Sure Stang8URIMPORT is right about not needing them for a regular car, but there is nowhere near enough adjustment in the stock plates for a car that has a decent drop. Another reason to go with a better C/C plate is to get a different bushing or bearing in the top to absorb bumps compared to the flimsly rubber one in the stock plates. Not a waste of money. Maybe if your car is stock yes. Lowered 1/1/2 inches. Nope.
Read the whole thread before you post. You can elongate the strut tower to allow more adjustment the "stock", and yes you can pull the camber in on a car that's dropped 1.5 inches. I've done it before without c/c plates.
]You can elongate the strut tower to allow more adjustment the "stock", and yes you can pull the camber in on a car that's dropped 1.5 inches. I've done it before without c/c plates.
Problem is that I don't think elongating those strut holes is a very common practice at a lot of alignment shops (sounds like a good idea; never heard of it until now). I literally took my old '89 to two different alignment places that "aligned" it, and I had problems with wear on the insides of the front tires both times; ruined two sets of tires in a years time
That leaves you the option of finding a shop that can do the alignment RIGHT with stock plates, elongating the holes yourself before bringing the car in, or getting the c.c. plates. I chose c.c. plates because I didn't know of the strut tower fix before now, and because there are some advantages to aftermarket c.c. plates; most notably the spherical bearing on aftermarket v.s. the rubber strut mount in the stockers which actually deflects/binds in hard cornering (if you are at all into corner carving, this isn't a good characteristic) as opposed to just swiveling.
Well a part of me just wants to get take it to Ford and align it, but I've been there twice and I feel that if they could elongate it, how come they didn't? The other part doesn't want to spend the $$$ on CC plates is the holes can be elongated. So what the heck do I do?
Problem is that I don't think elongating those strut holes is a very common practice at a lot of alignment shops (sounds like a good idea; never heard of it until now). I literally took my old '89 to two different alignment places that "aligned" it, and I had problems with wear on the insides of the front tires both times; ruined two sets of tires in a years time
That leaves you the option of finding a shop that can do the alignment RIGHT with stock plates, elongating the holes yourself before bringing the car in, or getting the c.c. plates. I chose c.c. plates because I didn't know of the strut tower fix before now, and because there are some advantages to aftermarket c.c. plates; most notably the spherical bearing on aftermarket v.s. the rubber strut mount in the stockers which actually deflects/binds in hard cornering (if you are at all into corner carving, this isn't a good characteristic) as opposed to just swiveling.
Yeah man.. It's not common practice. Most shops won't do it cause it takes more time then telling you to go buy c/c plates and come back. Alignments can be painstaking and can take a while depending on how far things are out. I can adjust you drivers side... set it perfect, then go to the passanger side, move it .5 degree, and it just threw everything out on the drivers side. So you go take your time on these things.
JAZ 5.0: I wouldn't elongage the holes before going to the shop, because you need to know which way to elongate the holes and how far. I don't know why they didn't adjust it last time at Ford, but I fear you got someone that didn't want to deal with it lol. Go to your local speed shop... as when they have do their alignments and go there... and explain that you'd like the c/c adjusted by elongating the holes in the strut tower. If they haven't a clue what you're talking about... go elsewhere
I've seen those kits, but I think the cost of them isn't low enough for me to justify the use of them. I won't be aligning it every month. I wish I could take it up to you Stang8