Wheel Alignment

[John Vardanian]

Looking for suggestions on measuring front wheel alignment.

Thanks for any ideas on homemade tools and methods.

john

[lukek]

John

There is a place that is local to you and I, and they allign all the exotics and classics. It is 4 (or is it 5?) Point tires at Woodside and 101. The specs for my GTE alignment are in my owner's manual.
I actually plan to do this to mine (my wheel is about 8 degrees of center when I am driving straight).
PM me for teh number.

thx
luke

[David Booth]

Assuming your tires are not badly worn from running underinflated, it's surprising how good an initial neutral setting you can get (good for driving to the alignment shop without killing someone) with a simple measuring device that maintains a constant distance, yet is adjustable as you change the alignment.

In my case, a pair of trammel points on a thin length of solid wood (something we use in our exhibit fabrication shop for casting arcs), works perfectly. I set the steering wheel straight ahead and set the trammel points to touch the inside edges of the tread shoulder of the tires 90 degrees off the floor at the front of the tire. Then I go back and forth between the front 90 degree position and the rear one, while adjusting the tie rod ends, until both distances are equal.

Almost takes longer to describe than it does to execute.

I'd be really hesitant to do anything more than a temporary setup using homemade methods.

[John Vardanian]

Thanks David. I was thinking about a similar method.

john

[330Jim]

Did you want to do caster, camber, toe or all of them? Toe is the easiest and most common. The trammel method works well, I've also used a 2x2 with cardboard stapled on the ends. Just mark the cardboard once in front of the wheel and once behind. it, the difference is your toe. Currently I use two 9x24 inch aluminum plates that I lean against the wheels with a tape measure in front and back. Its a little easier to use, but cost a little more to make. Longacre sells them if you would like to buy them, about $60. By clamping a cheap laser to these plates I can aim the laser beams at the garage door behind the car to check and see if the steering wheel is straight. Simply set the steering wheel in the straight-ahead position and eyeball the laser marks on the garage door. If the laser marks are equal distant from the car the steering wheel will be straight when driving down the road. There is no need to measure the laser marks, over the length of the car a 1 degree movement in the wheel will show up as about 4 inches on the garage door.

Fred Puhn also has a good book that covers alignments called "How to Make your Car Handle". It’s the best introduction to suspension dynamics I have come across.

Castor and camber can also be easily and cheaply done at home. However it is more difficult.

In regards to accuracy, I have found the cheap methods to be every bit as accurate as the expensive tools. The expensive tools just tend to be easier and less time consuming to use.

Jim

[John Vardanian]

Thanks Jim for the advice. I don't think castor and camber can be adjusted on my car. They are fixed.

john