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:

    Cylinder head - dismantling and reassembly
    Note: A valve spring compressor will be required during this procedure. New valve stem oil seals should be used on reassembly. Dismantling 1 With the cylinder head removed, remove the camshaft. ...

    Intensive maintenance
    If, from the time the vehicle is new, the routine maintenance schedule is followed closely and frequent checks are made of fluid levels and high wear items, as suggested throughout this manual, th ...

    Handbrake cable - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Chock the front wheels, loosen the rear roadwheel nuts, then jack up the rear of the vehicle and support on axle stands. Release the handbrake and remove the roadwheels. 2 Slacken the h ...