New Strange engineering double adjustable struts and DIY alignment:
Well guys I picked up some new Strange Engineering front coil over double adjustable and a couple little neat tools and wanted to just do a little review of them with you. I invested about $140 in these tools but plan to use them more than once. So let me put a couple disclaimers out there right up front.
I’m not alignment expert and don’t claim to be. I’m a 33 year military guy. That’s what I do best and the 8 rib stuff at BGG Performance.com is all side work. So there may well be better and cheaper ways of doing this. I did it with a tape measure and straight edge and level for years after I got tired of paying $50 -$100 each time I made front end changes or tires.
I have no vested interest in these companies…don’t know any employees there…this is just info for you.
The settings I use are for drag racing…nothing else… Adjust accordingly.
Make sure your surface is level or use boards to get it level.
First a lesson I learned along time ago when you start jacking around with suspension part (front or rear) you should always know or measure you current rife height. For me my front sits 27” from fender to ground on passenger side and 27 1/4” on drivers. With me in the car it settles to 26 ¾” on both sides.
After jacking the car to jack stands and removing wheels and old strut assembly I’m now ready to install the new struts.
First I install new Racecraft caster camber plates because the old original style will not work with the Strange piston tops.
I like the Racecraft part because it allows caster adjustments and my old plates (albeit aftermarket) did not. I set the caster almost as far back as possible for an additional degree ( to the rear of car). That’s 50% of the way between center on the top and full rear on the top. On a Mustang you would have to make some serious sheet metal fabrications to get too much caster. The S197 has a nice amount from factory. I just slid them back a bit off center. For drag racing it’s not critical that the caster be exactly the same on both sides as long as they are pretty close so I just put the old vertical level on the struts and get them close to the same on each side within ¼ degree on my digital vertical level.
I know on a drag race application also that I’m going to want 0 degree camber to no more than ¼ degree negative. So I go ahead and set my plates all the way to the outside of the fender with expectations of having to let them in a tick later. I leave them just tight enough to move with a slight nudge…just short of snugged lol.
Next I install the spring on the strut and set it at the bottom of the height adjustment and install the 2 lower strut mounting bolts at the clam clamp.
Next I loosen the extension setting on top of the strut extended the piston as far as it would go. Then I slipped the top spacer over the strut piston. Next I placed a jack under the balljoint/Aarm and slowly jacked it into place making sure the spacer shoulder seats properly.
Next on goes the top spacer and nut. Here is where it gets a little tricky.
The strut shaft is not near as long as other aftermarket shafts and the nut is recessed along with the tip of the shaft that must be held in place to tighten the lock nut. There are a couple special tools out there between $40 and $99 made for this especially for imports like VWs. Also and old aviation 7/8” spark plug wrench socket would work because it has the hexed portion on the outside to put a wrench on like most spark plug sockets…but a 7/8” spark plug is used now days only on very old ford engines and airplane engines. I found a $4 part at Lowes to do the job. I bought 2 because they are stackable.
As you can see the 7/8” (22mm) socket engages the nut but the larger than normal thru hole allows the ¼” extension to go through the hole and connect to a 3/8” (10mm) socket underneath that is holding the end of the strut to prevent turning.
With both sides installed and wheels back on I rolled the car back about 12 feet and then back into the shop to allow the tires and springs to settle.
Next I adjust my ride height, in this case back to the same old height for now.
Now I’m ready to check my camber.
I snapped me a chalk line where the strut top sat camber-wise. In the end I made a small adjustment to get it right
This tool is from Maximum Motorsports and cost $59. Its the tool at the bottom of the picture. Basically it combines my old straight edge and level but measures off the wheel instead of tire providing a more accurate measurement by removing the inconsistencies of tire sidewall. It’s accurate within better than 1/8 degree.It has 2 aluminum studs that sit against the wheel rim and a level attached. It has a dial indicator to tell you within 1/8 degree increments how far you move when you make adjustments. The 2 aluminum studs allow it to adjust from 14” to 20 “ wheels.
