Suspension Wheel alingment at home?

[Gs1987GT]

Hello Gents, Good Afternoon,

I believe there were threads on this subject before. I searched with negative results.

I understand one can perform a front wheel alingment on these cars at home. I am certain I read the procedure before, but now I cannot locate that thread.

Could anyone assist please? After all the suspension rebuild work I did last year, the steer ahead adjustment is off, (crooked wheel) so I know it's out of adjustment.

I don't like others working on my car so I'd like to give this a shot if possible before I take it to an alignment shop.

Thanks
Greg

 

[Potomus Pete]

I used a string from one end to the other along the rotor. Did it two years ago. No pull, and strait ride. Not perfect around turns fast. So it's not right, but good to get you to the shop......My tires are not wearing at edges

 

[Gs1987GT]

I used a string from one end to the other along the rotor. Did it two years ago. No pull, and strait ride. Not perfect around turns fast. So it's not right, but good to get you to the shop......My tires are not wearing

Thanks Pete. What did you set the to at? 0? Without adjustable camber/caster plates, I believe that's all that can be set on these cars, correct?

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

I just watched a good video of this last week. I can't find it now that I'm looking for it. It was good enough that I was thinking about posting it but I figured surely someone already had. I think it was someone using Maximum Motorsports alignment kit.

 

[Gs1987GT]

Thanks Wayne

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

I was hoping this thread would take off and fill up with a lot of details. Maybe it will.
The are two at home alignment types for me. There's one that is good enough to drive for a couple days till you get a shop alignment. Then there's one that is accurate with no need to pay a shop. The first one is easy. The second requires a lot more. I'm assuming you want to make it accurate so you don't have to pay a shop. I'd like to have a detailed write up on this. It would be great to be able to change parts without having to pay a shop every time.
I looked for several more hours on YouTube and I just can't find that video. I know several guys here do their own.
@Mustang5L5 can you help us out?

 

[90sickfox]

Alignments are way more complicated than most people think. Caster, toe, camber, and SAI need to be checked. There's also the front to rear tracking. If the k member isn't straight it'll cause the angles to be off before the alignment process even begins. It can be done at home with a plumb bob, measuring tape, digital magnetic angle finder, circular saw magnetic laser pointer ( or string ), greased plastic folders or floor tiles ( face to face ), masking tape, and a bunch of marking measuring and adjusting.

The string method is good enough to get to a shop temporarily. The car needs to be checked to make sure the k member and rear are square. Wheelbase needs to be checked side to side and track width. You need to find true center of the vehicle. Also, you need to take in to account the slope of the floor side to side.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I followed a few threads by MFE on the corral. Im Not sure I’ve ever seen a video on it, but his threads detail out the basics for a foxbody home alignment

my self alignments have been good enough to drive on for my needs, but I’m sure they won’t compare to a computerized alignment. Thing is, I’m changing the suspension so much that I don’t want to pay each time for an alignment.

at some point my suspension will be “done” and to the point where I will no longer adjust anything or add any new parts. At that point, I’ll have a computer alignment done

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I followed a few threads by MFE on the corral. Im Not sure I’ve ever seen a video on it, but his threads detail out the basics for a foxbody home alignment

my self alignments have been good enough to drive on for my needs, but I’m sure they won’t compare to a computerized alignment. Thing is, I’m changing the suspension so much that I don’t want to pay each time for an alignment.

at some point my suspension will be “done” and to the point where I will no longer adjust anything or add any new parts. At that point, I’ll have a computer alignment done

At this point, I’d rather have a Bear alignment done by someone 40+ than another computerized one by a inexperienced tech that makes the car a pain to drive on the highway.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

I don't know what a Bear alignment is but it sounds good...

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I don't know what a Bear alignment is but it sounds good...

Maybe you are thinking about a bare alignment? There’s a chiropractor and massage therapist for that.
Bare is a chain that has been around for a loooong time.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

Ahhh..... Never heard of them. Got it though.

 

[90sickfox]

With all the added adjustments in really takes an experienced alignment guy to get it right. When the time comes I'm taking my car to a shop that I used to work at. I'll have to pay extra and have a tech beside me but they'll allow me to make the adjustments and drive my car on and off the in ground alignment rack.

 

[Gs1987GT]

Our Fox bodies have no camber/caster adjustment, correct? (Unless you install the adjustable camber/caster plates on the strut tower.) It's front end toe only, or is there another way to make front end adjustments?

 

[manicmechanic007]

Bear is an alignment machine manufacturer. Like FMC Snap on etc. I did alignments for 20+ years at two ford dealerships. Got master cert in 98. There is a fairly easy way to reset clear vision. That is what ford calls it when your steering wheel is off center. If it has a rack & pinion, both inner and outer tie rod ends are threaded clockwise. If the steering wheel is off to the right for instance. The wheels need to go to the right to fix it. Loosen the jam nuts. Unscrew the RH tie rod one half turn and screw in the left side 1/2 turn. This will leave the toe set alone and only adjust clear vision.

 

[manicmechanic007]

Most every mustang I saw needed the caster adjusted. This is difficult at best. I used to slot the top strut mount holes rearward on the right side and forward on the left side. That gives you about 1 degree. Easiest way but cheasy is to install aftermarket strut plates. With the plates you need to hog the hell out of the holes anyway. My way was cleaner and as long as you have the camber where you want it first, you only need a small slot to fix the pulls right that virtually all mustangs have. You will need a toe bar and a caster camber gauge to do a half arse home alignment. Pretty easy though. I just use a marked stick in a tube to get the toe close on cars that are way off. The old Nascar boys used and still do use instant read thermometers to see where they are out, and check toe set with temp

 

[manicmechanic007]

To keep the RF tie alive on a Mustang or T-Bird Move the RH camber to its most inward position. I did not like to go much past -.5 degree. Set the LF camber at its most outward position. I did not like to go much more than +.75 degree. Then set the tow at 1/32 in if you are the police and 1/32 out if you want the best tire wear. Used to joke with the ford engineers that you could throw a bus sideways thru the specs. Bet one engineer once about trucks and broncos. If we went out to the lot and drove them all he could give me 5 bucks for every one that pulled right. I would give him 5 for every one that went straight or left even. He passed

 

[90sickfox]

Our Fox bodies have no camber/caster adjustment, correct? (Unless you install the adjustable camber/caster plates on the strut tower.) It's front end toe only, or is there another way to make front end adjustments?

Back in the day we used to drill the set rivet out to move the top plate for adjustments. The factory holes are slotted for camber adjustment. You can also use a special camber bolt in one of the strut bolt holes for adjustment.

 

[manicmechanic007]

All 79 and newer Mustangs have camber only adjustment at the top of the strut. The plates make it easier and more adjustment (camber and caster) once you hog the holes. The black metal top plate with the 18mm nuts. 3 holes for a 3/16 rivet. Not much factory adjustment maybe 1/2 degree per side.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Our Fox bodies have no camber/caster adjustment, correct? (Unless you install the adjustable camber/caster plates on the strut tower.) It's front end toe only, or is there another way to make front end adjustments?

There is no caster adjustment with the factory Camber plates. Caster is fixed as the top of the strut mounts by three bolts. One is fixed, and the other two rotate around the fixed bolt to adjust camber.

However, with aftermarket camber/caster plates, you can now adjust camber.