Alignment...WTF

[SmokinBBC]

So, after reading all the alignment threads over the last week or so, I decided to test whether my alignment method was working since I was so cocky about it.

I called the local vette club and asked them where to bring an old vette and get a good alignment....there was concensus....so I brought it over to a local shop. Here is the result:



I had them align to modified specs close to VBP lsited for modified street.


My toe was off big time in the rear. Front toe was a little more than I thought it would be. Castor on left front not enough. Camber close all the way around. I had the rear set at -1 to see how it would handle.

Moral of the exercise?

I got my camber/caster pretty good...don't know how I missed the left front when I was able to nail the right front.

Toe is very hard to get accurate in the front with such tight measurements...anyone really look at what 1/32" is?

Toe in the rear is a biatch...I know it was off, but to have toe out??? I used the duntov method for rear toe and tracking. He put in more than I asked for, but it tracks very strait.

The 59.95 I spent on the alignment was worth it...the guy knows his vettes and knew exactly what to do. Now I know how accurate my method is.

Oh...the car drives much better with the proper toe setting

 

[clutchdust]

ain't it funny how much nicer it is to drive the car when expansion joints aren't white knuckle events?

 

[Dirtbuster1]

Just curious, how was the car acting before & after the alignment?

 

[SmokinBBC]

Before: Going through left hand turns, the rear of the car kinda rolled to the right. After: no more roll. Rear of the car follows the front pretty well.

Pulled to the left , most noticeable when braking. I still get a slight pull to the left, but could be the roads. No more pull when braking...but I haven't really slammed on them yet.

Under WOT from a rolling start, the car felt like it was outta control...left, right, all over...the engine has a lot of torque (530+ at the crank) and I guess the rear couldn't handle it very well. The couple of times I got on it over the weakend, the car felt much more in control.

The overall cruise handling is 10x better...steers straighter with very little darting....only on rutted/grooved roads. Steering wheel is more responsive.

I didn't believe there would be that much improvement, but I was dead wrong.

 

[SmokinBBC]

ain't it funny how much nicer it is to drive the car when expansion joints aren't white knuckle events?

I have 550 spring in front and a 360 in the rear with Bils. sport shocks. The car is lower than stock by about an inch. But I don't have a bump steer problem...however I feel the expansion joints in my bones..hitting a small pot hole makes it feel like the friggen front end is going to explode...now I feel confident that I can quickly steer clear....steering is very responsive.