Alignment recommendation
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Joined: Jun 2016
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Alignment recommendation
So it turns out that using the curbing on Turn 3 at Mosport is probably not a good idea as it is knocked my alignment slightly out of true.
Can anybody recommend an alignment specialist in the Durham region that would alleviate my natural trepidation regarding dealerships...
Can anybody recommend an alignment specialist in the Durham region that would alleviate my natural trepidation regarding dealerships...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
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Hear only good things about Stevenson Specialty Cars (Port Perry area). I think he also does corner balancing; and given you are tracking your car, you may want to pay a few extra bucks and get that done.
I got mine done out in Guelph, but probably too far a drive if you are in Durham. Here is a link to an article in case you are interested in reading up on it...
Corner Balancing
I got mine done out in Guelph, but probably too far a drive if you are in Durham. Here is a link to an article in case you are interested in reading up on it...
Corner Balancing
Last edited by raztek; Jul 2, 2020 at 02:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,884
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From: Whitby Ont.
all i heard about them was not good, had my car booked in, i cancelled out after doing some research.
Auto Experts in Oshawa... a lot of the Durham guys know this place
Greg is good and he is fair..
may take awhile to get in tho
Last edited by walleyejack; Jul 2, 2020 at 09:00 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Toronto
While not in your neck of the woods Altech Performance in Etobicoke is very good. Ive seen many exotics there. When i was having my X5 serviced, I asked them about C7 rear caster (a sort of test). Most shops will look at you cross eyed because its unusual to be able to adjust this. They knew exactly what i was talking about. Lots of good reviews on google.
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Ya so I went over to see them today - Greg had the day off so spoke to asst. Seems like a tidy operation - just 2 bays but looks like they know what they are doing...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2015
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From: Toronto
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Whitby Ont.
You prob talked to Brian...
Greg is the owner, nice guy
gl with your decision
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,884
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From: Whitby Ont.
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Joined: Jun 2016
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Yeah sorry for the delay just got a set of 4S 's put on the car seems that driving at break-neck speed around mosport is hard on tires.
I going to hang off on doing the alignment because now that I got the new tires on the tracking seems to be diminished quite a bit so who knew that severe degradation of tire's would have such an adverse effect on handling.
I did however discover when I had the tires off, that I need brake pads pretty badly so I guess that's next on the list. I don't think they're too hard to do - the calipers dont even have to come off - but I don't have a lift...
I going to hang off on doing the alignment because now that I got the new tires on the tracking seems to be diminished quite a bit so who knew that severe degradation of tire's would have such an adverse effect on handling.
I did however discover when I had the tires off, that I need brake pads pretty badly so I guess that's next on the list. I don't think they're too hard to do - the calipers dont even have to come off - but I don't have a lift...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2014
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Anytime I get new tires on, I always do an alignment check on the car. You'd be surprised that the alignment can get knocked off quite a bit from 15k-20k mileage. As far as track goes, having a street/track alignment with some -1.2~ degrees have always kept my tires decent for my track use.
If you get to running the optimal lines on the track, you will find your tire and brake wear go down significantly and you tend to be harder on the engine with more engine braking done than actual brake use. As for brakes, I usually have a street set and a track set. I change out my front rotors and all 4 pads, then go back to my street set. The C7 Z06 pricing on brake rotors even for non CC ones is ridiculously high so the earliest I would run this car is August once I source out some rotors.
If you get to running the optimal lines on the track, you will find your tire and brake wear go down significantly and you tend to be harder on the engine with more engine braking done than actual brake use. As for brakes, I usually have a street set and a track set. I change out my front rotors and all 4 pads, then go back to my street set. The C7 Z06 pricing on brake rotors even for non CC ones is ridiculously high so the earliest I would run this car is August once I source out some rotors.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,295
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From: Oshawa Ontario
I can't speak for some of the other recommendations, but I know I trust Scott's craftsmanship
. He had my original 2010 C6 (base) setup that it drove like a dream on the street, but could hold its own at Mosport too ....... can't argue with that! 
Something else to consider is installing the alignment kit from AMT? that replaces the eccentric washers with octo-shaped washers that cannot turn in the control arms. This way, once your alignment is dialed in, it won't move (subject to wear in the rubber components, obviously).
