[Z06] Alignment - FE1 - FE3 on a Z06?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 786
Likes: 3
Alignment - FE1 - FE3 on a Z06?
Went back to get alignment done to the local shop. Now that I'm looking at the paper that i got from them it says 2003 Corvette FE1 & FE3. Did they align the car to base c5 specs?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
that's not horrible. they apparently tried to weight comp the drivers side with camber, the z06 is stiff enough i'm not sure if it gains a full half degree with you sitting in it like say, a honda would. i also don't see your caster anywhere...unless it's set at 7.4? short story on caster is the more you have the better the straight line stability, less speeds up turning. the z06 is spec'd with a bit less than the coupe i would assume for that reason. the measurement in the center down below is the really critical one, that's your thrust angle. that's the measurement that aligns the rear axle. if it's off the car will be driving whatever direction you're pointing
this is an alignment i had done just the other day with me sitting in the drivers seat
this is an alignment i had done just the other day with me sitting in the drivers seat
Last edited by racebum; Sep 29, 2013 at 03:15 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
I used a street/track setup from one of the track vendors here.
Their notes:
Caster 7.5 degrees on both sides (C6 can take a bit more, C5 will smoke the PS pump and rack with 8 degrees or more)
Front Camber -1.3 to -1.6 on each side
Rear camber 0.2 degree less negative camber than the front (ie. if the front is -1.5 then set the rears at -1.3 degrees
Toe: in 0.05 degrees for each side front and rear
I went with -1.5 up front, -1.3 rear, 7.6 Castor, close to zero toe. The car was transformed, it now turns so much nicer.
Their notes:
Caster 7.5 degrees on both sides (C6 can take a bit more, C5 will smoke the PS pump and rack with 8 degrees or more)
Front Camber -1.3 to -1.6 on each side
Rear camber 0.2 degree less negative camber than the front (ie. if the front is -1.5 then set the rears at -1.3 degrees
Toe: in 0.05 degrees for each side front and rear
I went with -1.5 up front, -1.3 rear, 7.6 Castor, close to zero toe. The car was transformed, it now turns so much nicer.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
You Caster is in stock realm and fine.
That chart looks like what they measured before they adjusted it, cause if its after then its not good, left and right sides should be as close as possible. Suggest at least -.9 up front, -,7 rear. (camber)
Camber doesn't kill tires, toe does, so if your Toe is held near zero its fine. My M3 which runs less tire runs -3.5 front, - 2.5 rear, and I get 40k+ out of tires....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 786
Likes: 3
Well, its uber conservative. It's not taking advantage of the tires, but if you don't drive agressive in corners or track it, not that big a deal. My DD is an ex track M3, so I expect all my cars to corner like hell.
You Caster is in stock realm and fine.
That chart looks like what they measured before they adjusted it, cause if its after then its not good, left and right sides should be as close as possible. Suggest at least -.9 up front, -,7 rear. (camber)
Camber doesn't kill tires, toe does, so if your Toe is held near zero its fine. My M3 which runs less tire runs -3.5 front, - 2.5 rear, and I get 40k+ out of tires....
You Caster is in stock realm and fine.
That chart looks like what they measured before they adjusted it, cause if its after then its not good, left and right sides should be as close as possible. Suggest at least -.9 up front, -,7 rear. (camber)
Camber doesn't kill tires, toe does, so if your Toe is held near zero its fine. My M3 which runs less tire runs -3.5 front, - 2.5 rear, and I get 40k+ out of tires....
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
they didn't even touch the camber lol, that's just a toe set
if you want a good street alignment copy that picture i posted above and have the car set to that with you in the drivers seat, that's more or less the pfadt street alignment with a tiny bit more rear camber
as the dude said above, it isn't horrible, it's just not a performance alignment in any way shape or form. it's toned down from stock
if you want a good street alignment copy that picture i posted above and have the car set to that with you in the drivers seat, that's more or less the pfadt street alignment with a tiny bit more rear camber
as the dude said above, it isn't horrible, it's just not a performance alignment in any way shape or form. it's toned down from stock
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
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
If you have a good Firestone shop with a proper Hunter rack that you trust (make them do it to your specs!) then its fine. I tend to use small performance Indy's (with Hunter Racks) and have them do it, they are not a bunch of hacks fighting over tools, and they do it right. Think I paid $165, but as long as you don't hit curbs its not something you have to do very often.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
For just street driving, your camber needs to be close to zero, or even slightly positive or you will see inside tire wear.
