chassis flex + bad ball joint = no alignment????

The after market export braces do help more than the stock ones. The stock ones have to be removed prior to installing
the new one.

you can leave the stubs in place if you like as they dont interfere with the install of the export brace. i would also recomend a monte carlo bar as well. as far as front end alignment, worn bushings and ball joints will prevent a proper alignment being done. flexing shock towers only ruin the dynamic alignment, not the static alignment.

jb1dsl said:

i took my car in to get the front end aligned today. the guy said he aligned it and drove it. he got it back and it was toeing in. he staightened it and drove it. he got back and it was toed out. he said my lower ball joints were bad and the car was flexing real bad between the shock towers. my whole front is rust free and strong. does this sound normal. he said to get new lower control arms and a monte carlo bar. do the aftermarket expot braces help more than the stock ones. how do the aftermarket export braces go on if the stock one is already there? any suggestions?

Click to expand...

I don't believe that guy. Actually what I should say is that I'm not certain he knows what he's talking about. My bs - ometer is pegged. If the car looks rust free and solid in the front, I don't believe that will cause an alignment problem. Doesn't make a bit of sense to me.

'Nother edit. I like the idea of monte carlo bars and export braces - I think they're great for Mustangs. I do NOT think you need them to get the car aligned, though. No way.

I recommend you go to another shop. You might consider having a look at the lower ball joints yourself first.

To inspect the lower ball joints do this:
1. Raise the vehicle and support it under the frame. Do not support it under the lower suspension arm.
Edit: I should also say that if the car is supported under the lower suspension arm, it will unload the lower ball joint. In this situation the lower ball joint WILL move. I have heard of some shops doing this deliberately to get the customer to cough up cash for unnecessary repairs.

2. Have an assistant grab the lower edge of the tire and move the wheel in and out.

3. While the wheel is being moved, look at the lower arm and spindle. They should not move at all in relationship to each other. Any movement between them means the lower ball joint is worn and should be replaced.

Ignore any movement in the upper ball joint during the test. Also, don't mistake loose wheel bearings for a lower ball joint problem.

I hope this helps.

jb1dsl said:

well this is the guy i have always used and trusted. i know something is wrong in the front because it is floating real bad and will jerk to the side driving down the road. he told me to get the arms and he would put them on and align it for 50 bucks so i do not think he is trying to rip me. if he was he would have ordered them from the local parts store and put them and charged a premium price, i think.

Click to expand...

If either of the lower ball joints is bad, it will affect your alignment. If the car is jerking to the side, something is wrong for certain. My car did that before I redid my front suspension.

$50 also seems reasonable to replace the lower ball joints and realign the vehicle. It's just so easy to check front end components yourself that doing it seems like a good idea to me.

Floating is not the ball joints. That sounds more like worn out shocks.

jb1dsl said:

shocks are fairly new and i compressed them and they seemed fine. replacing the lower control arms certainly couldn't hurt anyway. do you think if i put in some new springs (620's, 1") it would help on the floating because they are the original ones in it.

Click to expand...

I hesitate to answer any but the most elementary questions on this topic. Get a second opinion, but here is what I believe.

The floating you are feeling is probably the soft stock shock absorbers. No, I don't believe that stiffer springs will change it. I believe the floating will be worse with stiffer springs, if anything. I do think different shocks can change it, though. I put in some links about adjustable shocks below.

http://www.koni-na.com/pdfcatalogs/OvalTrack.pdf
http://www.penskeshocks.com/Adjustable Tech Manual.pdf