Recommended allignment specs

[Juice]

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?

Correct, you need cc plates that allow caster adjustment. Some only allow camber, like the steeda ones. 1* of additional camber is advertised with those, and that is exactly what I got after install and maxxing out adjustment.

 

[1950StangJump$]

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

Great info, Norm. Thanks. I will be making suspension changes this summer, so researching options. This helped a lot.

 

[kazman59]

This came with the suspension kit, just sayin'

 

[Norm Peterson]

That 148 ft*lb wheel nut torque spec doesn't look right for 1/2-20 wheel studs. Could be downright dangerous long-term (fastener failure, zipper effect once the first one lets go, loss of wheel).

Might be a good number for S550 wheel nuts, which I think are 14 mm.


Norm

 

[1950StangJump$]

Yea, I always torque to 105. Have seen recommendations for 85 - 100 lbs on cars, depending on the type off wheel. Never heard anyone recommend 148.

 

[kazman59]

yeah I torque to 100. But I aligned to -1.5

I find FR to lean to the conservative side, well except for the lug torque.

 

[Pentalab]

148 ft lbs is looney tunes. What you are after is tightness, between 2 x surfaces , not torque.
If you look up tq specs on say construction bolts, like the A325 variety..( eq of a SAE-G5 bolt), you will see charts depicting required tq for 'dry'..and 'wet'. Dry is with no lubricant used, and 'wet' is with lube applied to the threads....(like 'never seize'). For larger bolts, you will see stuff like... 525 ft lbs dry..and 385 ft lbs wet. The wet rating is typ 60-70% of the dry rating. Having said that, I use never seize on the studs..and just 90 ft lbs...more than ample. I swap the tires every fall and spring..and they remain at 90 ft lbs.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Could have been some confusion with other fasteners in the vicinity of the wheel/hub/knuckle.

I think 148 ft*lbs used to be the torque for the earliest S197 strut to knuckle fasteners. Subsequent to a few knuckle failures in hard driving, those fasteners were upgraded (stronger) and the torque sped upped to 166 or so.


Norm