Suspension System-General Information Ford Five Hundred I

ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS

ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

For ride height measuring, see Ride Height .

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

Wheel Alignment Angles

Camber and toe are adjustable on the front suspension system. Front camber is adjusted by rotating the front upper strut mount 180 degrees. Indexing the front upper strut mount moves the camber by +0.5 degrees. The front toe is adjusted by rotating the tie rod. Toe is adjustable on the rear suspension system. The rear toe is adjusted by rotating the toe link.

Scheme 26

Camber is the vertical tilt of the wheel when viewed from the front. Camber can be positive or negative and has a direct effect on tire wear.

Scheme 27

Caster is the deviation from vertical of an imaginary line drawn through the ball joints when viewed from the side. The caster specifications in this section will give the vehicle the best directional stability characteristics when loaded and driven. The caster setting is not related to tire wear.

Scheme 28

Scheme 29

The vehicle toe setting affects tire wear and directional stability.

Scheme 30

The vehicle ride height can be checked by measuring the distance between the lip of the fender(s) and the ground. The vehicle must be in a level, static ground position with full fluids and the fuel tank at least half full. Refer to SPECIFICATIONS .

Ride Height Correction

If there is a ride height concern, such as the front or rear of the vehicle being higher or lower than normal or an apparent lean, it should be corrected before aligning the vehicle. Any heavy items such as tool boxes, sample cases or any other items should be removed.

If no unusual load is present, check for damaged components or nonstandard replacement suspension components.

Scheme 31

Incorrect thrust angle (also known as dogtracking) is the condition in which the rear axle is not square to the chassis. Heavily crowned roads can give the illusion of dogtracking.

Wander

Wander is the tendency of the vehicle to require frequent, random left and right steering wheel corrections to maintain a straight path down a level road.

Shimmy

Shimmy, as observed by the driver, is large, consistent, rotational oscillations of the steering wheel resulting from large, side-to-side (lateral) tire/wheel movements.

Shimmy is usually experienced near 64 km/h (40 mph), and can begin or be amplified when the tire contacts pot holes or irregularities in the road surface.

Nibble

Sometimes confused with shimmy, nibble is a condition resulting from tire interaction with various road surfaces and observed by the driver as small rotational oscillations of the steering wheel.

Poor Returnability/Sticky Steering

Poor returnability and sticky steering is used to describe poor return of the steering wheel to center after a turn or steering correction.

Drift/Pull

Pull is a tugging sensation, felt by the hands on the steering wheel, that must be overcome to keep the vehicle going straight.

Drift describes what a vehicle with this condition does with hands off the steering wheel.

1. A vehicle-related drift/pull, on a flat road, will cause a consistent deviation from the straight-ahead path and require constant steering input in the opposite direction to counteract the effect.
2. Drift/pull may be induced by conditions external to the vehicle (for example, wind, road crown).

Poor Groove Feel

Poor groove feel is characterized by little or no buildup of turning effort felt in the steering wheel as the wheel is rocked slowly left and right within very small turns around center or straight-ahead (under 20 degrees of steering wheel turn). Efforts may be said to be "flat on center."

1. Under 20 degrees of turn, most of the turning effort that builds up comes from the mesh of gear teeth in the steering gear. In this range, the steering wheel is not yet turned enough to feel the effort from the self-aligning forces at the road wheel or tire patch.
2. In the diagnosis of a roadability problem, it is important to understand the difference between wander and poor groove feel.

Special Tool(s)

SPECIAL TOOL CHART Dial Indicator Gauge with Holding Fixture 100-D002 (D78P-4201-B) or equivalent

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Inspection and Verification

1. Road test. Verify the customer's concern by carrying out a road test on a smooth road.
2. Inspect tires. Check the tire pressure with all normal loads in the vehicle and the tires cold. For additional information, refer to the Vehicle Certification (VC) label. Verify that all tires are sized to specification. Inspect the tires for incorrect wear and damage.
3. Inspect the chassis and underbody. Remove any excessive accumulation of mud, dirt or road deposits from the chassis and underbody.
4. Inspect for aftermarket equipment. Check for aftermarket changes to the steering, suspension wheel and tire components (such as competition or heavy duty) The specifications shown in this manual do not apply to vehicles equipped with aftermarket equipment. VISUAL INSPECTION CHART Mechanical Front wheel bearing(s) Loose or damaged front or rear suspension components Loose, damaged or missing suspension fastener(s) Damaged or leaking strut(s) Worn or damaged suspension bushing(s) Loose, worn or damaged steering system components Damaged axle components
5. If an obvious cause for an observed or reported condition is found, correct the cause (if possible) before proceeding to the next step.
6. If the fault is not visually evident, determine the symptom. GO to «SYMPTOM CHART»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/suspension-front/#suspension-system-general-information__symptom-chart) .

