So I put calvert split leaf mono springs with all new bushings and what not. I had the car aligned maybe a month before the springs. I now notice everytime I turn, even to change lanes at 50mph+ I get howl from the outside turning tire. Like they are losing traction, also on the freeway I feel like it is a bit nervous when you wiggle the steering wheel. I did just add some new 275-45-16 street radials. So should I take it back to the place that did the alignment (big o tires) or is it not normal for new rear springs to drastically change the handling of a maverick? It is super SKETCH, I have dumped tons and tons of money in this car, and more crap keeps breaking. At this point, I think maybe its time to rip the front end off the car and replace everything, it steers fairly tight, It has to be an alignment issue. The guy said the eccentric and strut rods were barely tightened and one tire was cambered really bad on one side. (I backed off a curb and then the tire squeeled while going 25mph). He said he got it back no problems. It has maybe a tank of gas since the alignment is all its drive, all around town. I rechecked everything when I put new tires on and it all seems tight. The locating pin/bolt in the spring is in the shock mount places nicely and everything is tight. The poly bushings squeak like a mofo tho on one side?
changing the rear leafs can only effect the alignment in one way. if the height of the rear is changed, it will change the caster. from your description i would say the new springs raised the rear of the car. this will lower the caster and that will cause the steering to be less predictable. that should be easy for the alignment place to correct.
Okay, that is something to work off of. Ill take it over there Monday probably, see if they can make it better.
changing rear suspension height changes frame angle which will lessen the caster angle if you raise the rear of the car. More caster gives better returnability.
caster is directly controlled by the relation between the upper and lower ball joints. when only when end of a car is raised or lowered the caster is changed. usually not enough to be noticeable but this is not the first time ive see it happen and im sure not the last.
Found a problem. Apparently the calver locating stud and nut for the shock mount plates had not droped all the way into the plates. It looked good, and I torqued my original u bolts and nuts down fine, but after a day of driving had this sqeaking sound and after the tires a bit of wheel hop. Well the squeaking was my damn rear end rotating back and forth about 1/4"! I crawled under to see what the hell the noise was, as I assumed it was my poly bushings. Saw one of the nuts for the u-bolts loose. Then another...then another...all hand tight but one or two nuts. Sinched them down with a wrench and all the noise is gone along with my bit of wheel hop! I am definitely buying new u bolts and nuts though. Realizing my life is riding on two crappy 43 year old u-bolts is not reassuring. Especially with the sticky tires now! Anyone got a place to get proper length and size u bolts without having to go measure? It is the stock 8" with calver springs.
I got my new U bolts frm AutoKrafters - they fit perfect. Had them for 2yrs B4 installing. Installed them w/new shocks and removed bottom leaf of 4 leaf springs.
