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'03+ Frame Pix! *DUW*

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    '03+ Frame Pix! *DUW*

    When I was working at the County, we had a CVPI on the hoist one evening, and I happened to have my camera with me, so I took advantage of the situation. Enjoy!

    First, a picture of the whole frame. As you can see, teh bulk of it is basically the same as it's always been--the biggest differences are in the front and the rear.


    Front lower control arm--it mounts to the rack and pinion assembly in the front (first picture) and the frame in the rear (second picture).



    Front springs and shocks--nothing particularly earth shattering in the new design, but here they are.


    Front upper control arm mounts are a little different. The aluminum piece here mounts to the frame, and the control arm mounts to the outside of that. The aluminum piece is also where the top of the spring sits, and where the shock absorber mounts. (bottom of the pic is closer to the outside of the car).


    You can see the way everything mounts in this picture:


    Here's teh rack and pinion assembly. Sorry the pix are kinda dark, but I did the best I could.




    Here's the steering shaft. It's got that strange little jog in it down near the rack and pinion assembly. Not sure what that's all about.



    Next up, tranny crossmember. It's grown quite a bit from the chunk of pipe with the flattened ends and funny bends in it that the old ones had.



    Continuing our rearward march, we approach the rear suspension. Some pretty drastic changes have happened back here.

    The rear end on these has what would appear to be two sets of upper control arms, but due to my limited knowledge of suspension systems, one set is probably classified as something else--hopefully someone more experienced than me can clarify that.

    Here's the outer set--they go from the top of the rear axle housing to the outside of the frame.


    Here's the inner set. They go from a pivot at the center of the diff housing to the inside of the frame rail:


    The pivot they mount to:



    Here's one little thing about the '03+ frame that bothers me. The rear lower control arms are just thin sheet metal bent over at the edges. Seems pretty cheesy when you consider they're a C-channel piece on the older cars.


    Rear shock absorbers mount outside the frame.


    Upper mount:


    Lower mount:


    Rear stabilizer bar--on these, rather than just going between the lower control arms, it goes through a bushing on the bottom of the axle housing and then it appears like it mounts to the body at either end.




    The rear bar is smaller on the newer ones, although I guess that part isn't an '03+ thing. Looks to be about 5/8".


    Oddly enough, they changed teh carrier a bit as well. This is a posi carrier, but notice that you can't see the clutches?


    I don't know if all the disc brake cars have this or not, but I thought it was kind of interesting. The rear brake rotors have a drum built into the inside of them for the parking brake. It's just a really small drum brake inside that's operated by the parking brake cable. Kind of clever, I thought.


    Anyhow, I guess that's about all I've got for now. Hope it helps some people who are wondering what all the differences are, and I'm also hoping those of you who know more about this stuff than I do will chime in and describe things better.

    2001 Ford Crown Victoria P71 - "The Fire Engine"
    1985 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
    But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

    #2
    Thats a crazy joint in the steering shaft. Noticed that on our '04 parts car. Lots of great pix man.
    **2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 5.0/ 6 spd/ 3.73s, 20K Cruiser
    **2006 MGM,"Ultimate": 4.6/ 2.73/ Dark Tint, Magnaflows, 19s, 115K Daily Driver
    **2012 Harley Davidson Wide Glide (FXDWG):103/ Cobra Speedsters/ Cosmetics, 9K Poseur HD Rider
    **1976 Ford F-150 4WD: 360, 4 spd, 3.50s, factory A/C, 4" lift, Bilsteins, US Indy Mags, 35s Truck Duties

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      #3
      That is great info and should be archived!

      God I wish I had an 03+ frame.

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        #4
        the rear control arms can be that thin since they are no longer needed for lateral location, they only are loaded in up/down and fore/aft.

        The rear sway bar has been that was since 1992, the regular cars got 17mm bars, PIs got 18mm, LX Sports with the HPP package got 21mm

        and The Panther has had the same rear parking brake since 92, the other parking brake design that is used is a cable attached to the caliper that when pulled rotates the piston and pushes the pads against the rotor
        http://secondhandracing.com/Home.aspx
        http://secondhandradio.com/

        R.I.P. Jason P Harrill 6-12-06

        http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=5634

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          #5
          Hey .... hey .... I'm liking it ..........

