Repair And Fix it

Ford introduced the Mustang in 1964 to compete with Chevrolets Corvette. The Mustang quickly became one of the most popular muscle cars ever made and went on to become an American icon. The Mustang has changed dramatically since those early years, in terms of both its appearance and its performance, but it is still one of most popular sports cars on the market.



The Mustang was redesigned in 1994 and kept that body style until it went through another major redesign in 1999, taking on a boxier, more aggressive style than the rounded-off body of the 1994 to 1998 models. In 1996, Ford put a new Borg-Warner T-45 Transmission in the Mustang, as well as a new 4.6-liter, modular engine, which is still used in the Mustang today.

General Alignment Information for the 1996 Ford Mustang

The front end of 1996 Ford Mustang has a modified McPherson strut-design with shock struts and coil springs. The rear end has a solid-axle design, and its alignment cannot be adjusted. Problems with the alignment on the rear end are more likely due to bent or damaged parts.

The front-end alignment specs are the same for all trims of the 1996 Mustang. (Reference 4)

Always consult an owners manual or a certified mechanic before attempting to perform your own automotive repairs.

Caster Angle

The limits for the caster angle for the front wheels of the 1996 Ford Mustang range from +2.65 to +4.15, with the ideal angle being +3.4 degrees.

Camber Angle

The limits for the camber angle for the front wheels of the 1996 Ford Mustang range from 1.35 to +.15 for the left wheel and 1.35 to +.15 for the right wheel, with the ideal angle being -.6 for each wheel.

Toe-in

The toe-in can range from 0 to +.24 inches.

Toe-out on Turns

On the 1996 Ford Mustang, the toe-out on turns, measured by degrees, should be 19.84 for the outer wheel and 20 for the inner wheel.

Wheel alignment is one of the important tasks undertaken during vehicle maintenance. It is the relationship of the automobile wheels to the vehicle itself, to each other and to the road. The main purposes of conducting wheel alignment is to ensure the vehicle is stable on the road, to reduce the amount of wear on tires and to produce the least amount of moving resistance. Incorrect wheel alignment can be very dangerous because it can seriously affect handling and vehicle safety. Wheel alignment mainly involves three major measurement angles: the caster, the camber and the toe.

EZ Line Laser Wheel Alignment Tool

The EZ Line laser is a tool kit used for aligning different systems such as wheels and axles of vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks and trailers. One of its main advantages is that it is compatible with vehicles that use toe settings. This tool kit comes with magnets which are attached directly on the vehicle system, a 32-inch measuring tape and two magnetic fifth-wheel pin adapters. It has the ability to capture measurements in less than ten minutes. If the laser goes through the center of the magnet when shot, then the automobile system wheels are properly aligned. If not, the same lasers are used to align the wheels properly.

Camber Caster Gauge

A camber caster gauge is a small, portable device that is attached at the end of the axle on a wheeled vehicle in order to zero out the measurement dials. It captures measurements of the camber and the caster of a wheeled vehicle. Camber ers to the tip of the tire and wheel while caster is the angle of tilt of the kingpin. When the caster is tipped toward the center of the kart, the measurements are considered positive; toward the front of the kart, the measurements are negative. As for the camber, if the kart is tipped toward the center, the measurements are considered negative. If it is to the outside, the measurements are positive.

Laser Wheel Alignment Gauge

The laser wheel alignment gauge is a battery-operated and portable device which is easy to use and calibrate. It has the capability of taking fast measurements from automobiles and has a calculator for converting measurements. It produces measurements of the combined toe angle with high precision. It constitutes the laser, laser target plate and a mirror. This gauge produces clear laser lines which ensure fast and accurate readings.

Hyundai began exporting cars to the United States in 1986. Hyundai invested in improving the quality of their vehicles and the ratings and sales of Hyundais began to improve in the 2000s. Hyundai Motor America, the companys U.S. division, currently sells a full line of automobiles. The alignment specs vary from vehicle to vehicle, as well as from year to year, so it is always best to find the specs for a specific model and year rather than simply the make of a vehicle.

