The Fox Body Lean

[KFRG]

Hey guys,
What causes the lean? I notice looking from the rear it leans towards the drivers side. My first thought was worn suspension components, but after reading other people upgrading the suspension, they were still left with the lean. My only other thought can be a twisted unibody, but even on a stock car? The car does have replacement fenders, but the body appears to be straight with no damage.
Has anyone found a cause and cure?

Thanks.

 

[NIKwoaC]

How many miles on it? Does it get raced, or even launched hard repeatedly? Does it have sub frame connectors?

If you don't put subframe connectors on it and you repeatedly launch it hard, the body will eventually twist. I knew a dude that cracked his windshield he twisted his car so bad, but that was a H/C/I car with a lot of giggle gas.

Could be that your car has been crashed before, too. Doesn't have to have body damage, but could have been curbed real hard or put in a ditch.

 

[KFRG]

Only around 80K mi. It does have SFC's. The car is babied. There does not appear to be any body damage from an accident. I would love more than anything to find a fix.

 

[CDQICKGT]

If the full weight of the car wasn't on the wheels when the subframes were welded they could have been installed with the body twisted. What I mean is some people don't have accsess to a sissor lift and use jack stands or a rotary frame point lift. In doing so you can weld the chassis crooked.

 

[KFRG]

The car was on a lift when they were installed.

 

[CDQICKGT]

But if it wasn't on the type of lift that you drive the car onto( like what's used to do alignments) then there is a good chance the chassis wasn't straight when it was welded. Rotar lifts vary rarely are level or lift level. And they don't keep the weight on the chassis.

 

[KFRG]

Yeah it was a normal lift with arms. You believe the SFC's are responsible for the lean? I would think it was leaning prior to the SFC's.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Get under the car and inspect the bushings in the control arms. If they are failing, it could cause a sag to the side

 

[CDQICKGT]

It's a possibility. Did u are the pig tales on all your springs pointed at the passenger side? If not , I've had that happen before. A overly worn or missing spring isolator can cause it to. My money says the chassis is tweaked a little. Mine leaned but I adjusted it out with my coil overs.

 

[KFRG]

I will check the bushing and springs. Just to make sure I am correct on this, the rear spring pigtails should be in the middle of the LCA between the two outer holes? They have to be pointing towards the passenger side as well? What about the front springs?
And if the body is tweaked, if I have it straightened would this permanently fix the issue? I guess I will have to bring it to a body shop.

 

[KFRG]

Has anyone solved the issue?

 

[CDQICKGT]

Center the dead hooker in the car...on a serious note, alot of us have solved this issue. Like in the examples above it can be 15 different things cause it. Check what we have listed.

 

[KFRG]

Hopefully it will only be that. Just to make sure I am correct on this, the rear spring pigtails should be in the middle of the LCA between the two outer holes? They have to be pointing towards the passenger side as well? What about the front springs?

 

[CDQICKGT]

The springs should be seated completely on the perches(can't really put them on any other way) w/ tails to p/s. As for the front... On the aarm spring seat, there is a stop built in. When installing them(front springs) in the car,you seat them and turn them clockwise. The end of the bottom coil will stop against the built in coil stop thingy.'

 

[MAC'n89Blckstng]

My bone stock daily driver LX with 120,000 leans slightly in the back. Never raced. I'm thinkin the springs are beat. May get a set of nice springs for her but I'm afraid to put anything but stock in it lol

 

[Repostyle]

My vert leans to the drivers side, but my seat has the built in gangsta lean which counter acts. So it pretty much fixed itself!

 

[Cobra912]

I have brand new everything and it still leans. The cars came crooked from the factory! Or maybe the 25 years of beatin the snot out of it might have somethin to do with it

 

[Mustang5L5]

If you notice, most leaning cars are going to the drivers side.


I was reading a thread om another forum last night where there was a tsb posted which placed the blame on the drivers side front spring softening due to weight and recommended it's replacement,

I know that this doesn't cure all as some guys change all 4 springs and it still leans.



90ford47
SPRINGS - VEHICLE LEAN - APPLICATION CHARTS - EXCLUDES "SALEEN" MODELS
Article No. 90-26-3
FORD: 1989-90 MUSTANG
ISSUE: Vehicles may have a tendency to lean to the left because the location of the battery, windshield washer bottle, radiator expansion bottle and engine accessory drive may cause a weight bias on the left front side. This lean condition most often appears as a lean in the rear of the vehicle rather than the front.

ACTION: Check the wheel lip measurement and, if required, install a new left front spring to restore the vehicle to a more level attitude. The front spring is to be changed, even if the lean is greater in the rear of the vehicle. Refer to the following procedure for service details.
Figure 1

1. Place the vehicle on level ground.

2. Take all measurements from the ground to the body wheel lips as close to the axle center line as possible, Figure 1.

3. Determine the difference of the front wheel lip measurements by substracting the low from the high measurement. Using the following Wheel Lip Measurement Chart. select the correct spring load change (i.e. plus 1. plus 2) within the rate group.

4. After determining the correct spring change (i.e. plus 1 or plus 2) find the three letter tape code located on the front spring of the side that exhibits the lean and select the replacement spring using the following charts.


The following 1989-1990 Mustang Rear Spring Chart is provided for general informational purposes only. Generally, the rear springs will not have to be replaced unless there is damage or structural concerns.

(*) Code is also in Parts Book.

5. Remeasure the vehicle as described in Steps 1 and 2. Confirm that the vehicle is in specification per the Wheel Lip Measurement Chart. If the vehicle is not to specification (0.00" +/- 0.20"), repeat Step 3 through 5.

Within a rate group, installing a high load spring will increase the vehicle ride height. Conversely, a lower load spring will decrease the vehicle ride height. The following Spring Change Bumper Effect Chart indicates an approximate change in bumper-to-ground height for each increment of spring change.

OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: None

WARRANTY STATUS: Eligible Under Basic Warranty Coverage
OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME
902603A Replace Spring 1.2 Hr.
DEALER CODING
BASIC PART NO. CONDITION CODE
5310 63
OASIS CODES: 304000