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Ok so I redid my front end incl:
Removed all FRONT control arms sand blast and reseal coat
Installed polyurethane bushings in all 4 control arms
C6 Z06 shocks and sway bars
Metal end links
Front wheel bearings
Tie Rod ends
Rebuilt calipers and brake hoses
Installed front lowering bolts
I expected the alignment to be way off however it is really bad and I need to drive it because it sounds like something is off (not right) in the front end.
So my question is with my steering wheel straight? What Do I need to adjust to bring the wheels in?
However when I am driving straight the steering wheel instead of being horizontal it is at a full 90 deg right turn going straight.
Thanks
Nick
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
I know this won't help you now but if you ever have to remove the lcas again mark the eccentric bolts in relation to the cradle and when you replace tie rod ends measure the length of old ones when installed on the rack before you remove them and match the new ones up to that measurement... this will not get your alignment perfect but it will get you much much closer than where you are at this point... your front tires are severely toed out that's why your steering wheel is so far off... the wheels try to correct themselves to go straight and it pulls the steering wheel in whichever direction it needs to go... the car will drive and handle like complete crap the way it is which I'm sure you know by now, personally I wouldn't even attempt to drive it that way... you need to adjust the tie rods to pull the front part of the wheels inward
Crank the lower A-arm bolts to push the arms out OR shorten the tie rods at the outer ends by loosening the nut and screwing the tie rod into the ball joint.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
adjusting the lcas is going to change camber or caster, which I have no doubts are off as well, but to get the tires straight you need to adjust the toe via the tie rod ends... changing the camber/caster settings might change the toe very slightly but his is obviously WAY off, so far off that adjusting the lcas isn't going to fix it... just get the wheels pointing straight and get it aligned immediately, if you continue driving it like that you are going to eat your tires up
adjusting the lcas is going to change camber or caster, which I have no doubts are off as well, but to get the tires straight you need to adjust the toe via the tie rod ends... changing the camber/caster settings might change the toe very slightly but his is obviously WAY off, so far off that adjusting the lcas isn't going to fix it... just get the wheels pointing straight and get it aligned immediately, if you continue driving it like that you are going to eat your tires up
The arms move something like 3/4". Moving them out moves the spindle out the same amount at the bottom where the tie rod attaches. It would cause MUCH more than a slight change...
First off thank you very much,
I tried to drive it yesterday and made it to the immediate next door neighbors house and came right back. I am getting it aligned Im just thinking/ hoping the toe being off that much is why the car felt like complete ****.
So I hope fixing toe cures my suspicion of something installed wrong in front end and its at least driveable to the shop to align it.
Thanks
Nick
As noted above, before you did all this you should have marked the eccentric bolts on the lower control arms and also counted the number of turns on each of the tie rod ends, and when you put on the new parts it would have been a lot closer and probably it would have at least been driveable.
I would take some string and set it up so you can measure toe and at least adjust it so that you can drive it down to the shop and get it properly aligned.
Looking at your pictures, you camber needs to be a little more negative, so move the lower a-arms outward, about 1/8". After that, bring in your tie rod about 1/4" on the left side, and about 3/16" on the right side......this is just a guesstimate, based on the pictures.
However, if your ride height isn't where you want it to be, set that first.
Have someone help you... wrap the string around the back side of the back tire as close to the center of the tire/wheel as you can... stretch it tight and go past the front tire... keeping the string so that it just barely touches the edges of the rear tire... if your careful and watch the line so that it is just barely touching the front side of the rear tire as you stretch it tight then you will be able to set the front tire to be "inline" with the rear...simple but it does work, then go get an alignment...
just turn the tie rod ends inward until they look pretty straight. if you want to mess with the eccentrics, then put the bolts at 6 o'clock and adjust toe from there. that'll be close enough to get you to the alignment shop.
Alignment gurus step in!!!
