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I remember the chevy power book recommending threaded toe adjusters in the rear instead of shims. Then I found an example in a video on youtube. Can anybody tell me more about how this works?
I remember the chevy power book recommending threaded toe adjusters in the rear instead of shims. Then I found an example in a video on youtube. Can anybody tell me more about how this works?
simply simply adjusting with nuts and bolts instead of shims
simply simply adjusting with nuts and bolts instead of shims
yes, that part is obvious
I’m looking for some specifics of how exactly it was done. The adjustment nut and lock nut seem to be on the outside, what moves the trailing arm inside the pocket.
I've installed the adjuster kits on historic race vettes. It's a PITA. You have to lift the body off the frame in the rear and weld in the new adjustable swing arm mount.
Just think about it. if you move the front mounting point of the trailing arm left or right it will move the toe of that rear wheel. Shim and unshim sets the toe angle. The adjuster is superior because once it is installed I can just use a couple of wrenches to set the rear toe..
On a race car on a cold day you can't get enough heat in the rear tires. like they cool off on a long straight. So we would add addition toe in to scrub the tires to generate heat. Blazing hot sunny day we would run the tires at Zero toe in or out to keep from over heating and blistering the road racing slicks .
I've installed the adjuster kits on historic race vettes. It's a PITA. You have to lift the body off the frame in the rear and weld in the new adjustable swing arm mount.
Just think about it. if you move the front mounting point of the trailing arm left or right it will move the toe of that rear wheel. Shim and unshim sets the toe angle. The adjuster is superior because once it is installed I can just use a couple of wrenches to set the rear toe..
On a race car on a cold day you can't get enough heat in the rear tires. like they cool off on a long straight. So we would add addition toe in to scrub the tires to generate heat. Blazing hot sunny day we would run the tires at Zero toe in or out to keep from over heating and blistering the road racing slicks .
Thank you for taking the time to try to explain this setup. I do understand how toe is set with the shims and why a threaded setup would be beneficial on a race car. My body is off my frame so that's why I'm even researching this. I have done my own alignements on my C2 and my C3 for years so understand that too.
What I don't understand is how exactly this threaded setup works because I can't find pictures of the inside of the pocket with threaded adjusters. If it's simply a threaded rod with a nut and jamb nut on each side of the TA inside the pocket I wouldn't do it. That seems like it would be a bigger PITA than the shims, leave less room for adjustment because now you have to have the width of a nut and jamb nut on both sides of the TA inside the pocket, would be more prone to failure when one of the jamb nuts came loose and I'd have the TA bushing riding on the threads of the threaded rod. If it was something that allowed all of the adjustment to be done on the outside of the frame I can see the value.
I understand that the Chevy power book is for setting up race cars but I like to make improvements like this if they make the car better. I'm not sure this one translates to a street car because I don't need to be able to set the toe on a regular basis. But as an example I do use Heim joint strut rods for rear camber because it's just easier than the cam and bolt stock setup. If threaded toe adjusters make setting toe easier like the rear strut rods do and doesn't have any of the drawbacks above I'd probably do it just for fun. If not then I know how to safety wire my shims in and forget about it.
I'm going to have a set made up at my local machine shop, they're pretty good and like the odd project that isn't a valve job or flywheel resurface. Probably cost me way more than it's worth but I'm going to do it anyway.
The Guldstrand adjuster has spherical joints on both sides which the trailing arm pivoted on. The spherical ends are mounted on the trailing arm. I am pretty sure that something else can be added to accomplish the same thing. They were purchased from Guldstrand Engineering, which no long exists ( as far as I know ) The picture above is not correct but the first picture is. The jam nut does not go inside of the adjuster. The long bold, with a nut on the end, holds the adjusters from turning. I have a set of these on my car. There is a trailing arm with a "Johnny Joint" or Heim Joint that would probably work. Van Steel sells a trailing arm with a Johnny Joint and I have seen a trailing arm at a Corvette shop with a Heim joint as a pivot. The Johnny Joint has a spherical swivel in side of the joint.
