Topic: Alignment Specifications
in Forum: C3 Handling Components
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.
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.

|UPDATED|10/24/2004 8:18:32 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
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I haven't noticed any abnormal tire wear.


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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|

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


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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.