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50dan
New User
| Posts: 1
| Joined: 10/08
Posted: 10/01/08 06:30 PM
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I just converted to front disk brakes and installed a new front suspension kit on my '66 Fairlane. I got my kit from Larel Mountain Mustang and it seems to be a good kit, made in Mexico though, but what isn't anymore? The problem I have is this...I put the new front end kit on the car, all parts matched what I took off, tie rods and all. I get it all finished and take it to Bob Summerel Tire for an alignment. About 20 minutes later, they call me in the shop and tell me the tie rods or something is wrong because the inner and outer tie rods are hitting before he can get the toe adjustments right. The fronts of the tires are pointed in toward center about 3/4" to 1" too far, so the rear of the tires need to go in, but no adjustment if left becuase the tie rods are butting together. Next day, I ordered two sets of tie rods from two different places and they are the same is what I have on the car. So what is going on??? HELP!!! I want to get this thing driving, PLEASE!!! Should I take it somewhere else? The guy seemed to know what he was doing. The car is manual steering and has the correct center link, from what I can tell, and the spindles look original too. Can someone measure dimensions for me too check, such as tie rod lengths, center link length? I'm lost here.
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Falcon67
Enthusiast
| Posts: 333
| Joined: 12/06
Posted: 10/01/08 08:00 PM
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This happens. Normally with a swap, you source the outer tie rod from the donor and match the type of steering (manual/power). The main thing about the outer tie rod is the taper that fits in the splindle - that has to match. There are dozens of tie rods ends with varying taper sizes and lengths due to model configurations from 64 through the late 70s.
A look in my old TRW catalog from 1976 shows that from 70-74, most cars with that type of front end parts used an ES387R outer and an ES387L inner. Hi diameter of the taper on the outer would be .600. From 75 up, the numbers were ES445R and ES436L respectively. The high diameter of the taper on the 445 part is .623, so if you took a caliper and measured the larger part of the spindle taper, you could probably get a reading on which outer tie rod the spindles required.
As for the toe - I would take the adjusting sleeves off, then line up the tires using a tape measure on the treads or maybe using string to get them about straight ahead. Then center the steering. Hold the inner and outer tie rods up next to each other and see where you might be able to chop them off to get the adjustment you need. IIRC, the thread is 7/16, so as long as you have around 3/4~1" of thread on the part you have the maximum holding power of the threaded connection.
1967 Falcon 4 door 351C-4V 1970 Mustang 351C-2V http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod Owner built, owner abused.
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Posted: 10/02/08 05:44 AM
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For our stock car we would jack up the front end, spin the front tires and put a paint stripe down the center of the tread. Then, while the paint was still wet, place a jack stand in front of the tire and put a flat head screw driver on the jack stand. Spin the tire and then "scratch" a line in the paint using the jack stand to keep the screw driver stable. This gives you a "true" reference point that is the repeatable on the front and rear of the tire. Then, just use your tape to get around 1/8" in on the front. Combined with Falcon's method, you should be very close.
1967 Fairlane 289-4v auto...for now
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