Witmer

There is a great thread called “Show off your C5’s stance!!! Post your pics!” found here https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...r-pics-47.html.
For street use, I like the look of lowered suspension and tires flush with the fenders. For those of you that have purposely pushed your wheels/tires out, how did you dial-in the final adjustments? Are you using spacers/adapters or changing your camber? I know that wheel offset and tire brand/size also come into play. But given my current setup, what adjustments would you make?

Here is my current stance:
I recently installed LG GT2 coilovers per Toque’s procedure from a few years back. After many iterations of adjustments, I have the height, rake, camber, caster and toe close to where I want it. I’m now putting some miles on the car before doing another round of adjustments.




To determine flushness with fenders, I used a plumb line, running over the fender and through the center of the wheel.


Front wheels have negative 0.5 degree camber. I want to be between -0.5 and -1.0. At -0.5 degrees, this puts my gap to flush at ~3/8” from widest part of tire or ~1/2” from top of wheel. (Need to add 1/8” to ruler measurement to adjust for left margin on the ruler). From where should I measure? I assume from widest part of tire?




Rear wheels are pretty close; within ~1/8”. However, my rear camber is currently reading positive 0.1 degree, so I need to adjust the bottom of the wheel out some more. That might make the gap a little bigger.





Here are options from motorsport-tech.com and my understanding on how to implement:
3mm (~1/8”) spacer
5mm spacer
7mm (~1/4”)spacer (may need longer bolts)
12mm (~1/2”) spacer (would need longer bolts)
15mm spacer (would need longer bolts)
15mm adapter w/ studs (will need to trim old bolts)
20mm adapter w/ studs (may need to trim old bolts)
25mm (~1.0”) adapter w/ studs

So what adjustments would you make to this setup to get the tires more flush with the fenders? The rears seem to be easy. After making camber a little more negative, I’ll remeasure and decide on a 3, 5 or 7mm spacer, if anything. I am not really sure what I want to do with the fronts, especially when replacing the bolts or shaving the old bolts come into play.

Disclaimers:
1) Spacers or adapters will be used for street use only. I have different wheels for the strip and any spacers or adapters will be removed for HPDE or any other performance driving.
2) Yes, I measured both driver and passenger sides. Fronts were identical. Rears were a little different, but so was the camber. I would split the difference if the two sides were different.
3) Yes, only my opinion counts when it comes to my car. Regardless, I’m curious of the thought process others had when adjusting their own car.
4) I'm adjusting my alignment by using a digital camber/caster tool from Longacre with wheel adapter.
5) Your results may vary.

InfiniteReality

I'm running longer ARP studs in my front hubs with 3/8" spacers. For the rear I cut the tips of my studs and used 1" adapters and running OEM C6 wheels (I think front is +56, rear is +79). I haven't put a tape on it, but I think to get both front and rear within same specs, the fronts either need to come out a hair more or the rears in a hair. My car is getting an alignment right now, so that opinion may change here shortly.

I ultimately went with what I already owned that came off my old WS6, so figured I'd try it out first and liked it so not planning on changing anything.

This is just my opinion, but visually how some C5's pull it off better than others is wheel size. With my 18/19's, I have a smaller (and more importantly) flatter sidewall with more wheel. To me I think that's what helps pull it off as well. Heck, even the wheel color/style could potentially change the look where as one color/style may look bigger than other color/style. If I put my factory thin spokes back on, I don't think it would look as good in my opinion.

It looks like you're running stock 17/18 combo? I know it's kind of pointless to get new wheels, but think bigger ones would appear more flush.

All that being said, I don't like my 18's in the front. They look too small when compared to the rear, 19's all around would look so much better IMO, without going too big.

Witmer

Looking good, InfiniteReality.

Yes, I'm running 17/18 now and I think 18/19 or 19/19 will look a lot better. I'm keeping my eyes open for some used CCW's but plan to run the 17/18s until I wear out this set of NT05s. Then I'll get new wheels and tires at the same time and play with the flushness all over again.

Did you put the ARP studs in yourself?

InfiniteReality

I agree no need to go bigger till new tires or if wanted to you could put them in for sale area on here and see if anyone bites for what you want for them?

I'm not sure if I missed it but you're not running anything right now, right?

Yep I swapped them myself. Pretty easy to do really. Used a heavier than normal hammer, not sure what it's called but looks like a mini sledgehammer. OEM ones knock out easily. To install new ones, since I didn't have any spare open end lugs, I stopped by Napa (was closest parts store) and picked up 3 12mm*1.5 open end lugs and also asked for some matching watchers, the ones they grabbed were pretty thick, probably 1/4". Push the new lugs thru, add a washer and tighten the nut down by hand. Put the impact on high, make sure it's level and let it do all the work. Just used a new lug and washer for next one, and repeat while rotating thru them. You'll find there's only one spot where you can get the longer bolts to fit thru, but it's easy to find.

peteinpa

My HRE wheels were manufactured with offsets that make them fit flush. Basically if order custom wheels you can specify the offset you need. I too am running 17/18 and am lowered on stock bolts. I kind of like having the original tire sizes, the additional sidewall helps to cushion the bumps a bit.