Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Alignment Specs Needed!

Contour is in my screenname and has 15" wheel option. 4cyl Zetec.

Thanks.

-Chris

http://www.batinc.net for us lazy folks

Went to batinc. No specs, only a PDF version of an accessories catalog.

Any other suggestions?

-Chris

Refer to page 14. If I could copy it to here, I would, but it's in a table and when I try to paste it here it just makes a mess.

Thanks.

Godawmighty I must be the single blindest person three stones out from the sun!!

Now on those specs, are those in the "before" column taken to represent a typical Contour, or Ford's suggested setting within the "specified range" to left?

Also, are they "total" specs, as in total(L+R toe, camber, etc etc?)

Thanks,

Chris

Before = before the car was lowered

After = after car was lowered

Specified Range = suggested range to be within (only toe can be adjusted, unless you have aftermarket camber plates).

Thanks.

Here's my (sob) story. Three years ago, I took a glancing blow to my left front fender and door panel. Accident was my fault.

Ater the body was repaired and alignment work completed, I left the shop and the Tour pulled so hard to the left I had to turn the wheel to 2'oclock to keep it straight. Out on I-95, I couldn't do anything over 50 without shooting into the left lane. A damn wrestling match.

I took it back to the body place, where the boss drove it and said, "nuttn's wrong here", everythings within spec. He even suggested, "you're probably usta a different car if you rented a replacement." What a line!

So I saved my breath arguing and instead took it to Town Fair. They handed me a print out, showing that the toe on one of the rear wheels was off in such a way to cause the violent pull to left. I mean, I could take a left bend in the road simply by releasing the wheel! Town fair suggested that the car must have mis-mounted on the alignment rack by whoever did the work at the bodyshop.

Town Fair corrected *most* of that, but I still had to watch it on the highway. Many times I would find myself on the inside(left lane in US) inadvertantly, sometime even right in front of another driver.

Last fall, I had my rear struts replaced. 4whl alignment peformed. Again, some left pull removed, but not all.

Two weeks ago, had a front axle and the left front bearing(closest to impact in 2000 accident) replaced.

This time alignment was the best since 2000, but I still noticed some things on my printout from May:

My caster settings are at the most negative(more upright) of the "specified range", my front wheels are toed out to the most negative (front edges outward) of it's range, and my camber, f&r, is at the most negative end(tops leaning in) of it's range. Total thrust angle is -0.01degrees acc. to the print out, which has to be some fraction of a degree to the left, but not enough to matter.

My shop does struts, so there's no excuse that they "can't adjust camber/caster".

What would you folks recommend adjusting to stop this American car, on AMERICAN roads, from continuing to pull left like it's in England?

-Chris

Even the act of god won't be able to adjust your camber or caster without these!

Camber and castrer is NOT adjustable as the car comes form the factory. You need camber/caster kits to adjust them.

Chris,

Since you had a bad hit to the LF Fender, chances are that the subframe has shifted to the right.
OVERcorrecting the misaligned frame has probably caused the car to pull to the left.

I would get your dealership to check the frame alignment.

It is simple.
They put the car in the air and loosen the 4 bolts that attach the subframe.
They attach the alignment pins to the rear of the subframe and then retighten the bolts.
Shouldn't take your dealership more than 1/2 hour to do the job.

Then you can get your wheel aignment done.
If it is still out of alignment, you may have the LH Strut tower knocked out of place.