59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

[Jill J.]

I'm trying to do a front end wheel alignment. Does anyone know the toe in degree setting? I'm having trouble finding this information.

Thanks in advance.


Jill Jahn, 59140

[Keith R.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Two places that I know of: AIM Section 14 under specifications and the Assembly Manual Page L80 Section 3 Sheet 4.

[Steven B.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Jill, per ST-12, Section 14: 1/16" -1/8"
Steve

[Jim L.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Jill, per ST-12, Section 14: 1/16" -1/8"
Steve

Steve, those ST-12 specs would be for bias ply tires. Radials, I believe, need less toe-in.

[Joseph L.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Get the tool and do your own alignments.
Do not get the caster within the range. That is not good enough. Do get it at nominal: 2 degrees and do not have the variation L to R greater than 1/4 degree. Have the camber at nominal and 1/4 degree variation. Use new bias tires, and watch the freeway grooves not matter.
Add a second set of shim plates (yes, two per side) if you cannot get to 2 degrees. Ask me why!

Joe

[Duke W.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Back in the day total front toe was specified as a range in fractions of an inch. For modern cars, most of which have independent front and rear suspensions, toe is specified as degrees per wheel.

Conversion from inches to degrees is a simple calculation if you recall from geometry that a circle has 360 degrees or 2pi radians, and the length of an arc is the radius of the circle times the angle in radians. Further for very small angles the secant, which is the toe is essentially equal to the arc to a reasonable degree of accuracy.

For bias ply tires total toe-in of 1/4" is 1/8" per wheel, so for 27" OD tires the toe per wheel is:

Angle in degrees = .125(360)/(13.5)(6.2832) = 0.53 deg.

For radial tires use 1/32" toe-in per wheel.

Duke

[Jill J.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Thank you all for your input. We will try the techniques mentioned over the weekend. When I drove the car for the first time this past weekend (I literally finished my nearly 8-year restoration project this past Saturday), the car drove great but seemed to travel a bit on the road. It does have bias ply tires (aka pie pans) and I thought maybe they were catching the crown on the road, thus causing it to travel a bit.

In any event, it was the very first time I've ever driven the car and it was great letting the wind blow through my hair. My husband also reminded me that this was the first time my car has been driven on the road in 50 years. It was parked in 1972 (at least, that's what the inspection sticker had on it - 1972 - when I purchased it). 😁

Thanks again!

Jill, 59140

[Keith R.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

Congratulations Jill on finishing your project! (although we all know its never quite finished...) What a great feeling that must have been to get it out on the road! I must say, you are a fast restorer of this car - just eight years! Mine took 14 and I'm now getting it ready for Scottsdale. Regarding the alignment, I "eye-balled" it initially and then found an "old school" alignment shop in my area who knew how to align these old cars. You might check in your area as well.

[Jimmy G.]

Re: 59 Corvette Toe In Degree Setting?

I think that a little extra toe in on a C1 makes the cars track better, or at least it does on my 60. Tires wear quicker but they dry rot before they wear out anyway so who cares. I run 1/8 if I remember correctly