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  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech

front suspension binding?

  • Thread starter Thread starter zm830101
  • Start date Start date Jun 19, 2009

zm830101

New Member
May 16, 2005
116
0
0
warner robins, ga
Jun 19, 2009
#1
  • Jun 19, 2009
  • #1
my 66 coupe does something weird when i pull in the driveway and park. the suspension stays extended until i move the wheel back and forth a couple of time and then it settles out. i'm talkin like 3 to 4 inches extended! it looks like it is a lifted 4x4 or something.

car is fresh from the alignment shop. has 620 coils, shelby drop, and newish balljoints and bushings. any thoughts?
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
3,333
10
79
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jun 19, 2009
#2
  • Jun 19, 2009
  • #2
Align or not, sounds like a toe-in problem to me.
 

zm830101

New Member
May 16, 2005
116
0
0
warner robins, ga
Jun 19, 2009
#3
  • Jun 19, 2009
  • #3
measurements from the alignment shop

left right
camber .11 .09
caster .46 .94
toe .24 .24

cross camber .02
cross caster -.48
total toe ..48

the guy aligning it took roughly two hours to get it to this point. do these numbers look to be in the ballpark?
 

zm830101

New Member
May 16, 2005
116
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0
warner robins, ga
Jun 20, 2009
#4
  • Jun 20, 2009
  • #4
ca anybody else elaborate on the toe in issue or knows what to make of the alignmet numbers i posted previously?
 
G

Grabber70Mach

Member
Jul 6, 2003
305
0
17
Indian Head, MD
Jun 21, 2009
#5
  • Jun 21, 2009
  • #5
From Daze Cars: DazeCars, Shelby Drop, Klaus Arning drop, upper control arm drop, Falcon, Mustang, Cougar 60-70

Having the car aligned:
- There are several things to keep in mind when having your car aligned. First, factory Ford settings WILL NOT make for a good handling car. The original Ford settings were created with tires made in the 1960’s in mind and are not the ideal settings to maximize performance. Second, make sure you trust the alignment shop. Aligning an early Ford can be very challenging, especially with a “shim” type alignment because as you change either camber or caster, the other setting is affected. This makes the process very time consuming and some alignment shops will align the car to settings easy for them, rather than the setting you requested. NOTE: for best results, have the alignment shop print out a before and after specification sheet. Third, aligning a classic Ford, especially a pre-1967 car, is not an exact process and, due to the effects that changing either camber or caster have on each other, the alignment shop will need a set of tolerance specifications to align the car within. The following is a print out that I take to my alignment shop every time I have my car aligned.

Please align to these specs “1960-1966 Mustang and Falcon Performance Alignment with or without UCA drop”.

These specifications are in order of importance.

1. NO more than .25 degrees difference between driver’s side and passenger’s side.

2. +2.0 to +3.5 degrees caster.
NOTE: for cars with Adjustable strut rods. Please attain as much caster as possible using the shims (at least 1.5 to 2.0 degrees), and then use the adjustable strut rods to increase the caster and make the sides the same. Also, please note that the caster difference between the driver’s side and passenger’s side needs to have no more .25 degrees difference prior to the adjustment of the strut rods.

3. -.5 to 0 degrees camber. No positive camber, please. There is no problem having a slight variation from driver’s side to passenger’s side to account for the crown in the road.

4. 1/16" to 1/8” toe in

If you run into any problems attaining these specs, please call me (your phone number here).

- Once you have the car aligned, it is time to drive, drive, and drive some more. You should notice an immediate improvement in the way the car handles. As I have said before, the UCA drop is one of the single biggest ways to improve the way a Mustang handles and it should be obvious the first time you take it for a spin

From Opentracker's site: Opentracker Racing Products - Tech

Tech Information

ORP front end alignment Specs
STREET SPECS *
Caster:
+1.5° to +2.5°
Camber:
0 to -.5°
Toe:
1/8" in

STREET/PERFORMANCE *
Caster:
+2.0° to +3.0°
Camber:
-.5° to -1.5°
Toe:
1/8" in

* Caster and camber setting must be the same on both sides for proper handling

• Read our featured article at FordMuscle.com about our Roller Spring Perch and how it can help improve the handling of your classic Mustang.
• Another FordMuscle.com article featuring our roller lower control arms built for serious track use.
• A step-by-step process of converting stock rubber bushing spring perches from early Fords into roller spring perches, by Day Scovel. "How to build roller perches"
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
3,333
10
79
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jun 21, 2009
#6
  • Jun 21, 2009
  • #6
zm830101 said:
measurements from the alignment shop

left right
camber .11 .09
caster .46 .94
toe .24 .24

cross camber .02
cross caster -.48
total toe ..48

the guy aligning it took roughly two hours to get it to this point. do these numbers look to be in the ballpark?
Click to expand...

Like I said. That's WAY too much toe. If you are using radial tires, 0.6 / 0.6, or 0.125" total would be an absolute maximum. You're showing 0.48" toe, nearly half an inch. That's an insane amount of toe-in. I could get a lot closer than that with the naked eye. The caster sucks, too. Find a competent shop. Get a refund for this mess. And do it soon, this is reducing control and destroying your tires.
 
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