Symptom Chart

SYMPTOM CHART

Ball Joint Inspection

1. Prior to inspecting the ball joints for wear, inspect the wheel bearings. For additional information, refer to «NOISE, VIBRATION & HARSHNESS»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/oem-general-information/#noise-vibration-harshness) .
2. Raise and support the vehicle by the frame to allow the wheels to hang in the rebound position.
3. Inspect the ball joint and ball joint boot for damage. If the ball joint or ball joint boot is damaged, install a new ball joint. For additional information, refer to «FRONT SUSPENSION»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/suspension-front/#front-suspension) .
4. Inspect the ball joint for relative movement by alternately pulling downward and pushing upward on the lower arm by hand. Note any relative vertical movement between the lower arm and lower arm at the lower ball joint. If relative movement is not felt or seen, the ball joint is OK. Do not install a new ball joint. If relative movement is found, continue with Step 5.
5. To measure ball joint deflection, attach a suitable dial indicator with a flexible arm between the lower control arm and the wheel knuckle or ball joint stud.
6. Measure the ball joint deflection while an assistant pushes up and pulls down on the lower arm, by hand. If the deflection exceeds the specification, a new ball joint must be installed. For additional information, refer to «FRONT SUSPENSION»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/suspension-front/#front-suspension) . If the deflection meets the specification, no further action is required.

Wheel Bearing Inspection - Front and Rear

1. Raise the vehicle until the tire is off the floor. For additional information, refer to «JACKING & LIFTING»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/hoistjack/#jacking-lifting) .
2. Grasp each front tire at the top and bottom and move the wheel inward and outward while lifting the weight of the tire off the wheel bearing.
3. If the tire and wheel hub is loose or does not rotate freely, install a new wheel hub. For additional information, refer to «FRONT SUSPENSION»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/suspension-front/#front-suspension) or «REAR SUSPENSION»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/suspension-rear/#rear-suspension) .

Camber Adjustment - Front

Note. Before carrying out a camber adjustment, check the tires for the correct pressure. Inspect the tires for incorrect wear or damage. Inspect the front suspension components for wear or damage.

Scheme 33

1. Raise and support the vehicle on hoist. For additional information, refer to «JACKING & LIFTING»(/ford/five-hundred/i-2004-2007/remont/hoistjack/#jacking-lifting) .
2. Remove the strut mount nuts.
3. Push the strut mount downward and rotate it 180 degrees. When rotated 180 degrees from the original position, camber changes by +0.5 degrees.
4. Install the strut mount nuts. Tighten the nuts to 27 Nm (20 lb-ft).
5. Check the alignment settings. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Readjust the camber and caster as necessary.

Scheme 34

Scheme 35

1. Start the engine and center the steering wheel.
2. Turn the engine OFF, and hold the steering wheel in the straight forward position by attaching a rigid link from the steering wheel to the seat.
3. Remove the steering gear bellows clamps.
4. Loosen the nuts. Clean and lubricate the nuts and the tie-rod threads.
5. Rotate the tie-rods as necessary to adjust the toe setting.
6. Tighten the nuts to 115 Nm (85 lb-ft).
7. Install the steering gear bellows clamps.
8. Recheck the toe settings. Follow the alignment equipment manufacturer's instructions.

Scheme 36

1. Loosen the toe link nut approximately one full turn.
2. From the opposite side, rotate the toe link bolt to achieve the specified toe setting.
3. While holding the toe link bolt, tighten the nut to 100 Nm (74 lb-ft).

See also:
• FRONT SUSPENSION
• REAR SUSPENSION
• WHEELS & TIRES
• STEERING SYSTEM-GENERAL INFORMATION
• BRAKE SYSTEM-GENERAL INFORMATION
• NOISE, VIBRATION & HARSHNESS
• JACKING & LIFTING
• Ride Height
• SYMPTOM CHART
• WHEEL BEARING INSPECTION - FRONT AND REAR
• BALL JOINT INSPECTION