rahaul

Probably need to lay some groundwork first. My '02 Targa car suffered a tornado experience in 2008. I bought it after-the-fact. According to accounts, the car went airborne as the house/ 4 car garage was leveled. Supposedly it landed on the Targa structure then on all 4. The Targa damage supports that theory. The car was driveable. Not much to look at but driveable. It drove like a new car. From 2008 until May 2015 I drove it maybe 300 miles, enough to keep things lubed.

Restored the car and began driving it putting maybe 1,000 miles on it from May till June last year. Prior to a lengthy trip in June I decided it might be a good idea to have an alignment done having paid no attention to tire wear up till that point since it drove and handled so well. Much to my surprise the right rear tire had cord showing. Still original tires but only 14K miles. The other 3 were OK. Had it aligned and nearly every indicator was red. The technician said it might need to be checked several times as the suspension may have to "settle back in". Made sense. I've done that but still eating tires. I'm at 32K now and the other 3 to cord.

The only thing I can come up with is that the wear pattern was established when I put those 1,000 miles on it when it was way out of alignment. Or, it is related to an unusual noise that can be heard when turning the car to the right. The faster the louder. Best described as a low pitch growl.

Sorry this got so long. Appreciate any input.

Vic in Arkansas

leadfoot4

If your car suffered that much of an impact, the first thing that should have been done, was to put it on a frame machine. Not trying to be a "wise-azz", but I hope you got it VERY inexpensively......

rahaul

Not a wise-azz observation. Only bought it because of the low mileage and the only way I could afford a "late model" ($6,500). Getting too old to spend the number of hours required to keep the '65 on the road.

The undercarriage was unbelievably unscathed. After the mud was washed it looked like new. Hindsight is always 20-20 and yes, I wish now I would have. When I 1st bought it I had in mind to flip it, not restore it, but the longer I kept it the more I was thinking it would be nice to jump into something for a trip and not spend 3 weeks prepping. We Corvette a lot of miles.

leadfoot4

It's still not too late to set it up un a frame machine, and verify it the frame is straight. If it is, maybe it's just something in the suspension that was bent. Do you still have the sheet from the alignment? If so, can you post it up?

Bill Curlee

Sounds to me like you have some sort of DYNAMIC ALIGNMENT ISSUE that causes the suspension to FLEX or CHANGE alignment when the car is moving down the highway.

That's a TOUGH NUT to crack.

Start by getting the car UP in the air on a DRIVE ON LIFT. With the car in the air and on all four tires, have someone apply some SLIGHT left and SLIGHT right steering wheel input and have someone UNDER THE CAR look at EVERY SUSPENSION joint, mount, anchor point, Rack, Ball Joint, bolt and bushing.
See if you can see any FLEX or LOST MOTION when the steering input is applied.

CHOCK THE FRONT WHEELS and apply some TORQUE to the drive train and inspect the rear suspension as the torque is being applied for the same flex or lost motion.

Look at EACH A arm bushing and see if there is any abnormal deformation or FLEX.

Some of the METAL A FRAME BRACKETS that the rear A Arms are attached on to the frame have been known to crack and or come loose on one side. Look carefully at that area and make sure that they are solid.

Please let us know what you find.

Bill

biggrizzly

I hit a pothole HARD with my Miata a few years back and ignored it for a long time because things seemed OK. Six months later my right rear Michelin Super Sport was down to the wires on the inside. The alignment shop said that it was definitely possible even with the little bit my alignment was out that it happened from the pothole. So, the impact your car had would definitely have warranted and alignment. Hope you get it straitened out. (Pun Intended)

rahaul

I've had 3 alignments done. The 1st one started with 10 in the red (and not just a little off) and 4 in the green. They were all in the green when I left.

4K miles later back in. I think there were 3 red. Left with all green.

At 25K miles back in. 4 in the red. Not far off but off. Left in the green except for 1. It was left at 6.8 and the range was 6.9-7.9 (left front caster). I didn't notice it till I got home.

I would post the sheets but for me it is not that easy. Thanks for the help.

Vic in Arkansas

rahaul

Bill, this sounds like the direction I need to go. I have wondered if the misalignment occurs every time I am turning the car to the right (hence the unusual noise). I was seriously thinking of having the alignment checked again, go drive it for 10 minutes and put it back on the rack to recheck. I purchased their 1yr unlimited alignment offer because I anticipated more issues. I'm going your direction instead.

I will print off your advice and proceed. I have a friend who owns a service center and just happens to own a Corvette.

And yes I will let you know. Thanks again.

