C3 Rear Wheel Alignment

[Kevin Morris]

Re: C3 Rear Wheel Alignment

Haha...I knew it was a dig at one of us Terry, just didn't know which one, so I felt compelled to provide MY proof. So where is your's? Hey Patrick, we should lobby to make it a prerequisite from now on...to belong to NCRS you MUST drive your Corvette

Kevin

[Terry M.]

Drive your Corvette OT *TL*

Keven,
Your proof didn't work - says I have to be a member to look.
I have my proof of driving in the form of a Founders' plaque and shirt. Ben there - done that, and got the shirt to prove it. Patrick knows that.
Patrick,
I wouldn't complain about a lightly used C5 at a reasonable price - just remember I'm retired on a fixed income (actually I wish it were fixed since the 401K has dropped like a rock lately).

[Patrick H.]

Re: Drive your Corvette OT

Terry,

Yes, I know you're retired. And don't worry, my 401(k) has tanked, too. I just have more time to watch it bounce back up.

I'm working, and thanks to the rising cost of health care as well as the ecenomy in general, on a DECLINING income. Work more, get paid less. The new American way.

Wait until the C6 comes out. My guess is that in 2 years, a good used C5 will be a great buy. That's my plan, at least.

I saw you at Carlisle, but you were talking with some people under the NCRS tent so I didn't bug you. Hope you had a good trip.

Patrick

[Kevin Morris]

Re: C3 Rear Wheel Alignment

I measured the negative camber on my rear wheels tonight....5/8" on both. I took a look at the struts, but couldn't figure out how they adjusted (although I admit I didn't look at them very closely).

[Kevin Morris]

Re: Drive your Corvette OT

Ohhh, don't get angry now....that was just my way of takin' a jab at ya too

Kevin

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 Rear Wheel Alignment *TL*

Kevin,
No anger here.
Directly under the differential (hard to see with the undercar exhaust) there are two blots with eccentric washers on them. Loosen the nut, and turn the bolt. Look at the washer to see which way to turn in order to move the inner mount of the strut in or out. Sound easy?
Now for the hard part. It is best to make the adjustment with the weight of the car on the tires because if you lift the wheel the camber will be all off and no measurement will be possible. I suppose ramps are the most readily available option, if one doesn't have access to a drive-on lift. This is one task where a drive-on lift is a blessing. One with sliding plates (like an alignment rack) is even better.

[Eugene B.]

Re: Side yoke limit?

Gents,
I have been following this posting with interest because I am currently working on the rear suspension of my '65. Since the half-shafts are removed, it is easy to check the wear/play of the yokes.

Today, I used a dial caliper to measure the in-and-out play. Pushed the yoke in and make a reference measurement to the case; then, pulled yoke outward and made second measurement. Difference between the two was .033 inches on both sides.

If the limit is really .125 (1/8) inches, I should be fine. I checked the shop manual for this limit and measurement, but found nothing. Any comments?

Thanks,
Gene

[Craig S.]

Re: Side yoke limit?

Gene - in the advanced rear end classes I took from Charley Smith in Bloomington in the past, your limits are where he says if you have it apart, rebuild it. However, the end play you mention may well be posi clutch wear and not wear on the ends of the stub axles, or it could be both. My 67 had 0.020 end play on one side, and 0.010 on the other. But I had it apart and was restoring it so I went through all the bearings and clutches. I checked the measurement from the BACK SIDE of the 0.064" circlip to the face of the stub axle, and found them to be within 0.002" of the new set I had for another pumpkin, so the wear in my case was the posipack. I set it up and got the end play down to 0.001-0.002 on both stub axles..which is where Charley likes to set new posi packs up. They will break in to 0.005-0.008 when the clutches take a set. Also, look at the ends of your stub axles, if they are smooth to the touch (you will see some buffed lines typically, but if they are smooth don't worry) AND you can still see a chamfer on the end of the shaft, they are probably fine. Also, some of the GM service parts in the later years had poorer case hardening and can wear through easier than the original production parts in the C2 and early C3 years. Tom at International Axle makes some outstanding forgings that are superior to the GM originals, and you can get the rebuilt units from Lonestar Caliper and others that have the fully hardened tip pressed in and these are better than new...Craig

[Eugene B.]

Re: Side yoke limit?

Craig,
You are using some terminology that I don't understand.

...look at the ends of your stub axles, if they are smooth to the touch (you will see some buffed lines typically, but if they are smooth don't worry) AND you can still see a chamfer on the end of the shaft...

What are you calling "stub axles"? Chamfer on the end of what shaft?

Remember that I am looking at a rear end assembly that it still in its case and under the car. Only half-shafts and trailing arms have been removed.

This car has 44K miles and has never been apart. I wouldn't expect a lot of wear in serious places.

Thanks for the response.

Gene

[Craig S.]

Re: Side yoke limit?

Gene - sorry for any lack of clarity on my part. The shafts I am speaking of are the short splined shafts that protrude from the differenetial carrier and attach to the u-joints on the inboard end of the halfshafts under the car. The ends I am speaking of that we are discussing if worn are INSIDE of the differential retained by a circlip. You can only inspect these after the rear end is removed from the car and the differential carrier is dropped from the car, and the rear cover removed. The chamfer I am speaking of is on the inboard end of these shafts, which rides against a cross shaft in the Posi case inside. The flanges I spoke of that are easy to damaage and distort are on the outboard (wheel) end of each halfshaft. Hope this help....Craig

[Eugene B.]

Re: Side yoke limit?

Craig,
Thank you for your response and clarification.

Since I don't plan to remove the differential carrier from the automobile, I think that I'm going to proceed believing that .033 inch play is OK for now.

If I have alignment problems in the future, I'll look into this issue.

Thanks again,
Gene

[Craig S.]

Re: Side yoke limit?

Gene - it is probably fine for now, just getting to the upper limit. My guess is most of the wear is in the posi packs in your case anyway...Craig