Over the winter, I replaced the gears in my 1976 Corvette. Upon putting it back together, I found my drivers side rear tire (bottom) seems to be kicked out, not resting flat on the ground. How do I re-align the rear end? Thanks for any help.
Brad

Take it to a shop that has the capacity to perform a 4 wheel alignment, is the easiest way.

For a stock rear suspension setup there is an adjustment (washer? for lack of a better word) on the inside connecting rod next to the differential for each side. The bolt goes through this eccentric cam thingy (circular but with an offset center hole...Oh, it's called a "camber Adjuster see URL sneaked in below), and into the connecting rod end. You loosen up the nut/bolt and then rotate the eccentric which will pull or push (depending on where it is now and which way you rotate it) the connecting rod. You'll want to rotate it to where it pulls in the connecting rod end, which should straighten out the hub assy, then tighten the hardware to spec'd torque.

A more modern and more easily adjustable solution is to buy a set of aftermarket threaded connecting rods with ball-end joints on either end. Usually one set of threads in the connecting rod tube is reverse threaded, so that you can rotate the tube and either lengthen or shorten the connecting rod, thereby adjusting the angle of your hub assy.

See this URL for a diagram pointing out the camber adjustment thingy: (Note: Replace the oo with tt and the TTT with www)

hoop://TTT.racecars360.com/Corvette_Tech/Tech_Stuff__Home_/Entries/2009/5/26_C4_Rear_Suspension_Adventure_files/C4%20Rear%20Suspension%20-%201.jpg

This one from this forum shows the aftermarket adjustabe length connecting rods I mentioned:

hoop://mdteague.com/68Project/Dana44rear.jpg

Any time I've brought mine in to be aligned I've had to have my own bushings/spacers. You might get your own before you take it in. They always seem to think they have what you need, but my experience has been ....they don't.

Thanks for the help. Not sure what happened. Thought I put everything back on as it came off, guess I was a little off. I will try to do it myself tonight, see what happens.

If you're in the Detroit area, Harold's Frame Shop is the place to take it. Hands down the best in the area. I had my 76 there for a 4-whl alignment recently as well.

I've always adjusted mine as follows: Place a large carpenter's square short end on level floor, long end against tire pointing up so it catches the tire at two points. Adjust the eccentrics or adjustable strut rods so that you have a 1/4 inch gap on the upper point on the tire. Roll the car back and forth a few time to alow the tire to correct it's track after adjusting, but before checking for the gap. This has worked for me for 15 years and no issues yet. The adjustable strut rods are the bomb!
Dusty

Thanks for the idea's. Anything I can do to correct the problem myself, and not take it to a garage........ Thanks again to you all. Brad

Over the winter, I replaced the gears in my 1976 Corvette. Upon putting it back together, I found my drivers side rear tire (bottom) seems to be kicked out, not resting flat on the ground. How do I re-align the rear end? Thanks for any help.
Brad


On the eccentric washers, you'll notice they have adjustment marks on them. As you apparently didn't notice they have marks on them, you just bolted everything together. Right? So what you have to do is adjust them to perhaps mark #2 and set the car back down. Roll the car back a few feet, then foreword a few feet. Check your camber. If it's not right, then re-adjust the camber adjustments until you get it right. With good rod bushings, my correct camber is mark #2 on both sides.

I set mine easily first get a level put it on floor make it level next to tire you wish to setup take carpenter square set against tire and carefully measure distance at the wheel not tire top and bottom the top should be 1/8th to 3/16th greater than bottom measurement if not adjust the eccentric bolt whatever way it needs top go this is from duntov alignment school 101 it works i also set up my trailing arm toein from there paper on this there is also a string method that works too
69smallblock

The important thing is to roll the car back and forth after making any adjustment to remove any bias or resistance to adjustment caused by the floor, and another important issue is that the car should be at max weight. Full tank of gas and t-tops should be on, spare tire if you use one.
Dusty