Alignment specs?
- Thread starter Vmax39
- Start date
How about with nittos out back any different??
here's what I have but these are from 2002 and I haven't checked to see if they've been superceded...
Front Camber -0.90 +/- 0.5 L&R
.50 side-to-side max for cross camber
Front Caster 3.20 +/- 0.75 L&R
.50 side-to-side max for cross caster
Front Toe 0.125 +/- .075 each side
Total Toe .25 +/- .15
Rear Camber -0.8 +/- 0.2 L&R
.4 side-to-side max for cross camber
Rear Toe 0.1 +/- .075 each side
Total Toe .20 +/- .15
No Rear Caster adjustment
Front Camber -0.90 +/- 0.5 L&R
.50 side-to-side max for cross camber
Front Caster 3.20 +/- 0.75 L&R
.50 side-to-side max for cross caster
Front Toe 0.125 +/- .075 each side
Total Toe .25 +/- .15
Rear Camber -0.8 +/- 0.2 L&R
.4 side-to-side max for cross camber
Rear Toe 0.1 +/- .075 each side
Total Toe .20 +/- .15
No Rear Caster adjustment
Here are the new specs per the TSB #03-3-6
left front camber = -.8 +/- .2
right front camber= -1 +/- .2
TOTAL SPLIT= .2 +/- .2
L front caster= 3.1 +/- .2
R front caster= 3.3 +/- .2
TOTAL SPLIT = -.2 +/- .2
Left & right front toe= .125 +/- .04
TOTAL TOE SPLIT = .25 +/- .08
Left & Right REAR camber = -.8 +/- .2
rear camber split = 0 +/- .2
LEFT & RIGHT REAR TOE= .10 +/- .04
SPLIT = .20 +/- .08
left front camber = -.8 +/- .2
right front camber= -1 +/- .2
TOTAL SPLIT= .2 +/- .2
L front caster= 3.1 +/- .2
R front caster= 3.3 +/- .2
TOTAL SPLIT = -.2 +/- .2
Left & right front toe= .125 +/- .04
TOTAL TOE SPLIT = .25 +/- .08
Left & Right REAR camber = -.8 +/- .2
rear camber split = 0 +/- .2
LEFT & RIGHT REAR TOE= .10 +/- .04
SPLIT = .20 +/- .08
How do you adjust the rear camber?
what is the thrust angle of the rear suspension supposed to be?
rear camber is adjusted by reaching through the wheel and turing the cam on the upper arm.
i would tell my alignment guy to ignore those front caster values and have him give me ALL I CAN GET. but hey thats me.
rear camber is adjusted by reaching through the wheel and turing the cam on the upper arm.
i would tell my alignment guy to ignore those front caster values and have him give me ALL I CAN GET. but hey thats me.
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Caster aside, will these specs work on a lowered Cobra?
There is a cam bolt on the rear uprights connecting to the UCA. This cam bolt adjusts camber.
As close to 0 degrees as possible. This can be bandaid adjusted with toe, but the better solution is to move the IRS assembly to get it as close to 0 degrees as possible.
I don't agree with run as much caster as possible. The reason is increasing positive caster enhances high-speed stability at the cost of increasing low-speed steering effort. But in my experience going above about 4.5 degrees positive caster really affects low speed stability and my car actually felt very darty and unstable. Some people and the stock recommendations have a different alignment spec for the passenger and driver side primarily to account for road crowning. Personally this drives me nuts and I prefer to have a symmetric alignment done on the passenger and driver side.
I have had some conversations with Bingo13 and in our experience, Bingo13 has more then I do with this, the following is the best set-up for stock 17" rims on the street.
L R
Front
caster 4.5 4.5
camber -1.5 -1.5
toe in between 1/16 and 0, but try to get as close to 0 as possible, overall 0 to 1/8
Rear
camber -1.0 -1.0
toe in 1/16 1/16 , overall 1/8
If you are running 18" rims Bingo13 has a lot of alignment experience with the 00R rims and can probably help you a lot. The specs that he sent me as having good results were as follows.
L R
Front
caster 5 5
camber -2.0 -2.0
toe out 1/16 1/16
Rear
camber -1.35 -1.35 (all we could go, wanted 1.5)
toe in 1/16 1/16
With Delrin bushings you can run less camber and still have the same results due to the reduction in deflection and movement.
Yes I would stick with the 17" rim street set-up. They are wider, but have about the same overall height as the stock rim and tire combination at least mathmatically.
I also found that the front k-member needed to be moved in order to get the four wheel thrust angles to near 0. I think on the last alignment my car was sitting at .003 after the thrust alignment. I think the Ford assembly guys use a left over pizza box to square our cars. You will find that after doing a performance alignment that the car is very responsive and getting the rear end dialed in correctly also helps a great deal with wheel hop and the ability to launch the car.
As Toofast4u stated previously the following settings are a great street setup with this car. Depending upon your activities, driving style, road conditions, and tire/wheel setup this suggestion could change. I found that the scrub radius changed dramatically with the '00R wheels due to the offset and wheel width. Your wheel width in the rear will have an effect on the cars understeer/oversteer tendencies. A wider rear wheel will tend to cause the car to understeer more for an example.
My favorite street settings (need cc plates) for the 17x9f & 17x10.5r setup-
L R
Front
caster 4.5 4.5 (anymore and your car steers like a bus in city traffic)
camber -1.5 -1.5 (I like 1.8 on the street but I replace tires often)
toe- 0 (could go up to 1/16th out to cure any rolling egg effects)
Rear
camber -1.0 -1.0 (-1.5 on the track, -1.2 on the strip)
toe in 1/16 1/16
Thrust Angle- 0 (make the alignment person earn their money)
Brian,
Reworked the KB steer kit a little and changed the cam nuts. I am running a true -1.5 camber on the rear now and the car loves the off camber turns again. I just need you to fly in and install the delrin bushings now. ;-)
Yes, even the slightest variation will cause the need for a new alignment. I change alignments each time I change the wheel / tire combos.
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