I have a bunch of NOS Guldstrand parts (at least one or more of everything from his catalog for 63-82 new, but none of it is for sell! I bought the last ones he sold (toe adjusters)! We have four cars, so this is spares for those, then true friends, I may ask them if they want to buy whatever I truly don’t need.
You can run them without the spherical bearing setup and that is just a bolt and nuts.
Or you could integrate them to the Spherical bearing units, as it came with these spherical cups that fit the toe adjuster. This set up had a lube through bolt with a zero fitting. I was not a fan of this spherical set up, as it did not contain the grease, and it would get on everything back there eventually, as it would squeeze out! NOS new stock, never used if this part too! The smart thing would be to Teflon coat these.
I also have the Herb Adams stuff, bought his display board parts too. And Ibhave the Global West stuff! The later too had no toe adjusters!
Greenwood sold some, but these are easy to make! Many racers did!
Last edited by TCracingCA; Oct 17, 2019 at 09:31 PM.
These are the instructions I got from Guldstrand in 2010.CORVETTE TOE ADJUSTERS, REAR
THIS TOE ADJUSTER KIT FITS CORVETTES FROM 1963 TO 1982 MODELS. IT'S FUNCTION IS TO SIMPLIFY TOE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE REAR SUSPENSION AND IS FOR COMPETITION ONLY.
1) REMOVE TRAILING ARMS FROM FRAME. REFER TO CORVETTE SHOP MANUAL FOR PROPER PROCEDURE.
2) THROUGH THE EXISTING 7/16" ANCHOR BOLT HOLE IN THE FRAME, DRILL A 1" HOLE. THIS HOLE CAN BE DRILLED THROUGH BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAME FROM THE OUTSIDE, WITH A HOLE SAW.
3) LOCATE THE FLANGED SIDE OF THE ADJUSTER NUTS IN THE 1" HOLES. SCREW THE ADJUSTER BOLTS HALF WAY INTO NUTS. SLIDE NEW 7/16" ANCHOR BOLT THROUGH ADJUSTER BOLT.
4) HOLDING ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY IN PLACE WELD ADJUSTER NUTS IN PLACE ON HEXAGON SIDE (DO NOT WELD INSIDE).
5) LEAVE ANCHOR BOLTS IN ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY AND PRESS 3/4" WASHERS ONTO END OF ADJUSTER BOLT. BRAZE OR TACH WELD THESE WASHERS IN PLACE.
6) INSTALL TRAILING ARMS USING LONG ANCHOR BOLTS SUPPLIED. DO NOT TIGHTEN THIS BOLT UNTIL TOE IS SET.
7) SET DESIRED TOE WITH 1 1/8" ADJUSTER BOLTS. SECURE BOLTS THEN SECURE ANCHOR BOLT. TORQUE ANCHOR BOLTS TO 45 FT. LBS.
I have a bunch of NOS Guldstrand parts (at least one or more of everything from his catalog for 63-82 new, but none of it is for sell! I bought the last ones he sold (toe adjusters)! We have four cars, so this is spares for those, then true friends, I may ask them if they want to buy whatever I truly don’t need.
You can run them without the spherical bearing setup and that is just a bolt and nuts.
Or you could integrate them to the Spherical bearing units, as it came with these spherical cups that fit the toe adjuster. This set up had a lube through bolt with a zero fitting. I was not a fan of this spherical set up, as it did not contain the grease, and it would get on everything back there eventually, as it would squeeze out! NOS new stock, never used if this part too! The smart thing would be to Teflon coat these.
I also have the Herb Adams stuff, bought his display board parts too. And Ibhave the Global West stuff! The later too had no toe adjusters!
Greenwood sold some, but these are easy to make! Many racers did!
I almost bought the 80-82 rear suspension, but it was out of reach until I retired. Now it's REALLY out of reach.
Just curious. WHY do you have your heart set on this? I would do the Johnny joints in a heart beat, but adjustable? Street it's set and forget.
I don’t have my heart set on it, I just think it’s a neat improvement over stock. I’m putting my C3 back together and can either order some shims or make this setup. Can’t think of a reason not to do it other than time and that’s not really an issue.
threaded rear toe adjusters
