alignment tools?

[snappytravis]

So just thinking about buying a home do it yourself alignment setup. I would like to be able to do alignments on my projects myself, I need to set it up pretty much for street use. However it would be nice if I do get into some autocross action to make adjustments and then change back to the normal street setup. I have seen the stringline kit for around $400.00. I think I may have scored a set of plates off a old alignment machine at the dealership I use to work for. Would like some input on what everyone does if they do it themselves or go to the aligment shop and pay the man... Thanks :G-Dub:

[David Pozzi]

I feel the turntables are a must for doing an alignment. I use a circle track magnetic bubble gauge. If it's a car I own, I make a 3/8" thick steel "washer" that bolts into the wheel center to stick the magnetic gauge to. In a pinch, I stick the gauge to the rotor if the wheel spokes allow it. If not I place a 2' long level against the rim and put the bubble gauge against that. You will know when your gear is working right, the measurements will be repeatable. Setting caster requires you to turn the wheel 20 degrees in and out. A turntable with graduations is the best way to accomplish this. The gauge usually has flats on the end at 20 degrees. You can place a string line, tape line, or ruler on the floor parallel to the car's centerline under the alignment gauge to help you get the angle of turn right. Guessing at the turn angle will throw your caster readings off quite easily.

I use Circle Track type toe plates against the tires with two tape measures.

On a first alignment I rough set toe, set camber then caster, re-check toe, then double check caster and camber, then finish with a toe setting. Once the first alignment is done, it will not require as much double checking because you are just tweaking it small amounts.

I start setting toe by placing a 2' long laser level against the front wheel, point it rearward and adjust each side as even as I can, shooting it at the rear tire outside edge, or at a ruler off the rear of the rocker pinch welds. Then turn each adjuster the same number of turns to set final toe with the plates.

String lines work but are good for setting toe only so I wouldn't spend a lot of money on that system if your budget is tight. The best string lines are attached to the car, not tied to jack stands. You can make some out of conduit and some spring clamps. They need to be at axle height & the strings must be parallel to the centerline of the car.

[bret]

We use this thingy quite sucessfully...

http://www.ridetech.com/store/quicktrick-alignment-quickslide-w-case-17-22-wheel.html

David is correct...turn plates are a must. At the track we use a simple set of 18ga. metal circles with a bit of grease between them. Simple, cheap, does the job. At he shop we have a fairly expensive set of degreed turnplates. Not really better but they do save some time.

We also use the toe plates that David described above.

Don't be afraid. You can't screw it up any worse than the pimple faced kid at the Firestone store.

[SSLance]

I put tape on the steering wheel and steering column and then use the 20* angles on the end of my Joe's Racing alignment tool to mark both pieces of tape at 20*s left and 20*s right and center (do center first with the steering wheel straight ahead) along with greased slip plates under each front tire.

It's probably not exactly accurate, but it's as close as one can get without slip plates with turn gauges on them and very repeatable as you continue to make changes to the settings.

[eric1967]

I found a set of turn tables at a small tire shop that had been there since the 60's. They were in their upstairs storage area. They had not used them for years having updated to more modern equipment. Check around at some of these older shops you may be surprised what you find.

[snappytravis]

We use this thingy quite sucessfully...

http://www.ridetech.com/store/quicktrick-alignment-quickslide-w-case-17-22-wheel.html

David is correct...turn plates are a must. At the track we use a simple set of 18ga. metal circles with a bit of grease between them. Simple, cheap, does the job. At he shop we have a fairly expensive set of degreed turnplates. Not really better but they do save some time.

We also use the toe plates that David described above.

Don't be afraid. You can't screw it up any worse than the pimple faced kid at the Firestone store.

Thanks for the reply, I think that is part of my problem, I don't like people working on my stuff,,, I have been eyeballing the quicktrick stuff, Just so happens you know somebody that sells it,, would this by chance be at sema next week so I could check it out?

[snappytravis]

Thanks to all the other guys as well, I have the basic idea. I will be at sema next week and attending the OPTIMA,, big event for the first time. Hope to learn a few things and meet a few of the lateral-g members.

[BMR Sales]

We use this thingy quite sucessfully...

http://www.ridetech.com/store/quicktrick-alignment-quickslide-w-case-17-22-wheel.html

David is correct...turn plates are a must. At the track we use a simple set of 18ga. metal circles with a bit of grease between them. Simple, cheap, does the job. At he shop we have a fairly expensive set of degreed turnplates. Not really better but they do save some time.

We also use the toe plates that David described above.

Don't be afraid. You can't screw it up any worse than the pimple faced kid at the Firestone store.

Bret, the 2nd Video in your Link wouldn't play, it said it was a Private Video