuts, as well. I don't think it's going to be an issue, but I'll inspect everything in a week or two just to be safe. If I notice any trouble I'll let everybody know.

[gonzo50]

gonzo50 -I didn't use any special tools. Just a ratchet to take the bolts out and a torque wrench to put them back. Oh, and a 21mm box wrench to hold one of the nuts (the rear nut on the lower arm).

Tightening everything back down was also sort of tough in spots because I couldn't really get a lot of leverage on the torque wrench. But, as with most things like this, if you just keep at it you can get it to go. Not too tough, really.
You mentioned torque wrench, is there a specific ft.lbs to tighten the bolts back down ?:confused:

[Fourth Horseman]

You mentioned torque wrench, is there a specific ft.lbs to tighten the bolts back down ?:confused:

The Metco instruction sheet says "Tighten bolts securely so that there is no side-to-side movement." However, I went by the book (the shop manual) which specs the torque to 111 lb-ft (150 Nm) for both lower arm bolts and the front upper arm bolt, and 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) for the rear upper arm bolt (the small bolt). You'll notice that the upper arm has two different sized bolts. The front one is bigger than the rear one. I had a moment of confusion when I initially put the upper arm in place and couldn't get the bolt to fit. :)

[gonzo50]

The Metco instruction sheet says "Tighten bolts securely so that there is no side-to-side movement." However, I went by the book (the shop manual) which specs the torque to 111 lb-ft (150 Nm) for both lower arm bolts and the front upper arm bolt, and 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) for the rear upper arm bolt (the small bolt). You'll notice that the upper arm has two different sized bolts. The front one is bigger than the rear one. I had a moment of confusion when I initially put the upper arm in place and couldn't get the bolt to fit. :)
Must be nice to have a Shop Manual handy, I'll get one of those someday, anyways those specs will work for me, I'm doing mine in the morning, Thanks.:beer:

[Fourth Horseman]

Must be nice to have a Shop Manual handy, I'll get one of those someday, anyways those specs will work for me, I'm doing mine in the morning, Thanks.:beer:

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the car's handling after you get yours on, if you don't mind. :)

[gonzo50]

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the car's handling after you get yours on, if you don't mind. :)
Did my install today and had no problems with the bolts, did as the instructions said, contol arms were a direct fit, also torque'd all bolts down as you stated, "111 ft-lbs for the lower arm bolts and front upper bolts / 69 ft-lbs for the upper rear bolts". Thanks. :up:

Took me roughly 2 hrs. to finish because I took my time to double check everything.
That's from the start of jacking up the car to placing jack stands where needed (frame) and taking off the tires, then jacking the axle up to mid point. Then the replacing of the control arms.

Took the Marauder for a road test and the car felt more solid then before.
It's almost as if the whole back end was stiffer, (rigid). Felt different for sure.
I like the look and the feel of the new control arms. :bows:

[CRUZTAKER]

Anyone know if there are poly bushings for the factory sway bars?
Poly bushings come with the ADDCO SWAY BAR kits, both front and rear. So far, the rear kit is the most popular, and a genuine improvement over stock. The front bar is geared more to those wanting an incredibly tight front feel. I only did the rear kit, but was very interested in aquiring the front bushing kit alone.

Dennis was to look into this aquisition from ADDCO, but he has yet to reply whether the company is willing to sell bushing kits alone.

In my untested opinion, I would be willing to bet that the bushing kits I see for sale elsewhere would fit fine if they were sized for our bars.

[drobin]

Since I had already ordered new control arm jam nuts, I am going to wait until they arrive and proceed with the install. Will post my opinion after the install.

Does the ride feel harder than with the factory arms??????


"drobin"
Donald

[Fourth Horseman]

Does the ride feel harder than with the factory arms??????


I don't think so, no. The only time I notice the new arms is when cornering at speed. Normal lazy around town driving I don't really notice them at all.

[studio460]

Since I had already ordered new control arm jam nuts, I am going to wait until they arrive and proceed with the install.Jam nuts? What are those, and what arms are you using them with?

[Metco]

i am glad everyone is enjoying there arms but the next part of the suspension the watts link will be done tuesday and will have pictures as soon as possible.production on them will begin asap and will have a special price at marauderville on the watts,rear control arms, and intake tube in carbon fiber.see you there.oh yeah and driveshaft loops.aaron:beer:

[hitchhiker]

New Metco Control Arms Arrived!

Mine arrived Saturday. I will have them installed at the same time as Lidio's chip and the 410's.
They sure look great!

:rock:

Best Regards,

David

[drobin]

Jam nuts? What are those, and what arms are you using them with?

Jam Nuts is what the service manual refers to the OEM nuts. I am installing the Metco Control Arms...

"drobin"

[Fourth Horseman]

i am glad everyone is enjoying there arms but the next part of the suspension the watts link will be done tuesday and will have pictures as soon as possible.production on them will begin asap and will have a special price at marauderville on the watts,rear control arms, and intake tube in carbon fiber.see you there.oh yeah and driveshaft loops.aaron:beer:

Will you possibly have any samples of the watts link with you at Marauderville? I'd like to see them up close and personal. :)

[studio460]

Metco, you guys ROCK!!!

[studio460]

. . . intake tube in carbon fiber. see you there. oh yeah and driveshaft loops.Cool. I'm DEFINITELY ordering those, too! That intake tube looks AWESOME!!!!!! Thanks, Metco, for making all this cool stuff for our Marauders!

