jamesbarber1989

Hey i have a 1993 Mustang LX 5.0 with a Auto, it has 150k and is mostly all original with no engine mods or anything other than after market struts. I got the car with 140k and its been almost no trouble since.

My first problem is this, i just took my mustang to Les Schwab Tire Company to get a alignment, first they couldnt do the alignment becuase of broken inner tie rod on my drive size. So i had them replace the tie rod and put two new tires and do a alignment, still my car does not drive straight. They said to get to my caster they must remove spot welds, so i went ahead this morning and had them remove the spot welds(which they did free of charge) and he only could change my alignment slightly, he then checked and said i have after market struts (news to me). He said he adjusted them and got my alignment right, assuming everything was okay i hit the freeway only to realize that my car does not drive anywhere near in a straight line when im hold the wheel straight. This was the 3rd time taking the car there, im not going to take it back becuase they obvisiouly cant fix it, but im wondering what i can do or what i should do from this point on any and all suggestion would be great.

The second problem has slowly come on, it started a couple months ago when every once in a while my car would run rough in idle after just starting and putting into gear. It then turned into sometime running rough when i was at a stop sign or light, or when i first put it into gear. It now runs rough everytime i put it into gear or if i let it sit to warm up. The car hasnt stalled but sounds like it wants to bad, as soon as i give it gas it returns to regular idle, and after the car gets warm it seems to go away. I had full intentions on getting to the problem but first had to deal with putting in new headlights and then the tie rod. I think it might be a vacuum line problem but not sure, i also couldnt find vacuum hose/tubes on 50resto.com, anyone know here i can get some? Thanks alot for any and all help.

I also can get the numbers on the alignment sheet if anyone wants to know what they are. Thanks again.

mjr46

I'd look for a vaccum leak on the second prob, as for the first issue, on a stock suspension 5.0 the adjustment to struts/camber are held in place by a rivit and is sets camber iirc more so than caster, if by not driving straight you mean it pulls left or right to set caster to can buy caster camber plates, but I'd like to see the print out for caster specs as they left it at, caster should be less on the left and higher on the right but by only .5 of a degree more max ....you want less on the left as the crown of the road will counteract the offset.

19stang88

if your driving on 2 new tires and 2 old tires, you are never going to drive straight, your car is always going to pull one way. i forgot the reasoning for this but my instructor at school told me this.

PRO50SC

That is def incorrect information unless the old tires are on the front.

19stang88

i dont think so. i cant exactly remember what my instructor said, but it has to do something with rotating the tires and even thread wear.

mjr46

your instructor is wrong if he said a solid axle set up with uneven tire wear on the rear will cause pulling^^^^^^^^^^on a solid axle rear end set up I can put tires with un even wear on the rear tires and it will not affect a vehicles tracking.......When a vehicle has a pulling issue with two new tires and two old, I make sure the old are on the rear, only time it'll affect tracking is when bent parts / axle tubes in the rear exist or when toe is off excessively in the rear on cars that have adjustable rear toe.....as long as rear tires are the same diameter on each side , rear wear on tires in the back WILL NOT cause a vehicle to pull, the problem is in the front and I need to see the caster specs for the front to determine if it is caster related or tire related pull

PRO50SC

Better pay closer attention in class.

19stang88

haha true. I know what my instructor said is not wrong, i may just be getting my info wrong. But you make total sense mjr46. So that being said, would staggard tires, create a pull? for example 275s in the rear and 245s in the front.

mjr46

nope, I have 275's in the rear and 165 SKINNIES IN THE FRONT....and no pull........the problem is in the front on the OP'S car.....if you know how to read alignment specs you can find the prob quick if it is related to alignment issues

PRO50SC

Remember one thing, just b/c he's an instructor, it doesn't mean he is flawless. Anyone can be wrong at one time or another.