Gen II V8 Sport - replaced rear lateral toe links

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Deaconblue

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I have never really liked the passive rear steering in my ’04 LS Sport. It makes highway speed lane changes too quickly/abruptly and low speed right handed turns too tightly. So when I discovered a couple months ago that after 11 years and only 39K miles that the boots on the factory rear lateral toe control links were ripped, I order a pair of DEEZA # JA-L607 fixed length replacement units.

I got around to replacing these this past rainy Sunday. The replacement job was easy, straight forward and only takes about 2 hrs. I tried to match the length of the new ones to that of the old ones by setting them side to side, using the knuckle mounting bolt through both links as a fix point and adjusting the length of the new unit to match the length old one by using a short straight edge. I did this for both sides. Don’t sweet this too much, even being this anal, I must not have gotten this perfectly correct. The car is now dog legging going straight down the street with the steering wheel off by about 30 degrees. So make sure to schedule a four wheel alignment after you replace these links.

I will reserve my final judgment on the elimination of the passive rear steering until I get the alignment done in a couple days.

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are those stainless??? when i bough a pair, they were poorly painted black which kept the rust away for three whole weeks!
 
No, they are either clear zinc chromate or electroless nickel plated. I would have preferred a black e-coating or powder coating from a purely aesthetic point of view, but that is what came in the box.
 
lol, that's weird, when i google the model number, it shows the black ones like I received.

honestly, if they go longer with out starting to rust, I wouldn't care if they were pink!!!
 
You'll like the non-passive rear steering, I did. Tight like a go-kart. Mind ya I did way more then just the toe linkages, now lowered in the rear with new suspension all around, at highway speeds when I flick the steering wheel, it swiftly straightens and keeps going straight with no bounce from the rear. Best thing I ever did was put those non-passives in. Handles rear tight around long and short quick sweepers. Very pleased with it. Mine showed up black as well and was also warned on here they'd rust out quickly, I opted to hit them with some rattle can clear once it was all in and aligned.

Our '03 is in need of a fresh set soon, where did you get these Stainless ones from? Rockauto?

For my '01 I had ordered them from MIBearings LLC a USA company out of MI,

Stabilizer Link JA-L607 XR825750 6W4Z5B551AA 101-6784

Currently listed at $72.17 per unit. I recall when I ordered them they were something around 68$ or close to it.

... However, they were the black coated ones. Where would I get these nice stainless from and what was the listed cost per unit on them?
I'm presuming RockAuto?


TIA
 
I ordered them off eBay in late April for $72.14 each with free shipping from R&J Auto Parts in East Hartford, CT. They were shown as black, but arrived as shown. Maybe DEEZA recently changed the coating/plating in response to corrosion concerns from past customers?
 
After driving the car for a few days I have to admit that I really like the handling without the passive rear steering much better than the factory setup. The rear end is very "planted" and predicable. Turn-ins are what they should be and not tighter by surprise. Highway lane changes are simple and not dramatic, without any secondary unexpected reactions or motions. A very confidant and secure feeling from the rear suspension. This is the way the car should have been delivered at the dealership.
 
I would say you are describing my LS with the (fairly new) factory toe-links. The problem is that you are comparing old worn out factory toe-links to new aftermarket toe-links. I wonder how you would feel about new factory toe-links? I'm pretty sure about how I would feel with worn out (factory or aftermarket) toe-links.
 
not to mention, a lot of people are waiting until the OEM toe links are WAY past worn out and have been all loosey goosey for a good while...
 
joegr said:
I would say you are describing my LS with the (fairly new) factory toe-links. The problem is that you are comparing old worn out factory toe-links to new aftermarket toe-links. I wonder how you would feel about new factory toe-links? I'm pretty sure about how I would feel with worn out (factory or aftermarket) toe-links.
Click to expand...

Yes the car is 11 years old, but it only has 41K miles on it, so "old worn out factory toe-links" maybe a bit of a stretch. I only replaced the links due to the ripped grease seals. But if the suspension bushings and link ends are truly worn out after only 40K miles, then shame on Ford for designing sub par components.
 
