28buick

I am getting ready to reinstall my trailing arms with new SS shims. One arm had shim packs on both sides of the bushing while the other side had all the shims on one side. From the looks of the shims no one had ever touched them since leaving the factory in 1975. Is it normal to have shims on only one side or is there some kind of problem with my trailing arm.

bigvette1

Can't tell until you get it on the alignment rack. Some arms may need a small amount on one side to balance it if the frame and arm are not totally straight. It is all in how the alignment comes out.

PS- Make sure when you take it to an alignment shop you ask the question to the tech - have you aligned C3's with trailing arms? If the answer is no, go find someone that has.

Frank75

I suspect that most cars have shims on both sides but every car is different. The shims control toe and how the rear wheels align with the front. If you've replaced the bushings I'd just put the same shims back and that should allow you to drive to a good alignment shop. Make sure they understand vette rear suspensions.

NHvette

You can check the toe of the wheels (adjusted with the shims) by eye to a good degree.
Get a long straight object (I use my fishing rod). Lay it along the outer
surface of the tire (near the middle) and 'sight' down the line to see how
straight it is. The 'sight' should line up with the outer surface of trhe front tire.
If you do this, it should be good to drive to the alignment shop without issue.

All the shims on one side seems extreme to me. I'd look everything over for damaged or bent frame/trailing arm.

Good luck. :seeya


[Modified by NHvette, 9:04 AM 7/18/2003]

Van Steel

i would say that it the factory did not do that. The car had to have been aligned by somebody in the past 30 years. Anything is possible though

GTR1999

Do you have a good alignment shop nearby? If not I send my cars to a guy in Middletown. They do a great job but it costs $200 for front & back alignment.Have the SS shims too or they'll charge you for new ones.
Gary

Van Steel

$200 :eek: :eek: We charge $125

28buick

I have a good shop right down the street from me and they charge for the amount of time it takes. If nothing is seized or rusted its a hundred dollars. If nothing wants to come loose it could be two hundred.

GTR1999

I agree that a $100 per end is high but there's not too many alignment shops around here that will align a vette or know how to. The guy we got our last car from had his local expert do an alignment and the car came back without the shim cotter pins,loose shims,and who knows what else I'll find. That cost the guy $120.
Gary