Alignment specs for street car?
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Alignment specs for street car?
Is there a widely accepted set of alignment numbers which will minimize wear on my GS, or is the factory setup the best? I drive the car hard on the roads, but I don't track it. I know the C6 community has some numbers floating around. Anything for the C7?
#2
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Aug 2016
Location: MOUNTAIN HOME Arkansas
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Google DSC C7 alignment specs. They show recommended specs for street & track. Been much discussion here about factory settings being very aggressive & not consistent from one car to another & even one side to other on same car. Had mine done after recent 4 tire purchase & right side was way out of whack. Front tires had worn to cords on inside edges of both & car drove much better & even accelerated in perfect straight line after. Mine is a '16 Z M7 & it always wanted to really pull hard (violently) to one side if pushing thru the gears or just accelerating very hard in 1st or 2nd from a roll.
Last edited by madrob2020; 08-08-2018 at 10:16 PM.
#3
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Member Since: Sep 2007
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The issue is GM’s allowed range. The spec range For Grand Sport rear allows from -0.5 degrees camber to -1.7 degrees. Had mine done at 400 miles and rears were set from the factory at -1.6 degrees, fine for Tracking but not low tire wear. Could have asked for mid way -1.1 but requested -0.8 degrees as a compromise. Could ask for as low as -0.5 and been within spec.
Mid range in toe is close to zero. I just asked toe to be set close to centerline, which dealer tech achieved. In fact, one toe was all that was out when checked. Tech could have taken 5 minutes and fixed that one toe and said, all is fine! It took 30 to 45 minutes to align to my requested camber and toe. I watched the whole procedure at first from outside the alignment bay, then tech invited me in to watch the Hunter alignment readout CRT as he made the changes. All paid for by GM!
Mid range in toe is close to zero. I just asked toe to be set close to centerline, which dealer tech achieved. In fact, one toe was all that was out when checked. Tech could have taken 5 minutes and fixed that one toe and said, all is fine! It took 30 to 45 minutes to align to my requested camber and toe. I watched the whole procedure at first from outside the alignment bay, then tech invited me in to watch the Hunter alignment readout CRT as he made the changes. All paid for by GM!
Last edited by JerryU; 08-09-2018 at 01:59 AM.
#4
Camber in, and toe out.
You're ready to street race.
You're ready to street race.
#5
It makes big sense to do an alignment anyway after 1000-200 mi since the car and suspension, bushings etc. "settles" after final assembly. I did mine after 5000 mi and it was not very good values!. Just an alignment to factory settings with a good 4-wheel laser alignment will save the wear on the tires! I paid approximately 110 USD in Sweden for the work.
If you drive a lot yourself you could let them have you sit in the drivers seat while doing the alignment to have it bang on the values when you are actually driving it. I did this but I am tracking mine so it is even more important.
I have the Z51 (but I think the angles are the same for GS) and chose the track settings from the Track Prep Manual since I wanted better cornering and more even grip when tracking it. This made a huge difference.
//Motors5
If you drive a lot yourself you could let them have you sit in the drivers seat while doing the alignment to have it bang on the values when you are actually driving it. I did this but I am tracking mine so it is even more important.
I have the Z51 (but I think the angles are the same for GS) and chose the track settings from the Track Prep Manual since I wanted better cornering and more even grip when tracking it. This made a huge difference.
//Motors5
#6
Racer
Thread Starter
Google DSC C7 alignment specs. They show recommended specs for street & track. Been much discussion here about factory settings being very aggressive & not consistent from one car to another & even one side to other on same car. Had mine done after recent 4 tire purchase & right side was way out of whack. Front tires had worn to cords on inside edges of both & car drove much better & even accelerated in perfect straight line after. Mine is a '16 Z M7 & it always wanted to really pull hard (violently) to one side if pushing thru the gears or just accelerating very hard in 1st or 2nd from a roll.
