trailing arm shims in incorrectly
Thread Starter
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,181
Likes: 9,315
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Ill update this thread at the end of the month once I transfer the car to the garage. Ive got a list of need to do's and checking this out is now on that list. Thanks to everyone
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
Being slightly redundant.
I do know that when you look at post #8 again...if you had not. The early design shims have ROUND holes in them...and when used...they hang out and obviously can not fall out.
When you carefully look at the second design 'slotted' shims....the hole at the end is oval. And these shims are designed to fall down into the pocket like you can see on 'Alan71's photo....and there is a hole in the frame that allows the use of a long cotter pin to make sure they can not come out.
In your photo...they look like the slotted design...and are designed to be all the way down and caged in the pocket.
I personally/professionally would not trust them without making sure I could secure them in some manner so I know they could NOT come out.
Personally when it comes to an alignment.....the toe is important and should not be assumed to be correct. Getting it close so it can be put on a current alignment machine is advisable. Unless you have gauges and want to do it yourself. I do not waste my time using a string or manual gauges. It is faster for me to take it to my alignment shop and set up the heads and get on with it. But that is just me....because I need a read out of the alignment to give to my customers and have one on record.
And I can say because I have done my fair share of the early design shims.....that they can be a ROYAL PAIN. Getting them out and moved around and back in and getting the toe correct can take LONG TIME.....VERY LONG TIME....but as I wrote...the toe has to be correct. I do not want a customer having a car that at interstate speeds...the car feels like it has a steering wheel in the rear due to the toe being off a lot (wandering)....which can also heat up the tires and wear them out faster...depending on how far off it is.
DUB
I do know that when you look at post #8 again...if you had not. The early design shims have ROUND holes in them...and when used...they hang out and obviously can not fall out.
When you carefully look at the second design 'slotted' shims....the hole at the end is oval. And these shims are designed to fall down into the pocket like you can see on 'Alan71's photo....and there is a hole in the frame that allows the use of a long cotter pin to make sure they can not come out.
In your photo...they look like the slotted design...and are designed to be all the way down and caged in the pocket.
I personally/professionally would not trust them without making sure I could secure them in some manner so I know they could NOT come out.
Personally when it comes to an alignment.....the toe is important and should not be assumed to be correct. Getting it close so it can be put on a current alignment machine is advisable. Unless you have gauges and want to do it yourself. I do not waste my time using a string or manual gauges. It is faster for me to take it to my alignment shop and set up the heads and get on with it. But that is just me....because I need a read out of the alignment to give to my customers and have one on record.
And I can say because I have done my fair share of the early design shims.....that they can be a ROYAL PAIN. Getting them out and moved around and back in and getting the toe correct can take LONG TIME.....VERY LONG TIME....but as I wrote...the toe has to be correct. I do not want a customer having a car that at interstate speeds...the car feels like it has a steering wheel in the rear due to the toe being off a lot (wandering)....which can also heat up the tires and wear them out faster...depending on how far off it is.
DUB
Thread Starter
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,181
Likes: 9,315
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Being slightly redundant.
I do know that when you look at post #8 again...if you had not. The early design shims have ROUND holes in them...and when used...they hang out and obviously can not fall out.
When you carefully look at the second design 'slotted' shims....the hole at the end is oval. And these shims are designed to fall down into the pocket like you can see on 'Alan71's photo....and there is a hole in the frame that allows the use of a long cotter pin to make sure they can not come out.
In your photo...they look like the slotted design...and are designed to be all the way down and caged in the pocket.
I personally/professionally would not trust them without making sure I could secure them in some manner so I know they could NOT come out.
Personally when it comes to an alignment.....the toe is important and should not be assumed to be correct. Getting it close so it can be put on a current alignment machine is advisable. Unless you have gauges and want to do it yourself. I do not waste my time using a string or manual gauges. It is faster for me to take it to my alignment shop and set up the heads and get on with it. But that is just me....because I need a read out of the alignment to give to my customers and have one on record.
And I can say because I have done my fair share of the early design shims.....that they can be a ROYAL PAIN. Getting them out and moved around and back in and getting the toe correct can take LONG TIME.....VERY LONG TIME....but as I wrote...the toe has to be correct. I do not want a customer having a car that at interstate speeds...the car feels like it has a steering wheel in the rear due to the toe being off a lot (wandering)....which can also heat up the tires and wear them out faster...depending on how far off it is.
DUB
I do know that when you look at post #8 again...if you had not. The early design shims have ROUND holes in them...and when used...they hang out and obviously can not fall out.
When you carefully look at the second design 'slotted' shims....the hole at the end is oval. And these shims are designed to fall down into the pocket like you can see on 'Alan71's photo....and there is a hole in the frame that allows the use of a long cotter pin to make sure they can not come out.
In your photo...they look like the slotted design...and are designed to be all the way down and caged in the pocket.
I personally/professionally would not trust them without making sure I could secure them in some manner so I know they could NOT come out.
Personally when it comes to an alignment.....the toe is important and should not be assumed to be correct. Getting it close so it can be put on a current alignment machine is advisable. Unless you have gauges and want to do it yourself. I do not waste my time using a string or manual gauges. It is faster for me to take it to my alignment shop and set up the heads and get on with it. But that is just me....because I need a read out of the alignment to give to my customers and have one on record.
And I can say because I have done my fair share of the early design shims.....that they can be a ROYAL PAIN. Getting them out and moved around and back in and getting the toe correct can take LONG TIME.....VERY LONG TIME....but as I wrote...the toe has to be correct. I do not want a customer having a car that at interstate speeds...the car feels like it has a steering wheel in the rear due to the toe being off a lot (wandering)....which can also heat up the tires and wear them out faster...depending on how far off it is.
DUB
Im kind of OCD about original parts and having everything working. I know I'm not going to try to make this an all original show car so if it has the wrong pins and has a cotterpin holding the shims in, I can live with that. I guess Im lucky they're still in there. If they will stay in if I rotate them into the pocket more then tighten it back up, I'll try that. Once I get it up inthe air and the tires off I'll know which way to go. Thanks
Scott
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
Thanks Dub. Im not going to drive it until I can get the tires replaced and check this situation out. If they are the slotted ones I may just drill a hole and put in the pin. It tracks stright and true currently but I do worry about tire wear. So I am going to get the 4 wheel alignment checked asap.
Im kind of OCD about original parts and having everything working. I know I'm not going to try to make this an all original show car so if it has the wrong pins and has a cotterpin holding the shims in, I can live with that. I guess Im lucky they're still in there. If they will stay in if I rotate them into the pocket more then tighten it back up, I'll try that. Once I get it up inthe air and the tires off I'll know which way to go. Thanks
Scott
Im kind of OCD about original parts and having everything working. I know I'm not going to try to make this an all original show car so if it has the wrong pins and has a cotterpin holding the shims in, I can live with that. I guess Im lucky they're still in there. If they will stay in if I rotate them into the pocket more then tighten it back up, I'll try that. Once I get it up inthe air and the tires off I'll know which way to go. Thanks
Scott
IF you plan on drilling out the frame so the long cotter pin can be used...BE CAREFUL where you drill so the length of the cotter pin that is supplied can actually be used. Drilling this area when the body is on the frame is a bit tricky and I would use a very long drill bit.
DUB
Thread Starter
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,181
Likes: 9,315
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Okay. Thanks.
