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:

    Rear disc splash shield - removal and refitting
    Note: A suitable puller will be required to remove the drive flange, and a new rear hub nut must be used on reassembly. Caution: Refer to the precautions in Section 1. Removal 1 Loosen the rear ...

    Rear shock absorber (Saloon and Estate models) - removal, testing and refitting
    Removal 1 Slacken the roadwheel bolts, raise the rear of the vehicle, support it on stands (see “Jacking and Vehicle Support”) and remove the roadwheel. 2 Support the suspension lower arm with a ...

    Exhaust manifold - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. 2 Remove the air cleaner and pull the hot air pick-up pipe from the exhaust manifold hot air shroud. 3 Remove the securing screws (1 screw on DOHC ...