97 Spindles Results

[99fummins]

So I knew this would occur but I figured I'd post it up for others to see the actual difference these spindles make. Nevermind the crappy condition of the car lol it's a project car.

This is how far the tires toed in, the other side is straight:






Here's how far the spindles stick the tires out. Just about even with the fender, maybe outside of it just a bit:

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Why dont you just unscrew the tie rod on the drivers' side?
Or better yet, why don't you recenter the rack, straighten both tires, and screw the one on the passenger side in, and screw the one on the driver side out, then take it immediately to a front end shop?

 

[99fummins]

I did adjust them out, just showing the difference the spindles make due to different locations on the tie rod ends. Im sure the added angle of the tie rods will cause a lot more bumpsteer. But, i dont buy that lowering the front of the car wont help. The steering rack is stationary, these spindles dropped the tie rod ends down and made an angle. Lowering the front end an inch or so would put the tie rod angle back in the ballpark of stock because it would draw the spindles up higher in relation to the steering rack

 

[Mustang5L5]

Moving the tie rods out is part of any Sn95 spindle conversion, no matter what year.

Make sure your steering wheel is straight before attempting to straighten the tie rods

 

[99fummins]

I thought the 94-95 spindles wouldnt push the tires out at all, so they wouldnt change the tie rod length. Maybe i misread. And i will re-adjust to get the steering wheel straight.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I thought the 94-95 spindles wouldnt push the tires out at all, so they wouldnt change the tie rod length. Maybe i misread. And i will re-adjust to get the steering wheel straight.

You are confusing toe, with offset.

The "pushout" that is commonly stated is with regards to the distance the wheel sits in and out of the wheel well with the wheel pointed straight ahead. the 96+ spindle would make the wheel sit about 8mm further outboard from the wheel well than the 94-95 wheels.

What your picture are of, is toe. And this is common when putting any SN95 spindle onto a fox car. The tie rods need to be adjusted outwards because Sn95 tie rods are slightly longer. What you are looking at would happen

 

[old_blue]

The 94-95 do the same thing. I just turn both tie rod ends out equally until they are even and measure the front and back of the tire to try and get them even. That at least gets me close to drive it to the shop. The last car I did i was lucky and the shop said it didnt need any further adjustment.

 

[99fummins]

Ok, makes sense

 

[mikestang63]

take a tape measure and a straight edge- piece of wood, long level, etc.. Lay the straight edge on the outside of each wheel. Start off with both tie rods turned out the same amount of turns. Measure the distance between the front and the rear of the whees. Set the toe to zero for now- measurement in fron and back of wheel the same distance- with the steering wheel locked and both wheels straight. . Adjust both tie rods equally out to get there. Then take it to an alignment shop so they can adjust to final specs.

 

[MFE92]

But, i dont buy that lowering the front of the car wont help. The steering rack is stationary, these spindles dropped the tie rod ends down and made an angle. Lowering the front end an inch or so would put the tie rod angle back in the ballpark of stock because it would draw the spindles up higher in relation to the steering rack

And what happens to the angle of the A-arms when the tie rods are drawn upward?

 

[99fummins]

The same thing that happens to every other lowered car? Except a bumpsteer kit wont be necessary because the tie rods will be about horizontal. Ive driven lifted chevys that have had their a arms angle changed the opposite direction, they arent bad to drive. Im building a commuter, not a track driver. If i was worried about diving into corners id buy a $600 k member but im not worried about it on this thing.

 

[MFE92]

You're not worried about it, now, which is fine, but you cared enough about it in the first place to make an observation that isn't right, and I'm assuming you'd rather understand it than not. If that's not the case, then don't bother reading any further.

Bumpsteer behavior could give two s about what angle the tie rod is at all by itself. What matters is the angle of the tie rod relative to the angle of the A-arm. If you change that relationship, you change the bumpsteer characteristics. Simply lowering the car with coilovers or different springs won't change the bumpsteer much, because it doesn't change the relationship between the angle of the tie rod and the angle of the A-arm. They move together, and if they're out of parallel to start with, they stay out of parallel the entire time.

 

[99fummins]

I understand it throws things off, i just question the extent of it. If it really is unbearable ill spend 40 on a set of 94-95 spindles and call it good. Not hard to swap.

 

[Mustang5L5]

If you can find 94-95 spindles for $40...by all means scoop up as many as you can and ebay the rest. Going rate is about $200 these days unless oyu go yank them off the car yourself

 

[99fummins]

Ill look into that. And yeah i pay $20 a piece. Lots of them out there, cant believe people are paying so much for them. Bout like gt40p heads, can buy them $50 a pair and theyre abundant.