Front Tires Cupping on Inside
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 7
From: Greensboro NC
Front Tires Cupping on Inside
Just noticed that my front tires have significant cupping on the inside portion of the tread. Otherwise the tires look as good as could be expected for 14K miles. I don't have any vibration; however have significant tire noise from the front tires.
Can anyone tell me the type of alignment equipment I should look for at my/any dealer to ensure a good alignment. I figure I'm going to have to have the front two balanced and probably a four wheel alignment (although my rear tires are wearing well).
Any recommendation(s) would be appreciated.
Can anyone tell me the type of alignment equipment I should look for at my/any dealer to ensure a good alignment. I figure I'm going to have to have the front two balanced and probably a four wheel alignment (although my rear tires are wearing well).
Any recommendation(s) would be appreciated.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 129
From: Providence Forge, VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Just noticed that my front tires have significant cupping on the inside portion of the tread. Otherwise the tires look as good as could be expected for 14K miles. I don't have any vibration; however have significant tire noise from the front tires.
Can anyone tell me the type of alignment equipment I should look for at my/any dealer to ensure a good alignment. I figure I'm going to have to have the front two balanced and probably a four wheel alignment (although my rear tires are wearing well).
Any recommendation(s) would be appreciated.
Can anyone tell me the type of alignment equipment I should look for at my/any dealer to ensure a good alignment. I figure I'm going to have to have the front two balanced and probably a four wheel alignment (although my rear tires are wearing well).
Any recommendation(s) would be appreciated.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
Cupping is due to either an unbalance tire, bad shock or spring. The reason it shows the wear on the inside of the tire is due to camber which is an alignment issue.
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Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 341
Likes: 3
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
I recently had the same problem. I went to my dealer & the service advisor tried to tell me that it was normal. I asked to see the service manager, he was very helpful after I asked to speak to the service director. The manager called a Tech Advisor at GM, the Tech advisor said that the cupping was not normal & recomended to set the Camber at least .3 to .4 more positive, which they did. I will keep a close eye on the tires from now on. I hope this helps you. 
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,347
Likes: 25
From: Apache Junction AZ
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 7
From: Greensboro NC
I recently had the same problem. I went to my dealer & the service advisor tried to tell me that it was normal. I asked to see the service manager, he was very helpful after I asked to speak to the service director. The manager called a Tech Advisor at GM, the Tech advisor said that the cupping was not normal & recomended to set the Camber at least .3 to .4 more positive, which they did. I will keep a close eye on the tires from now on. I hope this helps you.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 513
Likes: 15
From: Utah
Corvette C6 Alignment Custom "QuickCorvettes" Set up
Here are settings that will give good performace to a C6 -Z51 car. These are my own custom QuickCorvettes settings. I have tested now on 2 cars, with no significant wear. Handling dramatically better. *This is not a recommendation but a good baseline to start from. If anything go less, not more, until the car feels right.
Cheers
Front set up
Caster 7.5-8.5 deg
Camber -0.6 negative camber, max -0.8 negative camber (car will rail nicely) above this tire wear very quickly. Ie. -1.0 will burn up the insides.
Toe 1/16 total toe out. Works very well.
Rear Set up
Camber -0.8 negative camber, max -1.0 with no tire wear
Toe 1/16 inch total toe in (minimal), max 1/8 inch total toe in (better for high speed stability)
I run 30-31 pounds at 4 corners cold. 28 cold for HPDE. GY Supercar Runflats.
Cheers
Front set up
Caster 7.5-8.5 deg
Camber -0.6 negative camber, max -0.8 negative camber (car will rail nicely) above this tire wear very quickly. Ie. -1.0 will burn up the insides.
Toe 1/16 total toe out. Works very well.
Rear Set up
Camber -0.8 negative camber, max -1.0 with no tire wear
Toe 1/16 inch total toe in (minimal), max 1/8 inch total toe in (better for high speed stability)
I run 30-31 pounds at 4 corners cold. 28 cold for HPDE. GY Supercar Runflats.
