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 brake shoes - renewal
    Warning: Brake shoes must be renewed on both rear wheels at the same time - never renew the shoes on only one wheel, as uneven braking may result. Also, the dust created by wear of the shoes may ...

    Boot lid (Cabriolet models) - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Open the boot and prop it open using a length of wood. 2 Pull out the clips securing the gas strut and remove the strut. 3 Working inside the boot, undo the nuts securing the hinge ass ...

    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 ...