Adding caster
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,213
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
Adding caster
Is it possible for a backyard mechanic to add caster to a c3 without screwing up the alignment? Could I just take a thin shim out of the front adjustment and add it to the rear? Or would this change the camber and toe enough to be a problem?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,014
Likes: 2,257
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
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Of course it's best to have gauges....but doing what you are thinking will work OK. It will change caster more than camber. If nothing else, just keep up with what you moved so you can easily revert back to the baseline.
One thin shim isn't going to do a lot anyway. If you're playing, I'd scoot a thick one on each side and see what happens.
What trait are you trying to change?
JIM
One thin shim isn't going to do a lot anyway. If you're playing, I'd scoot a thick one on each side and see what happens.
What trait are you trying to change?
JIM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
the gm chassis manual goes over this in the front suspension chapter. by removing 1/32" from one bolt to the other, the caster will be changed 0.5*. move to the rear to increase, and visa versa. you will change the toe, but only very slightly. changing the camber also slightly effects toe. for every 1/32" camber will change 1/6*.
just went thru this with my rebuild. couldn't find any shops that wanted to do the alignment because it takes up too much shop time. finally took it to a tire store chain and made a deal that allowed me to bring it back several times for computer print outs. took me 4 trips to get the front and rear in specs. on the last trip when i had the caster and camber set, they set the front toe. i made one slight adjustment on the rear toe after that, and by keeping records of how much angles changed with a given shim change, it drives ok now.
jeff
just went thru this with my rebuild. couldn't find any shops that wanted to do the alignment because it takes up too much shop time. finally took it to a tire store chain and made a deal that allowed me to bring it back several times for computer print outs. took me 4 trips to get the front and rear in specs. on the last trip when i had the caster and camber set, they set the front toe. i made one slight adjustment on the rear toe after that, and by keeping records of how much angles changed with a given shim change, it drives ok now.
jeff
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 274
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From: Fairview TX
Might be cheaper to buy a caster/camber/toe guage. Buy it once and your set. I bought one recently but haven't done my alignment yet. A buddy used it for his Impalla already...
We race go-karts so the DIY approach was a no brainer. Too bad my high dollar laser aligment equipment for the karts does not work on a car.
We race go-karts so the DIY approach was a no brainer. Too bad my high dollar laser aligment equipment for the karts does not work on a car.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,014
Likes: 2,257
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
I'd be curious to see your Kart alignment stuff. You might be amazed what you can do. I align mine at home using pretty simple stuff. Works great. You can also align 18 wheeler stuff dead on with simple laser tools...which do the same thing as the *string/box* alignment that we used to use...and some high $$$ road race teams still use. Stroll through a paddock area between races and you'll see a lot of simple stuff working excellent.
JIM
JIM
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Fairview TX
The kart alignment kit has a guage that clamps to each spindle and shoots a laser from left to right and right to left. Toe and camber are dead simple. Caster you have to turn the wheel left and right and average the two readings. It won't work on a car because the laser has to have line of site from guage to guage.
We ran for years using a tape measure and a couple of straight edges for toe and a level for camber (and hoped for the best on caster).
The laser setup is MUCH quicker, and not too pricey. But agree that until you get to a certain point, your budget is better spent other places.
The car gauge I got is a "SPC Performance 91000".
Kart gauge is a "Eagle Eye" from R3 in the UK. There are now other similar units (Sniper being one).
You get two of these in a set. On our karts, with our typical setup, these fit without removing the wheels, so checks/adjustements are real quick.
We ran for years using a tape measure and a couple of straight edges for toe and a level for camber (and hoped for the best on caster).
The laser setup is MUCH quicker, and not too pricey. But agree that until you get to a certain point, your budget is better spent other places.
The car gauge I got is a "SPC Performance 91000".
Kart gauge is a "Eagle Eye" from R3 in the UK. There are now other similar units (Sniper being one).
You get two of these in a set. On our karts, with our typical setup, these fit without removing the wheels, so checks/adjustements are real quick.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,213
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
The steering gets very light at freeway speeds, and doesn't self return to center very well after slow speed turns.
I'm running 255/60/15 Goodyears on stock rims. I've read that wider than stock tires require as much as 2 deg more caster to work right. Does this sound right?
Also, can't I adjust camber with blocks and a level on the rims?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
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From: charlotte north carolina
some say that they've used levels to set camber, but you have to have the car itself level, and since it has to be set to within a fraction of one degree, it is a very demanding job. that's the reason for my repeated trips to the alignment shop. also, after i had it close to where i wanted it, i installed the spreader bar, and that changed the camber more than one degree!
jeff
jeff
