People that have been on factory tour...
08-16-2012, 11:30 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
People that have been on factory tour...
Did you ever see if and where they align the car correctly? I think they just put the car together and send it off. If so, shouldn't the dealer align. This problem is is getting way out of hand. My rear toe was 1"1/16" tires are trash at 3000 miles. Goodyear should step in since smart people use their tire warranty and Goodyear pays. This is F@ckin Clown shoes! 
Yes I know there are a few of you that are lucky, good for you.
Yes I know there are a few of you that are lucky, good for you.
08-17-2012, 12:02 AM
#2
Great post. I've been on the VIP tour, and come to think of it I can't specifically remember an "alignment bay." Maybe the tour didn't cover it? Maybe I don't remember it??? Maybe the car is designed to be perfectly aligned when assembled correctly?
One would think there exists some sort of check for alignment on a brand spanking new automobile that costs 50-120 thousand dollars. Although, it would not surprise me if GM neglects this. GM engineering =
One would think there exists some sort of check for alignment on a brand spanking new automobile that costs 50-120 thousand dollars. Although, it would not surprise me if GM neglects this. GM engineering =
08-17-2012, 12:07 AM
#3
Race Director
I believe the car is aligned at the "dyno-tunnel station" at the end of the final assembly line...
EDIT: MidYear, thanks for clarifying...I got the sequencing wrong !
EDIT: MidYear, thanks for clarifying...I got the sequencing wrong !
Last edited by Gary '09 C6; 08-17-2012 at 12:18 AM.
08-17-2012, 12:15 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
after the car comes out of the white light final inspection tunnel it is driven over some bumps to adjust the suspension then pulled over a pit /alignment area, techs are in the pit and allign the car to the current specs. Grandsport alignment is set very aggressive. the car then leaves that area to the dyno room and then to the water room..then brought outside. If I lost my tires due to alignment at 3000 miles I would be at the dealer screaming for the area Rep and demand new tires and less aggressive alignment. I aligned my car with 2600 miles on it using the PFADT specs for street strip and could tell the difference right off the bat..amazing change in the feel of the car.
08-17-2012, 07:09 PM
#5
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St. Jude Donor '13
The C6 factory alignment specs are outrageously broad, almost anything will be "within factory spec" even though the handling still might not be as good as it could be, and your tires melt faster than an ice cream cone.
Part of that is because the suspension will settle somewhat over the first thousand miles, even a perfect factory alignment can be junk in a hurry.
We've bought three new Corvettes (2001, 2006, 2009), each of them got checked after a couple of thousand miles, and each had at least one parameter that was outside even the overly-broad GM specs.
After about about two thousand miles, tell the dealer "it handles funny" and get them to do a warranty alignment check. If your dealer is cooperative, bring them the Pfadt Street alignment numbers (just write 'em on a piece of paper), and emphasize you want just a bit of toe-IN, never any toe-OUT. Pfadt numbers are within the GM range, so shouldn't be a problem.
Part of that is because the suspension will settle somewhat over the first thousand miles, even a perfect factory alignment can be junk in a hurry.
We've bought three new Corvettes (2001, 2006, 2009), each of them got checked after a couple of thousand miles, and each had at least one parameter that was outside even the overly-broad GM specs.
After about about two thousand miles, tell the dealer "it handles funny" and get them to do a warranty alignment check. If your dealer is cooperative, bring them the Pfadt Street alignment numbers (just write 'em on a piece of paper), and emphasize you want just a bit of toe-IN, never any toe-OUT. Pfadt numbers are within the GM range, so shouldn't be a problem.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; 08-17-2012 at 07:12 PM.
08-17-2012, 08:14 PM
#6
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St. Jude Donor '17
I don't know if I have seen these Pfadt specs. Can someone post them? I am going to alignment shop Monday anyway.
08-17-2012, 08:21 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
Just do a search under Pfadt and I will bet you will find several discussions the the Alignment specs. As I understand it GM will allow you one Alignment after 500 miles and before 7500 miles.
