Hello to all:

Just wanted to share a few pictures of the left lower control arm's rear bolt, before and after the front end alignment with the shims and cams.

Before.



After.



By the way, I never heard the "clunk". I could only see that the bolt was moving around in the slotted hole in the control arm. Currently, I'm not sure if the bolt is still moving around in the hole or not.

Hope these photos help some of you.

Wilk

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'97 F-150 4x4 Super Cab; XLT 139" Wheelbase Flairside; Silver Frost Clearcoat; 4.6L. (Romeo); 4-spd Automatic Transmission; Preferred Equipment Package 507A; 3.55 Limited Slip Axle; Electronic Shift 4x4; California Emissions; Sliding Rear Window; Trailer Towing Package; Off-Road Package; 6-Way Power Driver's Seat; Remote Keyless Entry/Anti Theft; 6-Disc CD Changer; Ford Bedliner; Ford Running Boards; Ford Nose Mask; Roll n Lock Tonneau Cover.

2000 SVT F-150 LIGHTNING XLT; 120" Wheelbase; Flareside; 5.4L EFI SOHC V8 SC Engine; 4-SPD Automatic; Silver Clearcoat Metallic; SVT Online Store Lightning Front End Mask; Roll n Lock Tonneau Cover.

 

So judging by the rust in before pic, it looks like the bolt is just about where it was before "the fix".

I know mine is moving. When I jack the truck up in the front you can see the bolt slide over as you lift the weight off the wheels.


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Rick

Email: ******@tampabay.rr.com

My Mods & More

 

Hell that is a damn alingment bolt! That is what should be used to adjust the upper control arm. Is this wat they are using to fix this???

 

I bought one of these bolts once to see if it would fix the problem. I never bothered installing it because the cam portion under the bolt head has nothing to ride against to make adjustments or hold it in place like it does on the upper cam bolts.

It looks to me like from the pictures of the cam bolt that they just let the cam go round and round until it was tight. Unless there is something I'm missing, this is the funniest thing I've seen in a while and I can't believe any machanic would install this no matter what the tech bulletin says.

This is the clincher. I'm never bringing my truck to a dealer unless there is an intercooler recall :-).

Ross

 

I have been through some of the TSB's and SSM on this control arm problem with no results. finally got my dealer to replace the lower control arms. having it done today and will report the results. so far the few people who have had this done report no furthur front end problems. thanks 95rcobra.

 

Part of the problem is the undercoating works well as a lubricant to allow the bolt head to slip. The dealership should have cleaned all of the undercoating off before installing a new bolt, then recoated over the bolt area to be able to check if the bolt is still moving.
Mine was fixed several weeks ago and no movement yet.
I strongly urge all L owners to check their truck for this problem, even if they don't hear a clunk. Front tires will start wearing on outside edges as a result. I'm still trying to get my dealership to replace mine.

Lightning Bob

 

Lightning Bob, that was one of the special service messages that I had done on my lightning. it says to remove all frame wax from around the bolt area and then retighten and torque. my control arm still moved after that but not as much. hope after today that problem will be all over. thanks 95rcobra.

 

Hey Wilywilky,
Which dealer did you go to for your work? I have an appointment at Jannell next week for the clunk. Did your dealer check alignment after the repair? BTW, Know of any Lightning get togethers in the Boston area?

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White'00 #2006
soft tonneau,22% tint
performance mods soon.

 

Hey Lightning Bob, After getting a new set of control ams installed the problem still is the frame wax. when my dealer cleaned the wax under the bolt and nut then retorqued the bolt it held real good for a while and then only moved slightly. but when they took off the control arm they noticed the wax on the inside of the frame was preventing the lock washers on the bushing from digging into the frame and stopping it from moving. now all the wax has been removed from the frame both sides and also no wax on the lock washers of the new arm so this bolt will not move anymore. 95rcobra.

