Front tire wear
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 31
From: Reno Nevada
Front tire wear
I've got 32,000 miles on my 04 C5, so I got it up in the air, changed the oil, and took my front tires off. Holy smokes, WTF is up with the wear on the inside of the tire? Should my front end be aligned, or do these all wear on the inside?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
Inside tire wear is a common issue. The Z06 specification and the more aggressive alignments use more camber. That can cause inside tire wear, although the car may perform better for autocross or racing.
For better tire wear set the camber very near to Zero. The street performance will be almost the same (it will still handle like a Corvette) and tires will wear better.
Good luck.
For better tire wear set the camber very near to Zero. The street performance will be almost the same (it will still handle like a Corvette) and tires will wear better.
Good luck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-corvette.html
Use the factory settings i posted.
Signed - the alignment guy
Use the factory settings i posted.
Signed - the alignment guy
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
Front tire wear is typically harder to see unless you make an effort. What I try to do with my cars is once a month when I have the car out I park it with the wheels turned which makes it very easy to visually check them.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 594
From: Prescott, Arizona
I have found that the factory settings will wear both front tires on the inside. I believe that this is because the best grip at higher cornering loads is achieved with negative front camber in the minus 1/2 degree range. It is my belief that the Z06 factory camber setting shown in the link from mrr23 above is more negative than the base car for just that reason.
Unless you are tracking the car, I would set front camber at about zero and fine tune that after you have enough measureable differential wear to estimate a change.
Unless you are tracking the car, I would set front camber at about zero and fine tune that after you have enough measureable differential wear to estimate a change.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
Signed - the alignment guy
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
I have found that the factory settings will wear both front tires on the inside. I believe that this is because the best grip at higher cornering loads is achieved with negative front camber in the minus 1/2 degree range. It is my belief that the Z06 factory camber setting shown in the link from mrr23 above is more negative than the base car for just that reason.
Unless you are tracking the car, I would set front camber at about zero and fine tune that after you have enough measureable differential wear to estimate a change.
Unless you are tracking the car, I would set front camber at about zero and fine tune that after you have enough measureable differential wear to estimate a change.
01-04 except Z06
front*
camber -0.20* +/- 0.50*
caster 7.40* +/- 0.50*
total toe 0.08* +/- 0.20*
rear
camber -0.18* +/- 0.50*
total toe -0.02* +/- 0.20*
Signed - the alignment guy
Last edited by mrr23; Dec 31, 2014 at 12:07 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Both the toe and camber work to wear the wheels. If you tilt the wheel onto the inside edge and then toe it so it's sliding it will scrub off the edge of the tire.
Specs like "total toe 0.08* +/- 0.20*" don't help much if you think the toe can be anywhere from +0.28* to -0.12*.....
Try about -0.4* camber, 0.1* toe in at each wheel and as much front caster as you can get while putting about 0.5* extra caster in the RF compared to the LF, typically in the 6.5* to 7.5* range. Keep the settings the same left and right. The factory used toe out on the rear and others recommend toe-in. If you want to go the factory way, use 0.1* toe out at each rear wheel.
Specs like "total toe 0.08* +/- 0.20*" don't help much if you think the toe can be anywhere from +0.28* to -0.12*.....
Try about -0.4* camber, 0.1* toe in at each wheel and as much front caster as you can get while putting about 0.5* extra caster in the RF compared to the LF, typically in the 6.5* to 7.5* range. Keep the settings the same left and right. The factory used toe out on the rear and others recommend toe-in. If you want to go the factory way, use 0.1* toe out at each rear wheel.
Last edited by lionelhutz; Dec 31, 2014 at 10:53 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
You are wanting him to use a huge amount of toe at .10 at each wheel. Really hoping you meant. .01 or else he'll definately see edge wear on the tires.
The tolerances posted are what GM sees as an acceptable range. Not even I agree on that.
Make sure it is as close as possible to the posted numbers with about 0.30 higher caster on right to offset pull to right due to road crown.
The tolerances posted are what GM sees as an acceptable range. Not even I agree on that.
Make sure it is as close as possible to the posted numbers with about 0.30 higher caster on right to offset pull to right due to road crown.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
Having 0.30 higher caster on right is the most needed. I have set at 0.50 and the car would pull left.
Signed - the alignment guy
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
Minimal. I have 325/30-19 on my car. Daily driving.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
You should make up your mind on what is good. You just told him in a previous post that it's OK to use up to 0.28* total toe-in.
Keep all the same but the extra caster in the RF. My car has 0.3* extra caster in the RF.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
My rear-end had 0.3* and 0.5* of camber and my 305/30/19 tires had slightly more inner wear on the 0.5* side compared to the 0.3* side. I ran those PS2's for about 40k miles though, so it doesn't make much difference or have much effect on tire life.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
My alignment sheet says 0.1* toe in per wheel, 0.2* total toe and I'm not experiencing any excessive wear.
You should make up your mind on what is good. You just told him in a previous post that it's OK to use up to 0.28* total toe-in.
Keep all the same but the extra caster in the RF. My car has 0.3* extra caster in the RF.
You should make up your mind on what is good. You just told him in a previous post that it's OK to use up to 0.28* total toe-in.
Keep all the same but the extra caster in the RF. My car has 0.3* extra caster in the RF.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
You posted that he should use the GM specs, hence you are endorsing those numbers as being OK.
You also just spew crap about what everyone else recommends without making any recommendations yourself. You post to use the GM numbers and then post that you don't agree with them. If you don't agree with the GM numbers then why don't you post up the numbers you would use instead of recommending to use the GM numbers????
Last edited by lionelhutz; Dec 31, 2014 at 06:30 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
I never posted to use the GM specs.
You posted that he should use the GM specs, hence you are endorsing those numbers as being OK.
You also just spew crap about what everyone else recommends without making any recommendations yourself. You post to use the GM numbers and then post that you don't agree with them. If you don't agree with the GM numbers then why don't you post up the numbers you would use instead of recommending to use the GM numbers????
You posted that he should use the GM specs, hence you are endorsing those numbers as being OK.
You also just spew crap about what everyone else recommends without making any recommendations yourself. You post to use the GM numbers and then post that you don't agree with them. If you don't agree with the GM numbers then why don't you post up the numbers you would use instead of recommending to use the GM numbers????
and i don't make recommendations? i sure did when i said use GM specs/settings for best tire wear.
but we digress. there's nothing wrong with the ideas you have for what actual numbers to use. they work for you. when i listen to a customer and what their needs are, i will give a recommendation to that end.
if they want best tire wear, i use GM specs. they want better handling and don't mind a little tire wear, then i will change specs accordingly.
i've been running an alignment shop for the last 14 years. i align anything from regular cars to semis, i've aligned drag car, SCCA and track cars. i make recommendations daily.
here's my credentials on this forum alone
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-orlando.html
talk to anyone one of those people and see what they say.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
Likes: 120
From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
so when the OP asked specs for BEST Tire wear, i was dead on accurate. use the GM specs, not the tolerances allowed.
i will do better in my explanations in the future as what numbers i am referring to. thanks for bringing it up to my attention. i like feedback positive or negative.