Front End Alignment Question
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
Front End Alignment Question
My wife has an 03 fiftieth anniversary model. I would like to ask some questions about the camber on the front wheels. Is the camber set individually for each wheel or is there one adjustment that sets both wheels? With the computerized race suspension on this car, how susceptible is it to having the camber thrown off in everyday driving?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
It is set individually by some elliptically shaped plates that can be oriented to vary the connection point of the lower a-arm. These are tightened with some pretty large bolts, but things can come loose.
The camber is set by just plain nuts and bolts mechanics... so it is feasible that it can shift. I have had it happen serverely once in track driving, but a pothole could have a similar effect.
Hope this helps.
The camber is set by just plain nuts and bolts mechanics... so it is feasible that it can shift. I have had it happen serverely once in track driving, but a pothole could have a similar effect.
Hope this helps.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 0
From: TN
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Originally Posted by yellow01
It is set individually by some elliptically shaped plates that can be oriented to vary the connection point of the lower a-arm. These are tightened with some pretty large bolts, but things can come loose.
The camber is set by just plain nuts and bolts mechanics... so it is feasible that it can shift. I have had it happen serverely once in track driving, but a pothole could have a similar effect.
Hope this helps.
The camber is set by just plain nuts and bolts mechanics... so it is feasible that it can shift. I have had it happen serverely once in track driving, but a pothole could have a similar effect.
Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
Camber
The car has only been to the dealer to be serviced. This occured at regular intervals with the first aligment at 15K miles. One day my wife had parked it with the wheel all the way over. I happened to look and the 1st two inches of tread were gone on the inside of the tire. The wear pattern was exactly the same on the other front tire. The wear was such that the cord was exposed in the tire. The mileage is 28, 290 at that time. The car has only been driven to the dealer since then (about 100 miles). I understand that mileage is about 20-30K for the tires and don't have a problem with that.
My concern is the dealer's service department. Were the tires improperly aligned, did they see the wear and just neglect to say anything? My wife talked to the service manager and he told her she was lucky to get the mileage that she got out of the tires and that most people just get 15K out of them. When she questioned him about the alignment it was, "Did you hit a pothole?" The problem doesn't occur on the back tires. As to her driving, she is very conservative and this is the 3rd Vette she has had.
Thank you for your answers so far!
My concern is the dealer's service department. Were the tires improperly aligned, did they see the wear and just neglect to say anything? My wife talked to the service manager and he told her she was lucky to get the mileage that she got out of the tires and that most people just get 15K out of them. When she questioned him about the alignment it was, "Did you hit a pothole?" The problem doesn't occur on the back tires. As to her driving, she is very conservative and this is the 3rd Vette she has had.
Thank you for your answers so far!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,820
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
The camber spec on a run flat car is -.25 which will wear the insides just a little. The fact that she got 28K miles could mean it was just normal wear that could be expected with that camber setting and the mileage achieved. Toe-in also has a role to play with tire wear.
I know that some people have had their alignment settings change due to the eccentrics moving but I haven't seen it on the two C5s I've had.
Bill
I know that some people have had their alignment settings change due to the eccentrics moving but I haven't seen it on the two C5s I've had.
Bill
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by BAD_TCR
Anybody got a picture of where these adjustment bolts are?
I don't have a picture handy, but if you look at the inside of the lower control arm where the bolt attaches it the front craddle you will see a round washer. The washer's center is shaped like a "D" and as you turn the bolt it will change your adjustment. They are torqued to 125 ft pounds.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
Originally Posted by The Nuts
These "elliptically shaped plates" are called eccentrics
but actually they are not elliptical, they are circular with offcenter holes... you'd think I know this as frequently as I mess with them.Here's a pic for he who requested
Whenever I get an alignment, I get under there with a marker and mark lines on the frame and eccentrics to provide an easy check to see if things have changed later.