The toe in should also be close to zero, or slightly negative.
Technically, you did not get ripped off since the camber settings are within factory Z06 settings of -0.7 +/- 0.5 degrees, so the range is -.2 up to -1.2 deg.
The toe in should also be close to zero, or slightly negative.
Technically, you did not get ripped off since the camber settings are within factory Z06 settings of -0.7 +/- 0.5 degrees, so the range is -.2 up to -1.2 deg.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Oct 12, 2013 at 10:27 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
For just street driving, your camber needs to be close to zero, or even slightly positive or you will see inside tire wear.
The toe in should also be close to zero, or slightly negative.
Technically, you did not get ripped off since the camber settings are within factory Z06 settings of -0.7 +/- 0.5 degrees, so the range is -.2 up to -1.2 deg.
The toe in should also be close to zero, or slightly negative.
Technically, you did not get ripped off since the camber settings are within factory Z06 settings of -0.7 +/- 0.5 degrees, so the range is -.2 up to -1.2 deg.
also there is little to no camber wear if you stay under 1deg neg and use little toe on the tires. setting camber near zero just slows the car down. with the mileage a lot of forum guys drive they run into the 4-5 year tire change out mark before they run out of tread
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
negative toe would be toe out. every alignment machine {except pfadts spec sheet} uses - to quote toe out
also there is little to no camber wear if you stay under 1deg neg and use little toe on the tires. setting camber near zero just slows the car down. with the mileage a lot of forum guys drive they run into the 4-5 year tire change out mark before they run out of tread
also there is little to no camber wear if you stay under 1deg neg and use little toe on the tires. setting camber near zero just slows the car down. with the mileage a lot of forum guys drive they run into the 4-5 year tire change out mark before they run out of tread
I have seen a lot of Corvettes in our club on the lift, and almost all of them are within factory specs. and show significant wear on the inside tire block... I backed my camber off in 1/4 degree increments and got back to near zero before I did not notice any inside wear. The camber specs. on the regular coupe even allow for slightly positive camber.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
You are right about toe in... I was thinking slightly toed-in and just typed it wrong..
I have seen a lot of Corvettes in our club on the lift, and almost all of them are within factory specs. and show significant wear on the inside tire block... I backed my camber off in 1/4 degree increments and got back to near zero before I did not notice any inside wear. The camber specs. on the regular coupe even allow for slightly positive camber.
I have seen a lot of Corvettes in our club on the lift, and almost all of them are within factory specs. and show significant wear on the inside tire block... I backed my camber off in 1/4 degree increments and got back to near zero before I did not notice any inside wear. The camber specs. on the regular coupe even allow for slightly positive camber.
if someone was 100% gunning for max tire wear something like neg .3deg camber would probably be ideal. going positive or zero will scrub the outside edge, especially with toe in. when you corner there is flex in the bushings and also the tire. a car at zero camber will be positive in the corner
there is probably some camber wear going neg .8 to 1deg but there is also a substantial performance gain
pretty much boils down to which way a person chooses to go
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
Camber does not kill tires!!!! Tires flex and the wear is spread across, but Toe "Scrubs" the inner tire, causing extreme wear if its much above Zero.
I get over 40K on the 245/40/17 & 255/40/17 on my DD M3 (Over 220K) with -2.6 up front, -1.5 rear. Only time I ever had bad tire wear was when I had messed up Toe, fixed it and no more wear. Its also the reason you see SUV's/Trucks/Minivans with bad inner tire wear, the heavy suspension pieces don't hold Toe well, and the inners part of tires show it..
My Z runs -1.5 F / -1.3 R....and in over 15K no noticeable wear.