Trailing arm shims
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: east hampton ct
Trailing arm shims
I am getting ready to reinstall my trailing arms with new SS shims. One arm had shim packs on both sides of the bushing while the other side had all the shims on one side. From the looks of the shims no one had ever touched them since leaving the factory in 1975. Is it normal to have shims on only one side or is there some kind of problem with my trailing arm.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 11
From: Schaumburg IL
Re: Trailing arm shims (28buick)
Can't tell until you get it on the alignment rack. Some arms may need a small amount on one side to balance it if the frame and arm are not totally straight. It is all in how the alignment comes out.
PS- Make sure when you take it to an alignment shop you ask the question to the tech - have you aligned C3's with trailing arms? If the answer is no, go find someone that has.
PS- Make sure when you take it to an alignment shop you ask the question to the tech - have you aligned C3's with trailing arms? If the answer is no, go find someone that has.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 922
Likes: 0
From: Maine
Re: Trailing arm shims (28buick)
I suspect that most cars have shims on both sides but every car is different. The shims control toe and how the rear wheels align with the front. If you've replaced the bushings I'd just put the same shims back and that should allow you to drive to a good alignment shop. Make sure they understand vette rear suspensions.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Trailing arm shims (Frank75)
You can check the toe of the wheels (adjusted with the shims) by eye to a good degree.
Get a long straight object (I use my fishing rod). Lay it along the outer
surface of the tire (near the middle) and 'sight' down the line to see how
straight it is. The 'sight' should line up with the outer surface of trhe front tire.
If you do this, it should be good to drive to the alignment shop without issue.
All the shims on one side seems extreme to me. I'd look everything over for damaged or bent frame/trailing arm.
Good luck. :seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 9:04 AM 7/18/2003]
Get a long straight object (I use my fishing rod). Lay it along the outer
surface of the tire (near the middle) and 'sight' down the line to see how
straight it is. The 'sight' should line up with the outer surface of trhe front tire.
If you do this, it should be good to drive to the alignment shop without issue.
All the shims on one side seems extreme to me. I'd look everything over for damaged or bent frame/trailing arm.
Good luck. :seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 9:04 AM 7/18/2003]
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Re: Trailing arm shims (Frank75)
i would say that it the factory did not do that. The car had to have been aligned by somebody in the past 30 years. Anything is possible though
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 3,982
From: Connecticut, USA
Re: Trailing arm shims (28buick)
Do you have a good alignment shop nearby? If not I send my cars to a guy in Middletown. They do a great job but it costs $200 for front & back alignment.Have the SS shims too or they'll charge you for new ones.
Gary
Gary
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: east hampton ct
Re: Trailing arm shims (28buick)
I have a good shop right down the street from me and they charge for the amount of time it takes. If nothing is seized or rusted its a hundred dollars. If nothing wants to come loose it could be two hundred.
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
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 3,982
From: Connecticut, USA
Re: Trailing arm shims (Van Steel)
I agree that a $100 per end is high but there's not too many alignment shops around here that will align a vette or know how to. The guy we got our last car from had his local expert do an alignment and the car came back without the shim cotter pins,loose shims,and who knows what else I'll find. That cost the guy $120.
Gary
Gary