Something is wrong Car Alignment

[CEHollier]

Cliffs notes installed installed BMR 763 springs and performance pack shocks/struts. We clocked (reindexed) the front bushings. Did not do the back bushings due to time/access. Brought my car to a shop and asked them to reindex all bushings and do an alignment. Got the car and checked my measurements from center top of wheel well to ground. Curiously front and back actually were 3/16 inch to 1/8 inch higher. Strange... Then measured back tires with a flat board the difference between top of wheel well and how far the board stuck out. The difference passenger back tire was 3/16 vs 7/16 driver rear tire. So driver rear tire sticks out 1/4 inch more. The difference is noticeable to the naked eye. Then to the front the difference is 2/16. And front camber is negative. Passenger tire 1/4 level bubble off and 1/2 bubble on driver side. To sum things up I expected no change in drop on the front and it actually went up 1/8 inch. Strange because it had been indexed already. I expected a slight drop on the rear because it had not been indexed and it rose. Someone please help me make sense of these discrepancies. And did not give me a sheet.

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[NightmareMoon]

First are there three different questions in that paragraph? I had trouble following it. Also an alignment sheet may help us figure this out.

1) let it settle for a week of driving, it make hunker down as things seat up. Springs may be fiting in their rubber seats differently now.

2) Not indexing the bushings in the rear (i.e if control arms were tightened with the car in the air) it should ride a bit higher.

3) 1/8 inch is a tiny difference. Minor weight shifting, gas in the tank, junk in the trunk, settling, or any uneven surface can cause that much difference

4) subframe alignment after a rear spring install can cause some some left/right differences, if you dont explicity center it.

5) alignment camber changes will affect left/right sidewall to fender measurements. Less negative camber can raise a car slightly at the fender (not much, but fractions of an inch for sure).

6) tire pressures will raise a car. Measuring it hot it may ride slightly higher than if the tires are cold.

 

[CEHollier]

Nightmare - Can the difference between how far the rear tires stick past the wheel wells be corrected? Passenger rear is 3/16 inch (perfect). Driver is 7/16. The 1/4 inch driver side protrusion is noticeable.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Yes you can adjust the subframe alignment. I havent done it so Ill let someone else give you the details. There are kits, but IDK you might not need them.

If the difference is from alignment camber, thats fixable too.

 

[CEHollier]

Nightmare - What is weird is after they reindexed the bushings the rear height of the car actually increased. The passenger rear increased 1/8 inch and drivers side increased 3/16 inch. I expected them to 1. stay the same. 2. or lower and be less. It just seems odd to me those numbers increased though small amounts. I actually liked the stance of the car more before having the bushings reindexed and the car aligned. I'll get with them tomorrow. I'm sure it's correctable. I appreciate all of your input.

 

[BmacIL]

Fwiw, mine has settled over time a bit too. Per our conversation last night, the most effective way to fix the L/R is to shift the subframe. The only way it would be camber is if they were way off left to right (like 1 full degree difference or something of that magnitude).

 

[CEHollier]

Fwiw, mine has settled over time a bit too. Per our conversation last night, the most effective way to fix the L/R is to shift the subframe. The only way it would be camber is if they were way off left to right (like 1 full degree difference or something of that magnitude).

Does this look possibly like a degree or more? Man I wish I had gotten the sheet. Top is passenger rear which looks right. Bottom is driver rear and sticks out 1/4 inch more than passenger.

 

[CEHollier]

On another subject since reindexing the bushings wheel gap has increased. My spring drop is minimum 1/2 inch so any increase severely negates any gains. Top photo is driver rear prior to reindexing bushings/alignment. Bottom photo is driver rear after reindexing bushings/alignment. I understand camber can make a difference in wheel gap. But both sides increased. driver rear around 3/16 inch and passenger 1/8 inch. I greatly appreciate the input.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Steeda makes subframe alignment pins which will handle aligning your subframe. Everyone who has posted above surely knows about them, but curiously failed to mention them. Figures. Additionally, I would ensure your bushings were clocked (indexed) with the full weight of the car on the wheels. This is only feasible to do on a drive-on alignment rack-style lift or by placing the car on very high wheel stands.

Finally, every single Mustang - surprisingly so - seems to react differently to lowering springs. My car, regardless of who's made the springs that have been installed, tends to settle more in the rear than I'd prefer and that I expect. A friend who had the exact same springs as me at the time had the exact "stance" I expected on my car.


Drive the car around for a while.

 

[BmacIL]

Steeda makes subframe alignment pins which will handle aligning your subframe. Everyone who has posted above surely knows about them, but curiously failed to mention them. Figures. Additionally, I would ensure your bushings were clocked (indexed) with the full weight of the car on the wheels. This is only feasible to do on a drive-on alignment rack-style lift or by placing the car on very high wheel stands.

Finally, every single Mustang - surprisingly so - seems to react differently to lowering springs. My car, regardless of who's made the springs that have been installed, tends to settle more in the rear than I'd prefer and that I expect. A friend who had the exact same springs as me at the time had the exact "stance" I expected on my car.


Drive the car around for a while.

We did recognize it, and he already has them...

 

[BmacIL]

As I had mentioned to [MENTION=18372]CEHollier[/MENTION] last night, he may have to remove them to get that left to right difference addressed, IF it's not a sizeable discrepancy in alignment.

 

[wildcatgoal]

I need to read signatures! ;)

 

[CEHollier]

I am limited knowledge on suspensions. But if bushings are properly reindexed I find it hard to believe the fender gap increases 3/16 inch. Hell my rear drop was only 1/2 inch. That's almost half of the drop. My thoughts are they did it wheels dangling. Not on ramps. That's the only thing that makes sense.

 

[BmacIL]

I am limited knowledge on suspensions. But if bushings are properly reindexed I find it hard to believe the fender gap increases 3/16 inch. Hell my rear drop was only 1/2 inch. That's almost half of the drop. My thoughts are they did it wheels dangling. Not on ramps. That's the only thing that makes sense.

I would agree.

 

[CEHollier]

I would agree.

Thank you for the input Brian. Honestly that unacceptable. I'm bringing it to a shop I know will do it correctly. I'm not messing around with these people. If the alignment sheet is way off from the second shop the first shop and I will have a come to Jesus meeting.

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