A couple of questions.

[Captain Steve]

Ok, Question #1
The rear overhead lights pivot (I guess so passengers can read a book?) I noticed when I was cleaning the car today that there is a dead spot where the lights go out. If I just barely pivot them, they go out, a little bit more and they come back on. The question is.. is this a feature, or something I should get fixed under warrantee?

Question #2
I had the rear of the car up on stands tonight. (I was polishing my Megs tips). I was looking at the axle and noticed that it was really rusty. Question is, how tough is it to remove the axle so I can clean it up and paint it?

Question #3
While I was looking at the axle, I noticed that the rear sway bar bushing bracket on the drivers side was hanging by only one ear. :eek: I took the metal bracket off and straightened it out then re-hung it. (PITA). However, it still doesn't look right. Question is.. how much of a PITA is it to remove the sway bar and install new bushings and brackets? Is it worth upgrading to a beefier rear sway bar if I'm not really planning on doing any other suspension work anytime soon?


That sway bar scared me bad, I had a vision of my car rolling down the highway and hitting a bump, and then leaving a trail of sparks miles long.

[Rider90]

Check out rear lighting for Lincoln Town Cars ten years ago, yup, from the Parts Bin.

The axle - It would be best to scuff it with a wire brush and undercoat it rather than painting it. I suggest 3M Undercoating.

[Captain Steve]

Check out rear lighting for Lincoln Town Cars ten years ago, yup, from the Parts Bin. Ok, so it's a "feature"?

The axle - It would be best to scuff it with a wire brush and undercoat it rather than painting it. I suggest 3M Undercoating.
Would you suggest doing that in place? It's pretty badly rusted from driving around in the snow, I'm thinking of taking it out to really get the rust off. Good point about using undercoating vs. paint.. I'll do that.


Thanks for the quick reply! :)

[Rider90]

To do the job right, I would pull it out.

To save the hassle, I would leave it in.

But overall I would pull it out, decisions, decisions... :) Good Luck

[TooManyFords]

Question #2
I had the rear of the car up on stands tonight. (I was polishing my Megs tips). I was looking at the axle and noticed that it was really rusty. Question is, how tough is it to remove the axle so I can clean it up and paint it?

Don't scuff it or pull it off, get some POR-15 that go right over top of it! It will neutralize the rust and seal the axle in a tough glossy black finish that will not chip or flake. I did a frame-off restoration of my F150 4x4 and used that exclusively on the frame. It is perfect!

.02 and change!

john

[fastblackmerc]

Don't scuff it or pull it off, get some POR-15 that go right over top of it! It will neutralize the rust and seal the axle in a tough glossy black finish that will not chip or flake. I did a frame-off restoration of my F150 4x4 and used that exclusively on the frame. It is perfect!

.02 and change!

john
I go with the POR15 also. Check out their website: http://www.por15.com/
Make sure you wear gloves when using this and protect you work area. Once it dries it's tough if not impossible to remove. It will take 3 - 4 weeks for it to wear off your hands!!

[MENINBLK]

The axle - It would be best to scuff it with a wire brush and undercoat it rather than painting it. I suggest 3M Undercoating.

The last thing you want on your rear axle housing is undercoating.

HAVE YOU GONE MAD ?!?!? :loco:

Undercoating acts like an insulator,and it will keep heat trapped inside your axle housing.
It may not be important on short runs, but after driving for a while on the highway,
and rear axle housing will get pretty hot.

Leave the axle alone for now.
If you want to get rid of the rust so you can polish it,
get yourself a big jar of Navel Jelly.
That will dissolve the rust quickly and leave you with bare metal.
You can polish that up nicely after sandblasting it.

[Captain Steve]

Ok, so I guess undercoating is out. Now I'm back to paint.

Now, how do I get that sucker out of there?

[torinodan]

Your lights seem normal. To me and my understanding it's the difference between 3 possitions IE: doors open all inside lights come on, dimmer switch to max to turn on all inside lights, and when it pivots that breaks the the electrical connection of the first two so you can have reading lights and the other don't turn on. Thats my understanding and nothing more.

[ctrcbob]

Lights are normal.

One position is for them to come on when the doors open.

One position is for them to stay off all the time.

One position is for them to come on only when a rear seat passenger flicks it on.

[Rider90]

The last thing you want on your rear axle housing is undercoating.

HAVE YOU GONE MAD ?!?!? :loco:

Undercoating acts like an insulator,and it will keep heat trapped inside your axle housing.
It may not be important on short runs, but after driving for a while on the highway,
and rear axle housing will get pretty hot.

Leave the axle alone for now.
If you want to get rid of the rust so you can polish it,
get yourself a big jar of Navel Jelly.
That will dissolve the rust quickly and leave you with bare metal.
You can polish that up nicely after sandblasting it.

I apoligize, I shall put my gods-head engraved crack pipe down...

[RF Overlord]

Question #3...how much of a PITA is it to remove the sway bar and install new bushings and brackets? Is it worth upgrading to a beefier rear sway bar if I'm not really planning on doing any other suspension work anytime soon?

The sway bar is very simple to R&R; just remove the two axle brackets and the two end-links with common hand tools...

...and YES, it IS worth it to do the upgrade. Sway bar, control arms, and Watts link can be done separately in any order.

[rocknrod]

The sway bar is very simple to R&R; just remove the two axle brackets and the two end-links with common hand tools...
...and YES, it IS worth it to do the upgrade. Sway bar, control arms, and Watts link can be done separately in any order.
Just where do we obtain sway bars, Watts Links, control arms for the marauder ? Especially sway bars.
I see alot of people talking about them here, but I never see who they bought them from???????
Summit doesnt have them.

[RF Overlord]

Dennis Reinhart sells the sway bars (I believe Innovative Interceptors does, too), Metco sells the Watts link & billet control arms. Tubular control arms (the ones I prefer) are available from SergntMac or Zack.

[jfclancy]

I go with the POR15 also. Check out their website: http://www.por15.com/
Make sure you wear gloves when using this and protect you work area. Once it dries it's tough if not impossible to remove. It will take 3 - 4 weeks for it to wear off your hands!!

This is the stuff I heard about from my brother in Penna. according to him it is as good or better than anything else he has tried. He has been a wrench for 25 years and it is very unusual for him to recommend anything.I just could not find it ...UNTIL now

Thanks again
Joe :beer: :beer: