Camber problem with Aerostar springs

[40coupefan]

I have recently put Aerostar springs on my 57 custom, took it for alignment guy told me camber was terrible. Help!

[lalessi2]

What camber are you looking for? I have Aerostar springs on my Custom and I was looking for a little negative camber. I think the factory specs are for a little positive. My suspension travel was VERY limited so I added spring spacers to get a little more travel. When I bought my car it had (Torino?)spindles for the disc brakes but I thought the geometry was messed up so I put stock spindles back on the car when I changed springs because the PO had heated up the original springs to drop the front.

Lynn

[abe_lugo]

Maybe it's the combination of spindles like mentioned above. 
I have Versailles spindles and about 3/4" spacers were added to the top to adjust for this.  This is 20 year ago and it still drives fine.

[40coupefan]

You had to get longer upper control arm bolts? With just one shim I am level with the nut. My alignment guy said I would need at least 1/2 inch or more to bring camber out. Can I just buy grade eight bolts with same thread as nuts?

[lalessi2]

I changed to '59 upper control arms for the bushing design but I think the dimensions are the same. If the bolts are too short the alignment guy is trying to correct for too much negative camber a direct result of lowering the car. In my case I wanted some negative camber and as much positive caster as I could get. These settings would make the car handle better but be harder to steer. I have Borgeson power steering so that was not an issue. The shop manual says the maximum shim stack thickness should be limited to 9/!6" with a maximum difference of 1/8" between the front and rear stacks. The bolts should be long enough for that you would think. Also in the manual The camber spec is +1/2 degree to +1 1/2 degrees which is a pretty broad spec. The book also says a 1/16" shim will result in a 1/4 degree change.

[RICH MUISE]

It sounds like you are missing the original bolts. I have about 1/2" of stacked shims on the passenger side front bolt. I had lost one at one time and found one on a car being parted out. I think most of us have been limited to about 2 or 2 1/2 degrees negative, but I always get caster and camber mixed up because I thought it was caster that is affected by those shims.....but I'm obviously wrong

Lynn, I sent a pm on another matter.

[lalessi2]

Answered the PM. Rich, the difference in shim stack thicknesses change the angle of the upper control arm front to back and that controls the location of the ball joint and thus the caster angle. A camber change requires changing the shim stack thicknesses by the same amount.

Lynn

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks for that explanation. I activated your old login tag, or at least tried.

[40coupefan]

How do you remove upper control bolts? I wanted to take one out and take to local supplier for a longer bolt. Are they serrated or what. And that may not be correct term.

[lalessi1]

IIRC the bolts are just a snug fit. They should tap out (they may be rusted in) with a little penetrating oil. I turned mine around to make the nuts more easily accessed during alignment.

On a side note, I have information that Ford used both 9" and 9.5" upper a-arms. You might measure yours, I am going to check mine. Measure from the center of the cross shaft perpendicular to center of the grease fitting. If yours are 9", a 9.5" arm may solve the problem. Mine may be 9.5"...... MIGHT explain a lot.

[Gene]

Be careful when changing front end parts around.   Fixing thing is one thing, but making modifications can backfire.  Automotive engineering is a real profession.  I had a streetrod once, and someone decided to change things around, and it created a bump-steer condition.  I had to hold onto the thing every minute when I'd drive it.  What a mess.

[40coupefan]

Update: I have decided to reinstall stock front springs with one coil cut. "They said put Aerostar springs on" yeah right!

[cokefirst]

Be careful when changing front end parts around.   Fixing thing is one thing, but making modifications can backfire.  Automotive engineering is a real profession.  I had a streetrod once, and someone decided to change things around, and it created a bump-steer condition.  I had to hold onto the thing every minute when I'd drive it.  What a mess.

In my humble opinion, it is best to LITFA! 

[Gene]

In my humble opinion, it is best to LITFA! 

I agree.