Four wheel alignment

[joe1975]

My local tire shop has a 4 wheel alignment rack so when I finish with my front rebuild should I go for a 4 or tell them to leave the back alone?

 

[Dad]

My local tire shop has a 4 wheel alignment rack so when I finish with my front rebuild should I go for a 4 or tell them to leave the back alone?

It's a given, do all four, when was the last time it had all four aligned. I started doing all four when I was driving solid axel Corvettes. When I get a new car it has a four wheel alignment before I break the 1,000 mile mark. Last two didn't require any changes but I knew it was right when it hit the road for long trips. Just part of good vehicle maintenance, plus you may be allot safer.

 

[GTR1999]

First thing you have to do is find out if they know how to work on old vettes. Was the rear ever aligned since you had the car? From 70 up they used slotted rear shims which can be hammer in place as long as they aren't too rusted. HTe camber is set by the rear strut rods camber cams. The rear spring,rear bearings,strut rods, and rear end need to be in good shape or you're wasting your time and money($225-4 wheel around here) with the alignment. If you're just doing a front end rebuild you may be better off doing just a standard front end alignment until you're sure about the rear of the car. Look for bent strut rods while it's up in the air,that will tell you someone already tried and failed at the alignment.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

I am always a little leary of tire shop alignments. I would try to find an alignment shop that has a "Snap-on" 4 wheel laser alignment system. They can print out the specs and before and after results of your alignment for reference purposes.

 

[Dad]

The rear spring,rear bearings,strut rods, and rear end need to be in good shape or you're wasting your time and money($225-4 wheel around here) with the alignment. If you're just doing a front end rebuild you may be better off doing just a standard front end alignment until you're sure about the rear of the car. Look for bent strut rods while it's up in the air,that will tell you someone already tried and failed at the alignment.

Whoa, $80-$90 here at the same FRAME shop I've used since 1962 when I had my 61 aligned. I to stay away from tire/dealer alignments, that's why I said FRAME shop. They would always call if they found a problem and say, "you have a tie rod that needs replaced, can we fix it while it's here?" They could have a car on the road in the same amount of time it takes a desk person to stumble through a computer print out of an estimate in most shops. If you can't do the rear you won't gain anything by doing just the front, it's still wouldn't be a safe car to drive.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Ditto, $78.00 for a 4 wheel laser alignment without any parts.

 

[joe1975]

Ok Wishu that figure came from what type of shop?

 

[wishuwerehere82]

That's what my alignment shop here in Rochester charges for a 4 wheel laser alignment for a C3 Corvette.
And he does it while I wait, actually I center the steering wheel while he does the wrench work. We have a long standing relationship, and he always tells me exactly what he does and explains the rational behind the work.
Believe it or not!

 

[GTR1999]

Whoa, $80-$90 here at the same FRAME shop I've used since 1962 when I had my 61 aligned. I to stay away from tire/dealer alignments, that's why I said FRAME shop. They would always call if they found a problem and say, "you have a tie rod that needs replaced, can we fix it while it's here?" They could have a car on the road in the same amount of time it takes a desk person to stumble through a computer print out of an estimate in most shops. If you can't do the rear you won't gain anything by doing just the front, it's still wouldn't be a safe car to drive.

Agreed,IF the shop knows how to align an old vette and an big IF the vettes rear suspension is in good order.The pre 70 cars used a 2 hole shim that required removing the front bolt. If the car is in the rust belt area and hasn't been touched this can be a big job that an average alignment shop isn't experienced with. Thats one reason you see bent strut rods,while you're waiting the guy is trying to figure out out to work on the shims because the bolt is rust frozen,his boss come over and says" the trick to these old vettes is to bend the rod here,use my pipe wrench!" You drive out everything seems fine. The shop I mentioned know vettes and also knows they have one of the better alignment guys in the area so they mark up the price. I think the $225 is out of line,but what is the alternative- the guy working at the local Sears or tire stores that knows everything?

Edit- I know you have a 75. The shims should be the slotted type which would make the car easier to align. Camber adjustment would be the same.

Bottom line is it's your money and car so you have to make the decision,I'm just passing along what I have experienced working on these cars the past 30 years. If the rear suspension is in alignment already and just the front suspension was done that's all I would do, unless the shop is known to work on vettes.
Good Luck

 

[joe1975]

Thats where I was going with this,but I wondering with the new laser machines can your average tire husler make it work with the good equipment?

 

[JohnZ]

It's not the machine that matters, it's how much time the tech REALLY wants to spend getting the rear toe-in set RIGHT; you'll expect to pay more for a shop that knows Corvettes and will take the time to shim it properly (and repetitively), especially with old hole-only shims rusted in place and the pivot bolt frozen solid to the bushing sleeve. The average shop will take one stab at it, and call it "close enough"; that's not good enough.

 

[Chuck-75]

just my $.02,Ive tryied the tire shop route with my previous vette. they had laser alignment and the guy was young. he did the fronts,but when he got to the back he scratch his head for 20 Mins before he told me he didnt know how to make adjustments on the rear.(I also was new to vettes at the time,I asked around and found a local alignment shop.that is recomended by every shop in town. i went there and WoW, the guy is incredible. He does the Ft,then the rear,then the Ft again. makes a BIG diference.) Ive just finished the Ft suspension rebuild on my new 75 vert. and am starting the rears today. Geez if its like my fronts? itll take me 3 Mos to finish. but my alignement guy has atleast a 1 Mo waiting list just to get in........... Hes not the soup natzi but I respect him very much.

Id say ask around yr area from other corvette owners where the recomend?also some well established (not name brand ) tuneup,repair,auto shops.The places Ive ask knew I was doing a good resto on my car and they all recomended the same place.
save the wave.