I just replaced all of the front-end components in my 77, and was wondering if anyone has any experience with the alignment specifications. I read somewhere that there were better specs than original, but can't find any on the forums.

By the way, not too bad a project if you have access to a lift, hardest part is getting the bushings out. If anyone is considering a total front end rebuild, contact me for some suggestions.

Daily Driver - These specs are designed to minimize tire wear and dynamic forces on front end parts. Driver effort is minimum, the car will steer very "light" and may wander or be "darty" on road with wear ruts. If you are uncomfortable with this feeling, toe the car in up to a maximum of 1/8" total toe in.

Advanced Street - These specs are designed to give an even quicker steering response with minimum tire wear. If the car is "darty", toe the car in. By toeing in, you may loose some turn-in qualities gained by the initial specs.

Front

63 - 82 Corvette
Daily Driver Toe 1/32" in Camber 0° neg Caster 2.75° pos
Advanced Street Toe 0" Camber .25° neg Caster 2.75° pos
Autocross Baseline Toe 3/16 out Camber 1.5-2° neg Caster 2.75° pos
Track Baseline Toe 0-1/16 out Camber 1-2° neg Caster 2.75° pos


Rear
63 - 82 Corvette
Daily Driver Toe 1/8" in Camber 0° neg
Advanced Street Toe 1/8" in Camber .50° neg
Autocross Baseline Toe 1/16” in Camber .75-1.5° neg
Track Baseline Toe 1/8” in Camber .75-1.5° neg

These wheel alignments are not factory standards. These are derived from tests, professional drivers and chassie engineers.

You should always consider driver, fuel and cargo weights when your Corvette is aligned. Please note that these specs are symmetrical. For example, when we recommend 1/8" toe in, that indicates 1/16" on each front wheel for a total of 1/8" total toe in.

______________
|IMG|http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/2701_2800/2709/mikes69.jpg|/IMG|

These make sense. And the description of each seems to be accurate. When I get to that point, I will play around with it a bit. The only thing I see is it may be a bit more of a challange to keep the car in a line on the highway. This does not mean difficult, but you have to pay attention instead of sitting back and just watching the trees go past. But that can be a good thing. Interesting.

http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/htmlinstruct/align.htm

|UPDATED|10/24/2004 8:18:32 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


______________

Jon,-Majestic Glass Corvette Club-....Red #72,blk.interior,1979 C3 Corvette-TH350,Weiand,Holley,glass tops,Pioneer,3.55's,K&N,Dynomax,Flowmaster 40's,Energy Suspension,Spicer,VB&P(pics soon); 1978 Olds Cutlass Supreme 350/350,Dk. Blue 2-door Coupe-Hotchkis,PST,K&N,XM...'99 Mitsubishi Galant GTZ V6,black/grey leather,intake,strut bars,tint... |IMG|http://www.msnusers.com/cutlasscorvetteworkinprogress/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=63|/IMG|

So if my 82 vette was pulling to the right and I took it to the local Corvette garage and they did a front end alignment and it still pulls to the right and they said it's because of the looseness in the steering box, can I believe them?
I haven't noticed any abnormal tire wear.

______________

Get a 2nd opinion.I'm no expert,just a guess here,but maybe some bushings are worn.Any help here,guys?

______________

Jon,-Majestic Glass Corvette Club-....Red #72,blk.interior,1979 C3 Corvette-TH350,Weiand,Holley,glass tops,Pioneer,3.55's,K&N,Dynomax,Flowmaster 40's,Energy Suspension,Spicer,VB&P(pics soon); 1978 Olds Cutlass Supreme 350/350,Dk. Blue 2-door Coupe-Hotchkis,PST,K&N,XM...'99 Mitsubishi Galant GTZ V6,black/grey leather,intake,strut bars,tint... |IMG|http://www.msnusers.com/cutlasscorvetteworkinprogress/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=63|/IMG|

I would definitely inspect the tie rod ends and ball joints.. but I would take it to another shop and have them check the alignment.

there are too many idiots who wind up with a wrench in their hand.

Play in the steering box will not make the car pull. It can make the steering wheel crooked, so now the question is, is the car pulling to one side, or is it just not going straight when the steering wheel is straight.

The play in the steering box will make the car wander, and allow it to tend to follow the crown or ruts in the road. But it would do this in either direction. And yours is to the left.

That means it is either the alignment, or tires. Try switching the front tires side to side. A crooked ply will make the car act like a poor alignment, and cause a pull. When you switch them side to side the car will either pull the other way, or won't pull at all. If the swap makes no difference, it not the tires.

