Strength of the C4 Frame and the Van Steel QA1 Coilover

[RedLS1GTO]

... just to clarify, I am talking about adding somewhere around -.25 or -.5 degrees. Nothing REALLY extreme.

You should also specify that you want 0 - 1/16" toe-in on all 4 corners.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

... just to clarify, I am talking about adding somewhere around -.25 or -.5 degrees. Nothing REALLY extreme.

You should also specify that you want 0 - 1/16" toe-in on all 4 corners.

Oh yes. The Ghost goes:

Front
Camber -0.25°
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: -0.25°
Toe: 1/8" per tire

I know a C5 Z06 guy that runs -1.0 camber all around and he has no tire wear. That is beginning to attract me.

What do you run on your C4?

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Oh yes. The Ghost goes:

Front
Camber -0.25°
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: -0.25°
Toe: 1/8" per tire

I know a C5 Z06 guy that runs -1.0 camber all around and he has no tire wear. That is beginning to attract me.

What do you run on your C4?

I run -1.5 on my 02Z with no tire issues.

You don't even want to know what I run on the C4.


I actually don't remember off the top of my head but it is in the -2.5 range.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

I run -1.5 on my 02Z with no tire issues.

You don't even want to know what I run on the C4.


I actually don't remember off the top of my head but it is in the -2.5 range.

Now...Thats sex on wheels.

Hmm, I should try a -0.75 front and -1.0. Whats the worst it could happen? I know where to buy tires.

Not like our "non-google" friendly friend.

[RedLS1GTO]

You can see quite a bit of camber, both front and rear.



... and this is why. At speed, I have a tire exactly where I want it to be with as much contact as possible.

[PLRX]

Check

[RedLS1GTO]

The worst that could happen at -.75 or -1.0 (other than tire wear) would be that the car will follow the road a lot more than it does now. The 96 is a handful on those rare occasions I drive it on the road at highway speeds. It will randomly take off and go wherever it wants to go.

[Wathen1955]

Curious about this conversation between Pete and Bryan. What are the STOCK settings? Would it be worthwhile for an average corvette owner like me to tweak those settings next time I have it aligned, or what would be a common ground setting?

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

The worst that could happen at -.75 or -1.0 (other than tire wear) would be that the car will follow the road a lot more than it does now. The 96 is a handful on those rare occasions I drive it on the road at highway speeds. It will randomly take off and go wherever it wants to go.

That only happens to you on the highway? I know its a race car, could it be the caster?

I know caster is not a big deal for your needs.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

Curious about this conversation between Pete and Bryan. What are the STOCK settings? Would it be worthwhile for an average corvette owner like me to tweak those settings next time I have it aligned, or what would be a common ground setting?

Stock but a bit modified is what I use on Betty Boop. That is no tire wear at all. I had no tire wear on the 12,000 mile road trip.

Front
Camber: 0°
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: 0°
Toe: 1/8" in per tire.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by PLRX

That only happens to you on the highway? I know its a race car, could it be the caster?

I know caster is not a big deal for your needs.

Caster is definitely part of it as well.

...as is the simple fact that I am running 315s on the front.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

Curious about this conversation between Pete and Bryan. What are the STOCK settings? Would it be worthwhile for an average corvette owner like me to tweak those settings next time I have it aligned, or what would be a common ground setting?

Personally, if I was getting my car aligned, even if it was only a weekend warrior daily driver, I would go with a little more negative camber and a little more toe-in than stock.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Personally, if I was getting my car aligned, even if it was only a weekend warrior daily driver, I would go with a little more negative camber and a little more toe-in than stock.

Toe in???

I read that tow zero to negative adds on responsiveness in the front. What Am I missing?

[Wathen1955]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Personally, if I was getting my car aligned, even if it was only a weekend warrior daily driver, I would go with a little more negative camber and a little more toe-in than stock.

Originally Posted by PLRX

Toe in???

I read that tow zero to negative adds on responsiveness in the front. What Am I missing?

So based on Pete's values, what would they be:

Front
Camber: 0°
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: 0°
Toe: 1/8" in per tire.

[mike100]

I tend to like near zero front toe settings, but the C4 has such wide tires already, a little toe will help it drive straight. My C6 is all over the road as it has the Z51 alignment, which is more toe neutral and has a wee bit more neg camber.

My C4 had so much neg camber in the rear when I got it, I raised the ride height slighlty and eye-balled to a near 0 camber. maybe there is .5 deg negative...maybe. the tire wear is great though. Don't want to spend $$ because the toe settings are good and there is no edge feathering. it understeers on tight corners- so I think it is pretty much at conventional settings.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Toe in???

I read that tow zero to negative adds on responsiveness in the front. What Am I missing?

Not missing anything... the factory specs are really conservative with a huge +/-. You could be all over the place and still technically be in GM spec. Most alignment places are perfectly fine with that and aren't going to get you exactly where you want it. I would go with a much tighter tolerance and tell them somewhere from 0 to -1/16.

[Wathen1955]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Not missing anything... the factory specs are really conservative with a huge +/-. You could be all over the place and still technically be in GM spec. Most alignment places are perfectly fine with that and aren't going to get you exactly where you want it. I would go with a much tighter tolerance and tell them somewhere from 0 to -1/16.

So based on this info:?


Front
Camber: 0°
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: 0°
Toe: -1/16" in per tire.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

So based on this info:?


Front
Camber: 0°
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: 0°
Toe: -1/16" in per tire.

That would be an improvement. It would do great in a straight line and better in the corners than factory. If it were mine, I would go a little farther to -.25° or -.5° camber in the front on a 100% street car.

You shouldn't see any negative tire wear because of that and it should still keep it's "friendly" street drivability.

[Wathen1955]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

That would be an improvement. It would do great in a straight line and better in the corners than factory. If it were mine, I would go a little farther to -.25° or -.5° camber in the front on a 100% street car.

You shouldn't see any negative tire wear because of that and it should still keep it's "friendly" street drivability.

Just so I have the numbers correct:

Front
Camber: -0.25° (or -0.5°)
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: 0°
Toe: -1/16" in per tire.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

Just so I have the numbers correct:

Front
Camber: -0.25° (or -0.5°)
Caster: 5~7°
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: 0°
Toe: -1/16" in per tire.

Looks pretty good to me. You should see some handling improvement without sacrificing much drivability or tire wear.