Originally posted by bpd1151
EDIT- Making this thread a sticky until we have more "How-To" suspension threads, then we will group them into one. Thanks to Mike for the great information!! -Admin
Following the install of my H&R lowering springs, I learned a few things and thought I'd share with the community.
It took a lot of phone calls and emails on my part (more than I care to admit), but I was finally able to locate the availability of a product that will provide rear camber adjustability.
Even though there is a "slot" that in theory is supposed to provide some degree of rear camber adjustability, I (and several others I spoke to who also lowered their SHO's) were NOT able to regain the factory alignment specs without the use of the below listed product(s).
Once purchased and installed, I was successfully able to obtain OEM alignment specs on both rear tires of my lowered, 2010 SHO.
It will not matter which mfg'ers lowering springs you have chosen to use, this will provide you with that adjustability factor regardless.
Now, to start off.....
I ran into a huge, HUGE issue of most alignment places not having the factory alignment specs. Here is a copy of those specs from Hunter Corp...... if you run into this issue yourself, pull up this image and show it to the alignment tech and they should be able to manually "punch in" the numbers into their system.
Following the install of my lowering springs, I was faced with a sever negative camber issue on both rear tires. OEM specs called for a range of: -1.2 to 0.3 degrees. I had a -2.1 in the left rear, and a -2.3 in the right rear. See/Refer to the below images for "before and after" alignment, post spring install.
BEFORE ALIGNMENT SPECS: (H&R lowering springs installed, but NOT the adjustable cam bolt)
AFTER ALIGNMENT SPECS: (springs AND the adjustable cam bolts installed)
Some of you may notice that in the image immediately above, where the alignment sheets shows the numbers AFTER the the lowerings and the adjustable camber bolt were installed, that the left rear shows a -1.6 number in the area listed "before". Which would be different from the original alignment specs sheet posted above...... no fear.
To clarify.... the tech claimed following the initial alignment attempt (post camber bolt install) that he "turned the bolt as much as he could".
When I pointed out to him that the right rear was well within spec, I insisted he give the left rear a second attempt (which he did) and surprise, surprise (well not to me at least) it worked like a charm!
I'll add that he did get a "larger" person who appeared much stronger, to turn the bolt a second time..... :RpS_tongue:
Now, I obtained an adjustable rear camber bolt from the following website:
http://www.spcalignment.com/
The proper part number (which if you call them, they will deny this application works, but as you will see, IT DOES!) is: 81280
Now here's the kicker of it all, when it arrives at your door step, and open the package, you find enclosed along with the two bolts, two nuts that have the washers molded into them. I was told that these supplied nuts are to "tall" in height as it relates to the bolt itself, which is just barely long enough for the nut to grab enough thread.
It was suggested I obtain a nut that can be easily found at any local hardware store (in my case after visiting the large big box places, I ended up finding them at my local ACE Hardware. The nut I used was an M14.
By swapping out the supplied nut/washer combo supplied by SPC, with a shorter one I found at a local hardware store, these parts combined, worked successfully!
Here are couple of pictures of the supplied bolts/nuts from SPC, and the nut purchased afterwards.....
SPC bolt, w/ alternate nut (bottom bolt in this pic), compared side by side to the OEM bolt (top bolt in this pic).
Now a question arose as to which bolt would be being replaced. The answer: swap out the upper spindle bolt from the OEM, to the SPC bolt/nut combo.....
Here are a couple of "post install" pics of the bolt in place, as well as a closer up image of showing the alternate nut seated all the way onto the bolt itself....
So....... as you can all see, by using this combination of parts, etc etc...... the lack of rear camber adjustability from the factory has been resolved!!
What I found ironic was that upon calling Specialty Products, they denied that this product would work. They claimed ideally they (as a company) would prefer to look at the entire suspension set-up (of the 2010+ Taurus / SHO platform) and fab a product, or product(s) that would work harmoniously as a complete package set-up.
Well that's all fine and dandy, however in the interim, knowing I could obtain successful results I still pressed them further. The representative then stated that at best, I would only see a swing of perhaps .4 degrees +/- well like I said, as you can see from the alignment sheet posted above, I was able to achieve a lot more than that.
Oh yea, one last suggestion, throw some Loc-Tite onto those threads before cranking that nut down onto the bolt.
I hope this post is of some use to those of you who've lowered your SHO's :thumb:
-----------------------------------Mike
Comment by EB Bob:
GREAT INFO!
While my alignment guy was able to get my Flex rear alignment to spec. without those bolts (had a set handy), a number of Flex owners have had the same issue when lowering their Bricks. A Ford engineer poster claimed that this is caused by how the vehicles are built at the factory. He indicated that they are built within a range, and those at the wrong end of that range are harder to align.
