Lowered ED Fairmont Alignment Problem - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Kerazy S-Pak · 08-27-2004, 22:07

Hi guys, Im having trouble with the front end alignment on my ED. Its not that low, theres probably about and inch between the arch and the top of the tyre. I took it down to my local bridgestone tyre joint to get the front end aligned as it was drifting to the left. A coupe of hrs later i went to pick it up and the bloke said hed spent a fair bit of time on it and there wasnt much he could do with it. I dnt know what the deal is under there, but he said with the setting hes used, the car should be pulling to the right (it still pulls to the left)
Basically i want to know if a camber kit is the way to go, and how exactly it allows greater adjustment than normal.
The guy also said my steering rack was 'valving' and this wasnt helping the situation. Ive never heard of that term before in relation to the steering rack(in person, or on these forums)
Any help with these two queries greatly appreciated.

FoMoCo4eva · 08-27-2004, 22:27

yes definatly get a camber kit.

Unfortunatly my kit is at its end of the thread and its still not centre. Ill be going back to stock height as I am selling it anyway.

Whenever you lower a Ford, get a camber kit. Thats what ive been told, I dont know why though :/ I guess you could say the same for any car.

Kerazy S-Pak · 08-27-2004, 22:31

Hi Fomoco. Do u know why uve run out of thread and cant get is centred? Ur car looks pretty low from ur avatar, mine not quite as low as urs. I think mine is standard xr6 ride height.

FoMoCo4eva · 08-27-2004, 22:34

Yeah the front is quite low..

um I think they guy said that no more shims can be put in. Hence running out of thread. To be honest I dont know to much about it, wish I did, im just repeating what I was told.

I have both both upper and lower kits aswell.

Kerazy S-Pak · 08-27-2004, 22:38

There are upper and lower kits?
Im not too cluey on this suspension stiff either. I kind of get the whole thread/shim thing, but beyond that I dont get it. I just want the car to go straight! =)

psycho chicken · 08-27-2004, 22:50

Camber shouldn't affect which way the car pulls, provided it is even.

Has he car been in any big front end hits?

Never heard valving before, but if your steering rack has problems it's most likely the cause of it all.

Kerazy S-Pak · 08-27-2004, 22:58

I think the car has sustained some sort of damage on the front end. The front panels have been resprayed. Ive had a look underneath but it all looks the same to me. What sort of damage would cause the car to pull in a direction?
Is it castor that affects the way the car pulls?

psycho chicken · 08-30-2004, 03:16

Toe mainly.

It's possible the accident rooted the steering rack, but who knows.

Soxx · 08-30-2004, 03:38

Toe does not make the car pull.

Both castor and camber will make a car pull if they are different from one another.
You may not need a camber kit, you may just need a handful of shims to sort it out.

I'd take it elsewhere and get a second opinion.

Rick.

Kerazy S-Pak · 09-01-2004, 00:54

Been talking to a few people and the handful of shims/possible rack problem are they main contenders atm. Im getting my mechanic to have a look at the rack/check for any crash damage and he's getting a trusted suspension guy to have a look at the suspension. My mechanic is my gf's dad so no worries re: trust issues there!