Here's an older article I did for Vette magazine. It's about C4 alignments. The good part is it has the old Corvette Challenge alignment settings.

Richard Newton
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Good article. I've been dong alignments on my C4 for the past 4 years. At least once a year. I went from a street setup then to a more auto-x/street setup. Now I'm planning on maxing out caster in the front (helps with low speed turns, keeps tire more negative). Keeping as much negative camber up front was possible about -.5 is all I can get. MOST C4's will have trouble getting the -1 listed in the front W/O modifications. Rear I'm going to run about negative 1.25 camber. Toe front=zero, rear=slight toe in.

You are VERY correct in finding a good alignment tech. That is why I do my own. I'm one of the few technicians around who actually can align a car and do it right. I'm super **** with my Corvette. My spec. sheet is not just close, its dead nuts on. Typically takes me about 2 hours to get it where I want it on a Saturday morning.

 

I use eccentric bushings in the lower front control arms. I also machined the spacers on the upper control arms.


I had a long conversation with the head of Bilstein Motorsports last week at Sebring. He thinks -3.0° is probably too much negative camber because my bump steer is off. If I corrected my bump steer issue then maybe -2.5° would be good.

He also likes 1/16" (or less) toe out on each front wheel. Toe out helps turn in but produces drag on the straight.

btw - His dad drives a C4 in Germany. He's very interested int the C4 Corvette.

Richard Newton

 

Do you guys do your own alignments?

 

I want to do the off set lower bushings when I redo them on my car. SCCA BSP rules dictate no changes to the spacer.

I drive my car a lot of the street to a "compromise" alignment is the best I can do. Camber is ok, as you note, typically its toe that causes a lot of excessive tire wear issues.

@dogfish, yes I do my own alignments. If I had a level garage floor I would do them at home. However, I have access to a Hunter alignment machine at our "sister" dealer. Our shop is small and we don't have one.

 

Have done it in the past.

I had it done on a machine last time, since I made so many changes.

Here's how to do it yourself, the trick is to get a flat level surface.

http://www.vettenet.org/align.html

 

Using string to set the toe is standard race car procedure. Yesterday at Sebring I saw a bunch of cars being aligned with string - actually fish line. Most teams have a set of brackets that fit on the car and allow the mechanic to crate a box around the car. Here's a link with some pictures.

Richard Newton

 

I im due for an alignment on my 96 LT4 with F45 suspension.
Should i use the 88-96** TPI specs if used on the street only or i will do better with stock set up?
What will be the difference in drivability and handling with this set up over the stock one?

'88-96 Corvettes**
Left Front Right Front Left Rear Right Rear

Camber -1.0° -1.0° -1.2 ° -1.2°
Caster +5.5° +5.5°
Toe 0.0 0.0 -0 .10 -0 .10
Total Toe 0.0 -.20

'90 Corvette Factory Specifications
Left Front Right Front Left Rear Right Rear

Camber 0.0° 0.0° 0.0° 0.0°
Caster +3.0° +3.0°
Toe -0.110 - 0.110 -0.01 -0.01
Total Toe - .220 - .02

 

Marking the nuts to catch the fake alignment was very cool. I once busted a local shop trying to sell me my own head that had my secret marks.

 

I'm not sure if you'll notice much difference on the street. The one thing i always like it to get as much caster as possible - then make both sides even. A lot of alignment shops use unequal caster to compensate for the crown in the road.

I like the straight line stability on the interstate. It depends on where you live and where you drive on this one.


Richard

 

For street use, I would keep the camber front and rear near zero, stock toe settings and stock caster settings. Your 96 will have more caster than those 90 specs.

 

Rfn026, nice article. I noticed you had the VBandP racing strut and toe rods, how do you like those? I just installed the strut and trailing arms a few weeks ago.

I am fortunate to have a Corvette Shop that specializes in Corvette racing set my alignments. He also corner balances the car and set the alignment with a weight that is equal to me in the driver seat.

 

Good Stuff! A flat floor is important. Any ideas about low buck turn plates?

 

I keep looking at them but have never pulled the trigger.

Richard Newton

 

UPDATE: The site, vettenet.org, is no longer available, visiting ends up at andysautosport.com. The page "Four wheel alignment for Vettes" detailing how to self-align your own Vette is gone.

Fortunately, the Internet Archive (http://archive.org) has history of the site, the self-alignment page can be found here:
http://web.archive.org/web/201308010...org/align.html