Rear suspension angles - general

The rear wheel toe and camber angles are set in production and do not require checking under normal service conditions. Of the two, only the toe setting can be adjusted, the camber angle being fixed by production sizes and tolerances.

The only time that angles will need to be checked will be after an accident in which the rear of the car has suffered damage or where a rear end skid has caused a side impact on a rear roadwheel.

Severely worn components of the rear suspension can also cause the angles to be misaligned, in which case renewal of the defective components should rectify the suspension angles and alignment.

The actual settings have been revised a number of times as a result of component changes during the course of production and also to improve directional stability. The settings also vary according to model year, engine size and optional equipment, and to list all the settings would be beyond the scope of this manual. If in any doubt about the rear suspension angles, or if the rear tyre wear appears excessive it is recommended that the car be taken to a Ford dealer for accurate checking on optical alignment equipment.

    See also:

    Rocker gear - dismantling and reassembly
    Dismantling 1 With the rocker assembly removed as described in Section 4, extract the split pin from one end of the rocker shaft (see illustration). 6.1 Rocker shaft assembly components 2 Take ...

    Tailgate (Hatchback and Estate models) - removal and refitting
    Note: On Hatchback models made before 1990 with an integral heated rear window/radio aerial, note that the radio aerial lead is routed through different openings to that of other models in the rea ...

    CFI unit (1.6 and 1.8 litre (R6A type) CVH) - removal and refitting
    Caution: Refer to the precautions in Section 1 before proceeding. A new gasket must be used on refitting. Removal 1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. 2 Remove the air cleaner assembly. 3 De ...