Is it absolutely necessary to loosen the bolt under the rear seats to install the UCA?

on a 2013 mustang

 

Yes, absolutely, even if you don't replace the bracket. You'll need to pull the bracket and UCA as a unit. You then torque the new UCA to the bracket before putting it back on the car. The 2011+ UCA's are so much easier to replace than the earlier S197's were, with exception to the insane new torque specs on that heftier bolt under the back seat. BTW, I used a large 1/2" breaker bar extended with a floor jack handle to loosen that bolt. To torque that bolt, I first torqued it to 130 ft lbs with my torque wrench, then tightened it another 1/8 turn using the breaker bar and jack handle technique.

 

is the torque for that bolt 300? or 350 ft/lbs?
crap. is also necessary to mess with the gas tank?


Ive searched around but havent found a 2011+ specific installation instruction. so i have a lot of questions

 

It is 350 ft lbs, and you don't need to touch the gas tank. Also, this link should help you. http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=499

 

yeah thats where i got the 350 spec from too. im speaking with steeda at the moment, they're about to send me specific instructions to the part i might buy, hopefully everything i need is there. but ill keep the ford specs in mind.

so the original reason i asked my first question was cause i didnt want to deal with having to torque the under seat bolt... you said you got it up to 130 then gave it a turn? how do you that was enough to get you to 350 or close?

 

I believe other manufacture's have different torque specs, for instance the Whiteline piece I installed called for 130 I believe. What does help if you can finagle it is to drop or move the OTA's since they get in the way, otherwise you can do the whole job in about 1 hour under the car while the body is on jack stands and the pumpkin is held by a jack.

 

Im definitely gonna do it myself. Probably going to back it onto ramps.. If thats not high enough ill lift it up and put the jack stands under the axle. My only concern is tightening the underseat bolt to the proper torque. 350 ft/lbs is insane lol

 

It's possible, use your legs and do some pushups lol