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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
I'm not sure about those specs, but it depends on what you are doing with the car. For street driving the most important thing is that you have symmetry between the left and right. If you are oval track racing there is an advantage to having asymmetrical specs as you are only turning one directions. For example, more neg camber in the right front to increase the contact patch during a hard left turn. For street use you want symmetry so the car does not pull to one side or the other. This includes 0 thrust angle so the car will drive straight down the road. Having more toe in one of the rear tires (thrust angle) will cause the car to drive down the road slightly sideways. Personally, I don't think the specs are that critical as long as they are in spec and most importantly symmetrical (except for racing/autocross applications). Chevy dealer should not have any problem with the alignment as they are easy to do. However, if originality is a concern you will need to provide the correct shims and request they use them for the rear toe alignment. They will be tempted to drill a hole in your frame to use the more current style of shim. If you really want to experiment and try different specs, you will probably want to do your own alignments. I do my own alignments with a camber/castor gauge and a toe gauge. I just use the factory specs for the C2 regardless of bias ply or radial. -
Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
I'm not sure about those specs, but it depends on what you are doing with the car. For street driving the most important thing is that you have symmetry between the left and right. If you are oval track racing there is an advantage to having asymmetrical specs as you are only turning one directions. For example, more neg camber in the right front to increase the contact patch during a hard left turn. For street use you want symmetry so the car does not pull to one side or the other. This includes 0 thrust angle so the car will drive straight down the road. Having more toe in one of the rear tires (thrust angle) will cause the car to drive down the road slightly sideways. Personally, I don't think the specs are that critical as long as they are in spec and most importantly symmetrical (except for racing/autocross applications). Chevy dealer should not have any problem with the alignment as they are easy to do. However, if originality is a concern you will need to provide the correct shims and request they use them for the rear toe alignment. They will be tempted to drill a hole in your frame to use the more current style of shim. If you really want to experiment and try different specs, you will probably want to do your own alignments. I do my own alignments with a camber/castor gauge and a toe gauge. I just use the factory specs for the C2 regardless of bias ply or radial.Comment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
You might take a look at this linked webpage from Vette Brakes as they have several different options of alignment.
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htmComment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
You might take a look at this linked webpage from Vette Brakes as they have several different options of alignment.
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htmComment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Those are not factory specs but I'm sure would work fine. Obviously, there are a lot of differing opinions, and it's really only going to make much of a difference in high perf driving. The only thing I question is the castor. 2.75 pos would work great if you have power steering. It will make the car track better but without power steering, that much castor would make slow speed turning pretty difficult. I'm currently running 1.75 pos castor and parking is still a bear. Better eat your wheaties!Comment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Those are not factory specs but I'm sure would work fine. Obviously, there are a lot of differing opinions, and it's really only going to make much of a difference in high perf driving. The only thing I question is the castor. 2.75 pos would work great if you have power steering. It will make the car track better but without power steering, that much castor would make slow speed turning pretty difficult. I'm currently running 1.75 pos castor and parking is still a bear. Better eat your wheaties!Comment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
For street driving with radial tires I recommend the following:
Front camber: zero degrees
Front caster: 1.5-2.0 degrees (manual steering), 2.0-2.5 degrees (p/s)
Front toe-in 1/16" total
Rear camber: negative 0.5 degrees
Rear toe--in 1/32" on EACH side.
Radial tires need little toe in compared to bias plys, and it is very important to get the rear toe-in equal on each side. Also, the cross camber/caster should be as close to zero as possible. If I am reading your rear toe settings correctly the left is exactly on the money and the right is 5/32" toe-out, and this should yield total toe-out of 4/32" Once the right side toe setting is corrected to 1/32" toe-in the thrust angle should be zero.
For maximum performance I recommend hard urethane bushings for the front anti-roll bar links and negative one degree camber at all four corners.
Alignment, like the engine timing and fuel flow maps is a "tuning parameter". The above are good starting point guidelines. Then, if you wish, you can experiment with different settings to achieve dynamic response that best suites your individual preferences and driving style.
DukeComment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
For street driving with radial tires I recommend the following:
Front camber: zero degrees
Front caster: 1.5-2.0 degrees (manual steering), 2.0-2.5 degrees (p/s)
Front toe-in 1/16" total
Rear camber: negative 0.5 degrees
Rear toe--in 1/32" on EACH side.
Radial tires need little toe in compared to bias plys, and it is very important to get the rear toe-in equal on each side. Also, the cross camber/caster should be as close to zero as possible. If I am reading your rear toe settings correctly the left is exactly on the money and the right is 5/32" toe-out, and this should yield total toe-out of 4/32" Once the right side toe setting is corrected to 1/32" toe-in the thrust angle should be zero.
