SO THEY SAY!!!

[NOT A T5]

Soo, went back to the alignment shop this morning. I gave them a different set of camber bolts since mine are shot, so they say. They installed them and aligned everything, so they say, and the car drives like crap and there's a noise now on the right front. No noise before.

Camber       negative 0.3 both sides

Caster         positive 2.0 on LH      negative 0.6 on RH

They're saying they run out of adjustment on the right front!!!

Toe in is at negative 0.15 both sides

That is all they can do, so they say!

I am PO-ed I say!

 

[donkost]

Front end alignment on classic cars is a black art. There are probably very few shops that can actually do it. Have to factor in past minor accidents which aren't obvious by looking at parts, along with a mix of new and decades old parts in the front end. They're in effect aligning the front end of a '63 Falcon with any or all of those issues. I'm just happy that mine goes relatively straight, and only hunts left/right on crowned roads. I haven't performed any alignments since the early 1980's, and that was on an old machine.

 

[73pony]

Camber isn’t bad unless you drive aggressively on the corners then a little more neg would be good. Your Caster is what they have F’ed up. You want both positive and them to be damn near the same. Find a competent shop.

 

[Parkka]

Found this in a prior forum on 7173...
Most shops only have the original alignment specs in their systems. With modern tires, you want 2 to 3 degrees positive caster, and zero to negative .5 degrees of camber. Factory toe spec is fine unless the car wanders under hard braking, then increase 1/16".

 

[Parkka]

lets try this again.....

found this on a PRIOR 7173 forum....

Most shops only have the original alignment specs in their systems. With modern tires, you want 2 to 3 degrees positive caster, and zero to negative 0.5 degrees of camber. Factory toe spec is fine unless the car wanders under hard braking, then increase 1/16".....

 

[Hemikiller]

Here's the specs Opentracker recommends

STREET SPECS *

Caster:

+2° to +3.5° Manual Steer

+2.5° to +4.5° Power Steer

Camber:

0 to -.5°

Toe:

1/8″ in

Your right front upper control arm may be off center, or have shims. Could also be some damage to the tower itself. Best to dig in and verify everything is good before attempting another alignment.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

You might need to invest in getting the chassis checked on a frame machine. These cars bend very easily. If you cross over like a median on interstate it will twist the chassis out of spec. You can bend one by lifting incorrect also. The Mustang is a very cheaply built and flimsy car. But I like them, lol. 

I have mentioned it in the past about one habit that really takes a toll on any vehicle. When you turn the steering wheel without the tires rolling you increase the loads on the ball joints, rubber bushings and steering components by hundreds of times. You are trying to slide the tires sideways and forward and backwards on the pavement. If you look under car while someone steers it you can see the forces. 

If you roll even slightly that reduces the forces greatly. 

Put a Go Pro under there and do some aggressive driving. The lower control arms flex and bend like crazy.

I have great luck with my vehicles front end life. I drove a 69 Ford van 467,000 with only one alignment when I put it together the first time. An 85 Ford van with 275,000 and a Ford F-150 with 297,000. Had to replace one link on the 85 and nothing was done to the others and never aligned and even tire wear. I also do not bump into curbs when parking. 

We had a 1974 Nova SS that was bought new. You could not keep it aligned. Went to frame shop twice then just sold the piece of junk.

 

[NOT A T5]

Here's the specs Opentracker recommends

STREET SPECS *

Caster:

+2° to +3.5° Manual Steer

+2.5° to +4.5° Power Steer

Camber:

0 to -.5°

Toe:

1/8″ in

Your right front upper control arm may be off center, or have shims. Could also be some damage to the tower itself. Best to dig in and verify everything is good before attempting another alignment.

Hemikiller, My car was perfectly aligned before I took everything apart 3 years ago and drove super straight. Parts that I replaced...LCA's, UCA joints, Idler arm, heavy duty springs (1" lower), koni shocks, switched to roller spring perches, and replaced all rubber with polyurethane bushings. Strut rod bushings were replaced with elastomer bushings (harder than rubber but softer than polyurethane).  Power Steering box and pump rebuilt. Original rag joint, still good. No shims whatsoever.

I don't think the fact that my strut rods, sway bar, upper control arms, and tie rods are chromed would throw the alignment off by that much!  :whistling:

I bought lifetime warranty, so I'm stuck with them but will go to a different location next time and try to find a competent person that doesn't use impact wrenches on something so delicate! Thanks!

 

[NOT A T5]

You might need to invest in getting the chassis checked on a frame machine. These cars bend very easily. If you cross over like a median on interstate it will twist the chassis out of spec. You can bend one by lifting incorrect also. The Mustang is a very cheaply built and flimsy car. But I like them, lol. 

I have mentioned it in the past about one habit that really takes a toll on any vehicle. When you turn the steering wheel without the tires rolling you increase the loads on the ball joints, rubber bushings and steering components by hundreds of times. You are trying to slide the tires sideways and forward and backwards on the pavement. If you look under car while someone steers it you can see the forces. 

If you roll even slightly that reduces the forces greatly. 

Put a Go Pro under there and do some aggressive driving. The lower control arms flex and bend like crazy.

I have great luck with my vehicles front end life. I drove a 69 Ford van 467,000 with only one alignment when I put it together the first time. An 85 Ford van with 275,000 and a Ford F-150 with 297,000. Had to replace one link on the 85 and nothing was done to the others and never aligned and even tire wear. I also do not bump into curbs when parking. 

We had a 1974 Nova SS that was bought new. You could not keep it aligned. Went to frame shop twice then just sold the piece of junk.

David, chassis should be fine, since the car drove very straight before the front end was rebuilt. Thanks!

 

[rackerm]

Soo, went back to the alignment shop this morning. I gave them a different set of camber bolts since mine are shot, so they say. They installed them and aligned everything, so they say, and the car drives like crap and there's a noise now on the right front. No noise before.

Camber       negative 0.3 both sides

Caster         positive 2.0 on LH      negative 0.6 on RH

They're saying they run out of adjustment on the right front!!!

Toe in is at negative 0.15 both sides

That is all they can do, so they say!

I am PO-ed I say!

I used the attached spec with good results....

Alignment Specs to give to your alignment guy.pdf