Tomster
Beware of idiots
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Reference the pdf attachment at the end of this post that contains the Ford procedure for removing the camber set screw pins.
Job 2 CFTP GT500s come equipped with the camber plates already installed. Great news, eh? Well, not really. The factory pins the plates in place because they don't want the extra step of adjusting the camber at the factory. What this means to any job 2 CFTP owner is that if you want to achieve the track alignment specifications, you will have to remove the pin screws that are built into the camber plates.
Today I decided to remove the camber plate pin screws that the factory installed. I'm going to go over the various steps in the procedure to save you some heartache. The procedure as presented by Ford is not entirely correct.
I'll go over what I did and what I found to be inconsistent with the procedure outlined by Ford.
Please reference the attached procedure (courtesy of @Epiphany) and follow along step by step with my notes.
Step 1. Self explanatory
Step 2. I used jackstands and raised the entire vehicle up at all 4 points.
Step 3. The procedure is to verify that the set screws are in place. I didn't take a photo of the screws in place, but you will see 3 nuts on the bottom side of the plate that receive the screws. If you see screws in the nuts, then this procedure is required if you wish to adjust your camber.
Step 4. Self explanatory. Take a photo before you unbolt the sensor to ensure you put it back exactly as it was.
Step 5. The procedure is as depicted, however you will need a 17mm open ended wrench to keep the bolt spinning as you loosen the nut. The bolt has a 17mm spot on the other side of the bracket for you to use to keep it from turning as you try to remove the nut. The bolt will probably be not on center with the bracket hole. You can either use a floor jack under the rotor (use a few lug nuts to secure the rotor to the hub) and raise the strut enough to align the bolt to the bracket or use your hand to raise the stabilizer bar so that it can be removed. I see no reason to throw away the nut.
Step 6. Again, self explanatory. Take a photo of the exact routing of the wires and where the relief connectors are located.
Step 7. Self explanatory. It is important to remove the harnesses as depicted because the strut will be dropped enough that will cause damage if enough relief is not provided to the harnesses.
Step 8. I see no reason to discard those nuts. Before removing them, use a floor jack to hold the strut up. Place it under the rotor and be sure to bolt the rotor to the hub with lug nuts so that the rotor can bear the load of the weight of the strut and its components. The assembly is heavy. Understand that the rotor can turn, so be careful.
Step 9. Here is where we deviate from the procedure. I found that the strut will not lower enough to get it out from under the strut tower. This is not a big deal. It will lower enough so that you can get tools above the camber plate so that you can remove the screws from above the strut tower. The strut will freely move around in the strut tower so that you can gain access to the angles needed to work from above. Caution, I would not try to lower the strut to comply with the procedure from Ford. If you do, you may damage the various suspension components. I think this was a mistake by Ford. The strut didn't seem to want to lower to the point that it will come out to work on.
Step 10. Working from above in the engine compartment. I used a 1/4" drive extension. I would set the hex tool to interface with the screw and then align the strut tower by hand so that I could use a 1/4" ratchet with extension. Again, the strut moves around enough so that you can get to each screw one at a time.
Step 11. Now its time to put it all together again. I used the same floor jack that was holding the suspension up. Slowly raise the strut using the floor jack and reference the strut mounts as the approach the strut tower holes. Take your time and when the strut mounts are in place, replace the 3 strut mount nuts but don't torque them down yet until you set the camber to full outboard (which is coincidental to the pinned position from the factory). As soon as the strut is positioned to full outboard, go ahead and torque them down.
Step 12. I found that the full outboard position as depicted in the procedure wound up being the same exact camber setting as it was before the procedure. I see now why ford uses these pins, it saves them from having to align the camber at the factory. The full outboard position is exactly as it was when the setscrew pins were in place. As long as you don't change your camber setting, you shouldn't have to change your tow. Changing your camber to a more negative setting will change your tow towards a more positive setting. So my point is, don't change your camber and the tow shouldn't change either.