For maximum performance I recommend hard urethane bushings for the front anti-roll bar links and negative one degree camber at all four corners.
Alignment, like the engine timing and fuel flow maps is a "tuning parameter". The above are good starting point guidelines. Then, if you wish, you can experiment with different settings to achieve dynamic response that best suites your individual preferences and driving style.
DukeComment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Thanks Don, Tim & Duke,
I went to the local Chevy dealer. Spoke with the guy who will be doing the job. He seems to understand Corvettes. He agreed it should be symmetrical.
The issue here is what specification should be followed. The specification I posted are from a post a last year by another member.
Duke & VBP are close but, the 1967 Chassis Service Manual and the 66-82 Corvette Service Manual differ from them significantly.
Front
Camber: Duke & VBP= 0; Manuals=0-2-1/2
Caster Duke & VBP= 1.5-2.0; Manuals 0-2.0
Toe-in Duke & VBP= 1/16; Manuals= 3/16-5/16
Rear
Toe-in Duke & VBP= 1/32,1/8; Manuals= 1/16-1/2
Camber Duke &VBP= 0.5,0; Manuals/32-3/32, & 7/8(-)
Since I put this car together I have not had the alignment done. The car rides great and straight. I just think it's time to have it checked.
Help here is appreciated.Comment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Thanks Don, Tim & Duke,
I went to the local Chevy dealer. Spoke with the guy who will be doing the job. He seems to understand Corvettes. He agreed it should be symmetrical.
The issue here is what specification should be followed. The specification I posted are from a post a last year by another member.
Duke & VBP are close but, the 1967 Chassis Service Manual and the 66-82 Corvette Service Manual differ from them significantly.
Front
Camber: Duke & VBP= 0; Manuals=0-2-1/2
Caster Duke & VBP= 1.5-2.0; Manuals 0-2.0
Toe-in Duke & VBP= 1/16; Manuals= 3/16-5/16
Rear
Toe-in Duke & VBP= 1/32,1/8; Manuals= 1/16-1/2
Camber Duke &VBP= 0.5,0; Manuals/32-3/32, & 7/8(-)
Since I put this car together I have not had the alignment done. The car rides great and straight. I just think it's time to have it checked.
Help here is appreciated.Comment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Ralph,
Duke and VBP don't differ that much from the manuals. For the front camber and caster Duke and VBP are simply giving you a number within the range the manuals specify. The car manufacturers generally give you a wide range, and if you could find the warrantee specifications they are usually wider yet.
For the front toe Duke and VBP are giving you a different number than the manuals, but my guess is that is due to the radial tires you want to use.
For the rear toe, again Duke and VBP are within Chevrolet's specifications.
I can't understand the rear camber numbers, but I know that Chevrolet reduced the rear camber when they installed radial tires on the C3s. I recall seeing a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to that effect.
I am not so sure about the symmetrical comments, though. I find I usually have to make adjustments to one side or the other due to the crown that most roads have. I don't like to have to hold the wheel against the crown, so I dial in a degree or two more caster on the right hand side. But that is just me, and you might not like that. I also like the caster on the high end of the specifications. That tends to keep the car going in a straight line, but if you do a lot of turns that might not work for you. I spend more time going straight than turning.TerryComment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Ralph,
Duke and VBP don't differ that much from the manuals. For the front camber and caster Duke and VBP are simply giving you a number within the range the manuals specify. The car manufacturers generally give you a wide range, and if you could find the warrantee specifications they are usually wider yet.
For the front toe Duke and VBP are giving you a different number than the manuals, but my guess is that is due to the radial tires you want to use.
For the rear toe, again Duke and VBP are within Chevrolet's specifications.
I can't understand the rear camber numbers, but I know that Chevrolet reduced the rear camber when they installed radial tires on the C3s. I recall seeing a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to that effect.
I am not so sure about the symmetrical comments, though. I find I usually have to make adjustments to one side or the other due to the crown that most roads have. I don't like to have to hold the wheel against the crown, so I dial in a degree or two more caster on the right hand side. But that is just me, and you might not like that. I also like the caster on the high end of the specifications. That tends to keep the car going in a straight line, but if you do a lot of turns that might not work for you. I spend more time going straight than turning.TerryComment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Terry,
Thanks for the comments. I be sure to expalin this to the Tech. at the dealership.
You guys have been most helpful.Comment
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Re: C2 Wheel Alignment
Terry,
Thanks for the comments. I be sure to expalin this to the Tech. at the dealership.
You guys have been most helpful.Comment
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