EDIT- Making this thread a sticky until we have more "How-To" suspension threads, then we will group them into one. Thanks to Mike for the great information!! -Admin
Following the install of my H&R lowering springs, I learned a few things and thought I'd share with the community.
It took a lot of phone calls and emails on my part (more than I care to admit), but I was finally able to locate the availability of a product that will provide rear camber adjustability.
Even though there is a "slot" that in theory is supposed to provide some degree of rear camber adjustability, I (and several others I spoke to who also lowered their SHO's) were NOT able to regain the factory alignment specs without the use of the below listed product(s).
Once purchased and installed, I was successfully able to obtain OEM alignment specs on both rear tires of my lowered, 2010 SHO.
It will not matter which mfg'ers lowering springs you have chosen to use, this will provide you with that adjustability factor regardless.
Now, to start off.....
I ran into a huge, HUGE issue of most alignment places not having the factory alignment specs. Here is a copy of those specs from Hunter Corp...... if you run into this issue yourself, pull up this image and show it to the alignment tech and they should be able to manually "punch in" the numbers into their system.
Following the install of my lowering springs, I was faced with a sever negative camber issue on both rear tires. OEM specs called for a range of: -1.2 to 0.3 degrees. I had a -2.1 in the left rear, and a -2.3 in the right rear. See/Refer to the below images for "before and after" alignment, post spring install.
BEFORE ALIGNMENT SPECS: (H&R lowering springs installed, but NOT the adjustable cam bolt)
AFTER ALIGNMENT SPECS: (springs AND the adjustable cam bolts installed)
Some of you may notice that in the image immediately above, where the alignment sheets shows the numbers AFTER the the lowerings and the adjustable camber bolt were installed, that the left rear shows a -1.6 number in the area listed "before". Which would be different from the original alignment specs sheet posted above...... no fear.
To clarify.... the tech claimed following the initial alignment attempt (post camber bolt install) that he "turned the bolt as much as he could".
When I pointed out to him that the right rear was well within spec, I insisted he give the left rear a second attempt (which he did) and surprise, surprise (well not to me at least) it worked like a charm!
I'll add that he did get a "larger" person who appeared much stronger, to turn the bolt a second time..... :RpS_tongue:
Now, I obtained an adjustable rear camber bolt from the following website:
http://www.spcalignment.com/
The proper part number (which if you call them, they will deny this application works, but as you will see, IT DOES!) is: 81280
Now here's the kicker of it all, when it arrives at your door step, and open the package, you find enclosed along with the two bolts, two nuts that have the washers molded into them. I was told that these supplied nuts are to "tall" in height as it relates to the bolt itself, which is just barely long enough for the nut to grab enough thread.
It was suggested I obtain a nut that can be easily found at any local hardware store (in my case after visiting the large big box places, I ended up finding them at my local ACE Hardware. The nut I used was an M14.
By swapping out the supplied nut/washer combo supplied by SPC, with a shorter one I found at a local hardware store, these parts combined, worked successfully!
Here are couple of pictures of the supplied bolts/nuts from SPC, and the nut purchased afterwards.....
SPC bolt, w/ alternate nut (bottom bolt in this pic), compared side by side to the OEM bolt (top bolt in this pic).
Now a question arose as to which bolt would be being replaced. The answer: swap out the upper spindle bolt from the OEM, to the SPC bolt/nut combo.....
Here are a couple of "post install" pics of the bolt in place, as well as a closer up image of showing the alternate nut seated all the way onto the bolt itself....
So....... as you can all see, by using this combination of parts, etc etc...... the lack of rear camber adjustability from the factory has been resolved!!
What I found ironic was that upon calling Specialty Products, they denied that this product would work. They claimed ideally they (as a company) would prefer to look at the entire suspension set-up (of the 2010+ Taurus / SHO platform) and fab a product, or product(s) that would work harmoniously as a complete package set-up.
Well that's all fine and dandy, however in the interim, knowing I could obtain successful results I still pressed them further. The representative then stated that at best, I would only see a swing of perhaps .4 degrees +/- well like I said, as you can see from the alignment sheet posted above, I was able to achieve a lot more than that.
Oh yea, one last suggestion, throw some Loc-Tite onto those threads before cranking that nut down onto the bolt.
I hope this post is of some use to those of you who've lowered your SHO's :thumb:
-----------------------------------Mike
Comment by EB Bob:
GREAT INFO!
While my alignment guy was able to get my Flex rear alignment to spec. without those bolts (had a set handy), a number of Flex owners have had the same issue when lowering their Bricks. A Ford engineer poster claimed that this is caused by how the vehicles are built at the factory. He indicated that they are built within a range, and those at the wrong end of that range are harder to align.