Alignment Specs for the 2010 Hyundai Accent

The alignment specs are the same for all trims of the 2010 Hyundai Accent. On the front end, the caster angle can range from +0.5 degrees to +4.0 degrees, the camber can range from zero to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in can range from zero to +0.16 degrees. On the rear end, the camber can range from -1.0 degrees to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in can range from +0.16 degrees to +0.32 degrees. The caster angle is not adjustable on the rear end.

Alignment Specs for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra

The alignment specs are the same for all trims of the 2010 Elantra sedan. On the front end, the caster angle can range from +0.5 degrees to +4.32 degrees, the camber can range from -0.6 degrees to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in can range from zero to +0.16 degrees. On the rear end, the camber can range from -1.0 degrees to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in can range from +0.16 degrees to +0.17 degrees.

While the front-end alignment specs are the same for the sedan and Touring trims of the 2010 Elantra, the rear-end specs for the Touring trims are different. For the rear end of the Touring trims, the camber can range from -1.15 degrees to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in can range from +0.04 degrees to +0.08 degrees.

The caster angle is not adjustable on the rear end of the sedan or Touring trims.

Alignment Specs for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe

The alignment specs are the same for all trims of the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. On the front end, the caster angle can range from +0.5 degrees to +4.5 degrees, the camber angle can range from -0.5 degrees to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in can range from zero to +0.2 degrees. On the rear end, the camber can range from -1.0 degrees to +0.5 degrees and the toe-in should be set at +0.2 degrees. The caster angle is not adjustable on the rear end.

Chevrolet introduced the Nova sports car in 1962. The alignment specs were the same for all trims of the 1966 Chevy Nova. The alignment was not adjustable on the rear end because the Nova came with a fixed rear axle.

Caster

The caster angle is the measurement, in degrees, of how far a line drawn through a wheels steering knuckle is inclined from a vertical line through the center of the wheel. The ideal caster for the 1966 Nova is +1.0 degree, but it can range from +0.5 to +1.5 degrees.

Camber

Camber is the angle at which the top of a wheel tilts when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Tilting out is positive camber, and tilting in is negative camber. The ideal camber for the 1966 Nova is +0.5 degrees, but it can range from zero to +1.0 degree.

Toe-In

Toe, when measured in inches, is the difference in the distances between the centers of the fronts and the rears of the front wheels. Most vehicles are designed to toe-in, meaning the distance between the fronts of the two front wheels will be slightly less than that of the backs of the two front wheels. The toe-in for the 1966 Nova can range from 1/4 of an inch to 3/8 of an inch.

For the 2010 model year, Chevrolet sold three lines of pickup trucks, the Avalanche, the Colorado and the Silverado, which comes in 1500, 2500 and 3500 models. Each vehicle comes in several trims. The specs provided below should be applied only to the assigned vehicle and should not be used on any other models or trims of a Chevy truck. The rear alignment is not adjustable on any of the vehicles below.

All Trims of the 2010 Avalanche With 18-Inch Tires

The caster should be set at plus 3.3 degrees on the left front tire and plus 3.5 degrees on the right front tire, with a variance of one degree relative to the ground. The ideal camber setting is minus 0.1 degrees, with a variance of 0.5 degrees. The ideal setting for the toe-in is 0.1 degrees, but it can range by 0.2 degrees.

All Trims of the 2010 Colorado 4x4 Except the Z71

The caster should be set at plus 3.8 degrees on the left front wheel and plus 4.0 degrees on the right front wheel, with a variance of one degree. The camber should be set at zero, but can range by 0.5 degrees. The toe-in should also be set at zero, but can range by 0.1 degree.

All Trims of the Silverado C/K 2500HD

The caster should be set at plus 3.25 degrees on the left front wheel and plus 3.5 degrees on the right front wheel, with a variance of one degree relative to the ground. The camber should be set at plus 0.25 degrees, but can range by 0.6 degrees. The toe-in should be set at 0.1 degree, but can range by 0.2 degrees.

