[DeTomaso] Wheel alignment, loaded or unloaded?

Thomas Törnblom thomas at hax.se
Mon Jul 12 01:59:09 EDT 2021 

The shocks and springs are most likely what the car came with, at least I have not changed them in the 21 years I’ve owned the car. I doubt that either of the two previous owners bothered with them either.

It is soft in the rear and I have contemplated replacing them all around. What should I use?

Cheers,
Thomas

> 12 juli 2021 kl. 01:20 skrev Julian Kift <julian_kift at hotmail.com>:
> 
> 
> Thomas,
> 
> Even if I filled my trunk with lead weights, I don't think it would sag enough to ground out and I have my suspension as low as it will physically go (the tires rub the flares on occasion). If you are to the cords on the inside of the tire and legal on the outside, it suggests a significant degree of induced camber. Either the shocks and/or springs are worn out and not doing their job or something else is going on. What shocks & spring rates do you have?
> The later Embo chassis were known for weak frame rails (I think my GT5 had some added strength welded into that area prior to my acquisition). Is it possible you are getting some chassis frame rail flex (spread) under load? I have also seen lower a-arms start to physically pull through the chassis rail. Adding in one of the cross braces designed to fit in that area might help stiffen up the rear chassis.
> 
> Julian
> 
> From: DeTomaso <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> on behalf of Thomas Törnblom <thomas at hax.se>
> Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2021 12:24 PM
> To: MICHAEL DREW <mikeldrew at aol.com>
> Cc: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Wheel alignment, loaded or unloaded?
>  
> My users manual have specs for the later wide bodied cars, which is what I have used.
> 
> > 11 juli 2021 kl. 19:40 skrev MICHAEL DREW <mikeldrew at aol.com>:
> > 
> > Thomas,
> > 
> > The car doesn’t sink enough with cargo weight to account for your issue. Are you using pre-L alignment specs? Narrow tires need lots of negative camber but wide tires need about zero. 
> > 
> > You could throw some weight in the trunk but I would take a hard look at your alignment specs first. And also look for hidden problems such as a loose camber bar that would allow the top of the chassis to flex (that seems pretty unlikely though)
> > 
> > Mike 
> > 
> > Sent from my iPhone
> > 
> >> On Jul 11, 2021, at 09:19, Thomas Törnblom <thomas at hax.se> wrote:
> >> 
> >> While changing fluids yesterday I noticed that my rear tires are worn to the point that the cord is visible on the inner edge. The outside is still good.
> >> This was the case with my previous two sets as well.
> >> Most of the mileage is with a fair amount of luggage as it happens on our trips to the continent or club events.
> >> I’ve had the wheels aligned twice, but always with no load. The rear sits fairly low on our trips, giving it a fair amount of negative camber.
> >> Should I load up the trunk and do a new alignment?
> >> Although most driving is with load, I don’t want to have the car look stupid when unloaded.
> >> It is a GT5 btw, with 345/35x15 tires.
> >> 
> >> /Thomas
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> 
> >> 
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> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
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-------------- next part --------------
   The shocks and springs are most likely what the car came with, at least
   I have not changed them in the 21 years I've owned the car. I doubt
   that either of the two previous owners bothered with them either.

   It is soft in the rear and I have contemplated replacing them all
   around. What should I use?

   Cheers,

   Thomas

     12 juli 2021 kl. 01:20 skrev Julian Kift <julian_kift at hotmail.com>:

   Thomas,

   Even if I filled my trunk with lead weights, I don't think it would sag
   enough to ground out and I have my suspension as low as it will
   physically go (the tires rub the flares on occasion). If you are to the
   cords on the inside of the tire and legal on the outside, it suggests a
   significant degree of induced camber. Either the shocks and/or
   springs are worn out and not doing their job or something else is going
   on. What shocks & spring rates do you have?

   The later Embo chassis were known for weak frame rails (I think my GT5
   had some added strength welded into that area prior to my acquisition).
   Is it possible you are getting some chassis frame rail flex (spread)
   under load? I have also seen lower a-arms start to physically pull
   through the chassis rail. Adding in one of the cross braces designed to
   fit in that area might help stiffen up the rear chassis.

   Julian
     __________________________________________________________________

   From: DeTomaso <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> on behalf of
   Thomas Toernblom <thomas at hax.se>
   Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2021 12:24 PM
   To: MICHAEL DREW <mikeldrew at aol.com>
   Cc: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
   Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Wheel alignment, loaded or unloaded?

   My users manual have specs for the later wide bodied cars, which is
   what I have used.
   > 11 juli 2021 kl. 19:40 skrev MICHAEL DREW <mikeldrew at aol.com>:
   >
   > Thomas,
   >
   > The car doesn't sink enough with cargo weight to account for your
   issue. Are you using pre-L alignment specs? Narrow tires need lots of
   negative camber but wide tires need about zero.
   >
   > You could throw some weight in the trunk but I would take a hard look
   at your alignment specs first. And also look for hidden problems such
   as a loose camber bar that would allow the top of the chassis to flex
   (that seems pretty unlikely though)
   >
   > Mike
   >
   > Sent from my iPhone
   >
   >> On Jul 11, 2021, at 09:19, Thomas Toernblom <thomas at hax.se> wrote:
   >>
   >> While changing fluids yesterday I noticed that my rear tires are
   worn to the point that the cord is visible on the inner edge. The
   outside is still good.
   >> This was the case with my previous two sets as well.
   >> Most of the mileage is with a fair amount of luggage as it happens
   on our trips to the continent or club events.
   >> I've had the wheels aligned twice, but always with no load. The rear
   sits fairly low on our trips, giving it a fair amount of negative
   camber.
   >> Should I load up the trunk and do a new alignment?
   >> Although most driving is with load, I don't want to have the car
   look stupid when unloaded.
   >> It is a GT5 btw, with 345/35x15 tires.
   >>
   >> /Thomas
   >> _______________________________________________
   >>
   >>
   >> Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
   >> Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
   >> DeTomaso mailing list
   >> DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   >> [1]http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
   >>
   >> To manage your subscription (change email address, unsubscribe,
   etc.) use the links above.
   >>
   >> Members who post to this list grant license to the list to forward
   any message posted here to all past, current, or future members of the
   list. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an archive
   or approve the archiving of list messages.
   >
   >
   >
   >
   >
   _______________________________________________
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     !DSPAM:60eb7cd461031841529523!

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