Wear item replacement?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
Wear item replacement?
So my car hit 140k and was making some noise, so I had the clutch checked. Was told it was the clutch, so $1000 in parts, $1500 in labor later I have all new LS7 clutch with LS6 hydros and rebuilt torque tube.
So it is still making noises (clutch wasn't even as bad as I thought) so now I am replacing all 4 wheel bearing hubs (drivers rear is real bad, others are not awful). Since I have to pull everything apart, what other parts are people changing while in there?
Ball joints?
Tie rod ends?
Bushings?
While my car tracks straight, I noticed the inside of my front tires are near gone while I have about 20k left in the tread. So I was thinking of just replacing it all and having it aligned with the idea I should be good for another 100k?
So how long should my new parts list be? After the clutch, the rest seems cheap to the wife.
So it is still making noises (clutch wasn't even as bad as I thought) so now I am replacing all 4 wheel bearing hubs (drivers rear is real bad, others are not awful). Since I have to pull everything apart, what other parts are people changing while in there?
Ball joints?
Tie rod ends?
Bushings?
While my car tracks straight, I noticed the inside of my front tires are near gone while I have about 20k left in the tread. So I was thinking of just replacing it all and having it aligned with the idea I should be good for another 100k?
So how long should my new parts list be? After the clutch, the rest seems cheap to the wife.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 298
Likes: 12
Other Maintenance Stuff
So my car hit 140k and was making some noise, so I had the clutch checked. Was told it was the clutch, so $1000 in parts, $1500 in labor later I have all new LS7 clutch with LS6 hydros and rebuilt torque tube.
So it is still making noises (clutch wasn't even as bad as I thought) so now I am replacing all 4 wheel bearing hubs (drivers rear is real bad, others are not awful). Since I have to pull everything apart, what other parts are people changing while in there?
Ball joints?
Tie rod ends?
Bushings?
While my car tracks straight, I noticed the inside of my front tires are near gone while I have about 20k left in the tread. So I was thinking of just replacing it all and having it aligned with the idea I should be good for another 100k?
So how long should my new parts list be? After the clutch, the rest seems cheap to the wife.
So it is still making noises (clutch wasn't even as bad as I thought) so now I am replacing all 4 wheel bearing hubs (drivers rear is real bad, others are not awful). Since I have to pull everything apart, what other parts are people changing while in there?
Ball joints?
Tie rod ends?
Bushings?
While my car tracks straight, I noticed the inside of my front tires are near gone while I have about 20k left in the tread. So I was thinking of just replacing it all and having it aligned with the idea I should be good for another 100k?
So how long should my new parts list be? After the clutch, the rest seems cheap to the wife.
Stainless steel brake hoses.....shocks if you haven't changed them for some time...sway bar bushings....replace all radiator/heater hoses......I have 138k on my '99 ....did cam/heads/headers at 83k...still running great....thanks VetteDoctors in Amityville NY....only replaced oil pump, water pump/thermostat, a few clutches....you can clean out the radiator..there is a tool you can make out of PVC pipe that will flush it out from the engine side out...lots of dust, bugs, sand in there after all the years...I'll see if I can find the link for you...
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...intenance.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...eaned-the.html
Have fun.....
Last edited by Joevette99; Aug 20, 2016 at 06:15 AM. Reason: Add additional items
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
Last year I redid the calipers with paint, new pads and steel braided lines. I still need to change out the master and slave, but they work well. The shocks, sway bars and end links are on the short list if the cost isn't too bad on the steering rebuild and alignment.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
Ok, since I got pretty much zero feedback. 
I have new rear ball joints and rod end links for the rear coming and am looking to order the bushing kit just because. If the weather sucks, I might wait and do everything at once front and rear, then have it taken to the alignment shop.
My rear tires wore perfectly square, but my inside shoulders on the front were toast. My car drives straight and stops straight, but all new parts were pretty cheap and since I have to pull it all apart to do the bearings, I figured it was easier to do it now.
I have new rear ball joints and rod end links for the rear coming and am looking to order the bushing kit just because. If the weather sucks, I might wait and do everything at once front and rear, then have it taken to the alignment shop.
My rear tires wore perfectly square, but my inside shoulders on the front were toast. My car drives straight and stops straight, but all new parts were pretty cheap and since I have to pull it all apart to do the bearings, I figured it was easier to do it now.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
My front tires also are extremely worn on the inside. My car tracks straight and I have a lot of tread remaining on the rest of the fronts and the entire rears.
So I looked it up and there is an old thread from 2002 talking about how this is an issue with most C5s.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...tire-wear.html
So I looked it up and there is an old thread from 2002 talking about how this is an issue with most C5s.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...tire-wear.html
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 26,040
Likes: 157
I get your frustration with the lack of replies but you're asking people that have never seen your car, where you live or how you drive it to tell you what should be replaced.