Nissan introduced the full-size Titan pickup truck in 2004 and continues to sell it in 2010. The Titan comes in more than a dozen two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive trims. All two-wheel-drive trims shared the same alignment specs for the 2006 to 2010 model years, and all four-wheel-drive trims shared the same specs for those years. The rear alignment is not adjustable on any 2006 to 2010 Titan.

Caster

The preferred caster angle is +3.0 degrees for the two-wheel-drive trims and +2.2 degrees for the four-wheel-drive trims, but it can vary by -0.75 degrees or +0.75 degrees on any trim.

Camber

The preferred camber angle is -0.2 degrees for the two-wheel-drive trims and +0.3 degrees for the four-wheel-drive trims, but it can vary by -0.75 degrees or +0.75 degrees on any trim.

Toe-in

The preferred toe-in is +0.22 degrees for the two-wheel-drive trims and it is also +0.22 degrees for the four-wheel-drive trims, but it can vary by -0.08 degrees or +0.08 degrees on any trim.

Thrust Angle

The preferred thrust angle is 37.5/34.0 degrees for the two-wheel-drive trims and 37.9/34.0 degrees for the four-wheel-drive trims, but it can vary by -1.5 degrees or +1.5 degrees on any trim.

Chevrolet introduced the Corvette, the first sports car manufactured by a U.S. company, in 1953. Since then, the Corvette has remained one of the most recognizable and esteemed performance cars on the U.S. market. The C3, the third generation of the Corvette, was sold from 1968 to 1982. It was commonly referred to as the Mako Shark and it replaced the popular second-generation Sting Ray. As is common with most vehicles, the alignment specs changed from year to year. The alignment specs provided here apply to all trims of the 1982 Corvette, but should not be used for aligning the wheels of any other model year of the Corvette.

Caster

Caster is basically the slope of an imaginary line drawn through the upper and lower pivot joints of a wheel when viewed from the side of the vehicle, with zero being a vertical line straight up through the center of the wheel. If the top of the slope crosses the vertical line toward the rear of the car, then the car has a positive caster. If the top of the slope crosses the vertical line toward the front of the car, then the wheel has a negative caster. Most vehicles are designed to have a positive caster -- meaning the steering pivots will be slightly angled toward the rear of the vehicle. The preferred caster on the front end of the 1982 Corvette can range from +1.75 degrees to +2.75 degrees, with the ideal setting being +2.25 degrees. The caster cannot be adjusted on the rear wheels.

Camber

The camber is the angle the top of a wheel tilts when viewed from the front of the vehicle. When the top of the wheel tilts out, it represents a positive camber. When the top of the wheel tilts in, it represents negative camber. The camber on the front end of the 1982 Corvette can range from +0.25 degrees to +1.25 degrees, with the ideal setting being +0.75 degrees. The preferred camber angle for the rear wheels is zero, but it can range in either direction by 0.5 degrees.

Toe-in

The toe of a wheel is often given in inches and represents the difference in the space between the fronts of two opposing wheels and the rear of two opposing wheels. For instance, if a vehicle has a toe-in of 1 inch, that means the fronts of the wheels are 1 inch closer to each other than the rears of the wheels. The toe-in on the front end of the 1982 Corvette should be set at +1/4 inch, but it can range in either direction by 1/16 inch. The toe-in on the rear wheels should be set at +1/16 inch, but it can range in either direction by 1/16 inch.

Sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world, Camry is a mid-sized family vehicle, manufactured by Toyota, since 1980. The factory specifications for the alignment are slightly different for all 2004 Camry models, though the toe specification is the same.

Toe Definition

Toe is the difference between the leading and trailing inside edges of the front wheels. Wheel toe position out of specification can cause unstable steering and uneven tire wear.

