Looking for better than stock alignment specs (90)

[Corvette95]

VERY close to having my 90 done! Need to get it aligned this week. Would like some better than factory specs applicable to street and HPDE's. Is there a tried and true known source for some better specs? Thanks!

[PhillipsLT5]

https://tech.corvettecentral.com/2011/07/wheel-alignment-specs/

[32valvesftw]

Attached should be the Gulstrand alignment specs for C3 and C4.

[Marc Haibeck]

Front:
For some track use and mostly street use I recommend -.5 degree camber in the front. This will improve grip and causes only a little additional wear on the inside of the tire.

For serious track use -1 degree camber is good. The inside of the tire will wear quite a bit more than the outside if driven many miles on the street.

Use the OE specifications for the caster and toe.

Rear:
On the C4 Corvette it is important to use zero camber in the rear. Because the car uses u-joints (not CV joints) an angle on the u-joint can cause vibration when the load down the end of the half shaft is heavy, like when turning hard.

Use the OE specification for toe.

[XfireZ51]

Marc,

I?ve got the DRM trailing arm brackets and camber rod brackets. Do they change any of ur alignment recommendations?

[Hib Halverson]

When I had Barney, I had my own hi-po street alignment which worked well for the almost 20 years I owned the car.


Camber all around was -0.5?. Ft. Caster was as much as I could get with that camber setting. Toe-in at the front was 1/32-in. Toe-in at the rear was 1/16-in per side. Also, on toe, front and rear tie rod condition affects toe. If your front/rear tie rods are worn or marginal, replace them, then have the suspension aligned.



I read Marc's comments on no camber in the rear because of the u-joint, and it is true that cardian joints at angles can cause vibration, but I never had any vibration issue with a half negative at each wheel.


Actually, the axle shafts on a C4 have two u-joints and I suspect that the interaction of the angles of each joint may or may not cause a vibration.

[Corvette95]

Thanks for the replies!

[Marc Haibeck]

Dominic,

The DRM brackets don't effect the alignment specifications. The camber rod brackets are nice for wheel alignment in so far as they reduce the amount of camber variation as the wheel goes up and down in the travel of the suspension.

Hib,

You might find it interesting to refer to Dave McLellan's explanation rear camber issues in the C4. It's in his book Corvette From The Inside page 170 paragraph four. I try to be a good student of Dave.

[WARP TEN]

Dominic,

The DRM brackets don't effect the alignment specifications. The camber rod brackets are nice for wheel alignment in so far as they reduce the amount of camber variation as the wheel goes up and down in the travel of the suspension.

Hib,

You might find it interesting to refer to Dave McLellan's explanation rear camber issues in the C4. It's in his book Corvette From The Inside page 170 paragraph four. I try to be a good student of Dave.

Here you go Hib--Bob

[XfireZ51]

Thanks to all of you for that info.

Dominic,

The DRM brackets don't effect the alignment specifications. The camber rod brackets are nice for wheel alignment in so far as they reduce the amount of camber variation as the wheel goes up and down in the travel of the suspension.

Hib,

You might find it interesting to refer to Dave McLellan's explanation rear camber issues in the C4. It's in his book Corvette From The Inside page 170 paragraph four. I try to be a good student of Dave.

[Erik]

Thanks Marc and Bob.
Great info!

[Corvette95]

Soooo, with all this new added information, is there a consensus on the best alignment spec for street use with occasional HPDE use? Thanks again. I was planning on going with Hib's suggestion.