Recommended allignment specs

[Screamin_dutch]

Going to replace front control arms and tie rod ends next week, so I need another allignment.

Whats recommended for a street car? I think I have too much neg camber now because the insides are wearing much faster after 5000 miles already and the car tramlines like a b*tch.

If anything, my goal would be car that behaves well and isnt twitchy. Probably a lot to ask for with 275/35/19 front tires.

 

[Juice]

Inside wear could be from too much toe out. Camber is only adjustable if.you have CC plates or camber bolts.

That said, for street, I like -1* camber, with a slight toe out. Match caster L/R if adjustable.

Im at -1.8* camber with 275s and it has good street manners and works well for track duty.

 

[Racer47]

Max caster (ends up being 6-7 deg), 1/2 to 1 deg neg camber, 1/8" toe in. Zero toe or toe out is more twitchy. Slight toe in is more stable and better for a street car.

 

[ExSRT8Guy]

Max caster (ends up being 6-7 deg), 1/2 to 1 deg neg camber, 1/8" toe in. Zero toe or toe out is more twitchy. Slight toe in is more stable and better for a street car.

This.

 

[eighty6gt]

I run zero or slightly (equal to or less than 1/8") toed out (measured with tape on the floor using a level and a carpenter's square,) degree and a half neg camber max caster! Steeda plates. Runs great.

 

[nawagner]

As mentioned, toe is what is eating your tires.

 

[Norm Peterson]

As long as toe is in a good place, you can run way more than -1.0° camber and wear can still be close to even. Though the further negative that cambers are set to, the more "enthusiastic" your normal cornering might actually need to become. Actual tramlining is more about the specific tires and their internal construction, some being better than others in resisting this.

Around -2.0°, not quite enough for optimum track duty, but not too much for street driving either . . . MPSS




Norm

 

[Juice]

My settings may be conservative for track use, but I get great tirewear with both street tires and slicks.

 

[eighty6gt]

As long as toe is in a good place, you can run way more than -1.0° camber and wear can still be close to even. Though the further negative that cambers are set to, the more "enthusiastic" your normal cornering might actually need to become. Actual tramlining is more about the specific tires and their internal construction, some being better than others in resisting this.

Around -2.0°, not quite enough for optimum track duty, but not too much for street driving either . . . MPSS

View attachment 69134


Norm

Also good proof here that the early s197 is the best looking of all of the modern cars.

 

[Screamin_dutch]

Thanks so far guys

 

[stang_gang]

Inside wear could be from too much toe out. Camber is only adjustable if.you have CC plates or camber bolts.

That said, for street, I like -1* camber, with a slight toe out. Match caster L/R if adjustable.

Im at -1.8* camber with 275s and it has good street manners and works well for track duty.

I’m at -1.9* Camber and 285s and I think my car steers just fine. Toe is what wears tires not camber

 

[1950StangJump$]

So is

Max caster (ends up being 6-7 deg), 1/2 to 1 deg neg camber, 1/8" toe in. Zero toe or toe out is more twitchy. Slight toe in is more stable and better for a street car.

Reference the 6-7 degrees caster . . . how does this compare to where it sits naturally without CC plates? I assume its not adjustable without said plates . . .

 

[Norm Peterson]

Reference the 6-7 degrees caster . . . how does this compare to where it sits naturally without CC plates? I assume its not adjustable without said plates . . .

As far as I know, stock caster for the S197 has always been +7.1°, with a ±0.5° tolerance.


Norm

 

[1950StangJump$]

As far as I know, stock caster for the S197 has always been +7.1°, with a ±0.5° tolerance.


Norm

Good info. So, if caster is where we want it already, what advantage would CC plates have over camber bolts for our cars?

 

[eighty6gt]

The upper mounts seem to be junk on these cars from the factory, lots of plastic.
I used GT500 mounts, lots of banging.

The steeda mounts I have, however, are also junk (mismachined parts, bearing failure,) BUT,

ALL of the mounts I've ever used are noisy.

Camber bolts are a pain in the ass to use.

Vorshlag may have some good parts?

 

[Norm Peterson]

Good info. So, if caster is where we want it already, what advantage would CC plates have over camber bolts for our cars?

Strength and resistance to slipping/losing the adjustment setting. I know people seem to be able to get away with the bolts, but personally I just can't trust bolts that can only be torqued down to about half of what the OE strut to knuckle fastener torque spec calls for. Track use may not be any more severe than hitting potholes, and may not even be as severe as far as adjustment slippage is concerned.

Steeda's HD strut mounts not only offer camber adjustability, they also replace the strut mounts.


Norm

 

[1950StangJump$]

So, in a completely stock Mustang with no camber bolts or cc plates, toe is the only thing adjusted at an alignment shop when you've had a reason to pull the front suspension apart?

I realize that is a terribly naïve question.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Yes and no.

Under normal conditions if camber is within tolerance (including cross, or side to side) they won't touch anything but toe.

But there is a procedure in the factory shop manual for correcting any individual camber or the cross-camber if found to be outside the factory range. They won't do this unless they have to. I don't know if having to do this would incur additional expense, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was.


Norm

 

[1950StangJump$]

Yes and no.

Under normal conditions if camber is within tolerance (including cross, or side to side) they won't touch anything but toe.

But there is a procedure in the factory shop manual for correcting any individual camber or the cross-camber if found to be outside the factory range. They won't do this unless they have to. I don't know if having to do this would incur additional expense, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was.


Norm

Okay, thanks. So, I'm reading you say: With a stock 05-09 Mustang, toe is routinely adjusted during alignment, camber could be adjusted but is not routinely, and caster is set/unadjustable?

 

[Norm Peterson]

Close.

The shop manual procedure for adjusting camber involves grinding one hole in the strut 'ears' such that the knuckle changes its angular relationship with the strut's axis. There are limits to how much grinding is permitted, and new fasteners are required. Most shops aren't going to do that on their nickel.

Actually, there is a FSM procedure by which caster can be adjusted that involves slotting one of the holes at the rear mount to the control arm and using a special fastener. But I suspect that this is even less commonly done.


Norm