Balance tires, or alignment?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Traverse City Michigan
Balance tires, or alignment?
Am planning on doing both a road force balance on all four tires, and getting the car aligned.
A couple of questions:
1. Which should be done first? Balance or alignment.
2. I want to reduce the possibility of cupping, while not totally destroying the cars' handling. So how should I have the car aligned? What specs should I be talking to the tech?
Thanks.
Mike
A couple of questions:
1. Which should be done first? Balance or alignment.
2. I want to reduce the possibility of cupping, while not totally destroying the cars' handling. So how should I have the car aligned? What specs should I be talking to the tech?
Thanks.
Mike
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,252
Likes: 0
From: NH
Am planning on doing both a road force balance on all four tires, and getting the car aligned.
A couple of questions:
1. Which should be done first? Balance or alignment.
2. I want to reduce the possibility of cupping, while not totally destroying the cars' handling. So how should I have the car aligned? What specs should I be talking to the tech?
Thanks.
Mike
A couple of questions:
1. Which should be done first? Balance or alignment.
2. I want to reduce the possibility of cupping, while not totally destroying the cars' handling. So how should I have the car aligned? What specs should I be talking to the tech?
Thanks.
Mike
2. No techie here but if the place you take it to doesn't know, go somewhere else IMO.
edit - Alignment specs in here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=984927
Last edited by bb609; Apr 23, 2007 at 01:05 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Visalia CA
I've been taking my vehicles to a brake & wheel shop here in town for 40 years. I trust them completely. Put new tires on the Ranger. Had them check the alignment. No adjustment needed. No charge. That's service! 
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Alignment or balance first, makes no difference.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Traverse City Michigan
Thanks for the replies. I still would like to know what alignment specs I should ask for, to provide for the least wear on my new $1600 run-flat tires, while still providing a degree of handling. Since we can't rotate the tires, I want to do everything I can to assure the longest (and smoothest) tire life I can.
Thanks.
Mike
Oops, just noticed bb609s' added edit. Thanks bb.
Thanks.
Mike
Oops, just noticed bb609s' added edit. Thanks bb.
Last edited by Railfan; Apr 23, 2007 at 03:12 PM.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 647
Likes: 2
From: Keystone, I.T.
There have been a number of threads on this subject. I'm going to have my '02 checked next week. I've noticed too much wear on the inside of the front tires. It has been suggested by others that camber be adjusted to 0 to correct this. I think the factory specs call for a little negative camber which could be the cause of this wear pattern. 
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Traverse City Michigan
178 lbs. I don't think I have much effect on the tire wear. From what I understand tire cupping is caused by bad alignment. Right? Only 6 thousand miles on my new tires and I am beginning to hear that sound again (previous tires were cupped with only 20,000 miles). Car has been aligned once last spring just after getting the new tires. Car was set at "factory specs" at my local Chevy dealor. Not happy with their results.
Mike
Mike
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
you can rotate the front tires.... you just need to buy them at a shop that provides lifetime mount and balance as part of the purchase package....( well you can do it anyway , you just have to pay a for a few more mount and balances)
IF you start getting inside edge wear have the front tires demounted and put on the opposite side....
Both the left and right side of directional tires is identical...
So the inner edge of the left tire after the rotation becomes the outer edge of the right tire.....
IF you start getting inside edge wear have the front tires demounted and put on the opposite side....
Both the left and right side of directional tires is identical...
So the inner edge of the left tire after the rotation becomes the outer edge of the right tire.....
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
p.s. ... cupping isn't caused by camber, cupping is caused either by bad shocks or incorrect toe.
I think whaqt you are concerned about is uneven wear across the tread with excessive inner edge wear which is casued by negative camber.
I think whaqt you are concerned about is uneven wear across the tread with excessive inner edge wear which is casued by negative camber.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 0
From: Menands (Albany) NY
Well...
Thanks for the replies. I still would like to know what alignment specs I should ask for, to provide for the least wear on my new $1600 run-flat tires, while still providing a degree of handling. Since we can't rotate the tires, I want to do everything I can to assure the longest (and smoothest) tire life I can.
Thanks.
Mike
Oops, just noticed bb609s' added edit. Thanks bb.
Thanks.
Mike
Oops, just noticed bb609s' added edit. Thanks bb.
If ya gotta bring your own spec's with you......seems to me you shouldn't let them touch your car....Ya know?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Traverse City Michigan
Well, Groucho, I agree with you. But if it is the only show in town, well, what can you do? Here is what I am noticing and what concerns me:
1. Beginning to notice that rhythmic sound of uneven tire wear...just slightly. Only six thousand miles on the tires and I shouldn't notice anything.
2. When I drive and look in my rear view mirror, I can see the defrost wires in the rear window slightly moving back and forth from side to side, seemingly at the same rate as tire rotation. The faster I go, the faster the side to side movement, until it is a slight blur. At a slow speed, the motion is just as slow. Granted, the motion is not much, but it shouldn't be there at all, should it?
So, hence my concern.
Therefore, I am going to get the tires road force balanced and the car realigned (again). From what I have read on this forum, most alignment techs will align the car according to Chevy specs and those specs are set up for "proper handling" with the corvette. But in addition to the handling, it can also cause more wear on the tires. Is this true? How much more wear?
Mike
1. Beginning to notice that rhythmic sound of uneven tire wear...just slightly. Only six thousand miles on the tires and I shouldn't notice anything.
2. When I drive and look in my rear view mirror, I can see the defrost wires in the rear window slightly moving back and forth from side to side, seemingly at the same rate as tire rotation. The faster I go, the faster the side to side movement, until it is a slight blur. At a slow speed, the motion is just as slow. Granted, the motion is not much, but it shouldn't be there at all, should it?
So, hence my concern.
Therefore, I am going to get the tires road force balanced and the car realigned (again). From what I have read on this forum, most alignment techs will align the car according to Chevy specs and those specs are set up for "proper handling" with the corvette. But in addition to the handling, it can also cause more wear on the tires. Is this true? How much more wear?
Mike
