Wheels causing car to jump all over

[nba1341]

Ok so i just attempted to drive the car and I was in fear for my life the entire time. I don't think that replacing an idler arm and rotating my tires could cause the car to change so much in driveability. The steering feels actually kind of tight yet the car follows every single ditch in the road. Also the car does not return to center whatsoever unless its around a 90° turn The 3 things the shop did was: Rotate tires, replace idler arm, align car. The car is unacceptable and I will be taking it back to the shop and telling them I want the car aligned correctly. Can someone give me the shelby drop specs or some kind of alignment that will make my car right? I kind of want to not go back to the same alignment place but they are the only place I know around here that aligns old cars. Any suggestions?

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[Carlos Pineiro]

Definitely take it back, tell them you were "in fear for your life the entire time" and ask how much longer it will take to do the job correctly. If you have control arm bushing or spring perch or steering box issues or something else that wasn't changed, a reputable shop would have pointed that out to be addressed. Your car should have been test driven and aligned before being released.

If the shop has an email addy on the biz card, write a short friendly note to them asking if they recommend any other parts to be changed. They may not answer, but they'll see it. Establishing written communication (documentation) quite often wakes people who are slackers up quick, if that's the case.

If it gets ugly and you have to take it to another shop, I believe there are more auto alignment shops close to you than anywhere in the world, without exaggeration. Between LA and the Inland Empire, there are like, 10 million registered cars. No place on earth has that many cars.

Ford Mustang steering and suspensions aren't complicated or rare and any replacement part is available. The car should ride like new with good rubber. You are pretty close. Good luck with this last step.

CP

[Tims65]

Originally Posted by nba1341

...The steering feels actually kind of tight yet the car follows every single ditch in the road. Also the car does not return to center whatsoever unless its around a 90° turn....

The symptoms you describe are classic alignment issues with not having enough positive Caster.

Originally Posted by nba1341

...The 3 things the shop did was: Rotate tires, replace idler arm, align car. The car is unacceptable and I will be taking it back to the shop and telling them I want the car aligned correctly...

What alignment specs did you tell the shop to align your car to? If you did not give them specific alignment specs, they will align your car to the stock alignment setting of the day! That is what is in their data base. (see post #6 in this thread)

Originally Posted by nba1341

...Can someone give me the shelby drop specs or some kind of alignment that will make my car right?...

The Performance alignment settings for the "Shelby" drop are:
Caster: +1.5° to +2.5°
Camber: 0 to -.5°
Toe: 1/8"
(see posts #6, 21, & 22 in this thread)

Originally Posted by nba1341

...I kind of want to not go back to the same alignment place but they are the only place I know around here that aligns old cars.
Any suggestions?

Most alignment shops should be able to do an alignment on a '65 Mustang. Do a quick Google search for alignment shops in your zip code and call ahead and ask if they have a mechanic qualified to align a '65 Mustang. At this point I would not take it back to the same shop. Find another shop, have them put your car on their alignment set up and take the initial readings! Then ask them to align to the above specs, try to get at least 2* positive Caster. Then have them print out the initial and finished alignment specifications. Post your initial and final alignment specifications.

You have one of two possible issues:
1. Improper alignment - most probable cause
2. Bump steer problems - we have to resolve the alignment issue first, then we can move on to bumpsteer. Get your car to a shop that can do a computer printout of your starting and finishing aligment settings first.