[Metco]

we hope to be bringing several sets of everything at marauderville.oh yeah carbon fiber tube will be done next week and will have pics. as soon as possible.aaron

[TAF]

Glad to hear you folks are getting these installed...they make a HUGE difference in the ride! :up:

[John F. Russo]

I'm not up to date about control arms.

I thought I had seen SergntMacs arms and now I see Metco.

Can I use either type on my lowered Kenny Brown MM conversion car that is exactly (few differences) the same as SergntMac's car?

I tried to check the spelling of SergntMac's name and he isn't on the member list?

What happened?

______________________________ _____________________
2003 Dark Blue Pearl 300B (Canadian) w/Light Flint (reversed
traction control, mini spare, trunked 6 disc CD changer,
clock-in-the-radio, heated front seats/mirrors, hood light)
-Born 12/10/02; converted new then used 2/28/03
-23,000 miles
-18.5 mpg at a steady speed of 80 mph
-Stock transmission (upgraded with Performance Automatic
clutches and band after stock tranny failed in 8,800 miles)
-Wheel locks (Ford); godshead valve stem caps
-Badgeless front grille by “Zack”
-Zaino waxing; RainX
Kenny Brown: 6th “Signature Series” conversion (450 hp) Born
3/28/03 (first drove it)
-Vortech supercharger (5 to 9 psig boost)
-377 RWTQ
-4.10 gears
-Baer front brakes 14 in., two piston, slotted/drilled rotors
-MMX Driveshaft
-Precision, triple disc, P/N469018-3 Precision, triple disc, P/N469018-3
-Ford Racing Stud and Girdle
-Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetrico (front 255/45ZR18 99Y; rear
255/50ZR18 102Y)
-Dead pedal
-FordChip
-3/4 of a coil from each front stock spring removed to produce
the “same” effect as an Eibach spring
-Ground clearance: 5 in.
______________________________ ___________________________
1961 Ford Galaxie, 2 dr. Club Victoria, 390CID, 375hp, 4 barrel (gone)

[drobin]

John, you should call Aaron at Metco ASAP. Just installed mine last night but it was raining and haven't had a chance to take her out... Will post results ASAP... Take Care...


drobin
"Donald"

[Fourth Horseman]

I'm not up to date about control arms.

I thought I had seen SergntMacs arms and now I see Metco.

Can I use either type on my lowered Kenny Brown MM conversion car that is exactly (few differences) the same as SergntMac's car?


I think you should be able to use either the Zack and Mac or the Metco control arms, and I'd expect either type to yield excellent results on your car.

[John F. Russo]

I think you should be able to use either the Zack and Mac or the Metco control arms, and I'd expect either type to yield excellent results on your car.

Thank you for the help!

[Haggis]

I'm not up to date about control arms.

I thought I had seen SergntMacs arms and now I see Metco.

Can I use either type on my lowered Kenny Brown MM conversion car that is exactly (few differences) the same as SergntMac's car?

I tried to check the spelling of SergntMac's name and he isn't on the member list?

What happened?

______________________________ _____________________
2003 Dark Blue Pearl 300B (Canadian) w/Light Flint (reversed
traction control, mini spare, trunked 6 disc CD changer,
clock-in-the-radio, heated front seats/mirrors, hood light)
-Born 12/10/02; converted new then used 2/28/03
-23,000 miles
-18.5 mpg at a steady speed of 80 mph
-Stock transmission (upgraded with Performance Automatic
clutches and band after stock tranny failed in 8,800 miles)
-Wheel locks (Ford); godshead valve stem caps
-Badgeless front grille by “Zack”
-Zaino waxing; RainX
Kenny Brown: 6th “Signature Series” conversion (450 hp) Born
3/28/03 (first drove it)
-Vortech supercharger (5 to 9 psig boost)
-377 RWTQ
-4.10 gears
-Baer front brakes 14 in., two piston, slotted/drilled rotors
-MMX Driveshaft
-Precision, triple disc, P/N469018-3 Precision, triple disc, P/N469018-3
-Ford Racing Stud and Girdle
-Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetrico (front 255/45ZR18 99Y; rear
255/50ZR18 102Y)
-Dead pedal
-FordChip
-3/4 of a coil from each front stock spring removed to produce
the “same” effect as an Eibach spring
-Ground clearance: 5 in.
______________________________ ___________________________
1961 Ford Galaxie, 2 dr. Club Victoria, 390CID, 375hp, 4 barrel (gone)

John I have the Mac & Zack control arms and my car, KB #8, has never handled better. It holds the road now like it was a part of it.


To find Mac's profile go here and he is five from the bottom of the page.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/memberlist.php?ltr=S&pp=0&sort=username&order=asc

[stryker]

THIS THREAD IS SENSELESS WITHOUT PICS.


STRYKER.

[SergntMac]

THIS THREAD IS SENSELESS WITHOUT PICS. STRYKER.This thread is over two years old...

[O's Fan Rich]

This thread is over two years old...
Two years is a LONG time to go without pictures....:D

[SergntMac]

Two years is a LONG time to go without pictures....:DPerhaps this is true, Rich, yet we seem to made the journey in time to this point without them.

I noted in the very first post here by Fourth Horseman, that he did indeed point to "pics in my gallery", but somewhere over the past two years, that gallery has changed, and those pics are lost.

Nonetheless...Three mouse clicks away...Go to "photos" and "search by keyword" add "metco", and you find this pic (courtesy of Pider90), and more from other members.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=1597&catid=searchresults&searchid=708

Easy enough, eh?