Need alignment after lowering?

[hmperf]

I put in the ford performance springs which lowers I think 1.5". Im also putting on new wheels, 19x10 and 19x11, and Im wondering if I need to realign now. Or if I should get a custom alignment to take advantage of the new setup.

Sponsored

 

[Chad11491]

You will need an alignment.

 

[scott_0]

yes, you will absolutely need an alignment

 

[Norm Peterson]

I put in the ford performance springs which lowers I think 1.5". Im also putting on new wheels, 19x10 and 19x11, and Im wondering if I need to realign now. Or if I should get a custom alignment to take advantage of the new setup.

I'm a firm believer in making the car fit the driver and the way he drives. That the job isn't done when the parts are first bolted on if there's any related adjustments available. You will at least need to get the alignment checked (or check it yourself, which is entirely possible); how you proceed from there depending on what you find.

How likely do you think it'll be that you'll use more of the performance increase? Any idea how much of it if you do? Expect to do much autocrossing? Track days? Or just country/canyon roads and the occasional interstate ramp?


Norm

 

[hmperf]

yes, you will absolutely need an alignment

To what spec? Or should I just bring it to the dealer and say "Just align it" and they will know what to do?

 

[Norm Peterson]

To what spec? Or should I just bring it to the dealer and say "Just align it" and they will know what to do?

You'd almost certainly end up with the same stock middle-of-the-range settings (aka "factory preferred") as the next guy with the same year and trim of Mustang who has left his car in 100% OE stock condition.

Not all shops - dealership or independent - will work to custom alignment specs. With your mods so far, you want to find a shop that will. But first, try to predict whether you'll be driving your car harder in the corners (and if so, roughly how much harder - a little? a lot?). There are various guidelines, this one just showed up in my mailbox a few days ago. There are others.


Norm

 

[hmperf]

Thanks Norm. Good info. Im good with 'understanding' the setup (I actually design suspensions for a race team, and have raced for decades). I just didnt know what the S550 likes to see when being lowered. I know when inquiring on some wheel and spring packages the distributor would say "You need -2.3 degrees" etc.
I have an idea of what *I* would like to see but not sure if the car would agree with me

 

[Norm Peterson]

One thing I have heard (fairly recently) about the S550 rear suspension specifically suggests not running rear camber hugely less than front camber like you might otherwise. The UCA may in fact be longer than the LCA, which would have camber gain consequences (and would explain why Ford's rear camber specs are as negative as they are). You'd be best off to make your own measurements; the available suspension pictures aren't nearly useful enough.

The front strut camber gain is going to be like most other strut camber gain curves, slowing down as the car is lowered unless you do some roll center (and then bumpsteer) correcting.


Norm

Sponsored