whosurdaddy

Going to the dealer tomorrow to check alignment and other things before the season starts. Currently I'm running about -1.7* camber & 0* toe up front and -1 camber & 0* toe in the rear. My car is a daily driver and I've got PS2's that have lasted surprisingly well.

Any suggestions for the alignment update? Can I get more camber out of a stock slightly lowered C6Z?

Input would be appreciated.

gkmccready

My only suggestion would be toe-in in the rear. Even a 1/16" will make a big difference in stability under power. At least from what I found experimenting.

And I think most folks would tell you toe-out up front; except Randy@DRM who will say to try a little toe-in. :-)

elh0102

My specs are close to yours, front is -1.8, rear is 1.0, and 1/16" total toe in front and rear. You will hear a lot of personal preferences about front toe, but I think most folks will agree with some toe in for the rear. Mine is totally stock, and primarily a street car. I tried some toe out on another car, and didn't think the enhanced turn in was worth the nervous feel at speed, and on the street. I expect it would be more important for autocross.

95jersey

So, you are at the difficult place between a street allignment or a track allignment. I have found it's like buying a crossover motorcyle. Unfortunately, they don't feel good or have the stability on the street, and they are poor or even worse in the dirt. So, the problem is that the allignment you are looking for really doesn't work well in either condition. It's not so much the camber, but the toe. You will find toe will make a big difference at the track at high speed and turn in, but definately make the car extrememly twitchy on the street a low speed highway.

You allignement is ok for street tires, you may consider just a 1/16th toe to make the car feel more comfortable at high speed turn in. Then when the season is over, change back to factory settings and that will help manage tire wear.

gonzalezfj

I second the motion. You need some rear toe-in. 1/16" is good to start. Zero rear toe makes the car loose, and you don't want that with a C6Z.

By the way, camber in your stock C6Z can be set up to about -3* front and -2.5* rear, if you ever feel so inclined. To get those high numbers you need to remove some of the spacers (washers) that the factory installs between the frame and the upper control arms.

Frank Gonzalez

trumper Z06

For a modified street/track car alignment... you might consider using Kumho V710's. I know the new Hoosiers are better, but the Kumho's have rounded shoulders and don't require as much negitive camber.

Also, I agree with Randy, IMO... your car will handle better with a street/track alignment... with both the front and rear set up... using a little "toe-in".

gonzalezfj

With all due respect, the new generation Hoosiers (A6 and R6) are not as sensitive to camber as the old ones. Even with factory alignment they still beat the Kumhos. Take it from a two-year Kumho user who has seen the light and switched to Hoosiers.

Frank Gonzalez

Solofast

I would go with a little more negative camber, it won't hurt tire wear on the street that much and you will save the outer edges of your tires during track days. More like -1.9 to -2...

Toe the car in 1/8 for the street and wind some toe out for the track. I go to 1/16 or a bit more out on the track and it likes it...

Toe out on the street will eat the tires, but as long as you have some toe in the front tire wear won't be that bad, if you use the same tires on the street and on the track it will even out...

trumper Z06

Hhmmm Frank... with all due respect,

I think I mentioned the new Hoosiers are the BETTER tire... that's a given.

You don't need as much negitive camber with the Kumho's because of their rounded shoulder... which allows an alignment which will be friendlier on the street tires! Tirerack's site recommends -0.5 to -1.5 degrees of negitive camber... for V710's.

Tirerack says for optimum performance... the Hoosier R6's will require around 3 degrees negitive camber (possibly 1/2 degree less)... which will chew up street tires.

0Randy@DRM

That makes 3 of them.

Randy

whosurdaddy

Took it to my dealer with spec's that you guys recommended. I ended up with what I asked for, except for toe. It came back with Total Toe at .33* or .16* LT and .17* RT.

Isn't that the same as 5/16" and 5X the 1/16 that I should have gone with (total toe)?

Gary2KC5

what specs would you recommend for optimum (treet) tire wear (I've gone through two sets of rears and a set of fronts in only 16k miles)?

What specs do you recommend for pure track handling with R6's?

As much as tires cost it may pay off to have more alignments and wear the tires properly on both street and track.

gkmccready

Learn to do your own alignments. Get the Hardbar camber plate and stud kit and their alignment tool. It's really pretty easy to do. (Pfadt also has a plate and stud kit.)

With the stud kit you set camber with spacers on the upper A-arm studs; then just re-set the toe and you're off to the track. When you're done at the track, throw some more spacers on the studs, re-set the toe, and you're street driving.

The spacers aren't anything magic, by the way... simple M10 washers do a great job! You might even pay somebody to help get the two settings on an alignment rack; then just swap the spacers and count the flats for changing toe.

I had a SmartCamber tool from years gone by. Great product. I even upgraded my frame for a reasonable price (I said I had a very old tool!) so I could do the stock 19" rear wheels.

rikhek

ttt

0Vector Vette

whosurdaddy,
I would think that is .16 & .17 degrees not inches. I know that Hunter alignment racks can give you the readout either way. I do not know what the conversion is. I would check with the shop that did the alignment. If that is 5/16 inches, that is too much toe in. On the street you run toe in, check the GM spec, probably 1/16 to 3/16. Much more stable at highway speeds. On the track, with all due respect to DRM, racecars run toe out. We run 1/8 to 3/16 total toe out. Much better initial turn in.

whosurdaddy

The Service Manual calls for 0* total toe +-.20* in the rear. Since this is a street/track compromise car, wouldn't I just dial in 0* total toe in the rear? Why even bother with a little toe in back there if its counterproductive on the track?

sidewys

You have very close to 1/16'' toe on each side. As stated before, closer to 0 front toe will give you a little better turn in with wandering on the straights the trade off.

A little toe in at the rear helps "settle" the tail happy rear.

Randy

Timz06

If you drive a lot on the street with -1.7 camber you will probably wear out the inside of your tyres.

Tim

davidfarmer

I'm runnin -2.2 front, and -1.5 rear, and the wear has not been adversely affected by the camber. You do want slight toe out in the front (1/32") and toe IN in the rear (1/16"-3/32"). This is due to the way a car turns.

When a car is turning, the inside tire is slightly ahead of the outside tire, tangential to the radiaus of the corner. Therefor the inside tire needs to turn MORE than the outside tire to go around the same corner, demanding toe OUT.

Opposite in the rear, the inside tire lags behind the outside tire, so its' tangent to the corner demands it turn less than the outside, requiring slight toe IN to keep the tires working together to go around the same corner.

Too much toe can wear street tires heavily, but it can be very beneficial at the track.