seabiscuit

Guys can you help me.
I am planning to install Midwest Shock Tower Covers and I was looking TacoBill ‘How-to’ to see that simple install and then I realized a problem. See the picture of my towers bellow




The top of shock is not in the middle. And it is even different on left and right side. The Midwest Shock Tower Covers have got hole just in the middle. I will be not able to put them without rebuilding the covers.

TacoBill’s pictures




And now question - why my shocks are not in the middle? The car had no accident and when I bought it had clear title. I did already many things on a car and I did not spotted anything that will show that car was ever damaged anywhere. The car is not lowered, the traction is perfect no problems at all.
The car is 2005 year and has 25k miles.

Is that natural what I have got? Is that connected with the weakness of factory Caster Camber Plates?
Should I change them for the Steeda HD ones and then they will be on the middle what will allow me to put covers without damaging them?

What to do????

Are yours shock tops in the middle?

06SatinSilver

before you said you were not lowered i had a answer for you, the strut mount plate has a arrow the points out when installed/indexed correctly (i think its out...been a few months since i did my last spring install) but when its not installed/indexed correct...the center will be off like yours is....now you say that you are not lowered??? has your car had the struts out ever??? its possible ...but not likely that its came from factory like that...whatever the reason all you need to do is remove the 4 nuts and jack up the car till the studs are clear and look at the arrow...and then spin the mount/bearing 180 and lower it back down and reinstall the nuts...i bet you will be centered after that....two people to do that is easier one to work the jack and one to spin the bearing...good luck

seabiscuit

As far as I know the struts were not removed ever. All is stock. Should I maybe change the Caster Camber Plates for Steeda HD or it is rather waste of money if not lowered.

Thanks for your explanation how to adjust that but it’s a bit difficult for me. What arrow I should looking for? And which mount/bearing I should spin 180 degree?

Update:
Ok I think I understand now what arrow you mean.
Its on that picture from the front on the top.

Now a question where that arrow have to be

2k7gtcs

It sounds like you are not original owner. Somebody before you in all likely had different springs on that car and put the car back together when they traded/sold it. The best thing for you do to is pick up a new set of plates from Ford or the GT500 set from an online source. You do not need the Steeda or others if you're not lowered. The original plates are one time use and prone to problems.

seabiscuit

Hmm maybe that is possible. Why you suggesting a new plates - you mean if those where assembled in wrong place are already damaged?

Import-Slaya

As 06Satinsilver pointed out, there is a good chance these were installed backwards. The notches/arrows need to pointed outboard when installed. This isn't the best picture, but if you look closely you can see the offset slightly to each side. To fix this, all you have to do is drop the strut, rotate the strut top 180 degrees (the bearings let it turn freely), then reinstall.

2k7gtcs

No you might not need new plates but there is a TSB on the popping issue with the OEM plates. They are plastic and prone to breaking thats all. The newer OEM ones are supposed to take care of this issue.

seabiscuit

So those one should be good? http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts...tKeyField=9770 and only 66$

2k7gtcs

If you are already in there, why do it again is all I was thinking. You may be lucky. But when I removed my strut mounts after only about 2,000 miles to put in the new springs, the passenger side was cracked and the bearings went all over the place. And it did already have that popping noise. Many have been lucky with no problems at all, while others have had the warranty work done only to have them pop again. But with those above you've got insurance. Plus the OEM strut mounts are specifically stated to be one time use only and should be replaced if removed.

seabiscuit

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Is that possible they could be assembled wrong in factory? Will I need to adjust the camber after rotating bearings? Should that arrow be visible in that small ellipse when you looking from the top on tower just like on my pictures??

seabiscuit

Ok thanks I will look where to get them.
Maybe I should change the shocks as well? Are the OEM weak as well I have got 25K - should consider change? And if - what aftermarket shocks would you recommend for not lowered car?

06SatinSilver

they are not really camber plates technically...they are a roller bearing/mount for the strut to deflect in...all you need to do is take off the 4 nuts and reach up in the wheelwell after you jack it up to clear the studs from the tower and rotate the piece that the studs attach to till the inscribed arrow is pointed outboard....so easy a caveman could do it...

