Factory Alignment Specifications for Corvette
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mrr23 (09-10-2015)
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mrr23 (09-10-2015)
12-21-2014, 10:54 AM
#5
My car tracks straight now
It still seems tonwant to go right a little but barley significant. I have neg camber of -7 on front right tire and -4 of left front tire. I also have caster done but not sure how much.
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mrr23 (09-10-2015)
04-08-2015, 10:02 PM
#6
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Thanks for this very useful post. 
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mrr23 (09-10-2015)
10-24-2015, 12:41 PM
#9
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Thank you for the specs!
The Caster and total Toe-In specs listed for the 53 to 57 Vettes are suspect (mainly the Toe-In). My ST-12 (GM 1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide) lists the Caster at 2 deg. (+/- 1/2 deg.) and Toe-In (per wheel) at 1/16" to 1/8" for all C1 Corvettes. I understand that somewhere in mid 1956 GM started adding 2 degree shim plates at the front cross member to add Caster, so Caster could certainly be zero with the earlier C1 Vettes, but the Toe-In spec should not of been affected. Other than the shim plates, no other significant front suspension geometry changes were made during the entire C1 production run.
I also question the overall Toe-In settings for C1 (1953 to 1962) vs. C2 & C3 (1963 to 1982). The factory specs for the C1's is: 1/8" to 1/4" total (call it 3/16" nominal) which per the Hunter spec is .13 deg.. The factory spec for the C2's & C3's is 3/16" to 5/16" total (call it .25" nominal), which per your Hunter specs is .50 deg. That does not add up, since there is only a 1/16" difference between the C1 and C2/C3 specs, yet there is a .37 deg difference in the Hunter specs (the .50 deg. C2/C3 spec is almost 4 times larger than the C1spec.).
On another note, do you know the formula to convert Toe-In specs from degrees back to inches (like they "use to" measure Toe)? I do some initial setup alignment work whenever I change a front end part, and all my Toe-In measurements are done with a tape measure....
I understand that wheel diameter affects Toe-In in inches (as wheel diameter increases, so does the necessary Toe increase), vs. degrees (which do not change with wheel diameter). I also understand (contrary to several internet listings), that Toe-In was taken at the wheel rim edge, not the tire tread.
Thanks,
John (plasticman)
The Caster and total Toe-In specs listed for the 53 to 57 Vettes are suspect (mainly the Toe-In). My ST-12 (GM 1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide) lists the Caster at 2 deg. (+/- 1/2 deg.) and Toe-In (per wheel) at 1/16" to 1/8" for all C1 Corvettes. I understand that somewhere in mid 1956 GM started adding 2 degree shim plates at the front cross member to add Caster, so Caster could certainly be zero with the earlier C1 Vettes, but the Toe-In spec should not of been affected. Other than the shim plates, no other significant front suspension geometry changes were made during the entire C1 production run.
I also question the overall Toe-In settings for C1 (1953 to 1962) vs. C2 & C3 (1963 to 1982). The factory specs for the C1's is: 1/8" to 1/4" total (call it 3/16" nominal) which per the Hunter spec is .13 deg.. The factory spec for the C2's & C3's is 3/16" to 5/16" total (call it .25" nominal), which per your Hunter specs is .50 deg. That does not add up, since there is only a 1/16" difference between the C1 and C2/C3 specs, yet there is a .37 deg difference in the Hunter specs (the .50 deg. C2/C3 spec is almost 4 times larger than the C1spec.).
On another note, do you know the formula to convert Toe-In specs from degrees back to inches (like they "use to" measure Toe)? I do some initial setup alignment work whenever I change a front end part, and all my Toe-In measurements are done with a tape measure....
I understand that wheel diameter affects Toe-In in inches (as wheel diameter increases, so does the necessary Toe increase), vs. degrees (which do not change with wheel diameter). I also understand (contrary to several internet listings), that Toe-In was taken at the wheel rim edge, not the tire tread.
Thanks,
John (plasticman)
Last edited by Plasticman; 10-25-2015 at 11:37 AM.
03-28-2020, 02:47 PM
#11
C3 '69 - One rear tire sticks out .5 " more than the other
Car, 1969, has complete VBP suspension and offset trailing arms from 2015 frame off.
37k miles and 25 yr old tires. Car generally drove and shook badly.
Just put new wider P255/60R15 rear tires on my original '69 8" rallye wheels
Put new P225/70R15 on front on the 8" rallyes.
Also replaced orig 37k miles steering box with new/rebuilt
Car drives way better - tracks good, very slight wander, no steering play, much less shaking
Now I see that the top of passenger/rear tire sticks out from orig body flare 1/2 in, while the driver/rear top is just inside about even with the flare.
Seems to make equal and semetric; the pass side needs to move in 1/4 in and the driver side move out 1/4 in. How is that remedied?
37k miles and 25 yr old tires. Car generally drove and shook badly.
Just put new wider P255/60R15 rear tires on my original '69 8" rallye wheels
Put new P225/70R15 on front on the 8" rallyes.
Also replaced orig 37k miles steering box with new/rebuilt
Car drives way better - tracks good, very slight wander, no steering play, much less shaking
Now I see that the top of passenger/rear tire sticks out from orig body flare 1/2 in, while the driver/rear top is just inside about even with the flare.
Seems to make equal and semetric; the pass side needs to move in 1/4 in and the driver side move out 1/4 in. How is that remedied?