![]() When new, all of the connections were clean and tight and resistance was very low, so some needle movement at the AMP gauge could be seen during periods of heavy charging or discharging, yet minor changes were barely perceptible. This kept the high voltage, high amperage wiring in the engine compartment, and allowed the AMP gauge to "sample" the power flow.Ĭurrent will follow the path of least resistance, which meant only a small amount would travel through the smaller wires to the AMP gauge. Ford achieved this by running smaller diameter (higher numerical gauge) wiring to the AMP gauge. These changes also minimized movement of the needle, eliminating customer concerns. To address customer concerns, and to cut costs, Ford made a change around 1967 that eliminated the need for heavy duty wiring inside the car and gauges that were capable of handling large amounts of power. Customers didn't care for all the movement, and became concerned when the gauge indicated discharge for long periods of time, such as when idling in heavy traffic. When the battery was fully charged with minimal accessory use, the needle would sit near the center of the gauge, indicating a fully charged battery and an alternator putting out minimal current for electrical accessories. Since it was normal on these cars for the power to fluctuate somewhat depending on engine speed and accessory use, it was not unusual to have the gauge indicate a discharge at idle, then move over to indicate a charging condition once underway. Having all of the power flow through the AMP gauge meant the gauge itself had to be heavy duty, which was more costly to produce. The main area of concern on the 1964 Thunderbirds was the connection at the cowl, where the wiring entered the passenger compartment from the engine bay. Resistance causes heat, which isn't a good thing for electrical wiring. As the cars aged, connections began to corrode and get dirty, and resistance built up. When new, this design wasn't a problem, and effectively allowed drivers to monitor the charging system. A flow of power into the battery moved the needle on the gauge to show a charging condition, and a flow of power from the battery caused the needle to move to the left side of the band, indicating a discharge. In order to accomplish this, Ford ran heavy duty (smaller wire gauge number) wires to and from the gauge, so that all of the car's electricity moved through the gauge, making it register. Perched in the last pod on the right of the T-bird's new "jet age" instrument panel, the gauge advised the driver if the battery was being charged or discharged at any given time, and indicated the degree to which that activity was taking place. The first use of an ammeter (AMP) gauge in the Ford Thunderbird came with the newly-designed 1964 models. Yes, they are actually supposed to do something!įord AMP Gauge History on the Thunderbird It doesn't take much incorrect toe to cause tire wear and an off-center steering wheel.1967-1971 Ford Thunderbird and 1969-1971 Continental Mark III AMP Gauge Repair Toe is the direction a wheel is steering when the steering wheel is straight. Besides the crash problem, Ford is also well-known for not providing a camber adjustment so you may be stuck with whatever you get, but changing camber will also cause a "toe" change on that wheel. No two control arms are ever exactly the same, and that will change "camber" which is the inward or outward tilt of the wheel as viewed from in front of the car. The car should be aligned once the new part is installed too. If it's making clunking or squeaking noises, I wouldn't even drive it until the worn part is replaced. Ford has WAY more trouble with suspension parts separating leading to loss of control and crashes than almost all other manufacturers combined. ![]() ![]() That will greatly reduce its life.ĭon't wait too long to replace this part if there's slop or movement between the ball and socket. That clamps the rubber bushing in that position, then when the car is lowered to its normal ride height, that bushing is in a permanent twist. Too many people tighten those bolts while the car is jacked up and the suspension is hanging down. That means crawling on the ground and squeezing underneath unless you have a drive-on hoist. The procedure just requires removing a few nuts and wiggling the part out and back in, but one thing most do-it-yourselfers aren't aware of is you must have the car sitting with the tire on the ground, and bounce it a few times before you tighten the pivot bolt. They buy and sell a lot of original service manuals. They used to go by the name lorieandjeff. Your best bet is to get a copy of the Ford service manual or buy a subscription to AllData or Mitchell. Do you have reasonable mechanical skills? If so, I can describe the procedure but it will take longer to type it than to do it. ![]()
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