DarkGreen

So I recently had many of my outdated suspension mods replaced to the following:
BMR drag springs (front and rear)
Strange adjustable shocks and struts
BBK caster/camber plates
Steeda adjustable UCA
New factory bumpstops
I noticed that before I had the camber plates installed, the negative camber from the car being lowered was causing some pretty gnarly inside tire wear, which was the main reason I went ahead and spent the money on the plates this go around. After the install, it seemed that due to the corrected camber, the driver side tire was now rubbing against the fender well whenever to turned hard to either side. I also noticed that the car would pull pretty hard to whatever side I had last turned the car hard to until I turned it hard the other way. The mechanic that installed the suspension components told me after that I would have to get an alignment which he didn't do, so I took the car to my local Ford dealership over the weekend and had them install 2 slightly skinnier, slightly lower profile tires on the front as well as perform a front end alignment. Now the tires don't seem to be rubbing but the car still pulls hella hard to either side depending which way I last turned hard. Is there something going on with the components I installed or did Ford half-*** my alignment?

Car is a '12 GT

g150rdt

Take it right back to Ford, and tell them what is doing, it's on their dime.

Derf00

Those drag springs are a 1.5" drop. You most likely need a bump steer kit in addition to the camber/caster kit. Dropping 1.5" and more significantly changes the suspension geometry. Alignment is only checked performed in a stationary position with the wheels facing forward and assumes a certain geometry throughout the range of steering motion.

Ford's only gonna tell him the alignment is in spec and if he's getting strange wear or steering response that he needs to fix the problem.

The pulling after a turn tells me the steering's 'on center' point is weak. On center means how well the car centers the wheel (drives straight) and remains centered when there is no input from the steering wheel or road. It also includes the steering ability to regain the center on its own if you continue to move forward after a turn without any input from the driver or road. On center is affected by Toe and Camber. Toe is affected directly by the adjustment on the tie rod and indirectly by the Camber in a turn. If the geometry is off, that affects the indirect interaction between the toe and camber in an unexpected way which factory alignment specs will not account for.

Norm Peterson

It's an EPAS system, so there are things other than caster, camber, and toe that need to be checked as well. There's a steering position sensor that needs to be reset after making the physical adjustments. The sensor itself, or the wiring to it, may be bad. Same goes for a torque sensor (mounted to the rack input shaft).

https://www.brakeandfrontend.com/dia...ng-eps-issues/


Norm

g150rdt

Ford's only gonna tell him the alignment is in spec and if he's getting strange wear or steering response that he needs to fix the problem: Ford took the money! and said they were going to fix the alignment, apparently nobody took the vehicle for a ride to make sure it was functioning correctly. The reason he took it there is to get it fix.Steelership...

Derf00

You are speculating that dealership didn't take the vehicle for a ride. They may have but didn't feel what the OP is feeling especially coming out of a "hard" turn as the OP described it.. Dealers don't typically abuse owner cars contrary to what the few Internet horror stories you see on the internet.

Anyways, OP what does the printout from the dealer look like for the Before/After alignment specs? If you didn't get the printout, I would recommend getting it. If you did, please post it.

Derf00

Forgot about the EPAS system. That is something to look at. Still though, the print out specs of before/after are a start, from there, the complaint can be scaled up to look at other things besides just the alignment.