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
It makes big sense to do an alignment anyway after 1000-200 mi since the car and suspension, bushings etc. "settles" after final assembly. I did mine after 5000 mi and it was not very good values!. Just an alignment to factory settings with a good 4-wheel laser alignment will save the wear on the tires! I paid approximately 110 USD in Sweden for the work.
If you drive a lot yourself you could let them have you sit in the drivers seat while doing the alignment to have it bang on the values when you are actually driving it. I did this but I am tracking mine so it is even more important.
I have the Z51 (but I think the angles are the same for GS) and chose the track settings from the Track Prep Manual since I wanted better cornering and more even grip when tracking it. This made a huge difference.
//Motors5
If you drive a lot yourself you could let them have you sit in the drivers seat while doing the alignment to have it bang on the values when you are actually driving it. I did this but I am tracking mine so it is even more important.
I have the Z51 (but I think the angles are the same for GS) and chose the track settings from the Track Prep Manual since I wanted better cornering and more even grip when tracking it. This made a huge difference.
//Motors5
#8
Race Director
The document that is frequently circulated around here, says very clearly "occasional track use" for their least aggressive specs.
#9
Racer
Thread Starter
#10
Race Director
For myself, and for street use, I prefer something very close to zero camber and zero toe. The tires should be pointing straight up and straight forward for best tire life, and the least amount of driver input.
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I Fly Low (08-09-2018)
#11
Racer
I am looking for numbers to take to my dealer. I had my 2017 GS aligned to the DSC Street / Occasional Track numbers at 4000 miles. I just replaced my front tires last night with less than 14000 miles and cord coming through the inner side of the tires. I want the new tires to wear better. I don't plan on any track time.
#12
Race Director
I am looking for numbers to take to my dealer. I had my 2017 GS aligned to the DSC Street / Occasional Track numbers at 4000 miles. I just replaced my front tires last night with less than 14000 miles and cord coming through the inner side of the tires. I want the new tires to wear better. I don't plan on any track time.
Go with something closer to zero camber. Especially on the front.
#13
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Aug 2016
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^^^^I agree if one is simply trying to get the max wear from tires to go with more "centered" specs. But as you might have gathered from my post, I really like to drive the hell out of my car. Don't mind losing rubber doing hard 1 & 2 gear pulls. Love looking back & seeing a couple of perfect 20 yd. light strips of rubber on the road ripping 1st & 2nd & this is with TC on! I don't mind buying new MSSPs every 12K miles.
#14
I drive aggressive through my Idaho mountains and the turns are very twisty.
My street spec to save tires while going fast; 17 GS FE6
Front- R L
Camber -.7 -.9
Caster 7.3 to 7.5 +/- .2
Total Toe 0.10
Rear- R L
Camber -1.0 -1.0
Caster both 0.0 the same. Important
Total toe 0.0
My street spec to save tires while going fast; 17 GS FE6
Front- R L
Camber -.7 -.9
Caster 7.3 to 7.5 +/- .2
Total Toe 0.10
Rear- R L
Camber -1.0 -1.0
Caster both 0.0 the same. Important
Total toe 0.0
#15
Racer
Personally, I think the default setup is just fine. I know that the dealer wasn't willing to even alter it for me (I asked after looking up settings online), so I was going to have to go to a local shop to balance them. I decided against it - and never looked back.
Rob
PS - Check out my blog at vetteblog.com and let me know what you think - I'd love honest feedback!
Rob
PS - Check out my blog at vetteblog.com and let me know what you think - I'd love honest feedback!
#17
Pro
Try this set of numbers, mine is set with these (Performance Street - the top set) and I'm loving it. And I know, these came out for the C6.
http://www.pfadtracing.com/blog/wp-c...-9.12.2011.pdf
http://www.pfadtracing.com/blog/wp-c...-9.12.2011.pdf
Last edited by Travelor; 08-10-2018 at 08:55 AM.