Fords Leaning to the left

[Mad Horse]

I know from the 86 Thunderbird I had and the 88 Mustang I currently have that the majority of Ford cars tend to lean to the drivers side. I have heard they do this because it levels out when you take off. Is this correct? I know I definately have more space between the top of the rear right tire and the fender then I do on the left. Just stepping back and looking at the rear you can see the car slants to the left. Is this normal? Can or should it be corrected with a new suspension? Just seems like mine leans more than it should.

[Mr 5 0]

This is a new one on me and I suspect it's not valid. Sounds like normal 'sag' that comes with age and weakened springs as well as heavy drivers.

I see no reason why a Ford or any other automobile manufacturer would intentionally build cars that 'lean' to one side, much less allow the condition - if it existed - to go uncorrected for years and over various model lines. Doesn't make sense.

I suspect that the left-side 'lean' is more a result of the driver-side always being occupied - sometimes by hefty individuals - and the battery and steering gear also being on the left side.

You're using 16 and 14-year-old vehicles for this observation and that in itself makes the 'built-in left-side lean' theory plainly unverifiable.
Try installing new springs and I bet the 'problem' will disappear.

[Mad Horse]

I thought the same thing. I couldn't understand why Ford would do such a thing. I guess the years have caused this as I only weigh 175lbs and doubt I would have much effect on it. A new suspension has been in the works for a long time now. Oh to be rich. Thanks.

[Fox Body]

Mad Horse, is it just me or have you been gone for a long time? Haven't seen you around here at MW for quite some time.

Anyway, you cannot make a valid extrapolation from only 2 points, that the majority of Fords lean to the left b/c your Thunderbird and Mustang did . Have you checked the frame of your car in the front behind the front left fender, the area where your battery is? It could be rusted through. I am only saying this b/c the last '79 I owned lean to the right in the front and this was b/c it (the frame) had rusted through and broken apart so the front was kinda hanging/leaning. I've owned 4 Mustangs so far and only 1 of them has leaned.

Also, you may just have worn front springs.

[Mad Horse]

Fox Body, it has definately been awhile since I've been on here. I'm in my last semester here at the University of Dayton and my schedule is really packed. Lack of funds have also prevented me from doing anything to my stang. Not to mention I don't have it here at school. I'll try to make it to the board more often and help out all I can.

As for the Stang leaning it isn't just the front. The whole drivers side including front and rear is about an inch lower than the right side.

[Fox Body]

Originally posted by Mad Horse
Fox Body, it has definately been awhile since I've been on here. I'm in my last semester here at the University of Dayton and my schedule is really packed. Lack of funds have also prevented me from doing anything to my stang. Not to mention I don't have it here at school. I'll try to make it to the board more often and help out all I can. ...

Now that's more like it. Don't feel like you have to "help out", just stop by everyonce in a while and say hi.

As for the WHOLE car leaning , *snickering* (sorry) I didn't realize. Sounds like a worn springs issue.

BTW, did you ever race your fiancee's trash talkin dad's new stang--- or did he ever get it?

[Mad Horse]

Yeah he got it. He bought a 2001 Mustang GT Convertable with the Bullit wheels. Bad news is I had to teach his daughter how to drive stick on my car b4 he would agree to purchase or atleast let her drive it. Talk about hurting on the inside... every stall and grind I almost cried. Since she kept stalling it in 1st (too afraid) I told her if she didn't burn the tires on the next try I was done trying to teach her. Sure enough she got the hang of it after that. After her dad's car was broken in, her and I took it out and I ran it hard. I looked at my girl with a big grin...and said "Man this is nice, but mine is still faster". Even she agreed on this. I know for a fact he is a lot of talk but he won't race it. The car is too good to be raced or so he thinks.

[Fox Body]

Ah ha ha. Cool.

Well, even though he talks a lot, at least he did by the stang.

[2FastLX]

My former 90 LX leaned bad. I'm a big boy at 240 lbs, but I even replaced the springs and measured the fender gap to find it didn't make any difference at all.

I saw on a web site somewhere a part that goes under the driver side spring to correctly rotate it so it fixes this problem. It was a long time ago when I saw this and I've looked all over for it and can't find it. It mentioned something about most Mustangs and other Ford cars developing a lean toward the driver side. So maybe it is a problem with most Ford cars.

Take a closer look at some of the Mustangs when you drive around. Since noticing mine having a problem I've unintentionally paid more attention to other Stangs to find that a lot of them have the same problem.

Maybe it's not in the springs and is more in all the various bushings and such. Maybe the ones on the driver side are worn more than the passenger side. Or maybe it's from a twisted uni-body?