Joe is right (as always) new VS old, OEM VS aftermarket non-passive.
regardless end of the day, it's the refreshed parts in the rear that makes it handle nicely again, Passive Steering or not, it's nice and tight all over again.

IMO: I think the difference would be so small between OEM and Non-Passive aftermarket. If you are tracking the car every weekend ... maybe then you'd have an argument but myself I have no regrets going without the passives steering rear end.

It's all good.
 
Deaconblue said:
so "old worn out factory toe-links" maybe a bit of a stretch.
Click to expand...

you have to be joking right?

look at the pictures YOU posted, those things are long over due for replacing, I don't care if the car only has 100 miles on it, its over a decade old and time can be rougher on some parts more than miles.

its not like there was one small tear in the boot, those end bushings are completely shot and the boots are destroyed! all it takes is one small hole tear (which you were completely past that point) to start letting moisture in, and once moisture starts getting in there, that when the joint itself starts getting destroyed.

it doesn't take that much wear at all for a small amount of motion outside of what the part was designed to do, to translate into major movement at the rear end with causes such poor control.




interesting question for you? with such few miles, are you still riding on the original 11 year old tires? getting 40k miles out of a set of tire is not uncommon at all, but riding around on tires that are over a decade old is extremely dangerous...
 
Anyone got any leads on these DEEZA # JA-L607 linkages,
I can't seem to find any, appears out of stock, already had one order for qty 4 canceled and refunded.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
 
BigRigLS said:
Anyone got any leads on these DEEZA # JA-L607 linkages,
I can't seem to find any, appears out of stock, already had one order for qty 4 canceled and refunded.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
Click to expand...

I can't seem to find the Deeza brand units anymore as well, but you can find the very similar Deutsche brand units on eBay for about the same money.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINCOLN-LS-...ET-2-/170683939508?fits=Make:Lincoln|Model:LS

I have never used that brand so I have no idea of their quality compared to the Deeza or OEM parts.
 
Yeah the Deutsche brand has some quality issues as noted on LvC for some time. Might be worth a try and keep an eye on.
I am however looking for the non-passive steering units which were only the DEEZA brands. May have to go OEM instead. Still trying to figure it out.

IMBearings still has them listed on their site, wondering if they just don't want to ship to Canada anymore.

My local dealer wants $266.71CDN per unit. I need 2 but would like 4, at that price it's not going to happen!

Making some calls on Monday see what comes up.
 
I remember someone mentioning on here that Deeza did stop making them.

DP links are junk.

I wouldn't worry about the non passive steer. OEM seems the way to go. My Deeza links showed surface rust a few months after installation, also looks like the rubber boot deteriorated.
 
Worse comes to worse, someone did a thread here where they replaced the links with Heim joints and tubular steel. And, it would probably be a superior link than the weak sisters Lincoln put on.
 
pragmatic said:
Know nothing about this firm and its likely out of stock. Seems Deeza has stopped supplying.

https://mibearings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=84502
Click to expand...



BigRigLS said:
... IMBearings still has them listed on their site ...
Click to expand...


Not to be snotty and despite my slight misspelling, yes that part I had already figured out. I actually prefer using rear toe adjust linkages with no Passive-Steering dampeners.

I've searched high and low ... OEM from Tasca it is. I'd only throw cheap DP links on if I was selling.
 
What about this LEMFORDER stuff for a 2002 JAG S-Type

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1386682&parttype=7425


Think that fits 03 & 04 LS'es ?



EDIT - - - -

Well yes it does, (self-help)

Make/Model/Year/SubModel/Notes

Jaguar S-Type 2000
Jaguar S-Type 2001
Jaguar S-Type 2002
Lincoln LS 2000
Lincoln LS 2001
Lincoln LS 2002
Lincoln LS 2003
Lincoln LS 2004
Lincoln LS 2005
Lincoln LS 2006
 
Correct, I'm actually getting non-passive for the 04 LSE and OEM Passive for the 03


EDIT - - -
Ah! I see the misunderstanding now, the two LEMFORDER's listed at RockAuto are Non-Passive toe adjust end linkages. And I do want those.
 
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