Last edited by Cap'n Pete; Jul 17, 2020 at 05:43 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Toronto Ontario
What about a shop in east Mississauga/west Etobicoke? I had my ZR1 aligned at WN last year under warranty but I want to do an alignment with my specs and also have them check and if necessary adjust rear caster on the car.
I've used Crown Steering on my previous cars (on Dundas between West Mall and Dixie). 2 brothers own that shop and they race midget cars. My Shelby GT500 was aligned by them after I did camber plates and was bang on. They also did my daily Suzuki SX4 when I did lowering springs and added camber bolts to the strut suspension and I had them add in some - camber so that car now actually has decent handling on my summer wheel setup (17x8" 245/45/17 tires). I'm planning to go there Monday after work and talk to them I'm just not sure if they know about or have the ability to adjust rear caster on C7 cars.
I've used Crown Steering on my previous cars (on Dundas between West Mall and Dixie). 2 brothers own that shop and they race midget cars. My Shelby GT500 was aligned by them after I did camber plates and was bang on. They also did my daily Suzuki SX4 when I did lowering springs and added camber bolts to the strut suspension and I had them add in some - camber so that car now actually has decent handling on my summer wheel setup (17x8" 245/45/17 tires). I'm planning to go there Monday after work and talk to them I'm just not sure if they know about or have the ability to adjust rear caster on C7 cars.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,587
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for c7 alignment, you really need a shop with the rear caster tool or similar. I am running the recommended +0.7 after finding the stock was way off. I had a bad snap oversteer under power due to this along with abnormal tirewear on passenger side rear.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Whitby Ont.
Didn t realize this was a year old thread someone was responding to
Last edited by walleyejack; Mar 20, 2021 at 08:19 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 462
From: Toronto Ontario
Popped over to Crown Steering earlier today and it looks like I won't be taking my car there for an alignment. They know nothing about rear caster so I left and headed up to Gateway Chev as I have an order to pick up there. While there I talked with the shop foreman about this and he was nice enough to print out a sheet for me with GM's alignment specs for my car but he knows nothing about rear caster and checking it. He did say he was going to check with his front end guy that does alignments and will get back to me. I mentioned the rear caster tool GM has in the SM and he said they will take a look.
I'm not saying I would take my car there for an alignment if they figure out the rear caster thing but at least they would look into it and once they let me know then I'll make my decision about who to go with.
I'm not saying I would take my car there for an alignment if they figure out the rear caster thing but at least they would look into it and once they let me know then I'll make my decision about who to go with.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2014
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Caster adjustments don't need the GM tool, there's other ways to mock up some caster checks for the rear, you just need a shop that is familiar with how to do it on vettes. Basically though, I'd be hard pressed to trust anyone that doesn't even know a C7 can be rear caster adjusted.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 462
From: Toronto Ontario
Yeah, I know. There is a guy on CF in the US that 3d printed a caster checking tool but you still need a bubble angle meter to check it.
Let me ask you, when you got your car done and you said the shop that did the work set up your rear caster to +0.7' was that read on a machine or on the angle meter and the tech showed it to you? I mean now with Covid around I'm probably not going to be able to see the alignment being done in the shop and verify that rear caster is set to what I want. How do I know the person actually did it or he's just gonna tell me he checked and set the rear caster to the reading I want but didn't actually check/adjust it?
Let me ask you, when you got your car done and you said the shop that did the work set up your rear caster to +0.7' was that read on a machine or on the angle meter and the tech showed it to you? I mean now with Covid around I'm probably not going to be able to see the alignment being done in the shop and verify that rear caster is set to what I want. How do I know the person actually did it or he's just gonna tell me he checked and set the rear caster to the reading I want but didn't actually check/adjust it?
Last edited by Cman01; Mar 22, 2021 at 12:38 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,587
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He had a custom made caster tool he uses similar to the 3d printed one here. The GM tool basically is the same thing for all its fancy pricing.
See the tool in all its glory...
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...d-gm-tool.html
See the tool in all its glory...
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...d-gm-tool.html
Last edited by SladeX; Mar 22, 2021 at 12:40 PM.