Specifications

The total toe-in specification should be 0 degrees with maximum allowable difference of 0.6 degrees. Rack end length difference should be 1.5 mm (0.069 inches), or less.

Notes

These specifications are given for a vehicle at curb height with one-half tank of fuel. Also, the wheel toe position should be the final front wheel adjustment, performed after camber and caster adjustments.

The 2001 Chevrolet Malibu was a four-door sedan with a maximum horsepower of 170 hp at 5200 rpm. The car takes P215/60R15 tires. You should rotate your tires to prevent uneven wear. This helps you get more mileage out of the tires. After rotating or changing tires, you should align your vehicle for better steering and handling.

Camber Angles

The camber angles in both the front and rear should ideally be -0.2. However, they can be aligned anywhere between -0.5 degrees and 0.5 degrees.

Caster Angle

The caster angle on the 2001 Malibu can be from 3.1 to 5.1 degrees. The optimal alignment is at 4.1 degrees.

Toe-In Alignment

The toe-in angle should be in the -0.15 to 0.35 degree range. Ideally, it should be at 0.1 degrees. In the rear, the toe-in angle should be between -0.26 and 0.14 degrees. The optimal toe-out angle is 0.06 degrees.

Ride Height

After aligning the tires, check the ride height of the 2001 Malibu. Ride height is also known as ground clearance. The distance between the center of the front axle to the ground should be 32.2 inches. The bottom of the rocker panel should be 9.33 inches off the ground. The distance between the bottom of the ball joint and the bottom of the frame rail should be zero inches. The center of the rear axle should be 25 inches from the ground.

MINI gave the first generation of the Cooper S the internal designation "R53." The Cooper S (R53) packed an additional 50 horsepower over the standard Cooper and was introduced to United States market in 2002, one year after the MINI Cooper hit the market. MINI redesigned the Cooper S and it entered its second generation in 2007, receiving the new internal designation of R56. The alignment specs for the R53 changed several times during its four-year tenure. The caster angle was not adjustable on the front or rear of any R53 because they all came with front-wheel-drive and fixed rear axles.

Camber

Camber is the angle a wheel tilts when viewed from the front or rear of the vehicle. Wheels that tilt out at the top demonstrate positive camber. Wheels that tilt in at the top demonstrate negative camber. The preferred setting for the camber angle on the front end of the 2006 MINI Cooper S was -0.5 degrees, but it could vary by up to 0.42 degrees in either direction, with a cross tolerance of 0.5 degrees. The preferred setting for the camber angle on the rear end was -1.75 degrees, but it could range by up to 0.33 degrees in either direction.

Toe

Toe is the angle of a wheel in relation to the center line of the vehicle when viewed from above. Toe-in is given in positive degrees or inches and means that the front of a wheel is angled slightly inward toward the center line of the vehicle. The preferred setting for toe-in on the front end of the R53 was +0.3 degrees, but it could vary by 0.08 degrees in either direction. The preferred setting for the toe-in on the rear end was +0.4 degrees, but it could vary by 0.13 degrees in either direction.

Turning Angle and Thrust Angle

The turning angle is also know as the "toe-out on turns." The front wheels pivot independently when turning, and the turning angle refers to the difference in the angle of the inner and outer front wheels when making a turn. The preferred turning angle for the front wheels of the 2006 MINI Cooper S was 20 degrees for the inner wheel and 18.7 degrees for the out wheel, with a range of 0.5 degrees in either direction. The thrust angle is the angle of the rear wheels in relation to the the center line of the vehicle. Thrust angle is related to toe. If the thrust angle is misaligned, it can often be solved by adjusting the rear toe to the center line and then adjusting the front toe. The preferred thrust angle for the R53 was +0.17 degrees.

Dodge produced several trims of the 4x2 and 4x4 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 in 2000, as well as 4x2 and 4x4 trims of the Dakota pickup truck. Each model came with its own alignment specifications. Some trims of a given model shared certain alignment specs, but several trims came with distinct alignment guidelines. Before making any adjustments to the alignment of a vehicle, it is important to clarify that the specs apply to the exact make, model and year of the vehicle being worked on.

