All,
I replaced my strut arms with Heidts tubular A-Arms upper and lower. The strut rods work "OK" but are there to simply limit lateral ball joint movement. They were a very inexpensive way for Ford to originally design and build a very low cost Independent front suspension for very inexpensive cars.
The problem with the strut arms is they dramatically restrict vertical suspension articulation due to the pivot point of the strut arm being a rubber bushing. For vertical suspension movement, the bushing is compressed on the top or bottom depending on the suspension moving up or down. This is LESS than ideal as your asking a bushing (either rubber or polyurethane to provide articulation based on compression of one side of the bushing. Due to age of bushing, compress-ability, etc...the strut rods will create slight variances in lower ball joint location during suspension travel.
The new Heidts tubulars are rock solid, articulate smoothly on a 5/8 shaft and steel lined polyurethane bushings and only rotate around this axis with absolutely NO DEPENDANCE on compression of a strut rod bushing.
I just completed this on my car about two weeks ago and it's fairly straightforward, requires some welding and can typically be handled in a day or so. I took a little extra time as I wanted to take before and after measurements of the stock OEM Ford and Heidts arms to ensure suspension geometry stayed the same with the new arms (see measurements in previous posts).
It was a little simpler for me since I have my frame stripped down and the engine/trans removed, but this could still be accomplished on a completed car, just slightly more difficult as some of the welding access is on the front cross member under or adjacent to your
oil pan.
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