Dropping front or rear cradle
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 488
Likes: 206
From: Indy `O=o-
2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Dropping front or rear cradle
Does loosening the cradles for HB or clutch replacement possibly require an alignment after? It seems like you would need to even if ever so slightly since those are the attachment points and could affect the geometry to the chassis.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,492
Likes: 807
From: West coast CA
I had my car re-aligned after dropping the front subframe, but it turns out not to have been necessary.
That said, if it's been awhile, and you're doing other suspension work, it's not a bad idea.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 285
I would say "yes" based on my dealership's doing a 4 wheel alignment on my '06 last year when they replaced my HB under the used car warranty. So they paid for it. I don't think they would have if it wasn't required.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 488
Likes: 206
From: Indy `O=o-
2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Thanks for the answers.I suspected I would need an alignment.
Yes I know there are alignment pins but there will still be some tolerance in them which can be amplified by the dimensions of the cradle .
at this point I don’t need to replace it yet but I am planning for the possibility as it wobbles about a millimeter.
jIt’s just about to hit 35K miles
Yes I know there are alignment pins but there will still be some tolerance in them which can be amplified by the dimensions of the cradle .
at this point I don’t need to replace it yet but I am planning for the possibility as it wobbles about a millimeter.
jIt’s just about to hit 35K miles
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,106
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
My front cradle has been off once and the rear 5 times during the first 149K miles. It still had the factory alignment and every set of tires wore evenly. Then during a road trip 2 years ago, I drove about 50 miles down a mostly torn up deserted road that damaged my suspension, killed all 4 ride height adjusters (erroneously called lowering bolts), and destroyed both front tires. After the repairs, the car got it's first alignment. I pulled the rear cradle again 5 months ago and never gave a thought about getting another alignment. If I see any abnormal tire wear, I'll get it checked, but so far it seems fine. I'm far more concerned about the current alignment job than the original from the factory, since the factory torques everything perfectly to their specs and I don't trust the repair shops to do it as exacting. Alignments, tire mounting, and balancing are about the only things I don't do myself, because I don't have the equipment.
That's what worked for me, but do whatever makes you feel good.
That's what worked for me, but do whatever makes you feel good.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 172
From: Auburn Al
Originally Posted by Trebor
I would say "yes" based on my dealership's doing a 4 wheel alignment on my '06 last year when they replaced my HB under the used car warranty. So they paid for it. I don't think they would have if it wasn't required.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,807
Likes: 508
From: Oshawa, Ontario
The factory service manual says alignment is required when dropping cradle and when the cars were under warranty GM paid the dealers to do alignment at that time.Maybe your alignment won't be off but when the work is warranty why would you not have it done?If it is off new tires are cheap,right?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,557
Likes: 1,097
From: Ex DPRK, now just N of Medford, OR
I never felt the need, and I do have the alignment equipment...
Slightly off topic, but just a note on how dealer warranty repairs are handled:
The tech in most (almost all?) shops is paid based on billable hours.
The dealer bills the manufacturer for whatever repair operations are documented by that tech. The more op codes that can be claimed, the more $$ they both make.
Both parties are highly motivated to exaggerate, and the manufacturer can only police it from a distance.
It's a system that encourages lying, cheating, and stealing. But from the tech's perspective, it's called "creative writing".
I spent a couple of hours with one of my customers, an orthopedic surgeon, discussing the remarkable similarity between that and medical insurance billing.
If the Service manual (for whatever reason...) says it needs an alignment, you can bet your ***** it'll be claimed, whether performed or not.
Slightly off topic, but just a note on how dealer warranty repairs are handled:
The tech in most (almost all?) shops is paid based on billable hours.
The dealer bills the manufacturer for whatever repair operations are documented by that tech. The more op codes that can be claimed, the more $$ they both make.
Both parties are highly motivated to exaggerate, and the manufacturer can only police it from a distance.
It's a system that encourages lying, cheating, and stealing. But from the tech's perspective, it's called "creative writing".
I spent a couple of hours with one of my customers, an orthopedic surgeon, discussing the remarkable similarity between that and medical insurance billing.
If the Service manual (for whatever reason...) says it needs an alignment, you can bet your ***** it'll be claimed, whether performed or not.
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 285
Last edited by Trebor; Nov 8, 2019 at 10:57 PM.