Last edited by QuickCorvettes; Apr 11, 2008 at 05:38 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,939
Likes: 448
From: CHOCOWINITY NC
Zero Camber is good if you drive like a grandma and put more weight on tire wear than good handling.....
If you drive the car like the factory expected you to, you'll get even wear. (and NO I don't mean as it comes off the line...I mean adjusted to factory SPEC which are often two different things..)
If you drive the car like the factory expected you to, you'll get even wear. (and NO I don't mean as it comes off the line...I mean adjusted to factory SPEC which are often two different things..)
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 7
From: Greensboro NC
Zero Camber is good if you drive like a grandma and put more weight on tire wear than good handling.....
If you drive the car like the factory expected you to, you'll get even wear. (and NO I don't mean as it comes off the line...I mean adjusted to factory SPEC which are often two different things..)
If you drive the car like the factory expected you to, you'll get even wear. (and NO I don't mean as it comes off the line...I mean adjusted to factory SPEC which are often two different things..)
A couple trips to Spring Mountain and another at the BMW advanced driving course near you taught me that these cars are a waste in the hands of grandma (now grandpa's ok!) and most Corvette club members that spend more time at parades than enjoying the capabilities of the car.
Hopefully getting my Vette adjusted back to factory specs and/or balancing of the front wheels will get me somewhere close to where they should be.
Hope to run into you one of these days on the roads of North Carolina...
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,347
Likes: 25
From: Apache Junction AZ
I hear you Modshack, my car gets driven seriously hard including a couple jaunts to VIR per year and the Burlington 1/8 mile when I want to try to break things.
A couple trips to Spring Mountain and another at the BMW advanced driving course near you taught me that these cars are a waste in the hands of grandma (now grandpa's ok!) and most Corvette club members that spend more time at parades than enjoying the capabilities of the car.
Hopefully getting my Vette adjusted back to factory specs and/or balancing of the front wheels will get me somewhere close to where they should be.
Hope to run into you one of these days on the roads of North Carolina...
A couple trips to Spring Mountain and another at the BMW advanced driving course near you taught me that these cars are a waste in the hands of grandma (now grandpa's ok!) and most Corvette club members that spend more time at parades than enjoying the capabilities of the car.
Hopefully getting my Vette adjusted back to factory specs and/or balancing of the front wheels will get me somewhere close to where they should be.
Hope to run into you one of these days on the roads of North Carolina...
BJK
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,939
Likes: 448
From: CHOCOWINITY NC
Headed out there in a few weeks for a little twisty fix...Here's mine, before and after. factory settings were pretty sloppy, but as I've said before, they have 3 minutes to get those 10 adjustments into spec... (
). Mines been working great and tires wearing perfectly...
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
From: East Longmeadow MA
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,465
Likes: 149
From: Earth
These cars cup on the inside edge. This is just the way the set up is from the factory. I look at appox. 500 Corvettes a year and for the tires to start cupping in the mid teens for miles is totally normal. Sure a bad set up will cause it to be worse but this is something 90% of C5's and C6's do. I've seen coutless cars that the tires look perfect but the last inside edge is al most gone. These cars drive staight, no pulling nothing. I have seen a few cars that the tires were nice at 15,000 miles but they a few and far between. These tires are only really good for 20,000 miles so your appox. 75% gone.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 995
Likes: 2
From: Virginia Beach VA
What about lowered cars?
My car is lowered max on front adjustment bolts, rears maxed plus cut 1/2 the bushing off. Just replaced the tires, all where shot but for different reasons. Rears worn evenly, but down to nothing from heavy right foot. Fronts, which is where I'm concerned, were worn to the cords on both inside edges at about 12-13K. I am looking specifically if there's different setpoints for a lowered '05 Z51. A happy medium between performance & wear is the goal. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.