Need some front end alignment help!

[Det_Riot]

Looking for some insight or advice in what I need to do to get acceptable camber adjustment out of my set up. After the front end swap its been a hassle trying to get it all set

The breakdown of parts is as follows:

1994 Mustang Gt

TeamZ mild steel k-member

TeamZ foxbody a-arms

Motorcraft sn95 ball joints

94-95 racecraft 2" drop spindles

Foxbody length Strange 10-way struts

TeamZ 94+ camber caster plates.

TeamZ coilover kit.

The issue that I'm having is that even at maximum camber, there just isn't enough adjustment to get my front wheels back into proper alignment specs. I maxed out the camber caster plates and it doesn't seem like my wheels are even into negative camber yet.

I know plenty of guys are running 1" shorter a-arms, I'm looking for any recommendations from experience that will give me the adjustment that I need. I'd like to not have to lengthen the holes in my shock tower because that seems hack to me but if I its what I have to do so be it.

I'm going to try loosening my struts today and get the most amount of angle I can from the current configuration. I've also heard if running camber bolts but are those very reliable? @iRoush I feel like you should be able to give me some insight :-)

[SublimeRT]

Can the top plate of those cc plates be spun around to get more camber adjustment?

I haven't used camber bolts on Mustangs before but I've used them in other vehicles with no problems.

Would Steeda X2 ball joints help the issue at all? I'm not too familiar with them.

[Det_Riot]

Don't think so. I'll take a look at em today and post some pics of them on the car. How does the general concept of a camber bolt work?

[poxenham]

Camber bolts will help and they are generally reliable. But I don't think its a great fix to your problem. Sure, it may get you into spec but you never want to be at max adjustment.

Basically a camber bolt is deformed where it passes through the spindle so it can be rotated to adjust camber. You run one on each side in the top position generally.

[Det_Riot]

Camber bolts will help and they are generally reliable. But I don't think its a great fix to your problem. Sure, it may get you into spec but you never want to be at max adjustment.

Basically a camber bolt is deformed where it passes through the spindle so it can be rotated to adjust camber. You run one on each side in the top position generally.

Gotcha. What would you recommend? I want to do things the right way and wallowing out strut holes doesn't seem like the right way lol

[poxenham]

If you're fabricationally-inclined, you can weld a plate to your strut tower to essentially replace the current mounting holes, and move in your c/c plate mounting holes by a half inch or so. However, don't do this if you're not completely comfortable with it and completely confident in your welds.

X2 ball joints are basically just good for a *tiny* bit of roll center correction (5/8" I believe?) but if you're running an aftermarket k member and drop spindles that should be unnecessary (and possibly not bennificial).

 

Have you calculated your front roll center? I'm not familiar with the team z k member but usually aftermarket k members correct for roll center, so they would not necessarily provide ideal geometry when used with drop spindles.

 

Edit: the second half of this post is completely (slightly) off topic, but worth looking into

[ttocs]

have you considered trying a different CC plate?  I see you have everything team-z and I am one of those people that if I can I like to get all my gear from one place/manf if I can as well but if you can't get them to line up then maybe try a different type. 

 

Another possibility I know at some point in my build page someone asked me if my CC plates were on backwards and it does appear that they are.  They were installed by the shop that put my air ride on and I had an alignment done afterwards to be sure it was all on straight and it was.  I am not sure if they didn't notice or if maybe they could not get it lined up with them in the correct way so they put them on backwards?  Not sure why I know that it doesn't pull  to the side while driving and I was not having any uneven tire ware so as far as I am concerned no blood no foul and maybe something that could help you.

[Det_Riot]

If you're fabricationally-inclined, you can weld a plate to your strut tower to essentially replace the current mounting holes, and move in your c/c plate mounting holes by a half inch or so. However, don't do this if you're not completely comfortable with it and completely confident in your welds.

X2 ball joints are basically just good for a *tiny* bit of roll center correction (5/8" I believe?) but if you're running an aftermarket k member and drop spindles that should be unnecessary (and possibly not bennificial).

 

Have you calculated your front roll center? I'm not familiar with the team z k member but usually aftermarket k members correct for roll center, so they would not necessarily provide ideal geometry when used with drop spindles.

 

Edit: the second half of this post is completely (slightly) off topic, but worth looking into

 

Interesting, I can't but I have a few buddies that I trust. If I can bolt something in it'd be better for me, that way I can do it myself lol I haven't look into front roll center but that's likely because I'm not overly concerned with how well it handles, it's main racing duty is going to be at a strip.

