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Alignment printout help

donalds

Elite Explorer
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Stem
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1999 ford explorer sohc
So I went to get a alignment today because I just rebuilt front end replaced both lower control arms both upper control arms both tie rod ends and some other things
I just don't understand the sheet to well I'm sure I can figure it out but I would like all yall
To chime in thanks in advance



20180618_082740.jpg
 



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Does it drive straight? Specs on the sheet look good. You need to look at the column's before and after to see what they adjusted and compare them to the "in spec" range.
 






Wife says it drives straight just wanted to be sure I have had problems with alignment shops saying it's on but it was not the first time at this shop
The tech said I got it close
That eased my mind
On the way home she let go of the wheel and drove straight thanks I can fix just about anything but alignments must be beyond me
 






Nevermind the colums boominXplorer mentions, you need to look at the top of the report.

Your problem seems to be that you're actually not a customer and that you brought no vehicle, ordered no alignment and had no technician do it.
But even worse, you obviously don't even seem to have a drivers license!
 






@German Engineer - Actually, I believe @donalds may not have a driver's license as he's mentioned he has a medical condition which prevents him from driving.
 






Joke aside:

A lot of the numbers on the report are more or less irrelevant or not specified, just because the Explorer doesn't have an independent wheel suspension but a live rear axle.

To understand what caster, camber, toe, and max thrust angle are really about one in fact needs to understand the definitions and the effects these values have on a cars performance. There is sadly no easy way around that really. And there is no really simple or easy way to explain them aside from a pictures showing them, which I sadly somehow can't seem to be able to link here.

And of course it's necessary to understand what effects each of these values have on a cars performance such as they are explained here for example:
Wheel Alignment Glossary
(This website shows a picture if you click on the link in the description.)

There are people who study at university for years to fully understand what all these alignments do, how to best set up a car, and how all the various types of suspensions work. And not all to few of those that do still don't end up fully understanding them non the less. Car suspensions are half science, half art, and half mystery.

As boominXplorer said the report lists all the measurements, the relevant specifications with maximum and minimum values for your specific vehicle, and the final results after adjustments.
 












I
Nevermind the colums boominXplorer mentions, you need to look at the top of the report.

Your problem seems to be that you're actually not a customer and that you brought no vehicle, ordered no alignment and had no technician do it.
But even worse, you obviously don't even seem to have a drivers license!

I take offense to your comments
I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 16 I am legally blind working on cars is all I can do
I like to show / teach my son
I know what your gonna say
You probably don't have a wife or son
The last thing I need is someone bullying me on here
The main reason I posted was to show my son what you all have to say
Maybe I can learn something I don't know
I sent that what we do exchange tips and learn from other people's experience

I will refrain from posting on here get over yourself
 






As many parts of a stock OE suspension have rubber (or rubber-like) bushings there is no way to set and maintain a perfect wheel alignment under all conditions. Wheel alignment shops use OE alignment specifications to set wheel alignment w/in factory specs. Sometime this can be done by moving the upper control arms around and sometimes caster/camber bolt kits are required to get additional adjust-ability.

Performance and race vehicles use much firmer suspension bushings to limit movement/deflection of the suspension components at the cost of a much stiffer ride. Race vehicles also use very different components and alignment specifications to improve handling under race conditions.

Unless all the suspension components in your 20 year old vehicle have been replaced, even setting your alignment w/in factory spec on a static wheel alignment machine doesn't guaranty you will now have good alignment.
 






I

I take offense to your comments
I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 16 I am legally blind working on cars is all I can do
I like to show / teach my son
I know what your gonna say
You probably don't have a wife or son
The last thing I need is someone bullying me on here
The main reason I posted was to show my son what you all have to say
Maybe I can learn something I don't know
I sent that what we do exchange tips and learn from other people's experience

I will refrain from posting on here get over yourself

@donalds - Please don't refrain from posting your questions or comments on the forum. Some people tend to bore down into unimportant details. I don't think they meant to offend you and he did apologize for not knowing of your personal medical issues. I've been impressed by your automotive knowledge and your attention to detail when making repairs. Your presence on the forum is welcome IMO.
 






Thanks koda that's why a asked because I replaced all bushings both upper control arms Inc bushings
Same with the lower control arms
Tie rods inners are tight
But the outers boots were ripped so while I was in there
Sway links
I did not change torsion bars checked ride hight
Was fine
New motor craft shocks all around Inc rear diff damper shock
So with that in mind that's the best alignment I will prob get did I forget something
Rubber bushing wise thanks

I did this because a bad tie rod end
And bad lower c arm bushing the back one
I just don't want to mess with the front end for a while thanks
 






@donalds - Please don't refrain from posting your questions or comments on the forum. Some people tend to bore down into unimportant details. I don't think they meant to offend you and he did apologize for not knowing of your personal medical issues. I've been impressed by your automotive knowledge and your attention to detail when making repairs. Your presence on the forum is welcome IMO.

