Adjust front suspension camber, caster, and toe settings to factory specifications to ensure proper tire wear and handling characteristics on a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette.

Warnings

Tools required

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on a level, flat surface suitable for alignment work
2. Set tire pressures to specification: 24 psi front, 26 psi rear (cold)
3. Inspect front suspension components for wear: upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, idler arm, and control arm bushings. Replace any worn components before attempting alignment
4. Bounce front and rear of vehicle several times to settle suspension
5. Ensure fuel tank is at approximately half full for proper ride height
6. Center steering wheel and ensure it is locked in straight-ahead position
7. Verify wheel and tire sizes match all four corners and tires are in acceptable condition

Procedure

1. 1

   Mount vehicle on alignment rack
   Drive or roll the vehicle onto the alignment rack or lift with turn plates under the front wheels. Ensure the vehicle is centered on the rack and turn plates are unlocked to allow wheel movement during measurements. Position rear wheels on slip plates if available.
2. 2

   Attach alignment sensors
   Mount wheel alignment sensors or targets to all four wheels according to the alignment machine manufacturer's instructions. Ensure sensors are securely clamped to the wheel rim and properly calibrated. For optical systems, verify cameras have clear line of sight to all targets.
3. 3

   Perform initial alignment reading
   Complete the compensation procedure by rolling the vehicle forward and backward as directed by the alignment system. Take initial readings of camber, caster, and toe on both front wheels. Record these values. Factory specifications for the 1966 Corvette are: Camber 0° to +1° (preferred +0.5°), Caster -1° to 0° (preferred -0.5°), Total Toe 1/16" to 3/16" toe-in.
4. 4

   Adjust front camber
   Camber is adjusted by adding or removing shims between the upper control arm shaft and the frame bracket. To increase positive camber (top of wheel outward), add shims equally to both front and rear of the upper control arm shaft. To decrease camber (more negative), remove shims equally front and rear. Each 0.060" of shim changes camber approximately 0.5°. Loosen the two upper control arm shaft-to-frame bolts, adjust shim stack, and retighten bolts. Recheck reading after settling suspension.
5. 5

   Adjust front caster
   Caster is adjusted by adding or removing shims unevenly between the upper control arm shaft and frame bracket. To increase positive caster, remove shims from the rear bolt or add shims to the front bolt. To decrease caster, do the opposite. Each 0.060" shim thickness transferred from front to rear changes caster approximately 0.5°. Make adjustments while maintaining the camber setting by keeping the total shim count the same. Loosen both upper control arm shaft bolts, adjust shim stacks, and retighten.
6. 6

   Verify camber and caster settings
   After adjusting shims, bounce the front end of the vehicle three times to settle the suspension. Recheck camber and caster readings on both front wheels. Verify both wheels are within specification and side-to-side variance is minimized (camber within 0.5° side-to-side, caster within 0.5° side-to-side). Repeat shim adjustments if necessary.
7. 7

   Adjust toe setting
   With the steering wheel centered and locked, loosen the clamp bolts on the tie rod adjusting sleeves (one per side). The adjusting sleeve is located on the tie rod between the inner and outer tie rod ends. Rotate the sleeve to lengthen or shorten the tie rod: lengthen to increase toe-out (reduce toe-in), shorten to increase toe-in. Adjust both sides equally to maintain steering wheel centering. Set total toe to 1/8" toe-in (1/16" per wheel).
8. 8

   Tighten tie rod clamps
   Once toe is set correctly, tighten the tie rod adjusting sleeve clamp bolts. Ensure the clamp bolt openings face upward or rearward (never downward) to prevent interference with road debris. Verify the sleeve has not rotated during tightening by rechecking toe setting.
9. 9

   Perform final alignment check
   Complete a final full alignment reading of all four wheels. Verify front camber, caster, and toe are within specification. Check that steering wheel is still centered. Print alignment report showing before and after values. Confirm thrust angle is acceptable (near 0°) and rear toe is tracking straight, though rear is not adjustable on this vehicle.
10. 10

    Road test vehicle
    Remove alignment sensors and carefully drive vehicle off the rack. Test drive on a straight, level road at moderate speed. Verify steering wheel is centered during straight-line driving, vehicle does not pull to either side, and steering returns to center after turns. Listen for any unusual noises from the front suspension that might indicate loose components.

Reassembly

1. No disassembly required for this procedure beyond loosening adjustment hardware

Verification

• Print and review final alignment report showing all measurements within factory specifications
• Confirm steering wheel is centered when driving straight
• Verify vehicle tracks straight without pulling to either side
• Check that steering returns to center smoothly after turns
• Inspect all tie rod clamp bolts and upper control arm bolts for proper tightness
• Recommend re-checking alignment after 500 miles of driving to ensure settings have stabilized

More procedures for this vehicle