Alignment question – loaded or unloaded
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,395
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From: Lexington,NC,USA
C1 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
Alignment question – loaded or unloaded
My 2015 coupe will be used strictly for cruising so I would like to set the alignment for maximum tire life, just a minimum amount of negative camber and a minimum amount of toe in front and rear. I measured the front and rear camber with the car unloaded and then with about 280 lbs. in the cockpit and cargo area to simulate the weight of me and my wife plus a little luggage. The difference in camber was about 0.5°. Normally when you have an alignment done at a dealership or other alignment shop there is no one in the car so the suspension is not compressed as it would be when being driven. So, when you have an alignment done do you set the suspension a little off to compensate for the extra weight when the car is being driven or is the small difference not worth worrying about?
Charles
Charles
Last edited by cbernhardt; Sep 8, 2015 at 09:09 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
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From: Texas Hill Country
yes, check your manual or internet for the factory alignment settings. they are exactly what you are looking for. just make sure the factory alignment is good and move on. there is a track alignment for those who want to be more aggressive.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2015
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From: Northern Virginia
If you're mostly going to drive it with you and your wife and luggage, then I'd have the alignment done with an equivalent load. If you'll mostly drive it solo, I'd do a weighted alignment with the equivalent of your weight in the driver's seat.
Might not make as much difference in a 'vette, but on a car as light as my (previous) Miata it really was noticeable.
Might not make as much difference in a 'vette, but on a car as light as my (previous) Miata it really was noticeable.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 738
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From: FL
My 2015 coupe will be used strictly for cruising so I would like to set the alignment for maximum tire wear, just a minimum amount of negative camber and a minimum amount of toe in front and rear. I measured the front and rear camber with the car unloaded and then with about 280 lbs. in the cockpit and cargo area to simulate the weight of me and my wife plus a little luggage. The difference in camber was about 0.5°. Normally when you have an alignment done at a dealership or other alignment shop there is no one in the car so the suspension is not compressed as it would be when being driven. So, when you have an alignment done do you set the suspension a little off to compensate for the extra weight when the car is being driven or is the small difference not worth worrying about?
Charles
Charles
I guess lower the tire pressures to about 5lbs, Max tow out on the front, and max tow in at the rear. Lots of burn outs and drifting should finish them off.
Sorry, I could not resist!!!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,395
Likes: 1,188
From: Lexington,NC,USA
C1 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...alignment.html
One of the items mentioned in this document to perform proper alignment states: "Give consideration to excess loads, such as tool boxes, sample cases, etc. If normally carried in the vehicle, these items should remain in the vehicle during alignment adjustments."
In my Corvette the most "load" is normally provided by the driver and passenger. My car is within factory specs on camber but with the car "loaded" the camber is approaching -1.0° on some wheels which I consider too much for maximum tire life.
I went through the same thing with my C5. The alignment was within factory specs, but the tires started cupping within 8,000 miles. Had the alignment changed to about 0.0° camber and toe and the next set of Michelin Pilots lasted for over 50,000 miles.
Finding a dealer that would change the alignment to my specs rather than factory was the problem.
Charles
