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:

    Flywheel/driveplate - removal, inspection and refitting
    Note: The manufacturers recommend that the flywheel/driveplate securing bolts are renewed after slackening. Suitable thread-locking agent will be required to coat the bolt threads. Removal 1 If t ...

    Steering intermediate shaft and flexible coupling - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Apply the handbrake, jack up the front of the vehicle and support on axle stands. 2 Working in the engine compartment, unscrew the bolt securing the intermediate shaft to the inner colu ...

    Seats - removal and refitting
    Front seat 1 Slide the seat fully forwards, and on seats with height adjustment unhook the tension spring from the rear crosstube. Where applicable, disconnect the wiring from the seat heating pa ...