Your Raptor and It's Alignment

McCredie a · Oct 11, 2011

By adding an aftermarket upper control arm allow the truck to run the 3rd perch (highest) and keep correct allignment?

19-Kilo · Oct 11, 2011

it helps keep the correct suspension alignment during travel... since the aftermarket arm is designed to hold a 90 deg angle at the higher ride hight (vs stock where the higher ride hight results in the UCA being at a greater angle at neutral travel)

but you dont need a UCA to get the alignment within specs... it just maintains a better angle during travel.

pirate air · Oct 11, 2011

McCredie a said:
By adding an aftermarket upper control arm allow the truck to run the 3rd perch (highest) and keep correct allignment?

Can you get the front alignment within "specs" on the third perch? Yes. Is that an ideal alignment? No, not in my opinion. When you start making perch adjustments you end up with more and more negative camber due to the unequal length upper and lower control arms. The upper control arm shortens, faster than the lower. To compensate you must adjust the lower control arm in to the chassis. Doing so greatly reduces your positive caster, an angle that gives the truck straight line stability and steering wheel return ability. You end up being on the minimum positive caster spec and the maximum negative camber spec. In my opinion, not ideal. By moving the lower control arms in, you are also loosing overall front track width. Something that also hurts stability.A longer upper control arm that also has the ball joint set back a little will correct all this.

McCredie a · Oct 11, 2011

pirate air said:
Can you get the front alignment within "specs" on the third perch? Yes. Is that an ideal alignment? No, not in my opinion. When you start making perch adjustments you end up with more and more negative camber due to the unequal length upper and lower control arms. The upper control arm shortens, faster than the lower. To compensate you must adjust the lower control arm in to the chassis. Doing so greatly reduces your positive caster, an angle that gives the truck straight line stability and steering wheel return ability. You end up being on the minimum positive caster spec and the maximum negative camber spec. In my opinion, not ideal. By moving the lower control arms in, you are also loosing overall front track width. Something that also hurts stability.A longer upper control arm that also has the ball joint set back a little will correct all this.

so for example if i was to buy a camburg upper a arm are they longer or long enough to do what you are saying? They are uniball not ball joint thats irrelevant right? And would this same affect be happening if i was to buy an adjustable coilover instead of doing the perch mod?

pirate air · Oct 11, 2011

McCredie a said:
so for example if i was to buy a camburg upper a arm are they longer or long enough to do what you are saying? They are uniball not ball joint thats irrelevant right? And would this same affect be happening if i was to buy an adjustable coilover instead of doing the perch mod?

Adjustable coil over will do the same as the perch mods. The suspension geometry in changing because your ride height is changing. Any spacer kit, perch adjust, or coil over will all affect the same on the Raptor. Uniball/ball joint no differ, ball location is whats important. The camburg arm should be longer with some set back on the uniball, but I would call camburg to confirm.

McCredie a · Oct 11, 2011

Thats what i figured about the diff shocks or mods. Thanks for all the info i will defintely call! Thanks again!

DEADEYE · Oct 12, 2011

Awesome write up !

Man this put me on the fence as well , was going middle perch this Friday do to some inside rub with the pro-comps I am running.
Was going to do it myself but on schedule with dealer and the service guys seem stoked to take care of this. Beets working on another focus I guess.

pirate air · Oct 12, 2011

McCredie a said:
Thats what i figured about the diff shocks or mods. Thanks for all the info i will defintely call! Thanks again!

No problem!

DEADEYE said:
Awesome write up !

Man this put me on the fence as well , was going middle perch this Friday do to some inside rub with the pro-comps I am running.
Was going to do it myself but on schedule with dealer and the service guys seem stoked to take care of this. Beets working on another focus I guess.

Hah, doing anything on a Raptor beets working on a Focus lol. If you're just going to the second perch, you should have enough adjustment to get a "decent" alignment back. The third gets questionable imo. But still, even on the second (which my trucks at) I'd do upper arms if I had the coin for it, since the alignment on my truck is not were I'd personally like to see it, and I did loose some track width.

troycrna · Oct 12, 2011

anyone have the part number for the ford kit.

pirate air · Oct 12, 2011

troycrna said:
anyone have the part number for the ford kit.

Kit for??

Your Raptor and It's Alignment

McCredie a

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19-Kilo

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!

pirate air

will plunder your booty

McCredie a

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pirate air

will plunder your booty

McCredie a

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DEADEYE

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pirate air

will plunder your booty

troycrna

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pirate air

will plunder your booty

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