front alignment

Caster, camber, or toe-in?

Caster is set by adjustment to the strut rod. This should almost never need to be adjusted except in the case of damage such as an accident, rotten strut rod bushings, or even rust through in the frame side mount.

Camber is set by adjusting the top A-arm in or out. The cross bar that holds the bushings and arm is held to the frame by bolts which move in adjustment slots. I could see this moving if the bolts weren't tightened far enough and you hit something solid with a wheel. You can also have bad bushings or a bent A-arm cause alignment problems.

Toe-in is set by adjusting the sleeves on the steering rack tie rod ends. Again if the sleeve bolts are not tightened enough I could see this adjustment moving if you hit something.

The early Mustangs Camber was set with either shims on the upper A-arm or later with a eccentric on the lower arm. The MII front suspension could probably benefit form the shim setup. The MII Camber is set by loosening the bolts on the upper A-arm, then inserting a tool that can precisely adjust the setting by means of a screw. You see them on eBay ever once in a while. I'm not sure how an alignment shop does it without the tool...

Jansen,

Did you use the original hardware on the new A-arm? If not, was the replacement hardware identical? I haven't had an A-arm off of any of my MII's as of yet, so I don't know if they have lock washers and/or serrated washers.

If the original hardware was used, then its likely just a case of it not being tightened down far enough. Was it torqued down to the factory specs?

If you had a front-end shop do this, it may have been a while since they've seen this type of front suspension...

I had a couple of accidental off-road excursions over the years in my old '76 hatch, and drove it hard all the time, but never screwed up the alignment on it.

The bottom of the upper control arm shaft is knurled, or at least the shaft is knurled where the bolts go through the shaft.

This is so when the bolts are tightened the knurling bites into the top of the spring pocket and holds the shaft/ arm in place.

Then the shaft slips and starts tearing up the top of the pocket. The more it slips the more it chews the less it wants to stay in place.

jansen29 said:

So, what would solve that issue? Welding some more metal at the top where the a arm shaft bits into the metal?

Thanks,
Jansen

Click to expand...

Thats a good question.

Even if the shaft hasn't slipped often enough to tear up the top of the pocket too badly tightening the shaft bolt can cause a dimple. Dimples aren't bad if the dimples where you need it to be. If the dimple is any off from where you want the shaft the shaft isn't inclined to stay in place.

One thing that will help you is making sure the knurling is clean of rust and shavings.

Hell of it is an alignment will hold with things pretty buggered up, until you hit something.

Sorry for the rambling, my minds doing the Way Back number. In The Day (that saying should be trademarked) there was the GM vs Ford alignment argument. GM used shims which butted the suspension up against a frame member of sourts and kept the suspension from shifting BUT oftenly the alignment couldn't be gotten just right. Ford used the slotted/ sliding suspension which the alignment could be gotten just right but a good shot could and would knock it out.

I remember being amazed how long my first II (bought new) held an alignment, how well it steered and tracked ... until I hit a crater ... It's a painful memory.

Anyhow, the fix ... I think the first move in any type of fix would be to fill weld and grind flat any tearing or dimpling. That could require someone somewhat skilled in wielding thin stuff. That would get you back to stock.

In preventing further slippage I was thinking of installing a thick washer between the shaft and pocket, getting an alignment then (heavy tack) welding the washer to the pocket because steel to steel CF wouldn't be great enough to keep the suspenstion from slipping. It would have to be a pretty thick washer. Something similar to whats found on a rear axle U-Bolt. Might not be a big enough OD so I would ask my friend make me some washers out of cold roll or something.

If a washer is thick enough it could raise the uppers inner enough to improve the dynamic geometry .. but thats it's own story with it's own engineering considerations.

I haven't thought about this in years. Back when a II was my daily driver I thought about this issue often. Always knew that one day I would get beck to working on my cars and when I did this is one of the issues I would address.

Alignments are my life..... You can adjust camber without the tool if you know right where to brace the breaker bar.

It can be a pain in the butt, but it does work. I don't have every alignment tool out there, but what I do have works just fine.

Actually, you can adjust caster a little at the upper arm by moving just the front or rear of the arm in or out separately.

Just like adding shims to a GM, which I still do regularly. As long as the nuts come free and the bolt doesn't turn in the frame mount, it's easy.