 

have you considered trying a different CC plate?  I see you have everything team-z and I am one of those people that if I can I like to get all my gear from one place/manf if I can as well but if you can't get them to line up then maybe try a different type. 

 

Another possibility I know at some point in my build page someone asked me if my CC plates were on backwards and it does appear that they are.  They were installed by the shop that put my air ride on and I had an alignment done afterwards to be sure it was all on straight and it was.  I am not sure if they didn't notice or if maybe they could not get it lined up with them in the correct way so they put them on backwards?  Not sure why I know that it doesn't pull  to the side while driving and I was not having any uneven tire ware so as far as I am concerned no blood no foul and maybe something that could help you.

 

have you considered trying a different CC plate?  I see you have everything team-z and I am one of those people that if I can I like to get all my gear from one place/manf if I can as well but if you can't get them to line up then maybe try a different type. 

 

Another possibility I know at some point in my build page someone asked me if my CC plates were on backwards and it does appear that they are.  They were installed by the shop that put my air ride on and I had an alignment done afterwards to be sure it was all on straight and it was.  I am not sure if they didn't notice or if maybe they could not get it lined up with them in the correct way so they put them on backwards?  Not sure why I know that it doesn't pull  to the side while driving and I was not having any uneven tire ware so as far as I am concerned no blood no foul and maybe something that could help you.

 

Sorry, forgot to mention that I have the TeamZ CC Plates. I'll take a look at it, I put them together as they came which was assembled but it may be worth it to try and flip them to get additional adjustment. 

[ttocs]

why did you go with the fox a-arms?

[Det_Riot]

why did you go with the fox a-arms?

To fit a spacer for my wheels to clear my brakes without having Mexican tire fitment

[ttocs]

is there a chance that those fox arms are causing your alignment problems?

[Det_Riot]

is there a chance that those fox arms are causing your alignment problems?

Geometrically I know they are. I'm just trying to see if there's options without basically replacing the to plate of the strut tower.

[64bit_Tuning]

I wonder if the fox struts have a different bolt location offset where they bolt to the spindle...

Hrm.

[Det_Riot]

I wonder if the fox struts have a different bolt location offset where they bolt to the spindle...

Hrm.

Notbd sure. I've heard of people running this combination of parts but never having this issue

[Det_Riot]

Going to wait till I get the fenders back on and it get back to ride height before I mess with anything else. It's pretty close in camber so raising it an inch might be all I need.

That ground clearance though!

[poxenham]

You need to get rid of the fox A arms, youre not going to be able to fix your issues with them on there. Either get proper length a arms or custom in between to allow for your specs.

[Det_Riot]

You need to get rid of the fox A arms, youre not going to be able to fix your issues with them on there. Either get proper length a arms or custom in between to allow for your specs.

Looks like racecraft makes a caster camber plate kit for 12" a arms for 94+ (fox length). It involves welding them in but I don't think there's going to be any real bolt in fix to this. There's still the option of camber bolts but I'm not convinced of those yet

[Steve-Oh]

Looks like racecraft makes a caster camber plate kit for 12" a arms for 94+ (fox length). It involves welding them in but I don't think there's going to be any real bolt in fix to this. There's still the option of camber bolts but I'm not convinced of those yet

 

 

I may of wasted $20 of your dollars then lol... and mine of course. 

[Det_Riot]

I may of wasted $20 of your dollars then lol... and mine of course.

Nahhh I'll give em a shot! Never know, there's definitely still room in the strut tower just maxed out of c/c plate adjustment.

[Steve-Oh]

Nahhh I'll give em a shot! Never know, there's definitely still room in the strut tower just maxed out of c/c plate adjustment.

 

 

*crosses fingers*  They should be there Monday.  Funny how they come into the hub in Det-city yesterday but won't be delivered until Monday, UPS is

[poxenham]

Looks like racecraft makes a caster camber plate kit for 12" a arms for 94+ (fox length). It involves welding them in but I don't think there's going to be any real bolt in fix to this. There's still the option of camber bolts but I'm not convinced of those yet

 

Sick, keep us posted. Curious what your final solution will be

[Det_Riot]

Sick, keep us posted. Curious what your final solution will be

So here's my latest findings which I chronicled in my build thread lol. 12" arms is what I have. Stock arms are 14" for Sn95 and 13" for foxbody. What I should of gotten was just foxbody length but instead I got 1" shorter than stock fox length. So I'm gonna pick up some adjustable a arms that will let me fine tune exactly what length I need. Probably 13" base.