Step 13 until completion. Assembly is in the reverse order as disassembly. Use a torque wrench for all referenced torque settings.
Job 2 CFTP GT500s come equipped with the camber plates already installed. Great news, eh? Well, not really. The factory pins the plates in place because they don't want the extra step of adjusting the camber at the factory. What this means to any job 2 CFTP owner is that if you want to achieve the track alignment specifications, you will have to remove the pin screws that are built into the camber plates.
Today I decided to remove the camber plate pin screws that the factory installed. I'm going to go over the various steps in the procedure to save you some heartache. The procedure as presented by Ford is not entirely correct.
I'll go over what I did and what I found to be inconsistent with the procedure outlined by Ford.
Please reference the attached procedure (courtesy of @Epiphany) and follow along step by step with my notes.
Step 1. Self explanatory
Step 2. I used jackstands and raised the entire vehicle up at all 4 points.
Step 3. The procedure is to verify that the set screws are in place. I didn't take a photo of the screws in place, but you will see 3 nuts on the bottom side of the plate that receive the screws. If you see screws in the nuts, then this procedure is required if you wish to adjust your camber.
Step 4. Self explanatory. Take a photo before you unbolt the sensor to ensure you put it back exactly as it was.
Step 5. The procedure is as depicted, however you will need a 17mm open ended wrench to keep the bolt spinning as you loosen the nut. The bolt has a 17mm spot on the other side of the bracket for you to use to keep it from turning as you try to remove the nut. The bolt will probably be not on center with the bracket hole. You can either use a floor jack under the rotor (use a few lug nuts to secure the rotor to the hub) and raise the strut enough to align the bolt to the bracket or use your hand to raise the stabilizer bar so that it can be removed. I see no reason to throw away the nut.
Step 6. Again, self explanatory. Take a photo of the exact routing of the wires and where the relief connectors are located.
Step 7. Self explanatory. It is important to remove the harnesses as depicted because the strut will be dropped enough that will cause damage if enough relief is not provided to the harnesses.
Step 8. I see no reason to discard those nuts. Before removing them, use a floor jack to hold the strut up. Place it under the rotor and be sure to bolt the rotor to the hub with lug nuts so that the rotor can bear the load of the weight of the strut and its components. The assembly is heavy. Understand that the rotor can turn, so be careful.
Step 9. Here is where we deviate from the procedure. I found that the strut will not lower enough to get it out from under the strut tower. This is not a big deal. It will lower enough so that you can get tools above the camber plate so that you can remove the screws from above the strut tower. The strut will freely move around in the strut tower so that you can gain access to the angles needed to work from above. Caution, I would not try to lower the strut to comply with the procedure from Ford. If you do, you may damage the various suspension components. I think this was a mistake by Ford. The strut didn't seem to want to lower to the point that it will come out to work on.
Step 10. Working from above in the engine compartment. I used a 1/4" drive extension. I would set the hex tool to interface with the screw and then align the strut tower by hand so that I could use a 1/4" ratchet with extension. Again, the strut moves around enough so that you can get to each screw one at a time.
Step 11. Now its time to put it all together again. I used the same floor jack that was holding the suspension up. Slowly raise the strut using the floor jack and reference the strut mounts as the approach the strut tower holes. Take your time and when the strut mounts are in place, replace the 3 strut mount nuts but don't torque them down yet until you set the camber to full outboard (which is coincidental to the pinned position from the factory). As soon as the strut is positioned to full outboard, go ahead and torque them down.
Step 12. I found that the full outboard position as depicted in the procedure wound up being the same exact camber setting as it was before the procedure. I see now why ford uses these pins, it saves them from having to align the camber at the factory. The full outboard position is exactly as it was when the setscrew pins were in place. As long as you don't change your camber setting, you shouldn't have to change your tow. Changing your camber to a more negative setting will change your tow towards a more positive setting. So my point is, don't change your camber and the tow shouldn't change either.
Step 13 until completion. Assembly is in the reverse order as disassembly. Use a torque wrench for all referenced torque settings.
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