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Topic: DIY Wheel Alignment??

in Forum: C3 Handling Components


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DIY Wheel Alignment?? (1/2)
 4/21/09 10:35am
sundevil74
Former Member

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Leavenworth, KS - USA

Vette(s):
MM Red 1971 T-top,LS5,4-speed, black leather C5 seats, Hooker sidepipes. Previous: 64 Coupe, 65 Roadster L76 / N14


Joined: 1/24/2007
Posts: 426

Being a do-it-yourself kinda guy (albeit not a particularly skilled one), I have been attempting my own wheel alignment.  Could use any help / experience / cautions from the "pros."  Wink
 
Bought a caster / camber gage and made some turntables out of mild steel and rods.  After cleaning up and a completely new rear suspension, I set the camber and toe-in on the rear (the shims were a bit of a pain). Used the VBP settings for advanced street and am happy with the rear settings.
 
How about the front?  Can I tackle this as well?  Or should I take her to the alignment shop for the front? Added setting is caster. 
 
BTW, when I checked the front toe-in, it was 1/4 inch toe-OUT on each side!!!! What's with that??? Confused
 
Any advice / caustions would be appreciated before I do this.  Mike in Oz
 
Any


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DIY Wheel Alignment?? (2/2)
 4/21/09 11:38am
VetteSpecialties
Former Member

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Mounds View, MN - USA

Vette(s):
70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe


Joined: 5/24/2007
Posts: 1031

Toe out happens when the tie rod assembly effectively gets shorter.  This could be from a section getting bent, the idler arm flexing, or the tie rod ends wearing.  Or it was just set wrong last time.  If everything is straight and healthy, there is no reason not to adjust it.  And remember the most skilled alignment expert at one time did his first wheel alignment.  The worst that can happen is you get it wrong and have to take it to a pro.  And you will learnsomething along the way.

Larry
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