08-17-2012, 08:24 PM
#8
Team Owner
Did you ever see if and where they align the car correctly? I think they just put the car together and send it off. If so, shouldn't the dealer align. This problem is is getting way out of hand. My rear toe was 1"1/16" tires are trash at 3000 miles. Goodyear should step in since smart people use their tire warranty and Goodyear pays. This is F@ckin Clown shoes!
Yes I know there are a few of you that are lucky, good for you.
Yes I know there are a few of you that are lucky, good for you.
In 2010 the alignment station underwent a $70,000 renovation to update the alignment facility to a state of the art laser alignment station.
There are operators in a pit under the shop floor making the adjustments and an operator on the floor facilitating.
They hardly "assemble it and send it on it's way.". The problem is that the car has been suspended for two days with the suspension in full rebound. It has 75 feet to settle and a 35mph romp over rumble strips to set the suspension prior to alignment. Further complicating this is the days it spends on a hauler tied down on the way to the dealer.
08-17-2012, 09:22 PM
#9
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
suffice to say, regardless of what one "thinks the factory should do," if you are on here either BEFORE you buy a car, or just after....it is obvious: get a good alignment. I'm not faulting OP for feeling badly since I would, too.
but I knew about this and got it fixed at my expense at 4K miles on the clock. I read CF-C6, that's why I knew about it. you can call it, the cost of owning a high performance sports/touring car. just like the tires (most decent brands) for the C6 cost more than for a Kia or Yugo.
but I knew about this and got it fixed at my expense at 4K miles on the clock. I read CF-C6, that's why I knew about it. you can call it, the cost of owning a high performance sports/touring car. just like the tires (most decent brands) for the C6 cost more than for a Kia or Yugo.
08-17-2012, 09:32 PM
#10
The alignment is performed in between where the car drives off the line and the DVT (Dynamic Vehicle Test) dyno booth.
In 2010 the alignment station underwent a $70,000 renovation to update the alignment facility to a state of the art laser alignment station.
There are operators in a pit under the shop floor making the adjustments and an operator on the floor facilitating.
They hardly "assemble it and send it on it's way.". The problem is that the car has been suspended for two days with the suspension in full rebound. It has 75 feet to settle and a 35mph romp over rumble strips to set the suspension prior to alignment. Further complicating this is the days it spends on a hauler tied down on the way to the dealer.
In 2010 the alignment station underwent a $70,000 renovation to update the alignment facility to a state of the art laser alignment station.
There are operators in a pit under the shop floor making the adjustments and an operator on the floor facilitating.
They hardly "assemble it and send it on it's way.". The problem is that the car has been suspended for two days with the suspension in full rebound. It has 75 feet to settle and a 35mph romp over rumble strips to set the suspension prior to alignment. Further complicating this is the days it spends on a hauler tied down on the way to the dealer.
I took the tour today and this is how it was done.
08-17-2012, 09:53 PM
#12
The alignment is performed in between where the car drives off the line and the DVT (Dynamic Vehicle Test) dyno booth.
In 2010 the alignment station underwent a $70,000 renovation to update the alignment facility to a state of the art laser alignment station.
There are operators in a pit under the shop floor making the adjustments and an operator on the floor facilitating.
They hardly "assemble it and send it on it's way.". The problem is that the car has been suspended for two days with the suspension in full rebound. It has 75 feet to settle and a 35mph romp over rumble strips to set the suspension prior to alignment. Further complicating this is the days it spends on a hauler tied down on the way to the dealer.
In 2010 the alignment station underwent a $70,000 renovation to update the alignment facility to a state of the art laser alignment station.
There are operators in a pit under the shop floor making the adjustments and an operator on the floor facilitating.
They hardly "assemble it and send it on it's way.". The problem is that the car has been suspended for two days with the suspension in full rebound. It has 75 feet to settle and a 35mph romp over rumble strips to set the suspension prior to alignment. Further complicating this is the days it spends on a hauler tied down on the way to the dealer.
08-17-2012, 09:57 PM
#13
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08-17-2012, 10:17 PM
#14
Race Car Tech
The alignment specs are found in this Thread.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...alignment.html
or: http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...13452562710051
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...alignment.html
or: http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...13452562710051
