1998 & 2000 Ford Crown Victoria Severe Duty Rear Frame Repair

This procedure is for repairing cracks and installing reinforcement brackets on the rear control arm mounts. Depending on the size of the cracks, some or all of the mounts will require coach welds. All of the control arm mounts will have reinforcement brackets installed on them.
INSPECTION
NOTE: All illustrations show the right side, the left side is similar.
1. Record radio stations.
2. Disconnect the battery ground cable.
3. NOTE: Upon reassembly, the control arms must be tightened with the vehicle suspension at ride height. Therefore, the shock absorbers must be marked while the vehicle is still on the ground to show ride height before the control arms are removed. While parked on a level surface, mark the rear suspension shock absorbers relative to the position of their protective sleeves.
4. Raise the vehicle on a hoist and remove the rear wheels.
5. NOTE: Inspect both sides of the vehicle.
Clean and inspect the areas of the upper and lower control arm mounts for cracks as indicated in the illustration. Measure the length of any cracks that are located.
A. If any of the control arm mounts have separated from the frame rail, do not continue with this procedure. Contact the recall hotline at 1-800-325-5621 for further instruction.
B. If no cracks are located, install reinforcement brackets on ALL control arm mounts. Perform REINFORCEMENT BRACKET INSTALLATION.
C. Vehicles with only cracks of less than one-half inch in length, proceed as follows.
• Perform CRACK REPAIR AND COACH WELD PLACEMENT, repairing all cracks and strategically placing coach welds on ONLY the control arm mount(s), which contain cracks.
• Perform REINFORCEMENT BRACKET INSTALLATION, installing reinforcement brackets on ALL control arm mounts.
D. Vehicles with any cracks 1/2 inch long or greater, proceed as follows.
• Perform CRACK REPAIR AND COACH WELD PLACEMENT, repairing all cracks and placing coach welds on ALL the control arm mounts.
• Perform REINFORCEMENT BRACKET INSTALLATION, installing reinforcement brackets on ALL control arm mounts.
CRACK REPAIR AND COACH WELD PLACEMENT
NOTE: Removal of control arm(s) (steps 3 or 4) is not necessary for mounts that do not require coach welds.
1. Position safety stands under the rear axle housing.
2. If equipped with an air spring, wrap the air spring in a protective welding blanket.
3. Loosen the rear pivot bolt on the lower control arm, then remove the front pivot bolt. Rotate the lower control arm downward, away from the frame mount.
4. Remove the upper control arm pivot bolts, then remove the upper control arm.
5. CAUTION: Grind only enough metal away to form the V-groove. Do not grind completely through the frame rail or mount parent metal.

source: http://www.p71interceptor.com/suspension/controlarms/rear/fsa00b60/fsa00b60tech.pdf