          This could make a great replacement for my rusted-to-heck '79 frame. Wonder how much it'd cost to get hold of one?
          2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

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            #6
            Give it a few years and I bet a used cop car with no engine would turn up cheap.
            -Matt
            1968 Fairlane 500 - 1998 Camaro Z/28

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              #7
              That'd be kewl. Guess we'll all cross our fingers and hope ones blows its engine before getting wrecked! :p
              2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

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                #8
                The rear suspension on those is a true parallel 4 link, the lateral location is via the watts link, which is what that arrangement with the bell crank and the 2 arms that run parallel to the axle shaft is. They went to that design I think in 1998. Only real difference in 03 was the change in axle length or whatever was done so that the front and rear wheels use the same offset.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by nitroracer View Post
                  Give it a few years and I bet a used cop car with no engine would turn up cheap.
                  I (rather me old man) happens to have just this car ('04). The frame has a little bump on the pass. side rear. He bought the car from auction (DAS CT) for $770 with buyers commission. It has messed up paperwork though (from the state of CT) and we are unable to sell it. We bought it for parts for his car. Then I took the seats.

                  I've had this conversation before with others contemplating the frame swap (namely MR. LTD). Guess I shouldn't have brought it up. Oh well, go to a local state auction and see what you can pick up. Some cars have minimal damage (yet have been totally parted out) and can be had for cheap.
                  **2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 5.0/ 6 spd/ 3.73s, 20K Cruiser
                  **2006 MGM,"Ultimate": 4.6/ 2.73/ Dark Tint, Magnaflows, 19s, 115K Daily Driver
                  **2012 Harley Davidson Wide Glide (FXDWG):103/ Cobra Speedsters/ Cosmetics, 9K Poseur HD Rider
                  **1976 Ford F-150 4WD: 360, 4 spd, 3.50s, factory A/C, 4" lift, Bilsteins, US Indy Mags, 35s Truck Duties

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                    The rear suspension on those is a true parallel 4 link, the lateral location is via the watts link, which is what that arrangement with the bell crank and the 2 arms that run parallel to the axle shaft is. They went to that design I think in 1998. Only real difference in 03 was the change in axle length or whatever was done so that the front and rear wheels use the same offset.

                    Yup, that's correct. The rear suspension has been unchanged since 1998, EXCEPT for the rear shocks which were moved outboard of the frame rails for 03 which was really a very MINOR change. (as the pics show, all that was done was a small bracket welded on the outside, and the lower shock mount made with the lower control arm mount)
                    The axle was also made wider and lower offset wheels where used. The rear track was made slightly wider for clearance for the outboard shocks.


                    A 98-02 or even a -97 owner could do this if they really wanted to. It would be a little tight with stock offset/backspace wheels on a -97, but with some 1" adapters you'd have PLENTY of room and the wheels still are in the fender wells (ie my car)

                    w/ stock wheels on a 92-97:

                    ---Image courtesy 2vmodular
                    -My Homepage, Panther info & FAQs-
                    My Mint 96' Mercury Grand Marquis LSE -
                    Modifications
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                      #11
                      Great pic! Interesting that they still have those weight things at the front of the H-pipe.
                      2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        there's a technical name for those, but they're to reduce drone in the exhaust by cancelling the harmonics or something. No idea what they're really called.
                        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                        Originally posted by phayzer5
                        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                          there's a technical name for those, but they're to reduce drone in the exhaust by cancelling the harmonics or something. No idea what they're really called.
                          newer F-150s have about 2"x2" 3/8" thick steel plates welded to the exhaust
                          http://secondhandracing.com/Home.aspx
                          http://secondhandradio.com/

                          R.I.P. Jason P Harrill 6-12-06

                          http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=5634

                          Comment


                            #14
                            So I take it the only real major changes for '03 were in the front suspension, everything else (rear shocks notwithstanding) has been the same since '98?

                            2001 Ford Crown Victoria P71 - "The Fire Engine"
                            1985 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
                            But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

                            Comment


                              #15
                              great pics Nate!
                              sigpic
                              1989 Ford Crown Victoria
                              99K

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