Lowered Alignment

Topic: Lowered Alignment (Read 1802 times) previous topic - next topic

Lowered Alignment

August 07, 2011, 04:29:45 PM

Hello all,

As you can see, this is my first post. I'm new to the forum and to T-Birds but not to Fords...I'm 52 and have always had at least one.

Last fall I bought "Thunderchicken" 's 1988 T-Bird project. I noticed it was wearing the front tires so I took it to my trusted alignment guy and he said it was badly out of line (his exact words were WTF did you do to this!?

). Anyway, he lined it up and it's way better, tire wear is nice and even. That being said, it just doesn't feel "right". If you're driving on the interstate for example and drive over a rough spot like a bridge with multiple expansion joints the car kind of "sqiggles" for want of a better term and doesn't feel stable. Other than a large turning circle (is this normal?) I love driving it. It doesn't pull to one side or the other and it takes the turns nice and tight but I'm concerned there may be something not quite right.

It was lined up to 1988 T-Bird specs but I wondered if some special values for caster or camber should have been used since the car's been lowered? I searched the forum but couldn't find an answer. I noticed a few guys here have lowered cars and thought maybe someone else had this problem.

Thanks, Stan

Lowered Alignment

Reply #1 – August 07, 2011, 06:46:05 PM

I lowered the 84 about 1 1/2" and re-aligned it. It turned out very good. At first I thought I would need a bump-steer kit, but I didn't, HOWEVER every car is different. I suspect you may need a bump-steer kit and POSSIBLY adjustable camber/caster plates to correct the condition you describe.

Lowered Alignment

Reply #2 – August 09, 2011, 10:42:58 AM

Maximum Motorsports sells the CC plates and in the instructions they give you the street and race settings.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=514_2_77&products_id=258

Measuring for bump steer is a pain in the butt but well worth it if a person suspects this to be the problem. I usually set my cars up so that the tie-rod assembly is parallel to the lower control arms. This seems to work fairly well in minimizing most of the bump steer. Depending on how much the car has been lowered you may be able to get away with a tapered stud bump steer kit. If not then you have to go with the through bolt kit which gives you a lot more adjustment. I had the tapered kit on my Coupe with about a 1" drop and had to switch over to the through bolt kit when I installed the coil overs. I also have the through bolt on the T-Bird as it is in the weeds compared to the stock height.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=514_2_348

I used the MMTR-2 on the Coupe and then used the MMTR-5 conversion kit to make it a through bolt kit. I just went straight to the MMTR-1 on the Bird based off my experience with the Coupe.

If you do not know the history on the car, specifically the suspension, then I would be more concerned with lower control arm bushings, ball joints, and the struts on the front end. If the rear end is sloppy is will translate through the car as well so check the upper and lower control arms, the bushings in the top of the rear end that the UCA's attach to, and the shocks. Last but not least will be the front sway bar end links and the mounts to the sub frame. Once you have all of this mechanically sound then you can start working on the alignment because if any of this is moving around the best alignment in the world will not do a bit of good.

From there you really need to look at installing some sub-frame connectors as they will generally improve the ride quality as well as the overall performance of the handling package of the car. Do a search here for the sub-frames as there are guys who make them and those of us who just buy a set and install them. I would strongly suggest that you do a full length unit no matter what brand or build you do.

All of this is just from my experience with my cars so take it for what its worth and welcome to the site!

Darren

Lowered Alignment

Reply #3 – August 10, 2011, 06:53:38 PM

Thanks for the info. I think you're both right about my problem. I didn't plan to spend more $$$ on the car but I don't like the "unpredictable-ness" (new word...feel free to use it) of the handling when the roads get rough. I think it needs more caster and from what I've read so far, bump steer is my problem. I see you can buy a tool to measure bump steer but can it be measured some other way? That being said, if we figure BS is a problem, does the measurement matter or will a BS kit automatically fix it? When I get these new parts installed, what would you recommend for caster, camber and toe numbers?

As far as the suspension goes, the car was built by a forum member, Thunder Chicken (Carmen), and I think there's a thread here following the build but I can't find it. As far as I know, the suspension is mostly new and has Kenne Bell frame connectors with seat brackets and CHE rear control arms. It also has Turbo Coupe front and rear sway bars. I think Carmen said the car was lowered 2 inches. I suppose I could replace the 2001 Bullit springs and put the suspension back to stock height but I like it better low, so I'll have to do what's necessary to make it handle.

I also wondered about the turning radius. It needs a lot of acreage to turn and I wondered if it was anything to do with being lowered or if all T-Birds are like that.

Thanks again for the info.

Stan

Lowered Alignment

Reply #4 – August 10, 2011, 08:20:09 PM

Quote from: Aerocoupe;364838

Maximum Motorsports sells the CC plates and in the instructions they give you the street and race settings.

Just noticed you already gave me the answer to my caster, camber settings question.

Thanks, Stan