Vic in Arkansas

leadfoot4

I'll go out on a limb, here, and make some assumptions.....



Assuming you've got to the same alignment shop, and assuming their machine is in calibration, your alignment shouldn't be changing that much, assuming you're not blasting through potholes at high speed.

I would do as Bill suggests, and get the car on a "ramp type" lift, for some serious inspection. It sure sounds like something is bent/broken, and shifting around on you. It "settles" into position, you align the car, then as soon as you start driving, it "re-settles" into another position, and so forth.

ericdwong

Just to add my 2 cents in here- even a SLIGHTLY loose feeling tire/wheel can cause this. My tie rods started to get worn (racing tie rods with exposed heim joints + daily driven = quick wear) and there was just a LITTLE bit of jiggle on the wheels, if you jack up the car and apply pressure at 3 and 9 o clock - but that little bit was enough to cause the car to wander all over and wear the tires funny. Depending on the impact it wouldn't surprise me if some tie rod/ball joint or other area is messed up or even slightly worn.

rahaul

I've done the 3/9 0'clock and the 6/12 o'clock. Very tight.

For whatever it's worth, want kind of tire mileage can be expected out of new set of Goodyears driving somewhere between Granny and like you stole it?

leadfoot4

Based on my personal experience, and also what I've read on this Forum, in all honesty, it varies, A LOT!!

Some folks here log on and ask if their 10-12 year old GY run-flats should be changed, and they have 25-30,000 miles on them, with tread still left. I had about 14,000 miles on mine (OE tires), and they were near replacement time, with respect to tread wear, (but without any "drive it like I stole it...). I had to replace them due to a serious cut making one of the rear tires being unusable, and limited slip rear axles don't like tires of different overall diameters.

rahaul

I'm also finding out that the 32K miles on the original set considering being driven some on a suspension that was way, way off is not all that bad. I still need to find out about the unusual noise on right hand turns. I still plan on doing the suspension check that Bill recommended when I get time.

rahaul

Kevin, my friend/ C6 owner/ service center owner is telling me there are 2 different alignment specs. Factory setting/ track ready and normal driving setting. Supposedly the normal driving setting will add considerable miles to the life of the tire.

Would this also be true for the C5 and where would one find these specs?

3sACROWD

If you google Pfadt alignment specs C5 Corvette you will get a list of recommendations. See link below.

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV...wUbHGVidu1dyQ-

I used the first set of specs on my car and am happy with the results as far as tire wear is concerned.

rahaul

I wasn't able to access it as you stated but did find a page that has many spec sheets but not labeled. Could you perhaps give me a few numbers that I could identify the chart I'm looking for.

BTW, what were you getting on tire mileage before and how much better now?

leadfoot4

This is directly from the 2001 factory service manual (page 3-20). There is an "acceptable range", as well as a "preferred setting". These are the preferred settings.....

FRONT

Individual toe.....................0.04*
Total toe...........................0.08*
Individual camber............(-).20*
Cross camber...........within 0.50*
Caster...............................6.9 *
Cross caster............within 0.50*

REAR

Individual toe................(-)0.01*
Total toe.......................(-)0.02*
Rear thrust angle................0.0*
Individual camber..........(-)0.18*
Cross camber............within 0.5*


Hope this helps.

3sACROWD

Here are the specs I used. These are directly from PFADT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pfadt Corvette Alignment Recommendations
Performance Street
Front min max
Camber (deg) -0.7 -0.9
Caster (deg) 7.5 8.5
Total Toe +1/16" (0.17°) 0 (0°) updated to reflect positive toe

Rear
Camber (deg) -0.4 -0.6
Total Toe +1/16" (0.17°) 0 (0°) updated to reflect positive toe
Notes These settings will provide good performance and good tire wear
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As far as mileage comparison, I cannot give you a direct report because I went from Goodyear Supercars to Continental DWS tires which are two totally different types of tires (summer performance vs all season). What I can tell you is I have 47,000 miles on my new tires and they are wearing evenly across the tread. Steering is not as precise as the Z06 alignment specs I came from but it gives me the tire wear I want for the highway driving I do. It also virtually eliminated the tramlining.

The note on PFADT's alignment page did not copy when I originally posted this information. The note stated that negative toe was "in". I've corrected the information to reflect "conventional" notation.

leadfoot4

Are you sure you have those toe settings typed in correctly? Minus (-) toe numbers mean "toe out"............

enoniam

It's also interesting that the Chevy "preferred" settings for individual camber and caster do not fall within the Pfadt specs.