Alignment question
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 86
Likes: 3
Alignment question
Well, it appears I am in need of a front end alignment on my 2005. I noticed today that the outer edge of both front tires is wearing, and the left one seems a bit feathered.
These are Michelin Pilot's with about 6000 miles on them.
Anyway, does anyone have a recommendation on where to take the car for an alignment. Should I find a dealer that can do it? A respected national chain? And is there anything special I need to ask about when I take the car in?
Many thanks
These are Michelin Pilot's with about 6000 miles on them.Anyway, does anyone have a recommendation on where to take the car for an alignment. Should I find a dealer that can do it? A respected national chain? And is there anything special I need to ask about when I take the car in?
Many thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
Dealer? NO!
National chain? No.
Look for an independent shop that specializes in high end cars, ask them if they know how to do Vettes. When you decide on a place, talk to the technician and make sure he understands what you want, like probably all street driving with good tire wear.
Give him this sheet and tell him you want the Pure Street specs, as close to exact as possible, same on both sides, no range.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
National chain? No.
Look for an independent shop that specializes in high end cars, ask them if they know how to do Vettes. When you decide on a place, talk to the technician and make sure he understands what you want, like probably all street driving with good tire wear.
Give him this sheet and tell him you want the Pure Street specs, as close to exact as possible, same on both sides, no range.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 289
Likes: 13
From: San Jose CA
If you are uncertain where to go, post up your location and maybe someone local to you can steer you in the right direction. You could also send an email to your local Corvette club and get a list of recommended shops. Also check into Pfadt street specs for your alignment settings, you will find that these alignment specs are just a stricter version of the factory specs, and they will improve overall tire wear.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,118
Likes: 121
From: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
I have mine done at NTB, a national (or maybe regional) chain and they do a good job. Probably depends on the particular store and the individual mechanic.
I took it to an independent dealer once and he said he didn't work on Corvettes. I guess he had dealt with some obsessive Vette owners.
I took it to an independent dealer once and he said he didn't work on Corvettes. I guess he had dealt with some obsessive Vette owners.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 86
Likes: 3
Thanks for the recommendations, and thanks Rick T for the alignment specs. I will contact some local places and see if they do Vettes and kinda feel it out for the best one. I'll stay away from the dealer, and the only "chain" store in these parts is Les Schwab. (I'm on the very far southwest Washington coast...... look up South Bend WA if you are interested.)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 7,001
Likes: 988
From: lake havasu city arizona
Dealer? NO!
National chain? No.
Look for an independent shop that specializes in high end cars, ask them if they know how to do Vettes. When you decide on a place, talk to the technician and make sure he understands what you want, like probably all street driving with good tire wear.
Give him this sheet and tell him you want the Pure Street specs, as close to exact as possible, same on both sides, no range.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
National chain? No.
Look for an independent shop that specializes in high end cars, ask them if they know how to do Vettes. When you decide on a place, talk to the technician and make sure he understands what you want, like probably all street driving with good tire wear.
Give him this sheet and tell him you want the Pure Street specs, as close to exact as possible, same on both sides, no range.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
Do you not have to have some "toe" to prevent wandering or tramling ??
NSF
NSF
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 461
From: Southern Utah
Dealer? NO!
National chain? No.
Look for an independent shop that specializes in high end cars, ask them if they know how to do Vettes. When you decide on a place, talk to the technician and make sure he understands what you want, like probably all street driving with good tire wear.
Give him this sheet and tell him you want the Pure Street specs, as close to exact as possible, same on both sides, no range.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
National chain? No.
Look for an independent shop that specializes in high end cars, ask them if they know how to do Vettes. When you decide on a place, talk to the technician and make sure he understands what you want, like probably all street driving with good tire wear.
Give him this sheet and tell him you want the Pure Street specs, as close to exact as possible, same on both sides, no range.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
Although Les Schwab is a particularly good tire store...you might check with them
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,680
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Toe-OUT is not nice; it makes the car twitchy and wears the inside edges of your tires. I think only an over-caffeinated autocrosser would want toe-out.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; Sep 22, 2016 at 01:30 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 7,001
Likes: 988
From: lake havasu city arizona
In some versions of the PFADT street specs, IIRC the remarks section does call for a very slight amount of toe-in. They call toe-IN as a negative number but all alignment machines I've had used, show toe-IN as a positive number. I have mine set with very slight toe-IN and it's fine.
Toe-OUT is not nice; it makes the car twitchy and wears the inside edges of your tires. I think only an over-caffeinated autocrosser would want toe-out.
Toe-OUT is not nice; it makes the car twitchy and wears the inside edges of your tires. I think only an over-caffeinated autocrosser would want toe-out.
