front end vibration

[marine165]

Well, sorry I haven't been around for a while, but I have an update of sorts.
Right now, it seems that the 'front end vibration' wasn't in the front end at all, but instead in the rear axle. On the last long trip I took (philadelphia to Mobile AL and back again), the rear axle chewed itself up. You can hear noise coming from both the inner and outer bearings and there are metal flakes in the gear oil. D'oh. The interesting part is that, now that the bearings are shot, the Cougar is nice and smooth at all speeds. Go figure. From that I assume that the 'shake' was actually a slightly bent axle that was just getting worse little by little all the time. I've ordered a 2.75 axle from a junkyard, and am presently waiting for it to arrive. They couldn't tell me if it was a traction lock or not; I hope it is! And I hope my hunch is correct and that a new axle will cure the vibration that has plauged my car ever since I've had it. We shall see. I'll let everybody know how it turns out once I get the new axle in.
BTW, if anyone has a 3.00 traction lock rear end they'd be willing to part with, I might be persuaded to buy it and do something else with the 2.75 ... :)

Mike

[Gearworks]

mike, by chance did you notine my handle? hehehehehe i DO rearends! with 8 and 9 inch fords being our specialty! whatever you want i can put it together! email me and we'll get that cat up and flying... oh wait its not a thunderbird! OK well we'll get that cat....uh.... Growling? :D

[marine165]

Argh! Gearworks, why didn't you say so earlier? Sigh. I already bought a 2.75 open diff from a junkyard and put it in. But I still have the old housing with everything still in it, and I don't know what to do with it... if you build rear-ends, would you be interested in a core? Its a 2.50 open diff. What I eventually want for the Cougar is a 3.25 trac-lock to go with the AOD I want to swap in. That would mean replacing everything in the rear end, of course, since it would take 31 spline axles, but what the hey? So long as the axle flanges are 5x4.5" bolt pattern, it'd fit a bird or cougar.
Another question; would the disk brake rear end out of a Lincoln Mark V fit our cars? The mounting points looked similar. That would seriously be worth doing. I found one in a junkyard, but the center section and the rotors and calipers were gone from it. Anyway, Gearworks or whoever else might be interested, I have a good axle tube that needs rebuilt, and a spare rear sway bar, along with a bunch of good rear drum brake hardware lying around if anyone wants it. Gearworks, if you're interested in talking rear axles, e-me off list.

P.S. I took the Cougar to an autocross last sunday with a bunch of my buddies, and out of a manual SHO taurus, a VTEC integra, and an 84 HO trans am, the Cougar posted the fastest time around the course. :) Who said they couldn't handle?

Mike

[Gearworks]

nothing like a great handling "Barge" to piss people off eh? hehehehe i love it when my friends cant hang with me around corners!
as far as the rear disc setup goes look on ebay. theres a guy that sells his own raer disc brackets. ive got a set on my bird (thats one of the pics i sent you) those brackets use 82 - 85 camaro FRONT calipers, if you dont need an E brake. its a kick-ass set up...
now for that rear end, it isnt of much use to me. BUT i can set up youre center to put those friends of yours even FURTHER behind you! hehehehe email me lets talk turkey!