The rear alignment will also affect a directional pull. So the front is aligned, but is the rear? The rear must be done before the front to do a good job.

Next is the skill and knowledge of the alignment man. You can have a car within specfications, not wear tires, and not handle or drive worth a crap. It comes down not only to specs, but the relationship of the tires to each other. You can be within specs and not within proper relationship to the other tires, also within specs.

There is also the installation of suspension parts. Bushings must be in the straight ahead, normal ride height position before they are tightened. If not, they will twist, and try to twist back, creating stress, wear, and causing unwanted suspension and steering action, including pulling.

If you have a print out of the alignment, not the specs, post it or send it to me. I'll take a look and see if the relationship is okay.

Ken said "Play in the steering box will not make the car pull. It can make the steering wheel crooked, so now the question is, is the car pulling to one side, or is it just not going straight when the steering wheel is straight.
THERE IS A LITTLE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS STRAIGHT, THE CAR GOES STRAIGHT. WHEN I LET GO OF THE WHEEL ON A STRAIGHT, FLAT, LEVEL ROAD, THE CAR DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT. ALWAYS.

The play in the steering box will make the car wander, and allow it to tend to follow the crown or ruts in the road. But it would do this in either direction. And yours is to the left.
EVEN WHEN I AM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF A CROWNED ROAD ROAD, IT WILL DRIFT TO THE RIGHT.


That means it is either the alignment, or tires. Try switching the front tires side to side. A crooked ply will make the car act like a poor alignment, and cause a pull. When you switch them side to side the car will either pull the other way, or won't pull at all. If the swap makes no difference, it not the tires.
I'LL TRY SWITCHING THE TIRES.

The rear alignment will also affect a directional pull. So the front is aligned, but is the rear? The rear must be done before the front to do a good job.
DON'T KNOW IF THE REAR IS STRAIGHT OR NOT. I'LL HAVE THAT CHECKED.

Next is the skill and knowledge of the alignment man. You can have a car within specfications, not wear tires, and not handle or drive worth a crap. It comes down not only to specs, but the relationship of the tires to each other. You can be within specs and not within proper relationship to the other tires, also within specs.
OTHER THAT THE SLIGHT PULL TO THE RIGHT, THE CAR DRIVES GREAT. NO VIBRATIONS AT ANY SPEED UP TP 90.

There is also the installation of suspension parts. Bushings must be in the straight ahead, normal ride height position before they are tightened. If not, they will twist, and try to twist back, creating stress, wear, and causing unwanted suspension and steering action, including pulling.
I'LL HAVE THE TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS AND BUSHINGS CHECKED.

If you have a print out of the alignment, not the specs, post it or send it to me. I'll take a look and see if the relationship is okay.
THEY DIDN'T GIVE ME THE PRINTOUT, BUT I WOULD GUESS THEY ALIGNED IT TO THE STANDARD SPECS.

THANKS FOR THE INPUT.

______________

Your answers do narrow it down. Good.

Just a few points to add. The bushings tightened in the wrong position will have this affect, but the tie rods and ball joints will not. They are made to piviot. With the pull, the bushing I would check is the idler arm. It could make the pull effect. But that depends on the design. Some idler arm designs won't do it. If yours has been replace, ever, it may be an improved design. Check this when the other items fail to solve the problem.

Alignment won't make the car vibrate. That's caused by tire balance, or out of round, or bent rims, etc. But you don't have that problem. For alignment to cause a vibration it has to be so bad the tires would go bald very quickly. Loose front end parts are another issue. They will vibrate, but also not your problem.

The standard aligment specs give an allowable variation. You can be on one side of the specs on one wheel, and the opposite side of the spec variation with the other. Both are in line, but are far enough away from each other to cause problems. I strongly suspect that they don't match side to side, or it's crooked tire plys. Do the tire swap first. At this point the tires are the most likely cause.

Thanks for the direction.

______________

Like Ken says do the tire swap first.If that does not cure it,look for loose parts then have it alignment done.My too many years doing front end alignments I found the factory specs too wide a variation.I made cars 1/4 POS deg. left side 0 deg. right side Camber.Make Caster anywhere from 1.5 to 2.75 POS.Make sure Caster is the same at both wheels or it will also pull to one side. Hope the helps out.
Dave

Swapped the front tires. Still pulls slightly to the right, but I don't think as much as before.
Had to put it to bed for the winter.

I'll get the alignment and frontend checked in the spring.

Thanks for all the good advice.

Dave

|UPDATED|10/29/2004 7:04:43 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


______________