--- the problems with the clunking etc with those after a spring install is fishy to me...i have done 5 installs and yet to have that happen afterward...and mine has been on the factory strut for 21k since dropped and no funny clunks there...i think some people allow that bearing to separate and then you can lose ball bearings and possible screw up the way it all fits together causing some issues when re assembled....i know that they are supposedly one time use but thats a crock and another way for ford to milk our wallets...no reason for them to crack unles it was overtorqued or abuse somehow...if i found that cracked it would be a trip to the dealer for a warranty claim...although my warranty is worthless with all my mods more than likely!!!

BY THE WAY SEABISCUIT!! WHY NOT LOWER IT!! SPRINGS ARE CHEAP AND IT DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES THE STANCE AND HANDLING OF THE CAR!!!
(keep in mind though with lowering you may want to also get a adj panhard bar and and bummp steer kit as well as camber bolts or camber plates)

does anyone have the # of that tsb???

seabiscuit

Thanks for you help
I would like to lower but I can not I - leave in Poland Europe and we have here terrible roads. If I will lower my car I will lose my chin spoiler first day or at least weak.

2k7gtcs

Well first off turn them mounts around and then see what happens. If you live in Poland its not like you can run down to your local Ford dealer.

RadBOSS

I agree turn the mounts to proper orientation. Your camber is already all wrong because of the mis-orientation of the mounts.. This will automatically put them back into factory spec. You will have to have the toe adjusted though to compensate for the camber correction.

To correct the orientation is realitvely simple as described above. You are only removing the 4 nuts on top to do this work. Jack the car up, place your jack stands, put the jack under the lower arm and just jack up enough to touch it. Undo the 4 nuts, then slowly lower the jack enough get the four top mount studs below the top of the tower, reach up and grab that upper mount plate with the studs and rotate it 180 degress and you will be ready to reassemble. Then do the other side.

Don't worry about new mounts or custom pieces until you sort your current problem out.

If you want to upgrade shocks and struts, consider Spec-D or Koni.

seabiscuit

Yep that's right the local Ford dealer have no idea what is Mustang . Everything have to be done by me or on private garage which is keen on American cars.

seabiscuit

Just was thinking more about lowering the car. Is that possible to lower only the rear of the car - There is the biggest ugly gap. This way I will safe my chin spoiler from front and will remove that awful gap on the rear.
But maybe I should not do that as I will change the car geometry or something.

I could get the rear Roush springs. That’s the only one sold separately I have found I guess they lower 1,25” then the stocks.
http://dagostinoracing.com/index.php...57950c58a535c5
I am planning 275/35/20 tire for the spring so the car rear will rise 0,2” according stock tires so with Roush springs the rear will be lowered really by 1,05”

What is your opinion can I lower only rear? - that looks like a solution for my roads.

06SatinSilver

thats a option you could try...the geometry would not be affected much (unlike lowering the frt)...you could throw them in and see how it looks and feels...very easy job...no more than a hr to swap them out even for a extremely unskilled person...just jack up car...put it on jackstands and put a jack under the diff and unbolt the shocks at the bottom then lower the diff/axle till you can wiggle the springs out...throw the new ones in and bolt the shocks back in...might need to disconnect the sway bar but thats easy too...

---how low is your splitter anyway??? are you that worried about rough roads damaging it if you lower the frt??? is a 1.5" drop gonna make it that much more perilous for it??? i'd think about losing the splitter and just lowering the car instead of keeping it and riding high....

--- some may suggest cutting the factory springs down a bit...you could lope a little off the rear springs and see how you like that...alot of people are against that practice but many people do it...I wouldn't but its another option...

Import-Slaya

Reinstalling them in the proper orientation will give you slightly more negative camber compared to how they are now--basically in the range the factory spec calls for. If anything, the car will handle slightly better. You may be in the positive camber range right now!

seabiscuit

Look that one example if I will lower the front I will not be able to park around my house as I will definitely rub chin spoiler. I spoke yesterday with Roush technician and he said that people are using they rear springs to lower only rear end of the car and I will be fine if I will do that. He said that with stock struts I should get lowering at 0,75” to max 1” – that should clear that awful rear gap – by the way not so awfully looking on above picture.
Now when I measure from the fender to wheel rant front has 4,72” and rear 5,51” so I should make them equal by Roush springs on the rear and then it will look ok.

So thanks guys again for you help I am going to buy the rear Roush springs and on the front I will change the bearing plate for the SVT one which is 28% stronger than the OEM one.

And BTW what is the best camber for the front and rear wheels? Possitive negative and what values?