Front end rides the rut's- help!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The main reason your car fights the ruts is due to the width of the front tires. Changing air pressure would have little or no affect on the problem. Tire construction might make a difference, though. I don't remember what it was like on my previous C5 with runflats, but on the Z06 is not bad so I imagine a non-runflat might have less of a problem. As far as alignment issues are concerned, camber has nothing to do with steering wander. Camber affects handling in turns. You put alot of negative camber in your front end and you'll wear your tires out real fast but it will stick like glue in a tight turn. Caster is what affects wander and steering return after a turn. It is also what is usually wrong if your car has a pull. You can increase caster slightly to combat the wander in ruts but it will also make your all-around steering effort feel heavier.
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 14,542
Likes: 5
Originally Posted by striper
...Caster is what affects wander and steering return after a turn. It is also what is usually wrong if your car has a pull. You can increase caster slightly to combat the wander in ruts but it will also make your all-around steering effort feel heavier.
I have the heaviest caster setting I can find on my C5 (I like firmer steering), and the ruts are a lot less noticable now.
Plus, it saves your power steering pump.
Last edited by EHS; Jul 20, 2006 at 01:17 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Originally Posted by striper
The main reason your car fights the ruts is due to the width of the front tires. Changing air pressure would have little or no affect on the problem. Tire construction might make a difference, though. I don't remember what it was like on my previous C5 with runflats, but on the Z06 is not bad so I imagine a non-runflat might have less of a problem. As far as alignment issues are concerned, camber has nothing to do with steering wander. Camber affects handling in turns. You put alot of negative camber in your front end and you'll wear your tires out real fast but it will stick like glue in a tight turn. Caster is what affects wander and steering return after a turn. It is also what is usually wrong if your car has a pull. You can increase caster slightly to combat the wander in ruts but it will also make your all-around steering effort feel heavier.
With both you and EHS on this. Keep the caster at or very close to 7 degrees or so, and use non-runflat tires and you should almost completely eliminate "tracking". 
Robert
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
The stock Goodyears on my '98 were "rut grabbers". Replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S ZPs, road force balanced. It's amazing how the ruts have vanished, even before doing a realignment. I run 30psi, cold.
Last edited by PierEagle; Jul 20, 2006 at 01:21 AM.
