First off.. I'm pretty embarrassed for having to make my first impression this way... I'm a long time ''learner''on this forum and unfortunately put myself in a position tonight where i need to break my silence and ask for help.. Any and all feedback is appreciated, even a little bashing is warranted.

First off I think it's important to get out of the way that i'm not a formally trained mechanic by any means but with the proper tools and decent instruction I'll always take on the challenge to do something myself while learning in the process.. Not to mention the money that can be saved.

Let's dive in:

2014 GT/CS (650 miles)

Attempting to install SR Lowering Springs.. Not my first time with a spring compressor although if you saw me tonight you'd think otherwise. I followed this video for a little guidance


Got the driver side strut removed and as I'm tightening the spring compressor, (Equally and gradually on both sides until I see the top of the spring slightly separate from the top of the strut), I notice a few small ball bearings fall out.. BB size and greased.. As I stare at the ground in disbelief, spring fully compressed, a few more trickle out. I didn't even attempt to remove the top bolt from the strut at this point due to me being in shock. I just removed the compressor and stared at this mess for a half hour.



I'm almost positive I bent it too somehow





--What did I do wrong compressing the spring?
--Is it possible to pick up a strut at a local dealer or would I be waiting for them to order it just as I would if I ordered it myself online?
--Is anyone out there who's completed a spring swap willing to part with some useful tips to prevent me from making this mistake again?

I am determined to finish this job on my own.. I know it's not rocket science.. This is my 3rd 'Stang but first I've purchased new.. I wanted to do everything perfect. I'm beside myself for leaving her in such disarray over night like this..



Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.. I am forever indebted to those who come to my aid in this time of need.

 

Have you determined where the bearings came from?

 

You just need the upper strut mount, notorious for failing and falling apart when removing them. 1 time use item in a lot of cases.

 

^^ this. U didn't do anything wrong.

 

*might* have just cocked the spring enough to pull the mount down, but these cars had upper strut bearing issues so often early on, think its just a lightly designed part...on the other side be certain the top hooks arent dragging on the support, hope for the best...

only thing I see wrong is what I dont see: jackstands... dont want to pick on anyone, assume they are just out of the shot- but always suggest secure blocking... back in highschool, I had a jack blow a piston just as I was crawling out from under my 69 camaro to retrieve a jackstand- the bumper brushed my hair as I had pulled to roll the creeper out- wasnt my day to die, but remember it vividly... this stuff happens. it was a small floorjack I'd just had for a couple days (looked a lot like the one pictured) I tore it apart to see what happened- the piston in mine was a single rubber piece that just popped over the rod, sat against a steel seat on the rod- a chunk just sheared off one side of the rubber piston and it dropped like a rock- it musta been marginal, but as I pulled the stands, slid them out then pulled on the bumper to rollout the creeper, that little extra weight was enough to pop it...literally knocked the ballcap off my head. 1 second earlier I wouldnt have known, but my parents woulda seen a horrific mess

anyways, hopefully your other side goes easier, and the strut bearing is a local off the shelf thing, no biggie
the joys of doing it yourself huh- kudos for tackling it though...every time I get into something it seems the unexpected is the norm too

 

My factory strut mounts fell apart too while changing to my orange Koni struts. I didn't care because i was changing to GT500 strut mounts anyway

OP, don't feel bad, i think it happens often.

 

Like stated already, the strut mounts are technically one time use only. You can get them from Rock Auto for like $65, not sure how much they are from a dealer.

 

I did this too, but I had brand new struts mounts to go in.

 

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Hell yeah! Rock on brother!

 

Ohsix750,

Don’t feel bad, it’s a minor screw up! First off, I doubt very seriously you bent the strut. They’re pretty stout. With the spring removed, give it a good fish-eye and if it looks straight, it most likely is. If you don’t trust your eye, compress it and if it returns without binding, go ahead and reuse it. The bearing ***** you found are from the upper strut mount as others have said. Collect them up, clean, re-grease and reinstall them into the mount and reuse the existing mount (Make sure you have all the *****). I don’t know how far you’re lowering your car but if it’s more than an inch, you may need to buy a set of adjustable upper strut mounts anyway to get your camber back into spec.

John

 

OhSix750,

The factory strut mounts can be a pain when removing them for the first time. They tend to spit out these small bearings when the springs aren't compressed evenly enough for removal. Even with a evenly compressed spring, they'll sometimes still spit out a few ball bearings. Don't beat yourself up about it! You can always re-grease and install the bearings back into the strut mounts.

If you need help with additional tips to finish the install or anything else, let me know. I'm here to help!

Shane

 

see what you do here is............

continue to remove the springs, i.e. remove nut.
pick up the bearings and put them back in the upper mount.

install new springs. install upper mount, reinstall nut. you did nothing wrong, this happens when taking apart the assembly.

??????

profit.

this is expected, nothing is wrong,

 

The man spilled his ***** all over the floor and stared at them, once he gets over the shock he can put them back in lol.

 

I guarantee you, you will have a good laugh once its all said and done, if you aren't laughing already. I say this because the exact same thing happened to me, and i too freaked out at first. Mine almost all fell out, and then at one point a small piece of the plastic that holds the two strut pieces together cracked, its like a tiny little lip. Anyway its scary when you're a noob.. Like us lol. But good thing you're on this forum because obviously its a HUGE help in cases like these.

In my case i did have gt500 strut mounts but they didn't fit my new struts.. So i got 2 surprises! But in the end i simply cleaned the ball bearings and the inside strut mount. Then re-greased both put it back together and continued with the rest of the suspension. Its temporary fix for me cause im about to get cc plates. Like others have said, look into getting different strut mounts

You can definitely do a LOT of this work yourself, even if were noobs. Just prepare and research and ask for help when needed and expect issues but handle them patiently, and don't give up! Once you're done its soo satisfying to know its all your handiwork

 

First he has to polish his ***** before putting them back

 

And lube them back up

 

Just be glad you didn't drop or twist a nut! That is painful.

 

LOL! That would hurt.

 

Don't forget the ****.