Hello,
I have owned two GT500s. Both had the same suspension mods, Eibachs, camber bolts (yes I know...), the same aftermarket 20" rims, I kept the 20" rims from my first GT500, and put them on my current GT500, LCAs, and a full real deal chassis shop alignment. The problem I'm having is neither GT500 felt "planted", or wanted to track straight, at any speeds above 50mph. Even on smooth, rut free roads, the front of the car wants to dart either left or right to some small degree.
I'll post my conclusion here first, then fill in the details:
I think I'm just not used to the feel and drive of a solid axle car, or my 20" rims are throwing the tracking off.
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Why I think this...
I never owned a solid rear axle car until my first GT500. I have always had German or Japanese sports cars, with fully independent suspension. I know these solid axle cars, give a different type of ride. I can actually feel like the car sits on "three" points, the two front wheels, and from the UCA in the back. It's a little unsettling of a feeling when driven, from my perspective. Perhaps its just a learning curve, I need to experience more seat time? These cars are supposed to be 155mph/200mph capable cars, but I couldn't imagine getting that fast in mine.
My daily driver is a new Nissan Altima, and I take that at speeds of 100mph on occasion, and even on back roads, that car feels PLANTED at speed, even over bumps and dips. If I take my GT500 on the same roads, by 70mph, I'm feeling very unsafe, and "darty". The fastest I've ever taken the GT500 is to 120mph on a flat Interstate, once or twice, and it was just too damn twitchy for my tastes.
Next possible clue. I have aftermarket 20" Foose rims on the car. 20x8.5 front 35mm offset, and 20x10 40mm offset in the back.
I know they aren't the best made rim, and actually joke they are my "cars and coffee" rims, for show, and not "go". I would never try a top speed run on them. When I look down the side of the car, from rear to front, it "appears" the front rims are a little bit further out from the axle hub, than the rears. It's just barely noticeable with the naked eye. It's not cambered out, just that the front wheels sit squarely out, as if they had a 10-20mm spacer plate. I have been getting very normal tire wear. I do know about the brake disc clips, they were removed prior to the rims being installed. So I don't know the exact terminology for that dimension, so I apologize in advance.
This is how it would look, in a "not to scale" sketch:
If the front and rear rims, aren't on the same centerline, would this be an issue?
The car was aligned with the 19" rims, as per the previous owner, done at a reputable chassis shop. I put the 20" rims on after I bought the car from him. He gave me the stock 19" rims, but the tires are shot, and they need to be replaced. I have thought about buying a set of tires for the 19" rims, just as a hunch, thinking the 20" rims, due to their offset, or some other dimension, just wasn't letting the car track straight. Would this be worth a shot? If a car is aligned with 19" rims, and you put 20" rims, should the car be re-aligned?
There is no damage or worn out components, car has 9,000 miles on it. My first GT500 was bought new, and like I said had the same "issue", as my current one.
Thanks for any insight.
I have owned two GT500s. Both had the same suspension mods, Eibachs, camber bolts (yes I know...), the same aftermarket 20" rims, I kept the 20" rims from my first GT500, and put them on my current GT500, LCAs, and a full real deal chassis shop alignment. The problem I'm having is neither GT500 felt "planted", or wanted to track straight, at any speeds above 50mph. Even on smooth, rut free roads, the front of the car wants to dart either left or right to some small degree.
I'll post my conclusion here first, then fill in the details:
I think I'm just not used to the feel and drive of a solid axle car, or my 20" rims are throwing the tracking off.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why I think this...
I never owned a solid rear axle car until my first GT500. I have always had German or Japanese sports cars, with fully independent suspension. I know these solid axle cars, give a different type of ride. I can actually feel like the car sits on "three" points, the two front wheels, and from the UCA in the back. It's a little unsettling of a feeling when driven, from my perspective. Perhaps its just a learning curve, I need to experience more seat time? These cars are supposed to be 155mph/200mph capable cars, but I couldn't imagine getting that fast in mine.
My daily driver is a new Nissan Altima, and I take that at speeds of 100mph on occasion, and even on back roads, that car feels PLANTED at speed, even over bumps and dips. If I take my GT500 on the same roads, by 70mph, I'm feeling very unsafe, and "darty". The fastest I've ever taken the GT500 is to 120mph on a flat Interstate, once or twice, and it was just too damn twitchy for my tastes.
Next possible clue. I have aftermarket 20" Foose rims on the car. 20x8.5 front 35mm offset, and 20x10 40mm offset in the back.
I know they aren't the best made rim, and actually joke they are my "cars and coffee" rims, for show, and not "go". I would never try a top speed run on them. When I look down the side of the car, from rear to front, it "appears" the front rims are a little bit further out from the axle hub, than the rears. It's just barely noticeable with the naked eye. It's not cambered out, just that the front wheels sit squarely out, as if they had a 10-20mm spacer plate. I have been getting very normal tire wear. I do know about the brake disc clips, they were removed prior to the rims being installed. So I don't know the exact terminology for that dimension, so I apologize in advance.
This is how it would look, in a "not to scale" sketch:
If the front and rear rims, aren't on the same centerline, would this be an issue?
The car was aligned with the 19" rims, as per the previous owner, done at a reputable chassis shop. I put the 20" rims on after I bought the car from him. He gave me the stock 19" rims, but the tires are shot, and they need to be replaced. I have thought about buying a set of tires for the 19" rims, just as a hunch, thinking the 20" rims, due to their offset, or some other dimension, just wasn't letting the car track straight. Would this be worth a shot? If a car is aligned with 19" rims, and you put 20" rims, should the car be re-aligned?
There is no damage or worn out components, car has 9,000 miles on it. My first GT500 was bought new, and like I said had the same "issue", as my current one.
Thanks for any insight.