does changing wheel and tire sizes effect alignment?
03-27-2014, 09:54 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
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Changing tire size shouldn't throw off your alignment but it will throw off your ride heights, which in turn throws off your corner weights and the cars balance. Is it enough to throw you off? I can't say it all depends on how close to the edge you are. A pro would be able to tell the differance, but the rest of us who knows, that being said.
Before I do a corner weight/competition alignment I make sure the car is going to come to me as run in competition. So if you are going to change wheels and tires, seats, and run at approximately 3/8 tank then that is how you want to set the car up. So if you have more than one set-up and one is your "competition" set-up and the other is a track day set-up or street set-up then obviously it would be most important to have the competition set-up dialed in the most.
Before I do a corner weight/competition alignment I make sure the car is going to come to me as run in competition. So if you are going to change wheels and tires, seats, and run at approximately 3/8 tank then that is how you want to set the car up. So if you have more than one set-up and one is your "competition" set-up and the other is a track day set-up or street set-up then obviously it would be most important to have the competition set-up dialed in the most.
03-27-2014, 10:32 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
I run street tires sometimes and then the track set up. I'm driving to the alignment shop tomorrow using the street tires, but then mostly run the track set up, but had me wondering if different types of wheels or tire heights would effect it at all. I know it won't mechanically change where the bolts are set, but maybe how the tire lays. I dunno
03-27-2014, 01:27 PM
#4
Race Director
The wheels (tire & rim) on the car at the time of alignment will not change the alignment numbers that the car is set to, however, once you have that alignment locked in then if you go about changing wheels the car will handle quite differently.
Imagine setting 1/8 total toe out front (typical autox setting (for some) on a vette and running a6 tires (car seems like it's always ready to turn, maybe a little twitchy on the freeway), then switch off the a6's for a 300 wear street tire (twitch pretty much goes away).
The alignment doesn't have as much grip to work with.
Is that what you mean?
Imagine setting 1/8 total toe out front (typical autox setting (for some) on a vette and running a6 tires (car seems like it's always ready to turn, maybe a little twitchy on the freeway), then switch off the a6's for a 300 wear street tire (twitch pretty much goes away).
The alignment doesn't have as much grip to work with.
Is that what you mean?
Last edited by froggy47; 03-27-2014 at 01:29 PM.
03-27-2014, 01:43 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Kinda...just wondering how kuhmo v710s will feel com paired to my street set up that is reg michelins up from a Mickey thompson drag radials in back. I don't want twitchy, but a good cornering type setting
03-27-2014, 01:55 PM
#6
Race Director
Probably not ideal for hard high speed cornering where you want the car more neutral and the rear very predictable.
I would google the Pfadt Corvette alignment chart and go with their suggestion that is closest to your car development.