Repairing the camber on a Ford Escort will be necessary only if the car's ride height has been lowered from its factory setting. Camber is the angle at which the tires sit perpendicular to the ground. For example, camber shows you whether your wheels/tires site like this (looking at them straight on from the front of the car when the tires are at your \"eye level\"): | | or this \ / or this / \. If the camber is out of alignment, as in the last two illustrations, excessive tire wear will result.
Loosen the lug nuts on both the front wheels with the tire wrench. Do not remove the lug nuts. The nuts should still be fairly tight, but not fully torqued. You are trying to make sure that the wheel sits firmly against the wheel hub assembly, but that the lug nuts will be easier to remove when the wheels are off the ground.
Jack the car off the ground. Place the jack stands under the pinch welds in the front of the car.
Lower the car onto the jack stands and check to make sure the car is stable. To do this, you will need to make sure that the full weight of the vehicle is on the jack stands. Visually inspect the jack stands to make sure that it looks secure. Then, VERY gently, push the side and front of the vehicle to make sure the car does not \"slip\" or \"wobble.\" If it does, then immediately jack the vehicle up again and adjust the placement of the jack stands. Repeat this process, if needed, until the vehicle sits securely on the jack stands.
Remove the lug nuts and wheels from both sides. Pick a side to start working on.
Locate the upper control arm. It will be located in the upper part of the wheel well. One end will be connected to the body/frame, and the other end will be connected to the shock assembly.
Unbolt the control arm where it is connected at the body of the vehicle but leave the other end alone.
Insert the new camber kit bolts with shims and torque the bolts down to the manufacturer's specifications. The torque specs will depend entirely on the year, make and model of your Escort.
Repeat this process (steps 5 - 7) for every wheel that you will be adjusting the camber on.
Lower the car to the ground. You will need to take your Escort to an alignment shop to have an alignment done after you install the new camber bolts.