Ram 1500 4x2

The alignment specs for all trims of the 2000 Ram 1500 4x2 are the same, except for the caster angle specs for the Club Cab and Quad Cab trims. The alignment is not adjustable on the rear end of the vehicle. For the front end, the caster angle limits are +1.0 to +3.65 degrees on all trims except for the Club Cab and Quad Cab trims, for which the limits are +1.0 degrees to +4.0 degrees. The caster angle cross tolerance is +0.5 degrees for all trims. The camber angle should be set at +0.5 degrees on all trims. The ideal toe-in is +0.1 degrees.

Ram 2500 4x4

As with the 2000 Ram 1500 4x2, the alignment specs were the same for all trims of the 2000 Ram 2500 4x4 (except for the caster angle on the Club Cab and Quad Cab trims). The alignment is not adjustable on the rear end. The caster angle limits for the front end are +1.0 degree to +2.68 degrees for all trims other than the Club Cab and Quad Cab, for which the limits are +1.0 degrees to +2.8 degrees. The toe-in should be set at +0.1 degrees. According to the "Wheel Alignment Specifications" manual by the Naas Publishing Company, Dodge did not specify a camber angle for the 4x4 trims of Ram pickup trucks in 2000.

Dakot 4x4

The caster angle limits for the front end of the 2000 Dodge Dakota 4x4 are +0.5 degrees to +3.16 degrees for all trims except for the Club Cab, for which the limits are +0.4 degrees to +3.16 degrees. The cross tolerance is +0.5 degrees for all trims. The camber angle limits are -0.25 degrees to +0.5 degrees, with a cross tolerance of +0.5 degrees. The front toe-in can range from +0.06 degrees to +0.1 degrees. The ideal thrust angle is +0.4 degrees.

The 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive is available in several trims with different cab sizes and bed lengths. All trims were referred to as "Super Duty" trucks, as Ford phased out the standard F-250 in 1999. All trims come with a 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower V-8 engine. With the exception of the caster angle on those trims with HD Suspension, the alignment specs are the same for all trims. Alignment specs for a given model of vehicle tend to vary from year to year. It is extremely important to check the trucks model year and suspension type before attempting to make any adjustments to the alignment. The rear alignment is not adjustable on any trim of the 2010 Ford F250 two-wheel drive.

Caster

The caster angle is the forward or rearward slope of the vehicles steering axis, with the steering axis being an imaginary line drawn through the upper and lower ball joints of a wheels knuckles. The measure of the angle is based on a vertical line from the ground straight through the center of the wheel. If the top of caster slope passes on the rear of the vertical line, toward the rear of the vehicle, then the wheel has a positive caster. If the top of the caster slope passes on the front of the vertical line, toward the front bumper of the vehicle, then the wheel has a negative caster. The ideal caster angle for the 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive is +3.6 degrees for trims with HD Suspension and +4.0 degrees for all other trims. The caster can range by 1.2 degrees in either direction on all trims, with a cross tolerance of 0.75 degrees.

Camber

The camber is the inward or outward tilt of a wheel when viewed from the front of a vehicle. If the top of a wheel tilts out, away from the center of the vehicle, then the wheel has a positive camber. If the top of the wheel tilts in, toward the center of the vehicle, then the wheel has a positive camber. The ideal camber angle for the 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive is +0.62 degrees but it can range by 0.75 degrees in either direction, with a cross tolerance of 0.75 degrees.

Toe-in

The toe is the difference in the space between the fronts of the two front wheels and the rears of the two front wheels. If the fronts of the wheels are closer to each other than the rears are, then the wheels have toe-in. If the fronts of the wheels are farther apart than the rears are, then the wheels have toe-out. The toe-in for the 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive should be set at +0.1 degrees but it can range by 0.25 degrees in either direction.