Rear Wheels Splayed (pics)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
From: SAN FRANCISCO CA
Rear Wheels Splayed (pics)
saw a post about this afew days ago and it rang kinda true to me..... what do you guys think of this? is this normal or a problem? tires are too new (i think - 3,000 miles) to tell if wear pattern is abnormal
these pictures suck azz i just realized cuz they are dark and taken with a phone
. if they are insufficient please let me know, i'll get some new ones this coming weekend no problem
. thanks as always!
these pictures suck azz i just realized cuz they are dark and taken with a phone
. if they are insufficient please let me know, i'll get some new ones this coming weekend no problem . thanks as always!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 20
From: Kingston Ontario
Generally thats worn yokes and spring or just the spring. If the spring is weak the rear will sag and the geometry or the rear will pull the top of the tire in. It's a big job so count on spending some dollars.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
When you say they are splayed, I assume you mean tilted in at the top. Could be as simple as adjusting the strut rods.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
From: SAN FRANCISCO CA
can you tell anything from my pics? is this a "normal" amount of tilting? is there even such a thing? i'll take some better pics this weekend and re-post. i don't want to take my car in to the mechanic for nothing if it looks ok to most of you - i just got it back last week! and, more importantly, my wife 
is ON MY *** about putting more money into this car right now. 
is ON MY *** about putting more money into this car right now.
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okay guys - my bad. i'll post again this wknd or next week!
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
from the looks of it,the bottom of your tire seems to be out a bit.Chances are it's only your camber adjustment and sometimes it's the bushings that are worn.
That's what I'm doing this weekend to correct my problem...
That's what I'm doing this weekend to correct my problem...
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 7
From: LaPine Oregon
Unless the rear axles have been replaced that could be worn axles. The OEM axles were soft and had to be replaced with hardened ones. Of course the metal from the axles would chew up the bearings and gears.The cases on differential were notorious for cracking.
When my '73 LT1 4 spd coupe started showing signs of rear tire splay at 61,000 miles , I ended up dropping $3000 into it i.e. outer bearing assy, diff. case, 3.55 gears, axles, axle bearing, inner and outer shaft joints, plus fiberglass spring, lowering bolts.
Same problem with my '79 Pace Car. Just raise the rear off the ground and pull in and out. If you have 1/4" or more you have axle wear.
Granted , my cars were orignial to me way back then. I'd think that most all vettes of this era have had the axles changed by now.
When my '73 LT1 4 spd coupe started showing signs of rear tire splay at 61,000 miles , I ended up dropping $3000 into it i.e. outer bearing assy, diff. case, 3.55 gears, axles, axle bearing, inner and outer shaft joints, plus fiberglass spring, lowering bolts.
Same problem with my '79 Pace Car. Just raise the rear off the ground and pull in and out. If you have 1/4" or more you have axle wear.
Granted , my cars were orignial to me way back then. I'd think that most all vettes of this era have had the axles changed by now.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
To answer the question, no it's not normal. There should be a very slight camber that will be dialed in with a good alignment (if I recall its 1/8" total, slight inward lean at the top??).
Regardless, take good pix of the underside from behind the car, focus on the camber adjusters, the point where the yokes enter the differential, and the spring. Then the experts should be able to give a better educated guess.
Regardless, take good pix of the underside from behind the car, focus on the camber adjusters, the point where the yokes enter the differential, and the spring. Then the experts should be able to give a better educated guess.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
From: SAN FRANCISCO CA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
71-73 rear wheel camber should be in the range of 7/8 negative to 1/8 negative camber..
Tilting top of tire away from vette centerline is POSITIVE camber....
Tilting top of tire toward vette centerline is NEGATIVE camber...
When I ran autocross,my rear camber was set at 1.5° neg.....
Link:
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htm
Tilting top of tire away from vette centerline is POSITIVE camber....
Tilting top of tire toward vette centerline is NEGATIVE camber...
When I ran autocross,my rear camber was set at 1.5° neg.....
Link:
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htm
Last edited by rihwoods; Sep 12, 2007 at 02:33 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Differntial removed and cleaned - yoke was so worn that u-joint bolt was carving into differential case. The worn end of the yoke is inside the differential. It's best to completely remove the differntial to replace them.
The eccentric cam used to align the rear wheels was at it's maximum adjustment. The only way to get close to aligned was for Bubba to heat and bend the strut rods. Send a pic of these, especially where they connect to the differential in the center
After: I replaced the original fixed length struts with adjustables so the eccentric cam was removed.
Try to get these pix. Work around your spare carrier and exhaust if they are still in place.
Enjoy, Steve
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
I ended up doing the same to the front with a full new set of brakes all around. Got it aligned and it's been a whole new car ever since and outdrives my DD.