On the plus side, you could have been given a long list of parts to replace that might have lasted you another 40K miles while missing one or two that fail tomorrow.
The only thing I can answer is your tire issue. An aggressive alignment from the factory has caused (most likely) your wearing issue.
A new set of rubber and alignment is needed. A good chance you'll never notice what the new alignment does for handling (slightly diminished) but your tires will wear more evenly.
It kinda sounds like the bad clutch diagnosis was a mistake and nobody hear wants to add to that by telling you what should be fixed/replaced.
Cheers!!
On the plus side, you could have been given a long list of parts to replace that might have lasted you another 40K miles while missing one or two that fail tomorrow.
The only thing I can answer is your tire issue. An aggressive alignment from the factory has caused (most likely) your wearing issue.
A new set of rubber and alignment is needed. A good chance you'll never notice what the new alignment does for handling (slightly diminished) but your tires will wear more evenly.
It kinda sounds like the bad clutch diagnosis was a mistake and nobody hear wants to add to that by telling you what should be fixed/replaced.
Cheers!!
Last edited by Murray Anderson; Sep 21, 2016 at 04:10 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
I just figured all the crap I need to pull off I should replace while it's off. I just wondered if that is what others did, or if they took everything apart, changed the bearing, then pulled it apart later to do the ball joints, then again for the bushings.
So far the ball joints were $150, rod ends are looking like about the same and the bushing kit is only $80. So for less than $600 I have all new suspension and bearings. I might say to hell with it and swap out the shocks, too.
I guess I'll just rotate my front tires more often because I LOVE THEY WAY MY CAR HANDLES. If it means the fronts wear funky and I need to swap them out, so be it.
If it means it stays together for another 150k miles, I'll be a happy bastard.
So far the ball joints were $150, rod ends are looking like about the same and the bushing kit is only $80. So for less than $600 I have all new suspension and bearings. I might say to hell with it and swap out the shocks, too.
I guess I'll just rotate my front tires more often because I LOVE THEY WAY MY CAR HANDLES. If it means the fronts wear funky and I need to swap them out, so be it.
If it means it stays together for another 150k miles, I'll be a happy bastard.
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 26,040
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If you rotate your fronts without taking them off the rims, the inside on your right tire is now the inside on your left, nothing changes.
If you meant swapping when saying you'd rotate them, that's a different story. Unless you're Al Unser Jr, the minimal amount you'd have to change your alignment to make them wear evenly would never be noticed.
It's your car and your tires, enjoy whatever you do ��
If you meant swapping when saying you'd rotate them, that's a different story. Unless you're Al Unser Jr, the minimal amount you'd have to change your alignment to make them wear evenly would never be noticed.
It's your car and your tires, enjoy whatever you do ��
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
If you rotate your fronts without taking them off the rims, the inside on your right tire is now the inside on your left, nothing changes.
If you meant swapping when saying you'd rotate them, that's a different story. Unless you're Al Unser Jr, the minimal amount you'd have to change your alignment to make them wear evenly would never be noticed.
It's your car and your tires, enjoy whatever you do ��
If you meant swapping when saying you'd rotate them, that's a different story. Unless you're Al Unser Jr, the minimal amount you'd have to change your alignment to make them wear evenly would never be noticed.
It's your car and your tires, enjoy whatever you do ��
But my fronts were only $80 each, so replacing them at 30k vs 50k wouldn't be a big deal either I guess. I'll know more after I take it to the shop, there is a performance alignment shop across town I was going to take it to (www.vip-performance.com).
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
According to others, these tires are actually pretty good. Not sure they will be around too much longer because they have been phasing the version 3 for over a year now.
But yeah, they are $82,51 each for the fronts with a 4 out of 5 star rating. They were on it when I bought it and I put 50k on the first set without complaints.
<edit> Most performance tires are directional, so the only way to "rotate" them is to un-mount and remount the tire from the rim.
Last edited by 66dts-v; Sep 21, 2016 at 07:01 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
Here's a short section of it. It's 45mph with mostly 25-30mph corners.
I've got about 30k into the current set (bought them almost a year ago), but would like to step up to the C5Z wheels once I have the new shocks and sway bars in. So this will be my last set. But there is still a lot of tread left.
I haven't ever raced my car, but I drive it the way god intended (and why I bought it). These tires are not great in the rain, but I know that and drive correctly for the conditions.
<edit> Google says 21min, it's more like 14.
<edit2> This shot is from about 1/4 mile after you take the right off Skyline. Skyline runs along the ridge, then Rocky Pointe Rd drops you down to the river and HWY 30.
Last edited by 66dts-v; Sep 22, 2016 at 03:10 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 691
From: West Virginia
Have you done the obvious, like checking front camber and toe? My C5 also tends to wear front inside edges of tires, but not so badly as to require new tires prematurely. But once they are down to the wear lines, the inside tread is definitely AWOL. And by that time the rears are toast as well.