1979 Corvette strut rod adjustment? [Archive] - SmokinVette.com Forums

: 1979 Corvette strut rod adjustment?


Hogwash
02-20-2008, 04:52 PM
My suspension is all screwed up, my steering is all loss and my tires especially in the rear you can see are tilted? How do you adjust the strut rods? Is there an easy way?

mhester
03-21-2008, 06:25 AM
You can adjust the rear wheel camber by turning the cam-bolts at the ends of the strut rods.

I had replaced the original cam adjustment bolts ($25 and a PITA) and could never get them to stay put. I would have to repeatedly jack up the rear end, set the camber angle by trial and error and then they would always move and cause the wheels to tilt in at the top. I don't tend to push it too hard on the turns either. I finally gave up and installed the HD adjustable strut rods ($125 and another PITA) which have a threaded turnbuckle setup and they have worked great. After I set the camber (again through trial and error) they stay put.

One thing though - the first time I set them, I used antisieze on the adjustment sleeve threads thinking I would have problems with the adjustment sleeve becoming siezed. With the antisieze they did get out of adjustment after about a hundred miles and I had to reset them. So far (about 500 miles now) they have not moved and the camber has stayed where I set it.

Also, I have found a ton of good info on the net about setting front and rear alignment, camber and caster angles, wear patterns, handling symptoms, etc. and have been able to set mine up where it handles great (at home with basic tools!). I'm too scared to take mine to a shop, because alot of these guys have never seen an old vette. Let me know if you have any questions - Good Luck

SportsCarsUnlimited
03-21-2008, 03:06 PM
One other thing you should look at that will make the tires lean in at the top is worn stub axles in your rear end. As the ends of the stub axles wear over the years the axle shafts both move in word causing the top of your tires to move in to the point there is no adjustment left on the strut rods. If your inner ujoint straps are cutting in to your rear end housing, You need stub axles. We see this problem every day on 63 to 79 corvettes.
David