C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
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Old Oct 15, 2020 | 07:43 AM
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So, I found and loaded the "Clinometer" ap. Fun toy.
I managed to repair my right strut rod. WOW! was that a Bit@h. Really rusted solid. After torching it apart and repairing threads. Back on the car. After a few evenings of adjusting. Left rear wheel. 0.0 according to the bubble dead in the center of the level and clinometer. Right rear wheel, 0.1 neg according to Clinometer. Looks dead on by eye. Front wheels, .5 neg on the right. .3 neg on the left.
will be going on a club run this weekend on some VERY tight curvy roads. Will recheck, reset everything next week after a good run to settle it all in.
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Old Oct 15, 2020 | 09:44 AM
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C3s do suffer from pretty bad bump steer. There was one on-ramp in Virginia Beach that I drove regular that had a huge bump right in the middle of the curve. Was very noticeable. When I added the big-block, I installed the Vette Brakes bump steer blocks that move the tie rod end down ~1". Made a big difference. I know that some of the rack systems use longer tie rod ends or spacers to achieve the same thing.
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Old Oct 15, 2020 | 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by 4-vettes
So, I found and loaded the "Clinometer" ap. Fun toy.
I managed to repair my right strut rod. WOW! was that a Bit@h. Really rusted solid. After torching it apart and repairing threads. Back on the car. After a few evenings of adjusting. Left rear wheel. 0.0 according to the bubble dead in the center of the level and clinometer. Right rear wheel, 0.1 neg according to Clinometer. Looks dead on by eye. Front wheels, .5 neg on the right. .3 neg on the left.
will be going on a club run this weekend on some VERY tight curvy roads. Will recheck, reset everything next week after a good run to settle it all in.
Glad you liked the App but sorry you had so much trouble with frozen bolts. BT.
Sounds like you really have your camber dialed in well. They do not have to exact side to side, just close like you have. Nothing wrong with running .4 neg all around. Doesn't change tire wear much til you go past that. Does help cornering a little. And usually balances tire wear better. The wider your tires the more you pay attention to camber.

FWIW the more neg camber you run (like .9+), the more close to zero you want to keep your toe-in. With neg camber and toe-in you can get into some horrible inner edge wear/cupping. Some other brand cars were well known for it. (F***)

Last edited by leigh1322; Oct 15, 2020 at 04:38 PM.
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Old Oct 17, 2020 | 11:37 PM
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Had the car out today. Good run through the Hinterland. Very hilly, tight curves. Great drive. Ran it straight into the garage just until rear wheels are on level floor.
just did a VERY careful 6 foot string front toe measurement. Running 1/8th inch toe in. Car felt great in the twistys. Coming home a short run on the freeway at 70MPH. front felt light if that makes any sense. Thinking I'll knock a bit of the toe out of it. Get it close to zero toe and tighten up the spreader bar a bit more to get camber closer to zero as well. Haven't re-measured the rear camber yet. But back out to the garage now.
thoughts on the "light" feel at speed?
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Old Oct 17, 2020 | 11:42 PM
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Any idea how much caster you have? Many C3s do not have much. Some zero, some 1-2. 4+ would make it more self centering on the highway and less nervous.And yeah that is the one that is difficult to do at home.
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Old Oct 18, 2020 | 12:27 AM
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When last set up on computerized 4 wheel alignment machine, less than 3 thousand miles ago. Caster was 2 3/4's both sides. That's why I have been careful not to mess it up.
I have a stack of shims on both rear A arm studs. None on left front stud and one fairly thin one on the right front. About as much caster as I can get without changing A arms. That's why I'm trying to dial in the last of the camber with the spreader bar. And it looks to be working.
And it doesn't feel nervous or twitchy at all. Just "light".

Last edited by 4-vettes; Oct 18, 2020 at 12:28 AM.
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Old Oct 18, 2020 | 07:02 PM
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Sounds like you have it pretty good then. On a 77 I am assuming you have PS. With only 2-3/4 Caster it will be pretty light on it's feet. I do not think more or less camber would change that feel. Cutting don the PS boost with a restrictor valve or different spring would increase the feel. Adding more toe-in would increase the heaviness but I don't like a lot of toe. If you have too little toe it can go toe out pretty easy and get twitchy or darty. GM toe recommendation is higher than I would use but those two reasons are why they did it.

The main way to increase the heaviness or decrease the too-light feel is to add caster. 4-6 more like the newer cars. Works better with radials too. Makes the car go straighter when you let go of the wheel. Has more self-centering. When you turn it, with more caster, you are actually lifting the front end and that is what what adds the heaviness, and why GM did not build it in because of the manual steering cars. It also gives you much better feedback on what the front tires are doing at the limit of adhesion. You can actually feel it losing traction much better. I am slotting my stock upper a arm shafts mounting holes to give me 1.5 degrees extra caster. 1/4" does it. Slot to the front, slide arm back 1/4" Would take your 2.75 caster to 4 degrees caster with no new parts required.

Other than that, or trying a little more toe-in, I think you're good.
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