'74 wheel alignment settings

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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Reply to
graeme
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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

Reply to
WayneC

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.

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Reply to
graeme

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).

Reply to
WayneC

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.

Reply to
WayneC

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

Reply to
graeme

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