Typical Adjustment Range for Rear Camber?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
Typical Adjustment Range for Rear Camber?
Hello All,
I recently installed a Pfadt Johnny O'Connell suspension kit and lowered my car as far as the stock rear bolts would allow (lowered the front by an equivalent number of turns to maintain the amount of rake). After allowing the suspension a few days to settle, I took the car to my usual alignment shop and asked them to set the alignment in accordance with Pfadt's Performance Street specs. They managed to get everything pretty much bang on my targets except for the rear camber. With the lower rear eccentrics maxed out, I was only able to achieve -0.25 degrees of camber when I was targeting -0.5. I think this seems a bit off. The initial measurements before adjustment were crazy (-0.75 left, +1 right).
For those that have played with camber settings, what range of camber adjustment is considered normal for the rear on the C6 platform? I was expecting to be able to approach at least -1.5 degrees.
Thanks for you insight!
I recently installed a Pfadt Johnny O'Connell suspension kit and lowered my car as far as the stock rear bolts would allow (lowered the front by an equivalent number of turns to maintain the amount of rake). After allowing the suspension a few days to settle, I took the car to my usual alignment shop and asked them to set the alignment in accordance with Pfadt's Performance Street specs. They managed to get everything pretty much bang on my targets except for the rear camber. With the lower rear eccentrics maxed out, I was only able to achieve -0.25 degrees of camber when I was targeting -0.5. I think this seems a bit off. The initial measurements before adjustment were crazy (-0.75 left, +1 right).
For those that have played with camber settings, what range of camber adjustment is considered normal for the rear on the C6 platform? I was expecting to be able to approach at least -1.5 degrees.
Thanks for you insight!
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
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From: va
-1.2 is the highest the dealership techs have gotten the front (on my car)
-1.1 is the highest theyve gotten it to on the rear
Im running -1.0 front and -1.1 rear (not ideal settings from a performance aspect)
a few charts with alignment specs are available on this site. The amount of camber youre running is very low - you should have more than enough room to get to a higher range.
I think the best you can get it with factory adjustment is -1.2 to -1.3 front and -.8 to -.9 rear
from what Ive seen from people who race, as well as pfdat engineersing and from my own experiences, a 1.4 to 1.5 front to rear camber ratio is ideal (ie -1.5 front -1.0 rear)
btw I wouldnt let the car leave the shop until both sides were equal.
Having diff settings on each side is okay for driving on an oval or driving slow on the street, but is no good for "fun" driving.
-1.1 is the highest theyve gotten it to on the rear
Im running -1.0 front and -1.1 rear (not ideal settings from a performance aspect)
a few charts with alignment specs are available on this site. The amount of camber youre running is very low - you should have more than enough room to get to a higher range.
I think the best you can get it with factory adjustment is -1.2 to -1.3 front and -.8 to -.9 rear
from what Ive seen from people who race, as well as pfdat engineersing and from my own experiences, a 1.4 to 1.5 front to rear camber ratio is ideal (ie -1.5 front -1.0 rear)
btw I wouldnt let the car leave the shop until both sides were equal.
Having diff settings on each side is okay for driving on an oval or driving slow on the street, but is no good for "fun" driving.
Last edited by el es tu; Sep 8, 2011 at 07:39 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
Thanks for the input. Both side on the rear are now equal at -0.25 (limited by the RR side). Physically couldn't get any more rear camber than that. I'm starting to suspect the measurements because the car drove nicely with the wonky initial settings and it drives horribly now (steering wheel feels extremely light, car wanders UP the crown in the road and the back end feels too loose). Don't know what to do at this point other than call it a wasted effort and try another shop. I've used this one in the past and have been pleased with the results before.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
So is my chassis an oddball if I can't get anything more that -0.25 degrees of camber in the right rear corner? Is there anything I should check out that might be limiting my range of adjustment here? The shop has loosened the control arm bolts and rotated the eccentric adjuster to its maximum position.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 46
From: va
So is my chassis an oddball if I can't get anything more that -0.25 degrees of camber in the right rear corner? Is there anything I should check out that might be limiting my range of adjustment here? The shop has loosened the control arm bolts and rotated the eccentric adjuster to its maximum position.
The control arms have spacers behind them. Removing or adding them changes the settings. Changes may have been done in order to get low camber for better tire wear.
Ride height can also come into play. Changing the ride height will affect how much negative camber you can get. If the car is higher than it should be, you could lose that useful range of camber.
