Just some random front end repair information.

[silent]

It's been a long time since I posted here, but I've been a member since around 2010. Since that time I've used my old gray contour to pull my grandpa's 1938 chevy box trailer hauling all kinds of stuff. It's my economical truck.

The engine is the 2L Zetec with the 4 speed automatic.

I noticed my front subframe is getting swiss cheesy around the lca bolts so I'll be looking at a front subframe replacement. If anyone can point me in the right direction on how-to information on this site I'd appreciate it. I'd even consider hiring someone to come help me in my driveway to do the swap. My LX is a 1999 and I was told that if you took a pre 1997 V6 manual transmission subframe, it would bolt right in and let you convert to the 4 bolt lower control arms which were far less problematic. Any comments on this?

Anyway, I've continued to utilize O'Reilly's lifetime parts program and managed to get free rear struts and springs and now have gotten free front replacements which I'm working on putting on. I'm convinced aftermarket parts suck. They just don't last and if you can find OEM anything it's better than what you can get in the aftermarket.

I found a twin to my car (only in white) with 42k original miles in the upullit yard. Made me sick because I'd have much rather got this car and moved parts from my old one on to this. In fact it would needed nothing, but that's life. I would have bought it in a heartbeat for more than salvage price. I was able to get the front suspension off from it so I'm going to run that before I go back to my O'Reilly's parts. I couldn't believe when I replaced all my wheel bearings 5000 miles ago that the fronts would already be completely worn out. Talk about pissed. Just poor aftermarket quality!

I discovered a leaky transmission return line and of course Ford has discontinued that. In desperation, I've turned to Ford Mondeo parts and had what I needed shipped from Italy. The cooler line bolted right on no problem although a bit of a trick working in the new line without cutting it. I did figure it out though.

I also needed 2 new spring hats for the tops of my struts. Mine are so rusted thin I was afraid they'd snap in 2. Turns out, 1033283 for the Mondeo is the ticket. I found 4 of them and they are in a plane headed here from the UK as I type this. There is one more I found in Poland at a Ford dealership and I'm working at trying to get that one too just to have the spare parts on hand.

Since I'm a big guy, I've completely worn off the foam padding from my steering wheel where my legs rubs across it. Fortunately this junkyard contour had a really nice wheel so I took it and left the airbag and clockspring behind. I would have been charged for them and so I didn't want to bother with them. I plan to go back and strip the rear suspension, but I think that car will be gone before I get the chance to go back. In the end I'd like to get an old person owned one out of Texas, NM, or AZ and just bring it home. Far less rust, but parts are starting to get really hard to find.

1999 Mondeo parts seem to exist in Europe and it's not too expensive at the moment to get them shipped here, but I wouldn't say it's cheap either.

Any help on the front subframe replacement information would be appreciated. I'd like to convert to a 4 bolt. I went through so many aftermarket lca that caused me to swerve all over the road. I finally spent over 500 bucks from 2 Ford dealerships to get the last ones on the shelf and the car handles like it did when it was new. When these wear out, I don't know what I'll do. I like picking a vehicle and sticking with it so I can learn how to fix it. I prefer that instead of just buying something different all the time. I hate driving what I don't know.

To reiterate, I had a guy tell me that a pre-1997 front subframe from a manaual transmission V6 contour will bolt into my 1999 just fine and then I can use the 4 bolt lower control arms with my existing struts and it will all fit and work.

Any help would be appreciated. I don't want to go to the trouble to source this subframe and find out it's incorrect.

Thank You all and still driving my contour in 2024 after owning it since 2008. Pulling a trailer too on my 2nd hitch since the first one rusted off lol!

silent

 

[2000SVTC]

Re 2 bolt LCAs - during last year's front end refresh I used Moog bushings and ball joints from Rockauto in an old arm. The Moog parts look better than any of the parts used in the complete LCA assemblies, specifically the larger bushing assy has an intermediate steel ring similar to the OEM part. The bushings were pretty easy to replace on a small hydraulic press once I had the right diameter supports and pushers..

Time will tell how they hold up. I'm on my 4th set of LCAs at 208k miles. OEM lasted well, had very premature ball joint failure on the first replacement then premature bushing failure on 2nd set. Wish I'd bought Motorcraft for the 1st replacement, they'd probably still be going..

 

[silent]

Re 2 bolt LCAs - during last year's front end refresh I used Moog bushings and ball joints from Rockauto in an old arm. The Moog parts look better than any of the parts used in the complete LCA assemblies, specifically the larger bushing assy has an intermediate steel ring similar to the OEM part. The bushings were pretty easy to replace on a small hydraulic press once I had the right diameter supports and pushers..

Time will tell how they hold up. I'm on my 4th set of LCAs at 208k miles. OEM lasted well, had very premature ball joint failure on the first replacement then premature bushing failure on 2nd set. Wish I'd bought Motorcraft for the 1st replacement, they'd probably still be going..

I agree with you for oem quality. Lately I've just been appalled at the dismal quality of aftermarket parts. One after the other of premature failures from ac compressors to bearings. I always shoot for oem and moog where ever possible.

I'm headed to Minnesota this weekend to get my subframe. My current one is getting Swiss cheesed around the lca bolts and that is worrisome. Also a crack has formed around the left rear body attach bolt on the subframe itself. Rust is slowly claiming my ride and it won't be long ill be headed to Oklahoma, Texas, NM, or Arizona to bring a rust free Contour home. I don't even really care if the engine is shot or seized...I'll just move my engine into the new one. I don't really have an affinity for Ford products, but this ride has done amazing things for me and I've learned to work on it so I do what needs to be done.

Does anyone know a source of strut spring hats in the usa?

Also I wanted to mention that I found the perfect oem style clamp for the inner part of the rack and pinion boot. I was able to do it right on the car. Using lisle tool 30600 which squeezes the clamp from the side, I installed oetiker part number cv62band7 from BelMetric located on the east coast some place. They shipped fed ex and the price was really reasonable. Using the 2 hole from the end of the clamp I was able to get the perfect amount of tension. I think factory spec is 55.5mm and the clamp was listed at one interval of 55.6mm if that makes any sense. I tightened the clamp so that the boot won't come off but so that I could still rotate it a little bit after crimping the clamp. I had to in order to get the breather tube aligned with the breather hole on the boot. Please note if you have one boot done already, make sure to get the breather tube installed on that boot first or you are gonna have fun trying to get it installed after the fact. I ended up using a ratchet strap and having my wife pull a little bit so Icould get the tube installed in the boot on the other side.