I took my car to the stealership to get an alignment. Asked for a front wheel alignment (since you can't adjust the rear), and they charged me for a four wheel alignment anyways because "they have to put the sensors on the rear wheels to prevent dog tracking." So this seemed like bull**** to begin with, but its worth the money to me if they actually fix the alignment. I get back in the car and look at the sheet and the numbers barely changed at all. I go to drive it, and it pulls to the left just like it did before. I go back in and complain and the guy says that they did adjust everything. Anyways, here are the specs from my car. Do you think they actually adjusted anything, or are just being a bunch of ******* ripoffs? The changes are so small in the alignment, I think they just changed from the car rolling back and forth on the rack.

Front - Left
Actual Before
Camber -0.7 -0.7
Caster 7.4 7.4
Toe .08 .07

Front - Right
Actual Before
Camber -0.8 -0.7
Caster 7.7 7.7
Toe .05 .05

 

I am constantly amazed by how many stories I read about alignment shops, with all their fancy equipment, not being able to do a decent alignment. My self included - my first experience when asking for a "performance" alignment left me shaking my head when a bunch of baffoons didn't know what camber plates were and tried to argue with me that it was impossible to get over > -1 camber. My 2nd experience (different shop) was so F'd up that I corded inside of a front tire is one track weekend. I gave up on them and started doing my own alignments. Using strings and a level you can get better than most of the idiot "professionals" can.

At any rate - seems you have cause to complain and demand action - they didn't solve your problem. Its possible that its not an alignment issue I suppose...could be a front brake dragging for example, or something bent but You'd think they'd find that. Good luck.

 

Isn't the S-197 front suspension non-adjustable? I don't see C/C plates in your mod list.

 

You were within spec before the alignment, and you're still within spec. Sounds like the problem is not due to the alignment.

 

The S197 is only toe adjustable. The rear suspenion can only be adjusted for "dog tracking" if you have installed an adjustable pan hard bar. The proper name is "thrust angle". Dealerships are notorious for this. The S197 is a toe set only. Dealership front end techs love them because they charge a lot and do very little.

We use a hunter system here but we use body weight simulators for the driver seat as well as have all the right equipment for bump steer and chassis ride height. Thrust angle is TRULY very important but the Factory doesn't even specific an acceptable range for this so unless he really knew what he was doing, he wouldn't know where or how to adjust it anyway.

 

I really need to learn about this. Sounds like most people won't know what they are doing when trying to align mustangs, especially with some aftermarket equipment on them. Sounds like I am going to have to get an alignment done, again, once I install my panhard bar, even though I just got one done when I put on my new suspension. I need to find someone who will do it with weight simulators and whatnot though.

 

Have you tried swapping tires from the passenger side to the driver side to see if the pull changes direction? This assumes that you have non-directional tires. However, I've used this technique to find a tire issue even with directional tires .

 

It was pulling with my stock tires and i changed to some new tires and it made no difference. So you are saying that toe is the ONLY adjustment on the front end?

 

Stock? Yes, only toe is adjustable on a stock S197.

 

There is a kit to put a camber bolt on though, this may have been done to your car perhaps?