Thanks
NSF
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,407
Likes: 3,482
From: Granada Hills CA
[QUOTE=MikeERWNC;1593110638]Terry the mechanic at my local Jacky Jones Chevrolet has always done a decent alignment for my car.
The price is always acceptable as well.
Not all dealerships suck![/QUOTE
My local Chevy dealer [Rydell in Northridge CA] has a cracker-jack Corvette mechanic in Donny Yorke. My service advisor told me that Donny doesn't waste his time on alignments but they have a guy, Julio, who is great. Brought in my car w/ Pfadt street specs and I left with the car at those specs. Totally satisfied, especially after a previous bad experience at Discount Tire where they left my steering wheel off-center.
My Chevy dealer has qualified techs who know their product and their experience shows.
The price is always acceptable as well.
Not all dealerships suck![/QUOTE
My local Chevy dealer [Rydell in Northridge CA] has a cracker-jack Corvette mechanic in Donny Yorke. My service advisor told me that Donny doesn't waste his time on alignments but they have a guy, Julio, who is great. Brought in my car w/ Pfadt street specs and I left with the car at those specs. Totally satisfied, especially after a previous bad experience at Discount Tire where they left my steering wheel off-center.
My Chevy dealer has qualified techs who know their product and their experience shows.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,680
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 199
From: Bay Area Ca.
Too much front total toe.
Toe is what scrubs the tire for wear.
Keep the front total under .05
Camber is a wee high to for street and best wear characteristics, both front and back.
But in all acceptable, watch for wear.
Comparing to PFadt street specs.
I run their specs exactly and wear is very even.
Toe is what scrubs the tire for wear.
Keep the front total under .05
Camber is a wee high to for street and best wear characteristics, both front and back.
But in all acceptable, watch for wear.
Comparing to PFadt street specs.
I run their specs exactly and wear is very even.
Last edited by Boomer111; Sep 22, 2016 at 07:58 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 16,826
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From: T-Town WA
2016 C6 of Year Finalist
Thanks for the recommendations, and thanks Rick T for the alignment specs. I will contact some local places and see if they do Vettes and kinda feel it out for the best one. I'll stay away from the dealer, and the only "chain" store in these parts is Les Schwab. (I'm on the very far southwest Washington coast...... look up South Bend WA if you are interested.)
Also, make sure the 'drive on rack' is something your vette can 'drive on'.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 436
From: Boca Raton Florida
Pfadt street specs are not fit all. It depends on how you drive snd where you drive. If it is mostly straight line it should be fine. But if you are constantly turning and burning it is not. Ops tires are wearing outside edges that means aggressive cornering with not enough negative camber On pfadt street specs my tires wore inside more ( not just edges, the inside half). I went with their more aggressive street/ strip with more camber and that evened out the wear across the thread. The point is one size does not fit all, you need to keep measuring the thread depths side to side once a month initially, make adjustments and observe how it effected it. It took me about a year to figure out what my car needed to wear the tires evenly given my driving style and roads i travel on which excludes straight interstates.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 199
From: Bay Area Ca.
Pfadt street specs are not fit all. It depends on how you drive snd where you drive. If it is mostly straight line it should be fine. But if you are constantly turning and burning it is not. Ops tires are wearing outside edges that means aggressive cornering with not enough negative camber On pfadt street specs my tires wore inside more ( not just edges, the inside half). I went with their more aggressive street/ strip with more camber and that evened out the wear across the thread. The point is one size does not fit all, you need to keep measuring the thread depths side to side once a month initially, make adjustments and observe how it effected it. It took me about a year to figure out what my car needed to wear the tires evenly given my driving style and roads i travel on which excludes straight interstates.
AS WELL AS PROPER TIRE PSI.
The way I drive the factory 30 psi cold along with spot on street specs gives me uniform tire wear.
Just a tad more wear on both edges both inside and outer, just a 1/2mm after 8,000 miles.
This in itself would suggest a lower tire pressure is called for.
I ran 30-31 hot for the first 4,000 or so miles and then switched back to the 30 cold.
Admittedly my driving habits have changed too, I do not see the curves as much any more due to traffic conditions.
I general I am satisfied though and I would think the guys running higher than the 30 cold are going to see increased center tire wear.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 86
Likes: 3
Just wanted to chime in here as the OP. Found a really good local alignment shop here that was able to do the Vette for me. They let me watch and ask questions while they did the job. They were more than happy to align the car to the Pfadt pure street specs iinstead of just what the factory recommends, and even recommended I drop the pressure to 30 instead of the 32 it is running with. They even spent an extra 15 minutes going over the whole front and rear suspension rom head to toe. Driving it is like night and day! It drives like a dream now and handles much smoother and sharper.
Thanks for all the help folks!
Glenn
Thanks for all the help folks!
Glenn