Front wheel not centered in the arch
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,398
From: SW Florida.
What would happen if you added a bunch of shims to the front point? I would start with a front end alignment. Find out if the caster and Camber are correct where the wheel is or not. the lower could be hit and bent also and then you have to adjust the upper to compensate for it instead of replacing it with a straight one or the spindle could possibly even be bent.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 587
Likes: 49
From: Belgium
I tried simulating a load of shims by loosening the nut and pushing the arm with a crowbar, but didnt make much of a difference. Maybe I need to roll the car a bit to settle everything aftersun adjuadjusting?
or im royaly scr*wed..:p
or im royaly scr*wed..:p
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,398
From: SW Florida.
Ok, how much different in wheelbase measurement left to right? Then measure the spacing between the front and back wheel wells and see how close that measurement is. The closest pionts would be easiest to measure the wheel wells. While at it, measure the 2 front wheel wells to make sure they are the same size.
Racer
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 297
Likes: 43
I cant tell for sure from the pic but It looks like theres a significant crack in the frame. if it is then that's the problem, if you put the car on a lift and those cracks narrow or widen then you have found the flex that is throwing your spacing off. possible the crack is just surface and it isn't flexing but that's what it looks like.
Racer
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 297
Likes: 43
did you measure using tape or did you use string? with masking tape secure one end of string to center of hub, leave enough string to double it over to get a 90 degree vertical center of wheel well. lift string straight up allowing gravity to pull the other end not taped to fall straight back to floor, when the two ends of the string align perfectly you have found center. this ensures a 90 degree angle to the floor so that when u measure the other wheel well theres no chance that you mis read the tape measure . then mark the string with a marker and use that for comparing the two wheel wells. low tech but guaranteed perfect measurements. after you mark the string on top mark the string twice more on each edge of the bottom of the wheel well
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 587
Likes: 49
From: Belgium
I cant tell for sure from the pic but It looks like theres a significant crack in the frame. if it is then that's the problem, if you put the car on a lift and those cracks narrow or widen then you have found the flex that is throwing your spacing off. possible the crack is just surface and it isn't flexing but that's what it looks like.
measured it using tape. Mind,not on a 100% flat surface, but that shouldnt change it too much i think..
Racer
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 297
Likes: 43
first pic shows a shadow running along the control arm on the frame, theres a matching crack opposite the nut that looks expanded, it may be the picture though that's why I commented for it to be inspected. as for measurements I am old school and always used string instead of todays lasers, 2 cm difference over a 200 cm span can easily be from tape measure. using the string method I described with the three marks u can re tape the marked string to opposite side and perfectly compare the entire circumference distances of both wheel wells. aligning the marked string to the bad side will show if center of wheel hub is raised or lower, the eye picks out the lateral (front to back) distance easily but if the height is off by an equal amount then the suspension is likely correct and front clip is not installed center on frame. since the overall question is if the problem is in suspension or body alignment.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette
Pouria Savadkouei
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 587
Likes: 49
From: Belgium
Im 99% sure its suspension/chassis related, as it has this with the original front clip alignment, before i started restoring it.
now the problem is,is there any way to correct it, even by temporary bodging it/messing up suspension alignment (if it would be correct atm,wich I doubt).
Problem is that i cant get it to a chassis/alignment shop atm, she has no insurance or vehicle inspection atm. But before she gets painted i really want to correct this. Here is a link to a bit of a build thread,maybe someone spots something?
https://www.hotrodders.com/forum/duskys-corvette-c3-505921-newpost.html#/topics/505921
what ive also been wwondering about, isnt it possible to move the bottom arm foreward a bit by tightening the rear bush bolt first,then the front? Or am i overlooking something? First time using suspension like this. The suspension on our mustang and c4 is totally different (let alone my old mini..)
cheers!
now the problem is,is there any way to correct it, even by temporary bodging it/messing up suspension alignment (if it would be correct atm,wich I doubt).
Problem is that i cant get it to a chassis/alignment shop atm, she has no insurance or vehicle inspection atm. But before she gets painted i really want to correct this. Here is a link to a bit of a build thread,maybe someone spots something?
https://www.hotrodders.com/forum/duskys-corvette-c3-505921-newpost.html#/topics/505921
what ive also been wwondering about, isnt it possible to move the bottom arm foreward a bit by tightening the rear bush bolt first,then the front? Or am i overlooking something? First time using suspension like this. The suspension on our mustang and c4 is totally different (let alone my old mini..)
cheers!
Last edited by Dusky; Aug 22, 2018 at 04:13 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,795
Likes: 466
From: Wichita Kansas
Im 99% sure its suspension/chassis related, as it has this with the original front clip alignment, before i started restoring it.
now the problem is,is there any way to correct it, even by temporary bodging it/messing up suspension alignment (if it would be correct atm,wich I doubt).
Problem is that i cant get it to a chassis/alignment shop atm, she has no insurance or vehicle inspection atm. But before she gets painted i really want to correct this. Here is a link to a bit of a build thread,maybe someone spots something?
https://www.hotrodders.com/forum/dus.../topics/505921
what ive also been wwondering about, isnt it possible to move the bottom arm foreward a bit by tightening the rear bush bolt first,then the front? Or am i overlooking something? First time using suspension like this. The suspension on our mustang and c4 is totally different (let alone my old mini..)
cheers!
now the problem is,is there any way to correct it, even by temporary bodging it/messing up suspension alignment (if it would be correct atm,wich I doubt).
Problem is that i cant get it to a chassis/alignment shop atm, she has no insurance or vehicle inspection atm. But before she gets painted i really want to correct this. Here is a link to a bit of a build thread,maybe someone spots something?
https://www.hotrodders.com/forum/dus.../topics/505921
what ive also been wwondering about, isnt it possible to move the bottom arm foreward a bit by tightening the rear bush bolt first,then the front? Or am i overlooking something? First time using suspension like this. The suspension on our mustang and c4 is totally different (let alone my old mini..)
cheers!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 587
Likes: 49
From: Belgium
im going to sound like a total newb now, but whats the cradle? It translates in something very weird too ( My mother tongue is Dutch)
the rear suspension is quite right, just a tad on the high side . But it has a gymkhana spring in the back, and all new bushes etc, so will probably lower a bit while finally driving the car
Towing would be illegal, but I should be able to get someone to put it on a flatbed or similar to get it to a shop, challenge n° 2 is finding a shop that knows what they're doing 😅
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,398
From: SW Florida.
https://www.digitalcorvettes.com/for...#/topics/87024. Bust out your tape measure. The diagonals will show out of square best.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,093
Likes: 297
From: Midlothian VA
We're all newbs at sometime...
So, click the link and check out this thread on cradle rot. Extreme but at least you'll know what to look for when you're under the car.
Also, as others have pointed out above, your photo of your lower control arm appears to show a missing bushing - really hard to tell from your photos though. Perhaps a few not quite so close.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...me-advice.html
So, click the link and check out this thread on cradle rot. Extreme but at least you'll know what to look for when you're under the car.
Also, as others have pointed out above, your photo of your lower control arm appears to show a missing bushing - really hard to tell from your photos though. Perhaps a few not quite so close.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...me-advice.html