Thanks koda lol my kids don't even know about my epilepsy kind of embarrassing
 






@donalds - Please don't refrain from posting your questions or comments on the forum. Some people tend to bore down into unimportant details. I don't think they meant to offend you and he did apologize for not knowing of your personal medical issues. I've been impressed by your automotive knowledge and your attention to detail when making repairs. Your presence on the forum is welcome IMO.

+1 I agree
 






koda2000 (Phil) as well as I had issues with the upper control arm nuts coming loose probably from being improperly torqued. IIRC, spec on the UCA camber bolts is around 100 ft/lbs. with the suspension loaded and tires on the ground. Phil suggested applying green penetrating Loctite thread lock compound to the exposed threads. I went one step further and used four M14x1.50 jam nuts found at my local hardware store. If you have aftermarket camber kits installed they are even more likely to loosen than the non adjustable OE hardware. Camber and caster is adjusted my turning the bolt heads so it's very important they are not moved. Peace of mind knowing you won't need another alignment due to the nuts coming loose.

OrmGzBZ.jpg
 






koda2000 (Phil) as well as I had issues with the upper control arm nuts coming loose probably from being improperly torqued. IIRC, spec on the UCA camber bolts is around 100 ft/lbs. with the suspension loaded and tires on the ground. Phil suggested applying green penetrating Loctite thread lock compound to the exposed threads. I went one step further and used four M14x1.50 jam nuts found at my local hardware store. If you have aftermarket camber kits installed they are even more likely to loosen than the non adjustable OE hardware. Camber and caster is adjusted my turning the bolt heads so it's very important they are not moved. Peace of mind knowing you won't need another alignment due to the nuts coming loose.

OrmGzBZ.jpg

BTW @swshawaii (Steve) - After the alignment fiasco on my daughter's RWD '00 Mountaineer a few months ago I put the new tires on the front and have been keeping an eye on the steering wheel to make sure it doesn't indicate that anything has moved again. The other day I examined the front tires and found the passenger side seems to be wearing normally, but the driver's side is wearing a bit more on the inside edge than the outside edge. I know that my wheel alignment guy tightened the crap out of the upper control arm bolts and I don't recall off hand which side had the adjustable caster/camber kit on it, besides who knows what my daughter might have run over? I might take it back to my alignment guy just to have him check the alignment, but I'm really getting tired of screwing around with that truck. My daughter doesn't put many miles on her truck and we plan on replacing it soon. In the meantime I'll just keep rotating the tires frequently.
 






koda2000 (Phil) as well as I had issues with the upper control arm nuts coming loose probably from being improperly torqued. IIRC, spec on the UCA camber bolts is around 100 ft/lbs. with the suspension loaded and tires on the ground. Phil suggested applying green penetrating Loctite thread lock compound to the exposed threads. I went one step further and used four M14x1.50 jam nuts found at my local hardware store. If you have aftermarket camber kits installed they are even more likely to loosen than the non adjustable OE hardware. Camber and caster is adjusted my turning the bolt heads so it's very important they are not moved. Peace of mind knowing you won't need another alignment due to the nuts coming loose.

OrmGzBZ.jpg

Thanks that's what the tech said non adjustable

Lol I was worried that the liberal amounts of blue lock tight I put on was gonna hinder the tech loosening them to adjust but he said non adjustable so when I torqued them that was the last time they were touched

I wonder why the cam bolt is not adjustable
Why put it there in the first place
 












BTW @swshawaii (Steve) - After the alignment fiasco on my daughter's RWD '00 Mountaineer a few months ago I put the new tires on the front and have been keeping an eye on the steering wheel to make sure it doesn't indicate that anything has moved again. The other day I examined the front tires and found the passenger side seems to be wearing normally, but the driver's side is wearing a bit more on the inside edge than the outside edge. I know that my wheel alignment guy tightened the crap out of the upper control arm bolts and I don't recall off hand which side had the adjustable caster/camber kit on it, besides who knows what my daughter might have run over? I might take it back to my alignment guy just to have him check the alignment, but I'm really getting tired of screwing around with that truck. My daughter doesn't put many miles on her truck and we plan on replacing it soon. In the meantime I'll just keep rotating the tires frequently.

Good to know
I am gonna keep an eye on them front tires
 






I had to press out the old bushings and in the new ones because of that 2 price design

I did not have a press so I used a 3/8 all thread and some old rear diff barring cups with a big washer an impact of course
 



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Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
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I had to press out the old bushings and in the new ones because of that 2 price design

I did not have a press so I used a 3/8 all thread and some old rear diff barring cups with a big washer an impact of course

A creative solution and a method I've see used by engineer and master mechanic Ed China use on the Wheeler Dealers TV show.
 






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