I jacked the car up to get the tension off the strut and made an adjustment from my chalk line. Rolled the car out and back in and checked it. Nailed it the first time! Dead on “0” Tighten up all the bolts and did the other side. I checked the measuring tool with my digital level and it was dead nuts on.
Now time to set the toe. I put a bungee cord around my brake pedal and up around my steering wheel to hold it centered. Next I set up my strings.
Strings running down the side of the car about 2.5” to 3” off the side of the tires and running 6-8 ft past each end of the car. I use jack stands. They should be adjusted in height to allow the string to pass roughly through the centerline of the wheel. This may be different heights front to rear if the car has rake. I put some weights to hold the jack stands from moving. You don’t want them to move.
So then comes this next little tool I picked up called “The Dream Stick” I know, sounds kind of sexy.
I got it on from a company called American Racing Technology (ART). They are on Ebay too. $70
The first measurement is off the rear wheel. Basically you are adjusting the strings until the distance of the string off the wheels rim is identical on the left and right side of the wheel. The string will pass over the ruler on the dream stick ( without actually touching) and you keep moving the jack stand until you get them perfectly equal distances off the wheel rim on left and right edge. Once you do that you know that the string is running parallel to the rear wheel. ( now this assumes that if you have adjustable lowers on the rear that you have the car square. This is that you basically have to two rear wheels centered or equal distances in the wheel well front to rear.).
You can now go to the front wheel and make measurements.
2 things here…Do not make adjustments to the strings. Make adjustments to the tie rod to get the distance from left and right side of the rim equal as you did on the rear but do not move the strings..Secondly the measurement will likely be different on the ruler than on the rear wheels. The string might have been 2.5” off the rear wheel on each side of the rears and it could be 3” or anything different off each side of the fronts. That’s not important. What matters is that you make the adjustments to get the front distance from the string to the left and right side of the rim equal. This will ensure they are pointed straight down track and that they are in line with the rear wheels while doing so.
There all buttoned up
Happy tracking,
GI Joe
Well guys I picked up some new Strange Engineering front coil over double adjustable and a couple little neat tools and wanted to just do a little review of them with you. I invested about $140 in these tools but plan to use them more than once. So let me put a couple disclaimers out there right up front.
I’m not alignment expert and don’t claim to be. I’m a 33 year military guy. That’s what I do best and the 8 rib stuff at BGG Performance.com is all side work. So there may well be better and cheaper ways of doing this. I did it with a tape measure and straight edge and level for years after I got tired of paying $50 -$100 each time I made front end changes or tires.
I have no vested interest in these companies…don’t know any employees there…this is just info for you.
The settings I use are for drag racing…nothing else… Adjust accordingly.
Make sure your surface is level or use boards to get it level.
First a lesson I learned along time ago when you start jacking around with suspension part (front or rear) you should always know or measure you current rife height. For me my front sits 27” from fender to ground on passenger side and 27 1/4” on drivers. With me in the car it settles to 26 ¾” on both sides.
After jacking the car to jack stands and removing wheels and old strut assembly I’m now ready to install the new struts.
First I install new Racecraft caster camber plates because the old original style will not work with the Strange piston tops.
I like the Racecraft part because it allows caster adjustments and my old plates (albeit aftermarket) did not. I set the caster almost as far back as possible for an additional degree ( to the rear of car). That’s 50% of the way between center on the top and full rear on the top. On a Mustang you would have to make some serious sheet metal fabrications to get too much caster. The S197 has a nice amount from factory. I just slid them back a bit off center. For drag racing it’s not critical that the caster be exactly the same on both sides as long as they are pretty close so I just put the old vertical level on the struts and get them close to the same on each side within ¼ degree on my digital vertical level.
I know on a drag race application also that I’m going to want 0 degree camber to no more than ¼ degree negative. So I go ahead and set my plates all the way to the outside of the fender with expectations of having to let them in a tick later. I leave them just tight enough to move with a slight nudge…just short of snugged lol.
