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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Corvette / January 2007

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'74 wheel alignment settings

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graeme - 15 Jan 2007 19:33 GMT
Does any one have the settings so I can pass them to our local alignment
shop. Their machine is new and doesn't have settings that are 32 years old.

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WayneC - 16 Jan 2007 01:07 GMT
> Does any one have the settings so I can pass them to our local alignment
> shop. Their machine is new and doesn't have settings that are 32 years old.
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front:
 caster 1/2 to 1 1/2 degrees positive, 1 degree positive preferred
 camber 1/4 to 1 1/4 degrees positive, 3/4 preferred
  toe-in 3/32 to 5/32 inch

rear:
 camber 7/8 to 1/8 degree negative
 toe-in 0 + or - 1/32 inch
graeme - 16 Jan 2007 20:52 GMT
Thanks for that reply Wayne..are those figures for each wheel, or total
allowed for two wheels.?

My guy thinks they look quite high numbers for each wheel.

Thanks.
G
> Does any one have the settings so I can pass them to our local alignment
> shop. Their machine is new and doesn't have settings that are 32 years
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> Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
> Try SPAMfighter for free now!

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WayneC - 17 Jan 2007 04:43 GMT
> Thanks for that reply Wayne..are those figures for each wheel, or total
> allowed for two wheels.?
>
> My guy thinks they look quite high numbers for each wheel.

Well, I've never personally done an alignment, I'm not a mechanic, but I
think
the only measurement spec that involves a PAIR of wheels is toe-in,
where you
are trying to get a difference in the measurement between the front
(centers)
of the wheel rims as compared to the measurement across the rear centers
of the wheels; caster certainly doesn't involve a pair of wheels, nor does
camber, since neither is a measurement taken between 2 wheels, but
rather from
vertical.
I also think the alignment machine setup has to ensure the rear wheel
toe-in is set equally on each side, eg, that the frame is aligned
straight ahead
and the rear wheels are parallel to the vehicle center and equidistant
from the
vehicle center, before toe-in is set (and actually, it IS set if the
wheels are parallel
to the frame, since the toe-in spec for the rear wheels is zero to 1/32
inch).
WayneC - 17 Jan 2007 08:50 GMT
One thing I should have pointed out is that the specs I gave you were
the factory specs.
Back then the Corvette came equipped with bias-ply tires, not radials,
so most shops would probably use 1/16" total toe-in for the front wheel pair
(1/32 per side) rather than the factory spec of 1/8" total (1/16 per side).
I recommend you make that change to the spec I gave you.

Factory camber setting is intended for average boulevard/freeway driving.
From what I've read, a more spirited driver might prefer camber more in
the
negative direction from the stock positive setting, and perhaps a bit
more caster.
But now you're into trial & error until you get the "feel" you like for
the type of
hard driving you're doing (like slalom racing or whatever).

For example, these settings might be more suitable for an aggressive driver
(fast cornering), but are not all-out slalom race car settings:

 front:
  caster: 1 1/2 degrees positive
  camber: zero to negative 1/2 degree
   toe-in: 1/16 inch (1/32 per side)

 rear:
  camber: negative 1 degree
  toe-in: 1/16 inch (1/32 per side)

Ideally, alignment should be done with the car configured as it would be for
everyday driving, with weight added for the driver (and passenger, if there
normally is a passenger).... not many shops bother with that nicety, but
back in the 60's I worked briefly at the GM proving ground, and they
used such weights when they performed a scheduled alignment on any
of their endurance test cars, simulating the test driver, so obviously
their engineers thought it prudent. I can't recall whether they were
particular about the fuel load, though.
graeme - 18 Jan 2007 19:45 GMT
Thanks again for all your info Wayne...much appreciated, and interesting.

I am in a right hand drive country, so that complicates the matter slightly,
but we shall prevail.

Graeme

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