I'd take the car to a frame or alignment shop and see if they can give you some ideas. When I asked about mine though even the pros didn't have a good answer other than hand over your checkbook

[bosco]

wish i could help, but mine leans to the right,

[Spenc2u]

Redid entire suspension with Tokico Shocks/Struts, Steeda Springs ( put in right, turned in the right position that is) and it's STILL leaning lower on Drivers side???

Replacing Upper and Lower CA's this summer with adjustable MM units... if that doesn't take care of it FAWK IT! This thing costs more than a Heroin addiction!! L!


Good Luck with your rides
Spenc

[Mad Horse]

Spenc2U, thanks for the reply... I know I replaced the springs on my t-bird and it didn't do much..it helped but not enough. I nned a whole new suspension anyway so I figure I'll give it a try. How do you like the Tokico shocks and Steeda springs?? Is the ride a little less harsh?? How much did it cost you?? I want to improve handling and the ride quality....looking to go with a set up more for road racing then drag racing. As of now any bump in the road makes my whole front end pogo over it. I wish you luck..Later

[Spenc2u]

Happy Enough with the springs and shocks I've replaced.... This car is shown and road driven only so I didn't go the Drag Shock/Strut route with it. I do want it to handle like a wild banchee and pull like a RHINO though, so I'm doing the normal engine mods/gearing and maybe a power adder eventually or small NOS shot.

As far as 'did I notice a real improvement' or 'did it take the harshness out of the stock set up?'.. not sure, the guy I got the car from had cut the stock springs to lower the car, when I got it it road like Turtle with workboots( roughest thing I ever set my ars in!).. That soon changed after I got it home.. since then, everything has been changing L!

[Mach 1]

my mustang leans to one side. I have new springs (aftermarket) and adjustable ride height lower control arms, and I cant adjust them evenly. I have to adjust one side way up and the other way down to get a level looking car, but mine only does it in the back, the front seems level.

[Scappoose]

Mine was low on the left and then one day, 60 miles from home it started making this grinding, rattling noise in the rear. Took it into the nearest Ford dealer where they pulled it apart and the bearing had gone out and ground into the axle (it was a pretty deep groove). They said it looked like the bearing had been out for a while. I asked the tech how it could be out without making any noise, to which he shrugged. I still can't believe it. He said if the previous owner was heavy, the bearings wear out fairly quickly. Maybe they made them better in the 60s. Anyway, $500 later I was on the road and it was level. Maybe coincidence. Unlikely anyone else could have that problem, but you never know. That was my experience with it anyway. It just frosted me to pay them $270 for one axle when I plan on upgrading to the Cobra brakes...and that I could get one for a fraction of the price. But when you're stranded...

[Spenc2u]

What exactly are you saying? That sounds serious... and may be what we are all experiencing.

Did a bearing/bushing go out of your stock control arm or are you talking about something different?

[Mad Horse]

I agree Spenc2u. You think you would hear something. Then again it is a little hard to tell with some of the little creeks and sounds that come with age. Getting subframes helped with the sounds but I still have some when I turn.

I don't know if this is a result of the car leaning to the left but my hatch closes more tightly on the drivers side than the passengers. If you are inside the car and look back you can see a gap on the passengers side. I have the plastic cover on the inside of the hatch currently removed so I can see this better. Again, on the outside the hatch itself leans to the left. With the hatch open it is pretty easy to twist it but I'm afraid to do this as I have had that back window shatter due to either temp. changes or a stress crack in it. I have both of the rubber knobs screwed all the way in so I can shut it as tight as I can but this does nothing for the twist in it. Anyone else experience this or have a fix for it.

[BilLster]

well as far as manufactures purposely leaning a car my brothers Carrea 4 leans to the right since when he bought it they weighed
him and put the same weight in the drivers seat during alignment
.

taking a look at this the last time i took my car in for a alignment
i dropped 150 pounds in my car and put it in the drivers seat.
after the alignment it seams to sit better and handle launch a tad better but who's to say how much the weight helped.

[Scappoose]

It was a bearing that went out. But it was out long enough that it wore a groove in the axle, requiring both to be replaced. What it looked like was the bearing froze and the axle continued turning (how, I don't know). It kept wearing away material until it developed a vibration. That's when I noticed it. I noticed the drop on the left side a couple of months before. No idea how long it was there. I'd only had the car about 4 months. Anyway, I thought it would have made a noise heard over anything.

He did tell me they wear out with big butts in the driver's seat, so it wouldn't hurt to check them out. Both of my '69s have the original and they look perfect. Of course, they do have fewer miles.

[2FastLX]

I finally found the site I was talking about in my earlier post here. It was on Global West's site. Here is the link
http://www.globalwest.net/mustang%20...%20AND%20REAR:

About half way down they sell the spacers.