JayyVee

Some sway bars do wonders, certainly.

300AGT

I have the same koni STR.T struts & shock on my 2011 GT . I have had my steeda sport spring on them and the stock springs on them . One of the struts alines same as the stock strut the other is off -.63 to the other strut (-.75 LHS -1.38 RHS) running stock spring .The only thing i can think of is one of the struts is machine off ( like the bolts holes in the bottom of the strut ).

JAJ

Imagine that - it never occurred to me you were using a 2010 part on a 2010 car!

Sam Strano

FWIW, the 2007 Shelby GT had -1.6 when we got it (new) on 1.5" lowering springs. And you're the first that has this issue. Hell my '07 and '11's could only get -2 at stock height *WITH* opening the strut holes and using the Ford Camber bolt kit.

The rack could certainly be different than the previous one. Toe changes a ton with camber change from the bottom of the strut. If it wasn't way off, then something is going on, like the racks don't agree. Or when you say "Camber measurements are now -1.6 deg for both Left and Right wheels!" I assume you mean -1.6 each, but some folks talk in totals.... and -1.6 total split between the two sides is -.8, right where you were before, and that would mean minimal toe change.

Anyway, seriously if you have that much stock, you have a freak (one that a lot of folks would kill for). There are ways to fix it, camber bolts, slotting the holes and running the Ford Bolts, or camber plates/HD mounts. There is some slop in the bolt holes that is good for maybe .2 degrees. But still you are so far beyond I think something else is going on.

Glad is drives better though. FWIW, everything you describe is par for the course vs. OEM, which is why it drives me so nuts when I hear folks wanting to stick with stock dampers while spending money on other things that aren't as key to making the thing work as well.

STANGmole

I was talking each side being -1.6.

The CURRENT numbers I got back are:
Left: caster 6.6, camber -1.6, toe 0.10
Right: caster 6.6, camber -1.6, toe 0.10

I'm really puzzled because the numbers from my last alignment were:
Left: 6.55, camber -0.85, toe 1/16
Right: 6.55, camber -0.6, toe 1/32

Anyway, the guy that installed them seemed to know what he was doing (said he's installed dozens of Mustang spring/strut/shock/bar kits) and I don't see how he could have screwed it up unless the upper mounts were backwards (which they're not because I can feel the notch and its in the correct orientation). I don't have any popping or noise and the steering is dead-on perfect. It drives much better than it did on my previous alignment.

Unless anyone has any suggestions I guess I'll live with it and see how the tires wear. From what I've read, I shouldn't have to worry too much about it since people are running even more negative with no wear issues...right?

I just wish I had some logical explanation for the huge change ????

I'll be giving you a call soon Sam...thinking about a bar to fine-tune the roll.

Thanks everyone!

Southern Stang 722

Do you know if they tightned the strut bolts with the front end of the car weighted or unweighted?

JAJ

Probably unweighted, but it doesn't matter in any case. Nothing in either the top mount or the bottom mount moves when you compress the strut.

Norm Peterson

Now you can say that you know of two people who have upgraded the shocks and struts while keeping the OE springs.

I didn't have OP's problem with cambers that shifted. I'm running the yellows, but that shouldn't be the difference between the alignment resetting pretty close and way off.


About the only thoughts I have for driving at -1.6° camber is that cornering on average a bit harder will tend to even the wear out some, and lots of hard braking will beat up the inside shoulders a little more than before. Stick to a front to back tire rotation scheme, don't swap side to side up front.

Let's just say I have another one of those freaks that Sam mentioned (*cough* -1.8°, bone-stock *cough*) . . . and I like it just fine that way.


Norm

Whiskey11

You can add another to the "stock springs with aftermarket shocks" list. Running D-Specs per Sam's recommendation. Reused the factory mount and bolts. No popping noises up front. I'm still playing with the settings for DDing but I like the upgrade.

I really need to get out the plumb bob and the tape measure and figure out very roughly what my camber is. I'm hoping, but not holding my breath, for a factory freak with lots of camber. The outer edges of my stock KDWS tires are pretty much dead after 7 autocross events. The shoulder blocks have worn through to the valleys in the tread on all 4 tires. But hey, they carried me to a victory in the local Street Tire PAX in that state so I shouldn't complain too much!

I can't imagine there being that much factory tolerance in the strut mount holes in the strut tower or at the spindle bolts. At least on my car there wasn't anything more than the expected interference fit with the D-Specs and the Spindle Bolts when my buddy and I installed them on my car. I know the factory specs are pretty lenient on what is acceptable negative camber.

Norm Peterson

I would guess that "lenient tolerances" saves on production costs and later warranty work.

That the tolerance goes as far negative as it does is really just an unexpected bonus for the corner-carvers among us - if we're fortunate enough to end up with a car out toward the negative end.


Norm