UPDATE: Where are you all bringing your cars with non-stock suspension for alignments and how are you determining alignment specs?

95SN95 · Sep 8, 2023

My new to me 95 Mustang GT convert has a cheap set of coil overs on it. To be honest, the guy I bought it from said they’re just a cheap set of coil overs. I know nothing about coil overs. It rides very stiff, slow speed turns the front suspension creaks and pops, and the front tires have a camber to them. While the car tracks pretty straight, there is little feel in the streering wheel off center, though no slack at all in the steering.

I’m making plans to swap out the coil overs for springs but for now want to bring it in for an alignment which got me thinking:
Where do I bring a car with a modified suspension? My local Firestone does alignments but would they know how to do an alignment on a car with coil overs? Is there anything even different about doing an alignment on a car with coil overs?
What about the alignment specs? When I’ve gotten alignments in the past they go off of factory specs. Is it still the same?

So where does a regular guy like me with a modded car take their car?

ttocs · Sep 8, 2023

any reputable shop should be able to handle it.

cobrajeff96 · Sep 8, 2023

Stay with factory specs on a street car no matter what parts are installed.

r3dn3ck · Sep 10, 2023

Mostly factory alignment specs. Dial in all the caster and -.5deg to -1deg camber and IIRC 1/8" of toe in. Tell the service writer to make sure to inform the alignment tech it's non-stock and that the adjustments for caster and camber can be done at the top of the strut tower on the CC plates. They'll sigh and that'll be that.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 11, 2023

With my maximum motorsports coil-overs, you have to take a little weight off the suspension to make adjustments. If loosen the C/C plate, it won't move at all with the weight of the vehicle pushing upwards on the strut. I have to put a jack under the K-member to take a little weight off. I don't lift the car just apply enough pressure that i can move the C/C plate around a bit. I make my adjustments, snug the bolts and lower the jack. Bouce the suspension a little and recheck. I've never been able to just loose and move the C/C plate easily like it would when it sat on stock coil springs. Just way too much vehicle weight pushing upwards on the strut tower.

My car (disclaimer: foxbody) has the full MM package on it and i've always asked up front if a shop would align it and most have refused because of the non-standard parts. They look at the bumpsteer kit and the aftermarket C/C plates , and the panhard bar out back and just turn me away. Also, knowing what i know about what it takes to adjust the camber with my coil-overs, i don't feel comfortable just handing the car over to someone what doesn't know what to do.

SO, i've been doing alignments myself. Bought the tools to do it in my driveway and given the amount of suspension changes i've made it's paid for itself. However, i've recently found a local speed shop that specialized in Mustangs that compete in HPDE and after talking to them a bit, I feel comfortable letting them do it in the future.

BTW, when i set my alignment, i do the specs r3dn3ck suggested. Full caster, about -1 degree of camber and 1/8" toe in.

95SN95 · Sep 12, 2023

I brought the Mustang in for an alignment and they couldn’t do anything with the camber or caster. Here’s the alignment print out

95SN95 · Sep 12, 2023

What double-y sucks is my alignment is no better and now my steering wheel is crooked when I’m going straight. Now I have shitty camber and a crooked steering wheel.

95SN95 · Sep 12, 2023

FWIW here’s my camber plates drivers side

Mustang5L5 · Sep 12, 2023

What brand CC plate is that? Looks like an OEM plate with an aftermarket jammed on the underside. I don’t even see how that’s adjustable

95SN95 · Sep 12, 2023

Passenger side

cobrajeff96 · Sep 12, 2023

Almost looks like the plates weren't installed correctly. Driver's side only allows adjustment for caster and the passenger only for camber. Yikes.

You might need to adjust the placement of those things, or just get the best ones ever made by Maximum Motorsports.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 12, 2023

I think they both only allow for caster. Pass side plate is oriented with front of car down. Looks like both are set to full caster.

Your camber being off could cause the steering wheel to be off as well. Since you have more of the drivers side wheel down on the ground flat, you are getting more rolling resistance there, hence the need to steer to the pass side slightly which has more camber dialed in. Your toe is perfect, but that camber setting is messing you up.

You need new suspension parts period. They fact it creaks and pops makes me wonder if it’s even installed correctly. Are those Racelands?

Mustang5L5 · Sep 12, 2023

I think they are mounted on the wrong side. The top plates are OE ford but I think the coil overs are on the wrong side. Swapping sides would rotate the plate 90* and your caster adjustment now becomes a camber adjustment. I think….

Found a similar set online and it advertises camber adjustment. Looks similar to your plates
Coil overs

ttocs · Sep 12, 2023

I have to agree that the plates are on the wrong side of the strut tower. I have never seen a set that goes under it.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 12, 2023

I think I found them

Right around 12:00

Video of install

Seems they do install from the underside, but they are on the wrong sides. So the caster adjustment is actually supposed to be camber.

At least that’s my read on this.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 12, 2023

And since they are gold, I think this is the brand

maxspeedingrod coilovers

$285 for front coilovers with rear shocks. Wow...

95SN95 · Sep 12, 2023

Wow just wow what a mess! Mustang5L5 how did you even find them and thank you for all the details. Cobrajeff96 I’ve considered getting new CC plates and keeping the coil overs for now BUT the alignment tech said these are leaking. ttocs I’m not even sure how to fix this - are they mounted on the wrong side?

I’ve been following the “Convertible guys. Eibach Pro-Kit vs Ford Racing "G" Springs” thread and am leaning towards just replace everything with the Ford Performance Parts Lowering Spring Kits M-5300-G and Joni STR.T Street Shocks and Struts.

95SN95 · Sep 12, 2023

Looking at the product info on the maxspedingrod website Mustang5L5 found - I could remove preload on these coil overs so my car doesn’t ride like a cement truck, get new CC plate like Cobrajeff96 mentions, get it aligned and maybe it would be okay?? Decisions decisions. These are the things that keep me up at night.