C-2 Aligment for Radial Tires

[Stuart F.]

I know we've spent a fair amount of time on this subject whenever someone was thinking about changing over to Radial tires on their C-2, usually as it concerned tire size. We also touched upon the re-alignment issue, both front and rear. A few weeks back I sent a computer print out data sheet of the aligment on my 63 to Duke for his take on it, and some of the specs seemed a bit confusing. So, I ran it by an old friend of mine who ran an alignment business in Wisconsin for over 30 years, and as he's an old hot rodder himself, I figured he had lot of experience with just this very issue. He called me back the other day and blessed all the camber and caster specs as being ok, not ideal, but acceptable. What he didn't like was the toe setting for the rears. In fact, he said he'd bet the tire vendor/alignment shop never even touched the rear toe. He asked me if I was experiencing any extra tire wear on the rears (not in 2000 miles), and also questioned me about the handling characteristics (NASCAR tight). His take is that most shops will not tackle the rear toe because they don't want to deal with the shim pacs and trailing (torque) arm pivot bolts, specially if the car shows some age, or is driven and shows some corrosion scale or road grime. I told him that the tech that worked on mine was supposed to be a Certified Corvette Mechanic who should have seen a C-2 or C-3 once in a while - enough to know their needs. Whatever, just thought I'd pass this on for some background info for anyone contemplating a move to Radials.

Stu Fox

[John H.]

Re: C-2 Aligment for Radial Tires

Stu -

In the Detroit area, many of us take our midyears and C3's to one alignment shop in Eastpointe that specializes in Corvettes, and KNOWS them - they even stock the rear toe shims so you don't have to take your own.

Front alignment pricing is the same as any other car, and a 4-wheel alignment with slotted shims is $135.00; if grief is encountered with the pivot bolts on cars with "hole" shims, the rear becomes an additional hourly rate job depending on how ugly it gets.

[Stuart F.]

Re: C-2 Aligment for Radial Tires

John;

Thanks for responding on this issue. It confirms my suspicions and analogy of what has taken place with my 63, and is probably similar to what happens to many C-2 owners when they change over to Radial tires at a tire shop.

As for me, I intend to find a shop here in Florida that may know what they are doing and get mine corrected (rear). I don't have a tire wear problem yet due to low mileage, but I expect better cornering for a midyear with radials. Right now, with the fast steering, it corners like a Mack truck. I'm not that strong any more.

Thanks again;

Stu fox