 

Hey Guys!
Question: I've got about 4,000 miles on my new L and notice the "clunk" noise as well...Now the dearship says it hears the clunk but does not hear it all the time. Man! I'm sooo mad at them...they had the truck for week. How can I make them understand what needs to be fixed? Are there any offical notes from SVT about the noise and the front-end problems?

 

Thor01, the washer you are describing with teeth to grab into the frame is what is on the ends of the bushings of the control arms now. If the frame wax is taken off both sides of the frame the washer with teeth will grab into the frame and hold. the flat washer under the bolt will not have to do the work of holding onto the frame. the way the bolt is pictured above that washer with teeth will have to do all the work of holding on the frame. the way the original design was made will work if all frame wax is removed. the stress point should not be put on that washer under the bolt but on the bushings in the control arms. when I had the SSM 14029 done they only took the wax off the outside section of the frame under the bolt ,washer, and nut. this held real well but did move very slightly since. so after having it all removed I feel very confident that the arm will not move at all. the truck feels great. thanks for the input. 95rcobra.

 

I just had the TSB done to my L this morning. The cam bolts pictured are for the UPPER control arm, they are NOT intended to go in the lower location.

I was told by the alignment technician that the washers with teeth in them really do work. We'll see.

Later,
Jake...

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2000 Black Lightning
NLOC #476
PSP full meal deal
Level 10 shift kit
SnugLid
BedRug
Wet Okole seat covers
AIM 2" rear drop

13.870 @ 100.52 stock
13.087 @ 104.80 mods

jacobs@revealed.net




[This message has been edited by Baby Jake (edited 11-03-2000).]

 

Baby Jake, that sounds a little strange since all the problem of movement has been for the lower control arm only. just like the first picture shows all the movement of the bolt is for lower arm. all past clunk posts have shown lower control movement. why all of a sudden is it the upper control arm? ALL I know is the work that was done has fixed my truck. good luck. 95rcobra.

 

95Cobra,
I agree with you on removing the frame wax completly! I'm not saying your way won't work.

The washer needs to go behind the the head of the bolt-against the frame. Only the slotted hole. Remember the control arm is not slotted, Only the frame.

The bolt & washer you see in the before picture showing the witness marks, is the washer that gets replaced with the one with teeth.

I don't have an illustration of the lower control arm Asy showing the placement of the new washer yet.

I can verify for others before they go to the dealer, so they know it was installed correctly. I'll be back at work on Monday! I'll post when I get the info.

I'm out here in Las Vegas for the SEMA show. I should have looked on the 2001 L they have on display. "Tail lights are ugly"
First thing im changing when i get mine!!!

If the original design works on the truck that's great. You know the saying! "If you want something done right, Do it yourself" I say. Thanks for the reply!

 

Thor01, You are correct that the frame is slotted not the arm so they can move the arm to set alignment. BUT lets forget about the bolt and flat washer for a minute so I can draw a picture of what is happening. on the other side of the frame right behind the washer where you cannot see in the picture is a washer with locking teeth on it which is attached to bushing on the control arm. when the bolt and flat washer are tightened the washer with teeth on the other side of that frame section digs into the frame and holds it there. now it is the same on the side where the nut goes on the bolt end. there is a washer with locking teeth on the inside of the frame that is attached to the other bushing for that side. so when the bolt and nut are torqued down there are two washers with teeth that are digging into the inside frame section to hold the arm. NOW the frame wax is preventing these washers with teeth from grabbing onto the inside part of the frame. this is why the control arm is moving. If the wax is removed from both the frame under the flat washer and the other side where the washer with teeth grabs the frame this design works with no problem. sure you can put a washer with teeth on the outside section of frame under the bolt but you will still have the inside moving and that will put alot of pressure on the bolt. WITHOUT seeing the control arm out of the truck I think alot of people do not realize that these washers with teeth on the bushings exist. sorry for the long post. thanks 95rcobra.