I need some help with alignment specs. I have an 88 Camaro Sport Coupe and I recently had it aligned at Sears. I do not think I will have work done there anymore after this "alignment" but I wanted to know what everyone thinks. I have attached a PDF of the alignment I copied over. When looking at the caster at each wheel it is out of spec. However, Sears told me that the cross caster is more important. I would think all the specs should be green after alignment, you be the judge.

 

That's actually a pretty good even alignment. It also appears that all the guy did was adjust the toe. There are specs posted on here in the faqs section, and I would use the specs for street use.

 

I think I was more concerned with the caster. It didn't make sense to have that out of alignment on each side even though the total caster was in spec. I could have the caster at 0° on each side and still be within the total caster. It just does not seem right. My 88 GM manual says 5° is preferred for caster.

 

My 84 was hard pressed to get 3deg of caster stock. I agree it should be more, but what you have isn't bad, and it's the same on both sides, along with the camber. I would go 1/2 deg neg camber on both sides, and 4-5deg camber per side and equal. If you're worried about road crown, make the right 1/2 deg more than the left. Total toe of 3/32...there's what you should shoot for. All specs are with a body or weight in the drivers seat. Good luck finding a shop to dial it in for you.

 

Anyone else want to throw in their 2 cents?

 

You can only get so much caster out of these. One side may be maxed out so since they were even he left it. I see this all the time at work. Caster will not cause any tire wear issues and i seriosly doubt you would notice a difference it it was increased a deg. handling wise.It looks fine, hopefully at Sears they were able to get your steering wheel straight LOL

 

Yeah Sears blows, once I drove out and the car felt funny. I checked the lugs in the parking lot and they had forgotten to tighten a while wheel of lugs. Needless to say I did not go there for a year because of that crap. Anyways, the mechanic never opened my hood even to TRY to adjust the caster. So I know the guy really didn't seem to care. To me it just was odd that he did not even attempt to get each side in spec. Oh well it's kinda the last straw for me with Sears especially after another location tried to tell me my tie rods were busted and wheel bearings needed to be repacked.

 

Did they do work on the wheels or just the alignment. You only need a toe hook to do your toe. The cross looked good. I can't vooch for that employee but I know that if you have drag springs it makes double negative caster which can't be fixed very easily. I have drag springs on my camaro and I work at sears. So um yeah I take no offense to what you say its just you can't blame a corporation for a tech. If it is still in its 6 month 6k mile warranty bring it back in and they will adjust it for free, Alot of times on the custom rims you really need to follow that 25 miles wheel torquing policy.
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As for your tierods being bad and wheel bearings need repacked they may or may not need it. But I don't tell you something unless you need it. On the same token. I have had customers with tierods so bad I won't touch their cars ( afew have popped out of socket when replacing them-that's from trying to break the adjusting nut loose). I had a customer have 1 3/4 inch movement up and down on his idler arm and tried arguing with me that it wasn't bad. Not to mention both his lowers and his wheel bearings where shot. He went to another sears and they did the work without even checking a vehicle that wasn't safe for travel. Makes you wonder about differences between businesses even with the same name!

 

WTF??

Please enlighten me!!

 

Consider it enlightened. Alot of alloy rims that come form the factory for our cars require a torque of 80-100 ft/lbs. Now that's all fine and dandy they say that you are suppose to have your wheels retorqued in 25 miles to make sure alloy rims don't shift and to make sure your wheels don't fall off. The people with steelies never have to worry about this. In the case of custom rims like my prostars that use an accorn style lugnut or after market rims that have a different conic section the tend to not stay tight or to give a false torque. I know from first hand I had to retorque my pro stars again due to this. Even if I double torqued them (which cures it for 99 percent of the cars) Which is going over the star pattern twice with a torque stick. MOst vehicles get the snap on torque stick treatment and a star pattern torque on custom ones I usually do a torque stick and double star pattern to make sure its good and tight. Of course taken in to consideration that pro stars take an 80 foot pound torque. If any other questions I am always down to answer. Provided I am online.

 

I work at a very large GM dealership. All of our cars come with alloy (aluminum rims) and none of them have to come back in 25 miles for a re-torque.

Do you have magic wheels, or are you just full of ?

 

I have very magic wheels and I worked at a ford dealership woot woot. Those are normal alloys and let me guess you put the wheels on with a torque stick or by "feel" with your impact? Sound about right. Personally I think their policy is just an stg policy becuase wheels do fall of and that makes sure no one can sue them. Covering asses are key in the automotive field. If you told me your dealership never had a wheel fall off I would call BS cause I hear horror stories from every shop. Personally I have never had a wheel fall of and I like to keep it that way.

 

I have an 88 SC as well, I'm planning on getting this alignment in a few weeks:

Toe 1/16 IN
Camber .5 negative
Caster +4 +4 1/2

I think our cars cam stock with about 3+ caster, a little positve camber, and the toe was a little different, but i don't think it will make much difference...i thought that these setting would give it a little more aggresive handaling on the street

 

hey how much did it cost to get you allignment done. im going to redo my whole suspension this summer and im trying to figure out the price