Have your alignment checked!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 58,523
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Have your alignment checked!
I finally got some decent wheels and tires mounted up yesterday. (machined face Z06).
I got the new ones home from the shop and I pulled off the wagon wheels to find that the inside shoulder of both front tires were BAD.
My car sits low enough that you cant see the inside edge without having the car in the air or the wheel off. What you could see of the tread from behind or with the wheel turned the wear looked pretty even...
A couple thousand more miles and I may have been in trouble.
The car tracked great and had no noticable drivability issues...
go home and pull the wheels to check yours if you havent before.
At least I get to skip out of work early today to get the car aligned.
I got the new ones home from the shop and I pulled off the wagon wheels to find that the inside shoulder of both front tires were BAD.
My car sits low enough that you cant see the inside edge without having the car in the air or the wheel off. What you could see of the tread from behind or with the wheel turned the wear looked pretty even...
A couple thousand more miles and I may have been in trouble.
The car tracked great and had no noticable drivability issues...
go home and pull the wheels to check yours if you havent before.
At least I get to skip out of work early today to get the car aligned.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,723
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From: NE OH
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
Originally Posted by bsmith
I finally got some decent wheels and tires mounted up yesterday. (machined face Z06).
I got the new ones home from the shop and I pulled off the wagon wheels to find that the inside shoulder of both front tires were BAD.
....
go home and pull the wheels to check yours if you havent before.
At least I get to skip out of work early today to get the car aligned.
I got the new ones home from the shop and I pulled off the wagon wheels to find that the inside shoulder of both front tires were BAD.
....
go home and pull the wheels to check yours if you havent before.
At least I get to skip out of work early today to get the car aligned.
Just got some new chromies 2 weeks ago on a 2004 w/ 3700 miles. While changing they (Mallet Cars) said "Uh, you need an alignment...". I looked and pretty much the outside tread groove was almost worn down to wear-indicator; rear wheels had severe toe-in. I just never thought to look before since it was new car. My guess is it came like this when I picked it up. Went to purchasing dealer yesterday to say "Hey, this musta been whacked at pickup since I have NEVER hit curb or anything that would wig it out this much". Thought maybe some new tires under warranty but they basically told me to get lost, made excuses, told me they'd have to keep car for undetermined amount of time to 'Check Over', blah, blah, blah. D**N...it's worth my own $800 in new tires/mounting just not to have to deal with these idiots.So, I'm gonna get about 5700 miles outta my first set of rear tires. Guess I have to pay more attention.
Last edited by BudgetPlan1; Apr 14, 2005 at 01:31 PM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 575
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From: Wylie TX
Good suggestion!
Same thing happend to me when I bought my C5. Thought I checked it out pretty good but one day (month later) I turned the wheels hard left while parking in the driveway and the inside 2-3" where bald! The steering was perfect, nothing to indicate the problem. I was pi##ed at the seller but my bad. I bought new tires and had it aligned last summer. I just bought new wheels (Z06) and Yokohama tires last month. The tires were balanced but I suppose I should have the front end aligned again to be sure all is well.
Same thing happend to me when I bought my C5. Thought I checked it out pretty good but one day (month later) I turned the wheels hard left while parking in the driveway and the inside 2-3" where bald! The steering was perfect, nothing to indicate the problem. I was pi##ed at the seller but my bad. I bought new tires and had it aligned last summer. I just bought new wheels (Z06) and Yokohama tires last month. The tires were balanced but I suppose I should have the front end aligned again to be sure all is well.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 245
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From: The best times of your life have not yet been lived. MO
2000 FRC, 27000 miles. Dealer suggested alignment. Called original owner. He had done the alignment @ 26000 miles before he traded in. But dealer still wanted to do alignment, and I refused. Original rear rubber on car. Owner replaced front at alignment. Dealer claimed that a lot of cars, just not Vette's alignment is off even from factory. Your call on but worth based on price of new treads.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Schaumburg IL
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
just put on CCW's 19's on all fours and new BFG's..lowered the car, need to adjust the rear a bit more lower (stock bolts) but plan on having my alignment checked after a few weeks..want to make sure I let it settle before I have it checked.good idea
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Longview Texas
Originally Posted by bsmith
I got the new ones home from the shop and I pulled off the wagon wheels to find that the inside shoulder of both front tires were BAD.
Le Mans Master
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From: AKA Harvey Mushman-I know just enough to be dangerous "Those who sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither"- B. Franklin
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I'm surprised to hear that factory settings would be so far off. I took the factory tour last year during the cruise in. As soon as the car left the production line it goes over a pit and the alignment gets done as the tires are spinning on drums. The guy was down in a pit wrenching on the tie rods from underneath as the tires spun. 
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I was told by a certified GM mechanic that most Vettes have the suspension settle some amount after they leave the factory. This is due to the fiberglass transverse springs.
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From: Houston, Tx Got traction?
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St. Jude Donor '07-'08
I just had my car aligned today, the results of the before and after is a little scary, i was really toeing in in both the front and rear. I'll post my before and after if anybody is interested.
Chris
Chris
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From: AKA Harvey Mushman-I know just enough to be dangerous "Those who sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither"- B. Franklin
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My fronts also wore too much on the insides. The rears, well let's just say that they seemed to wear too fast overall. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Suffolk, Long Island NY
Originally Posted by madeouttaglass
My fronts also wore too much on the insides. The rears, well let's just say that they seemed to wear too fast overall.
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Good advice. Better to get it checked than to wear out an expensive set of tires too fast.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2003
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
i just got back from having it done on this cool computerized Hunter "picture perfect" machine and it was out on about every measurement.
Toe was out front and back
Camber was out front and back
Caster was the only thing that was in spec.
Toe was out front and back
Camber was out front and back
Caster was the only thing that was in spec.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,772
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From: Tampa FL
yeh .. my insides were foobared a while ago
.. i need new fronts .. apparently i needed new ones about 3-4 thousand ago .. but i run the heck outta them ..
figure, gotta get my money's worth.
.. i need new fronts .. apparently i needed new ones about 3-4 thousand ago .. but i run the heck outta them ..
figure, gotta get my money's worth.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 609
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From: Washington IL
Originally Posted by TEXHAWK0
Watch tire wear especially close on Z06s. Even if they are aligned correctly from the factory, the factory setting is very aggressive and can be set at a full degree or more negative camber, which will wear the inside edge.
Neg. camber is from the factory for performance driving. New set of tires and I had the alignment guy NOT set at factory specs. Camber was set at 0. 10,000 miles later and the tires are wearing even...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Tampa FL
Originally Posted by Donzi4me
Neg. camber is from the factory for performance driving. New set of tires and I had the alignment guy NOT set at factory specs. Camber was set at 0. 10,000 miles later and the tires are wearing even...
it's a performance car, they eat up tires.