Bend the frame?

fords2fast4u · Apr 26, 2005

So i put lowering springs on my car a month ago, and new KYB shocks.... and they couldn't set the Camber. So, they told me that once i bought and installed adjustable caster/camber plates that they would be able to set it, but i did not have the luxary of time, and i had to drive the car back to school.

the tires have 2000+or- miles on them, and are already wearing on the inside due to negative camber. I bought Steeda plates and I don't know what's going on, but they won't go out any farther than the stock plates... what gives???

could the car have a bent frame, or the strut towers are to close together to cause this? The plates are all the way against the fender, and they need to come out at alot more. And i don't want to drive anymore on the these tires until it's set correctly... anyone?

slytherin · Apr 26, 2005

I thought I had to much camber but it ended up being Toe out that was scrubbing the inside edge of my tires off. Imo get it to an alignment shop to know for sure.

wytstang · Apr 26, 2005

To bend the frame takes a lot of force or pressure and i don't see driving around with a neg camber to be enough to do this. Take it to a shop and let them see what gives.

94-302-vert · Apr 26, 2005

Are the Steeda plates adjsutable for positive and negative camber? I know on my D&D plates i can flip that portion to effect how much is needed?

Is your car still running the factory strut tower brace?

Chris

bjl95mustang · Apr 26, 2005

I was having problems adjusting the suspension on my car. i would have to have both plates pushed to the same side. ex: if you were looking the the engine both the left and right plate had to be slid over the the left for it to drive straight. Once I replaced the frount control arm bushings it was fixed.

CManT1914 · Apr 26, 2005

I'm not sure, but I think I might have a similar problem. The alignment shop said they couldn't get the c/c plates to move for them. I trimmed the boot and put the spacers on there like they said to do, and they still couldn't get them to work. Maybe they're just stupid? Make sure the strut boot isn't jammed in the strut tower hole though, that will prevent proper alignment. good luck.

fords2fast4u · Apr 26, 2005

slytherin - i did take it to a shop - Sears, and they have a really nice computer setup with a printout and green and red numbers. The printout shows that they set the tow (or thats what they told me) and the camber was border line (one red, the other barely in the green) and the camber was no where close to green.

wytstang - i dont think that the misalignment bent it - the car was wrecked before i bought it (new hood + front bumper cover held on with different types of fasiners + timing chain cover ate up by the balancer = hit hard)

94-302-vert, the plates are adjustable, what do you mean "flip it" do you mean turn the whole thing upside down? i hadn't thought of that, but there is only one way to put them on, as there is only three holes... i tried to move them around as much as i could.\

yes, the car still has the original strut tower brace, and if i bend them out (at a body shop, as many people have told me that i may have to do) then i don't think it would fit anymore unless i drilled and tac welded new mounting bolts

bjl95mustang - i do have a sqeaking coming from my passenger front - are you saying that worn out bushings may be the cause of this?

CManT1914 - ive got three different length spacers - but no amount of spacers or adjustmant on the plate is going to get it out far enough for the tire to be even on the pavement.

The driver's strut has begun to sqeak with a pattern related to the wheels rotating, this is probably due to a lack of grease - but the pattern tells me that the strut is encountering alternating load, under even the slightest of a roll, all the way up to highway speeds - is that normal?

i know the car was hit, but they had to have put it back right, because it took me a while to figure out that the car had been hit...

anyone else have any foresight?

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

Ttt...

94-302-vert · Apr 27, 2005

What I meant by "flip" the camber portion of the plate was probably worded really badly, I was thinking of this on my drive in today...

My D&D plates ( http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=DD9499CC+01 ) have an extra stud for the camber portion so that you can turn it around for a different range of motion.

you also may want to try someplace better than Sears for the alignment... around me they are some of the worst guys (as far as automotive knowlege that is)...

Chris

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

yeah, sears isn't the best place in the world - but i had taken it to them before and they charged me for an alignment even though they couldn't set it... so they told me that when i got the plates i could take it to any sears and they would set it for free, as per the 6 months warranty. That wasn't the case as the guys here in NJ are retarded or something - so the guy in OK said that he would give me my money back, and that's all fine but it still doesn't fix my problem...

90_Red_LX · Apr 27, 2005

You can probably make the holes bigger where the plates go in, in the direction they need to go to get it right.

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

the plates are hitting the fenders..

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

Here are some pics...

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

more...

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

as you can clearly see, the wheel is not on the pavement straight (the top is in by about an inch +) and the plates are against the fender...

S/CBlack95GT · Apr 27, 2005

What do they consider "in the green"? Did they give you an actual reading. Anything around 0 to a negative 1 degree of camber if fine for daily street driving.

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

measurments...
Toe 0.00"/0.01" (both green w/ a total toe of 0.01")
Caster 2.9*/2.9* (both green)
Camber -2.1*/-1.8* (both red)

i said earlier that one of the cambers was in the red too, but that was the start alirgnment, not the finished state. Anyhow, it's changed from these numbers now, as i put the plates one. They were only able to move the camber 0.1* from the start.

mo_dingo · Apr 27, 2005

If you need to, take the CC plates off, grind the slots enough to allow for the necessary adjustments, reinstall and take it back to the shop.

If the CC plates are big enough to grind what you need off, take the plates to a machine shop and have them fab some bigger ones.
Scott

fords2fast4u · Apr 27, 2005

i was thinking that i could shave the edge of the plates so that they could go a little but farther out, but even if i get it set - that still doesn't address the problem with the car...

how could BBK springs, KYB shocks and Steeda C/C plates throw off the alignment this far? There has to be something wrong with the car...

the pic shows where i could shave the plate, the red box is where it hits the fender.

94-302-vert · Apr 28, 2005

Well remember that anytime you lower a car signifcantly you start pushing the limits of correct alignment capability. That is why we need to use C&C plates.

I woudl say that the steeda's msut be strond enough to be able to trim what is needed. BUT before I beleive sears I would try another shop as I beleive you said you got your $$ back from it.

Chris

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