Last edited by el es tu; Sep 8, 2011 at 08:20 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: London Ontario
I know the front control arms have spacers behind the bolts attaching the pivot points to the frame. The rear bolts go right through the pivot point though, don't they? I don't see how you could shim that out. This is a 2011 car with 3000km on it that I bought new, by the way. I've also lowered it as far as I could on the stock bolts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,391
Likes: 23
From: Santa Barbara CA
I'm thinking the guy who set up the alignment machine didn't do it correctly. One of the sensors could have been crooked on the wheel, etc.
Pretty unlikely that a brand new car would be that far out, especially if you made equal adjustments to both sides. I do alignments as part of my job, fwiw.
I would get it rechecked as soon as possible, maybe at another shop.
Pretty unlikely that a brand new car would be that far out, especially if you made equal adjustments to both sides. I do alignments as part of my job, fwiw.
I would get it rechecked as soon as possible, maybe at another shop.
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Brett Foote
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
So is my chassis an oddball if I can't get anything more that -0.25 degrees of camber in the right rear corner? Is there anything I should check out that might be limiting my range of adjustment here? The shop has loosened the control arm bolts and rotated the eccentric adjuster to its maximum position.
Look to see how many spacers are behind the screws attaching the upper A-arms to the frame?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,436
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From: Everett Wa
I know the front control arms have spacers behind the bolts attaching the pivot points to the frame. The rear bolts go right through the pivot point though, don't they? I don't see how you could shim that out. This is a 2011 car with 3000km on it that I bought new, by the way. I've also lowered it as far as I could on the stock bolts.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
I just measured the camber roughly with a level in the driveway. I believe the alignment rack, the right rear wheel has next to no camber and the eccentric adjuster is pushing the lower bolt out as far as possible. To make the camber match on the left side, the adjuster is almost at its minimum setting.
I'm wondering now if it's possible that my diff crossmember is shifted towards the left side of the vehicle with respect to the frame. Anyone know how tight the locating pins are for that crossmember? Think it would move any if I loosened the bolts?
I'm wondering now if it's possible that my diff crossmember is shifted towards the left side of the vehicle with respect to the frame. Anyone know how tight the locating pins are for that crossmember? Think it would move any if I loosened the bolts?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
Thanks, this is the kind of info I'm looking for. I'd like to get a feel for how far out my car is from the statistical norm.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,436
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From: Everett Wa
If you get the Pfadt camber kit you can get more out of it. It replaces the eccentric with plates. How much I don't know but I will be finding out this off season because -1.0 is not enough for r-compound tires.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
I asked Pfadt about the camber kit and they said that you don't really get more adjustment, the square plates just eliminate the possibility of the eccentric slipping. Pfadt also told me that I should be able to get at least -2.0 in the rear when lowered. I think I could on the left side, but there's no way on the right. I'm looking into getting an offset control arm bushing made now.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,745
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From: Turlock CA
I just measured the camber roughly with a level in the driveway. I believe the alignment rack, the right rear wheel has next to no camber and the eccentric adjuster is pushing the lower bolt out as far as possible. To make the camber match on the left side, the adjuster is almost at its minimum setting.
I'm wondering now if it's possible that my diff crossmember is shifted towards the left side of the vehicle with respect to the frame. Anyone know how tight the locating pins are for that crossmember? Think it would move any if I loosened the bolts?
I'm wondering now if it's possible that my diff crossmember is shifted towards the left side of the vehicle with respect to the frame. Anyone know how tight the locating pins are for that crossmember? Think it would move any if I loosened the bolts?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
You, sir, just made my evening! I'll try this in the morning.
The crossmember can be moved by loosening the four bolts that hold it. I used a large pry bar to shift mine and allow equal measurements using Pfadt camber adjustment plates. I wanted to use the same notch settings on each side which wasn't possible without moving the crossmember over. The front will also move.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
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From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
No offense, but it your going through all this, may want to have the frame checked to see how true or straight it is.
You may be making more to do about nothing.
-.45* is just fine for normal street use of the rear, with -1.0* for the front.
You may be making more to do about nothing.
-.45* is just fine for normal street use of the rear, with -1.0* for the front.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 153
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From: London Ontario
No offense taken. Loosening 4 bolts and nudging a crossmember is about the easiest thing I could think of doing. With regards to -0.25 being fine for the street...how many of us bought Corvettes to just be "fine for the street"? I'd like to be a bit more aggressive front and rear, and want the flexibility in adjustment to track the car later on. If I'm not successful with this effort, I have no issues with checking the frame (and GM will hear about it). It really does look like the rear crossmember that's out though.
