Can upper control arms be reversed upon installation.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 82
From: Brampton Ont.
Can upper control arms be reversed upon installation.
I'm doing a body off resto on a 75' coupe and have noticed that the caster camber is way off after reinstalling the upper and lower control arms. They were perfect before the resto and all the upper and lower bushings were replaced. I tried to replace the shims in exact order but after adding even more shims (3-4 in total) it's still way off. See image below.
If in fact it can be accidentally reversed how do I know which side is Right or Left.
Yes I know the tread pattern on the front tires are different but they're the same size and installed to allow for movement of the frame.
If in fact it can be accidentally reversed how do I know which side is Right or Left.
Yes I know the tread pattern on the front tires are different but they're the same size and installed to allow for movement of the frame.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 441
From: Denver CO
YES.Hard to see but it looks like they are installed on the wrong sides. The longer edge on the control arm should be towards front. Looks like the short edge is front.They should "swoop back".Pic from the top view would nail it
Last edited by gjohnson; Jun 30, 2015 at 10:40 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 82
From: Brampton Ont.
Thanks for the reply, labhound and gjohnson.
It's been a long day so I'll try to take a top view tomorrow. The photo's I posted earlier were daily shot's I had on file.
How close do I need to be for the alignment shop? In other words, do the trailing arm shims need to be exact or do they adjust those?
It's been a long day so I'll try to take a top view tomorrow. The photo's I posted earlier were daily shot's I had on file.
How close do I need to be for the alignment shop? In other words, do the trailing arm shims need to be exact or do they adjust those?
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 316
Likes: 39
From: Machesney Park IL
You are going to want a 4 wheel alignment by a shop that knows these cars anyway, when you get it back together. I would not worry about a short drive with the alignment out of specs, and when they get done it is one less thing to worry about. Even if you put the old shims back in, you now have a new tight suspension, and it was probably not that new when the last alignment was done.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
It's nice to have an alignment that is good enough to drive around the block a few times to debug the car before taking it to the alignment shop.
To get the alignment good enough to not destroy your tires is easy:
Use a bubble level to set all 4 wheels straight up (zero camber).
Put a string between 2 jacks so the string runs along the side of the car at the height of the wheel hubs. Do the same with another string and 2 more jacks on the other side.
String should touch the tire at the front & back. In other words, make the tires point the way the string points. Since the C3 has slightly wider track in the rear you end up with a bit of toe-in (tires pointing inward) which is what you want.
Not a substitute for a real alignment, but now you can test drive it as much as you want without worrying about damaging tires.
To get the alignment good enough to not destroy your tires is easy:
Use a bubble level to set all 4 wheels straight up (zero camber).
Put a string between 2 jacks so the string runs along the side of the car at the height of the wheel hubs. Do the same with another string and 2 more jacks on the other side.
String should touch the tire at the front & back. In other words, make the tires point the way the string points. Since the C3 has slightly wider track in the rear you end up with a bit of toe-in (tires pointing inward) which is what you want.
Not a substitute for a real alignment, but now you can test drive it as much as you want without worrying about damaging tires.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 82
From: Brampton Ont.
Thanks for the reply vbgod1 and zwede.
Do the trailing arm shims have to be exact or will a 4 wheel alignment take care of lessening the bolt and repositioning the shims.
Anyone have a link to aid in me setting up a rough alignment in order to be able to dive it 15 miles to a shop as it's way off right now. I figure it's easier to do now before I place the top half back on.
Do the trailing arm shims have to be exact or will a 4 wheel alignment take care of lessening the bolt and repositioning the shims.
Anyone have a link to aid in me setting up a rough alignment in order to be able to dive it 15 miles to a shop as it's way off right now. I figure it's easier to do now before I place the top half back on.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
Select TA shims so the tire touches the string front & back.That's how exact you need it.
When they do the alignment they may need to move a shim or two but that's included in a 4-wheel alignment. Be sure to use the slotted end of the shim. I once turned them around to where the TA bolt had to be removed to remove the shims.
Be sure to do the rough alignment I detailed above with all the weight on the car. If it sits high due to missing doors, engine etc, the alignment is useless as it changes drastically as the car settles lower.
When they do the alignment they may need to move a shim or two but that's included in a 4-wheel alignment. Be sure to use the slotted end of the shim. I once turned them around to where the TA bolt had to be removed to remove the shims.
Be sure to do the rough alignment I detailed above with all the weight on the car. If it sits high due to missing doors, engine etc, the alignment is useless as it changes drastically as the car settles lower.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
Note the angle of your upper ball joints, as pictured. They're angled "down" (forward) at the front of the a-arm. They should angle back, towards the rear of the car...