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For those with a C5, how are you guys performing any necessary adjustments. Think I figured out which tools I'll be using. Just need to figure out how to make the adjustments. Are you guys using a lift? a
Are you removing the tires and placing the lower arms on something solid to gain access to the adjustment points?

Inquiring minds would like to know.

RX-Ben

Check out the instructions for the Hardbar camber kit - jacks under the lower ball joints for toe/thrust. For camber, you'll obviously need to support the frame when making the actual adjustments.

fatbillybob

I was using lift and slip plates but that does not work on vette transverse leafs due to severe stichion. Perhaps it is ok with coil over conversion. With the vette I have to drive the car to settle the suspension and check on a known flat floor. Then lift the car to adjust and drive the car yet again to settle. This process takes all day to get it right. It is quite a pita. The jackstands thing does not work because you never get the stichion out of the suspension and that throws off the readings. I am thining about some kind of hub mounted thing on rollers to remove stichion and be able to reach in and adjust which suspension is preloaded.

AU N EGL

and David Farmer Stuff
http://davidfarmerstuff.com/

davidfarmer

I preferred method is on a 4-point lift. I CAN make adjustments, roll the car back and forth, and get repeatable measurements. Any time you JACK the car to make adjustments, you have to drive it to get the "stiction" to settle out.

If you are jacking and removing wheels, you'll never be able to measure the results properly. You can measure, jack up and adjust, then drop-and-drive, then remeasure, but it's extremely time consuming.

naschmitz

Just to see how much stiction your suspension has, measure the ride height at all four corners before you make an adjustment, make the adjustment, remeasure ride height, then roll or drive your car and measure ride height again.

It's important because ride height changes affect camber and camber changes affect toe.

fatbillybob

Out of curiosity has anyone got a ballpark figure for say if i drop the rideheight 1/4" the negative camber will increase "X" degrees?

RX-Ben

Stiction totally stucks. So does installing a camber kit and going through 3-4 installs (= hours and hours) of the plates to get in the ballpark. Lots of prying, swearing, etc. And still not there yet.
Will lubing the rubber ends of the ride height bolts reduce the stiction? Or cutting off the rubber (on the front, what about the back?)
How does the 4 post lift method differ from jacking? It seems like as soon as you get the weight off the wheels everything goes to hell.
Can you really rely on consistent stiction in order to get consistent results for toe and camber once the car settles?

Bill Dearborn

The 4 post lift David is referencing is a drive on lift. After you lift the car to make an adjustment you can roll the car back and forth on the lift to get the car to settle. Some people claim that distance isn't far enough and that you need to drive the car around the block to get it to settle enough. The question is how far you have to move it. Lou Gigilotti did an adjustment to my alignment at the track and all he did was move the car back and forth in the garage.

Bill

RX-Ben

Hmm, don't think I've see a drive-on lift.

Can't all the driving be cut down by driving over some 2x4s a few times to overcome the stiction?

Will Gary's delrin ride height adjusters + lube on the arm/adjuster head get rid of the stiction?

geerookie

It's just a standard 4 post lift.

Driving over 2x4's will cut down the distance needed.

Gary's delrin adjusters all but get rid of the primary problem. It will still take a bit of settling but will be quicker and more consistent.
This applies if you have the original rubber control arm bushings or spherical bearings as these don't really have the stiction issues. If you have poly bushings that is a whole other issue and requires good lube and settling.

I usually grab the sway bar in the front and pull it down from under the car three or four times. Then at the back of the car I grab the cradle and do the same thing. If you have a sway bar at the back you could use that.

txst

I do my own alignments and do pretty much as fatbillybob. It's kind of a chore the first time you do it, but I am able to adjust my camber from -.5 degrees in street mode to -2.25 degrees for track days (0 toe in both cases) in about 1 hr or less. It takes the same amount of time to go back to my street settings. I have the Pfadt camber kit, and I know how many shims to subtrack or add and how many turns on my tie rod ends to get me extremely close on the first adjustment. If I wasn't so ****, it would take me less time. Regardless, it's still less time than if I took the car to the alignment shop, it's much cheaper, and the car drives great. By the way, I use a Longacre caster/camber gauge.

sperkins

Here's how I do it on my 4-post.

I'll drive the car on the lift and then roll it on 4 flat pillows (not pictured) I bought at wally world. The pillows allow the tires to move when the adjustments are made.
To measure toe, I use a 4 foot carpenters level screwed to the top of a couple of 2x4's on each side. Then I just pull the tapes across.

I use duct tape to hold the ends of the measuring tapes in place:





I use a digital protractor with a 2 foot level to measure camber.
Note that I run a 275 on an 18" wheel so there is no "tire bulge" because the wheel is wider than the tire when mounted. If you have a wider tire, you'll have to offset the level from the buldge.



To measure thrust, I use a laser level I bought at Lowes. It sits perfectly inside the level that I use to set the toe.







Works for me.

RX-Ben

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Installing the camber kit is equally painful as installing the poly bushings. So many different installs...don't do this the Sunday before an event thinking you'll be done in time.

My hope is that once everything is setup I'll be able to quickly set toe and camber to swap btw track and street.

geerookie

I have a plan.....don't drive on the street and spend all of your time driving on the track!
Think about how much time and money you spend switching back and forth! Just spend all your money on the track and you will have more time to spend at the track since you don't have to switch settings etc.........it's a win-win situation

drivinhard

I just get lazy and drive around on the street (or to the track, less and less these days) with -3.25 camber and 1/8" toe out, car darts and grabs road grooves like it's possessed

RX-Ben

As soon as I can figure a way to fit a trailer and a hauler in Brooklyn, I'll tow it to events. Might take a few years for real estate to moderate.

geerookie

You can store it at my place for a moderate fee
Or I could just rent the other side of my shop to you.