Front suspension is DONE!!

[porschpow]

After weeks of seized bolts/nuts, missing parts, incorrect parts, etc. I finished the fron. It seem firmer and more solid. I couldn't believe how much the front end got higher. I guess my springs were really sagging in the front.

I need to have a front end alignment cause now the car really pulls to the right and in addition every time i turn the wheel and make a turn, the wheels squeel like crazy. I am hoping the alignment is responsible for this. I got to look for a reputable shop.

In addition with the increase of the front end height, I have noticed the car now has a sloping back rake. SO NOW I NEED TO DO REAR SPRINGS. I already got rear shocks (air) - Monroes. I am hoping that should even it out!

[jaywish]

You do need an alignment. If your tires are squealing they are wearing pretty fast. If you change the rear height it will alter the alignment to some extent.

So if you alter the rear height you may need a new alignment.

[porschpow]

Well im just replacing the old springs with new ones. My tires are still pretty good in the tread department.

If I am just trying to get smooth ride (and restore propper height), should I get these:

Moog 8805

So I should wait for an alignment until i replace the rear springs too?

[sly]

if you plan to do the springs pretty quick and not drive the car much, sure. If you plan to do that in a couple of months, get it aligned now so you don't wear the tires off the car.

[porschpow]

how would they adjust the camber, i think thats is what is causing the squeeling on turns

[sly]

those two bolts that hold the bar the upper control arm sits on... they loosen those and slide the arm into a new position in the slots.

[Brown_Muscle]

You may want to wait a little while for the new springs to settle as well. just a thought, if they are brand new the front end should lose a little height once the springs settle.

[porschpow]

oh ok, in that case, I cleaned up those real nice for them, it should now be easier for them to adjust!

[Brown_Muscle]

I hope you have a good alignment shop, I've had several bad experiences, including one when i got the car that said they couldn't adjust it because the bolts were rusted and frozen. I went home and tried them myself, one was so loose i could spin it with my fingers, the others were just fine. I ended up aligning it myself when i has access to an alignment rack.

[jaywish]

Yes it does seem what should be a relatively well known and defined process (alignment) is pretty much hit and miss these days. Often a shop will just try to pass of a "toe & go" as an alignment so the tech may not even know how to do a real one.

[gadget73]

I've had bad luck with alignments too. Not feeling like repeating the whole thing again but it took 3 shops before someone just made the car go down the road correctly. The Mark VII still doesn't though. No idea if thats a flukey rack or if the alignment is whacked but it drives fucked up. The truck and the Towncar feel fine though.

[miamibob]

And usually the steering wheel is not straight (even though they just need to use the steering wheel holder that rests on the seat)! Many times I have told the mechanic that and they look at me like I'm from outer space.

[sly]

I've had bad luck with dealers aligning these cars... but I know a few shops around me that do a GREAT job aligning these.

[slack]

I've had terrible luck with alignments. I've had one Mavis tell me they couldn't do any more camber caster adjustment than they did. (Btw, there's A LOT of adjustment room for that in the upper control arms.. probably more than you would ever need) I had another one tell me they did it perfectly before that. So many shops the alignment printer is "broken but they tried with no luck".

That said, I had three alignments done by various Mavis Discount Tires... when I did the control arm bushings... the caster/camber adjustment bolts have NEVER been moved. Ever. (Or atleast not in maaaany years). All those bastards did was "Toe&Go" and get angry with me when I said something wasn't right.

I ended up going to a local place up in Smithtown and they've got it as close as it's been. Still pulls... but at this point I'm tired and afraid the next guy is going to mess it up worse than it is. I really should just learn how to do this myself.

[Piece-it pete]

Congrats!

On alignments, the shop that took many, many hours correctly aligning my old 85 TC said there is a pair of tools that shops used to have handy to do these kind of cars, that they didn't have. Tons of salt, ymmv, etc.

Pete