Next I install the spring on the strut and set it at the bottom of the height adjustment and install the 2 lower strut mounting bolts at the clam clamp.
Next I loosen the extension setting on top of the strut extended the piston as far as it would go. Then I slipped the top spacer over the strut piston. Next I placed a jack under the balljoint/Aarm and slowly jacked it into place making sure the spacer shoulder seats properly.
Next on goes the top spacer and nut. Here is where it gets a little tricky.
The strut shaft is not near as long as other aftermarket shafts and the nut is recessed along with the tip of the shaft that must be held in place to tighten the lock nut. There are a couple special tools out there between $40 and $99 made for this especially for imports like VWs. Also and old aviation 7/8” spark plug wrench socket would work because it has the hexed portion on the outside to put a wrench on like most spark plug sockets…but a 7/8” spark plug is used now days only on very old ford engines and airplane engines. I found a $4 part at Lowes to do the job. I bought 2 because they are stackable.
As you can see the 7/8” (22mm) socket engages the nut but the larger than normal thru hole allows the ¼” extension to go through the hole and connect to a 3/8” (10mm) socket underneath that is holding the end of the strut to prevent turning.
With both sides installed and wheels back on I rolled the car back about 12 feet and then back into the shop to allow the tires and springs to settle.
Next I adjust my ride height, in this case back to the same old height for now.
Now I’m ready to check my camber.
I snapped me a chalk line where the strut top sat camber-wise. In the end I made a small adjustment to get it right
This tool is from Maximum Motorsports and cost $59. Its the tool at the bottom of the picture. Basically it combines my old straight edge and level but measures off the wheel instead of tire providing a more accurate measurement by removing the inconsistencies of tire sidewall. It’s accurate within better than 1/8 degree.It has 2 aluminum studs that sit against the wheel rim and a level attached. It has a dial indicator to tell you within 1/8 degree increments how far you move when you make adjustments. The 2 aluminum studs allow it to adjust from 14” to 20 “ wheels.
I jacked the car up to get the tension off the strut and made an adjustment from my chalk line. Rolled the car out and back in and checked it. Nailed it the first time! Dead on “0” Tighten up all the bolts and did the other side. I checked the measuring tool with my digital level and it was dead nuts on.
Now time to set the toe. I put a bungee cord around my brake pedal and up around my steering wheel to hold it centered. Next I set up my strings.
Strings running down the side of the car about 2.5” to 3” off the side of the tires and running 6-8 ft past each end of the car. I use jack stands. They should be adjusted in height to allow the string to pass roughly through the centerline of the wheel. This may be different heights front to rear if the car has rake. I put some weights to hold the jack stands from moving. You don’t want them to move.
So then comes this next little tool I picked up called “The Dream Stick” I know, sounds kind of sexy.
I got it on from a company called American Racing Technology (ART). They are on Ebay too. $70
The first measurement is off the rear wheel. Basically you are adjusting the strings until the distance of the string off the wheels rim is identical on the left and right side of the wheel. The string will pass over the ruler on the dream stick ( without actually touching) and you keep moving the jack stand until you get them perfectly equal distances off the wheel rim on left and right edge. Once you do that you know that the string is running parallel to the rear wheel. ( now this assumes that if you have adjustable lowers on the rear that you have the car square. This is that you basically have to two rear wheels centered or equal distances in the wheel well front to rear.).
You can now go to the front wheel and make measurements.
2 things here…Do not make adjustments to the strings. Make adjustments to the tie rod to get the distance from left and right side of the rim equal as you did on the rear but do not move the strings..Secondly the measurement will likely be different on the ruler than on the rear wheels. The string might have been 2.5” off the rear wheel on each side of the rears and it could be 3” or anything different off each side of the fronts. That’s not important. What matters is that you make the adjustments to get the front distance from the string to the left and right side of the rim equal. This will ensure they are pointed straight down track and that they are in line with the rear wheels while doing so.
There all buttoned up
Happy tracking,
GI Joe
