1993 Fox Mustang Convertible Top Hydraulic Cylinder Replacement

This video was made after I was done, as I didn't have an extra set of hands to video as I worked. While not a true step-by-step tutorial, this shows you some of the tricks I learned along the way, compared to some of the reviews I found online about how difficult this project is. This project is NOT difficult at all, and I hope this video helps you tackle your leaky cylinders.

[@bostonsirish1]

This is best video for someone with a 1987-1993 foxbody who needs assistance changing your pistols hands down the best !!!

[@daviddiaz3277]

I just finished the swap of both hydraulic cylinders on my show room condition 1993 GT 5.0. Very easy to remove, a little tricky to line everything up and replace the one nut and bracket. The video got me 80% of the way. Take pictures during breakdown, pretty helpful and just some mechanical knowledge is required. All in all it took me just OVER 3 hours with some breaks.

[@bretthenry7480]

Awesome video! Thank you for sharing this. Easy process for swapping out cylinders. Finished installing 2 new cylinders in my 91' LX last night. Need to hit the dollar store today for a squeeze bottle so I can add fluid and bleed the system today.

[@carlsaxboy5916]

Working on '92, a little different but with the info you supplied I'm a little closer. Thank you so much.

[@finbah5706]

great video. not having to take off them support brackets is huge.. i was going to go pay someone to do this job because all other videos show people take off all those bolts for structure. I didn't want to mess with it. But now I see it can be flanked doing that. ill give it a try. thanks for the video!!!

[@danielzickefoose5287]

Excellent how to video. Thank you for making this video for us do it yourselfers. Really appreciate it!!

[@suvado]

Excellent! Well explained! I place a pan under the lines to collect the fluid Thanks for the info, saved me time.

[@djrook512]

Thanks for making this video. I have a 1989 gt and it's exactly the same process. Hardest part was the draining and getting the air out of the hoses

[@route3filmsSTL]

Thank you so much! I could not figure out how to remove those pesky ram cylinders until I found your helpful video!

[@jeffreywhite7657]

I just bought an 89 gt and getting ready to go through this. Thank you for the tips!

[@shatteredglasstheglassman9625]

Great video… the only one on KZbin for a Foxbody Thank You Sir !!👌

[@carlosnsosa99]

I’m doing mine as we speak and I would have loved to see you actually do it instead of just talking about what you did but oh well I guess I’ll have to figure it out

[@robstiles6355]

Great video man! Had the same puddle on a 17K mile car and this is literally the only thing I have never repaired on a fox!

[@caliboytd83]

Thanks man bought a 93’ 2.3 lx about 6 months ago and finally I got around to figuring out why the top switch doesn’t work. First filled the pump with atf and it was working at first then gave it a few minutes and heard it leaking from the o-ring in the lift cylinder.

[@hddaddy]

great video .thanks for the information. Really helped with replacing the cylinders👍

[@survivethrive2468]

Great video man. I wished you had showed doing the work. I'm about to tackle this project on my 88 lx 5.0 vert. Would def like to talk with you more about the procedure. Dos and don'ts. I am not sure if pre 1990 verts are different as far as removing certain things to access the cylinders. I have the rear seats out the car and trim panels removed already because i just did the quarter glass guide rod bushing repair. Total pain in the ass lol hope the cylinders aren't as bad as mine are really leaking. thanks again.

[@JasonSmith-wu7dm]

Sorry man...I thought about the video after I was done ;-) There really aren't any do's or don'ts other than what I mentioned in the video. I doubt there is much difference from 83-86 and 87-93 in terms of the process. I'm guessing Cars & Concepts used mostly the same internal frame-work when building these.

[@JamesRhea132]

Thanks for the video. I installed one of these on my fox, but it seems like fluid is coming from the top of the new hydraulic after putting I put it down and back up. It works fine, just some fluid pools up at the top. Any ideas of what I should do?

[@JasonSmith-wu7dm]

Probably send it back for a replacement...fluid out the top of the cylinder seems like the original problem to me, leaking past the o-ring

[@hrodriguez112]

my top goes down but won't fold completely. Is it the hydraulic cylinder or relay. top goes back up fine.

[@parkerhoffman9643]

Great video. I just bought a fox body and did replaced one leaky cylinder. I have the new cylinder in with lines hooked up. The top now works but only until half way. I filled the motor 3 times and until it leaked. I tried again and the top is open and will only close to about half way. The motor still runs but won’t close all the way. Any ideas what the problem could be? I was reading that it could be bad relays!? I do have another new cylinder for the other side but was trying to avoid taking everything apart. Any help would be much appreciated.

[@parkerhoffman9643]

I forgot to bleed the lines. It seems like the motor is hurting for fluid. What are the proper steps to bleed the lines? I would appreciate the help.

[@JasonSmith-wu7dm]

@@parkerhoffman9643 so if the motor is running and starving for fluid, you need to repeat the fill & bleed process more than a few timesapparently. For me, it was only three times, but apparently yours is needing more. Open the plug and top off...run the top up/down until it starves...repeat...repeat...repeat until it doesn't starve. At that point it should be going all the way up/down.

[@parkerhoffman9643]

@@JasonSmith-wu7dm so I filled the motor 2/3 times and topped it off. The motor is working but seems to struggle at the half way point. I did already have it back in its socket and bracket when I was filling it. Should I try and undo it and make it run freely with the new cylinder on the ground. The old cylinder on the other side still has side panel on but I do see it moving.

[@JasonSmith-wu7dm]

That would be my next try…I bled mine out with the top unhooked so that may be your issue.

[@parkerhoffman9643]

@@JasonSmith-wu7dm Well I unhooked the cylinder and hit the top button and it was uneven because I only have the one side unhooked and the top was starting to get crooked I let the cylinder go up and down a couple times. I refilled the motor a little bit as well. I hooked the new cylinder into the stud again I hit the top button and the line must of got caught on one of the brackets and line snapped and started spewing out atf everywhere. Man this is turning into a nightmare. I do have another cylinder for the other side new lines and motor. I might just have to redo the whole thing.

[@guillermobetancourt1944]

Thank you so much

[@luisfigueroa9050]

thank you !!!

[@rhinevalleygarage]

Thank man. Do you have and leads on where I can find some rear interior quarter panels as beautiful as yours?

[@JasonSmith-wu7dm]

Sorry I do not. Mine look that good because it's basically a brand new car still with 2,800 miles.

[@rhinevalleygarage]

@@JasonSmith-wu7dm lucky!

[@duncster15]

excellent.