Front end alignment equipment

[dsc2 10]

Like many of the DIYer's out there I have been expanding my tool collection basd on the need to do more work ourselves. Some tools are junk and others really make the job easier. I am looking at doing the front end alignment (caster, chamber, toe in). Has anybody bought the equipment and done this in their home shop?

[stangme428 33]

+1 ... i too am interested, im not so sure any shop near me will do my alignment... even with the minimal mods that i have... TCP rack..

 

eastwood has a few DIY tools available -

Fastrax

caster camber kit

Toe kit

and also this kit for 17" + wheels

Edited September 3, 2012 by stangme428

[Fordrevhead 29]

When I built my Fox body in 1991 I changed springs, struts, rack and pinion, etc and aligned it all with an auto collision tram gauge. I just sold it last year, having still never been to an alignment shop.

[rangerdoc 22]

I have the fastrax and like it. You can do it with simpler things and I'm sure someone will tell you what they use.

 

Oh, turning the front wheels while sitting on top of folded plastic trash bags helps as well. If you're lucky enough to find the turning dial plate things instead (sorry, can't remember what they are called) off of craigslist they would be nice to have.

[Kiwi John 10]

dsc2

I have always done my own alignments.

I use a caster camber gauge (bubble levels, from Speedway Motors), it comes with a magnetic adapter that snaps right onto your rotor after you remove the grease cap.

Check out Speedway Motors, they have great stuff at reasonable prices.

For the toe in I use toe bars but you can use any two straight pieces of wood, have someone help you hold the wood on the opposite side while you shoot the tape measure across in front of and behind the wheels, measure about 6" up. The toe in will be the difference between the back and front measurements, probably should be 1/8"-3/16"

Each time you measure after adjusting roll the car back 6 feet or so then roll it forward again to set the wheels. Do this on a flat floor.

For the Camber, the gauge reads directly in degrees, if you don't have castor camber gauge a straight edge and level gauge that reads in degrees will do. I make my wheels pretty straight up so you could even use a regular bubble level holding it vertically on the tires.

For the castor, it is best to have a CC gauge, again, if you don,t, you can manually measure the angle the top and bottom ball joints are on, the top should be leaning back. A couple of pieces of sheet metal under each wheel will help them revolve under load if using the CC gauge.

I spent a few years setting up my own oval track race cars, same stuff.

 

I hope this helps

[stangme428 33]

interesting powerblock just released a DIY wheel alignment.

 

http://www.powerblocktv.com/magazine/index.php?pub=81067/20

 

looks like its made to view in IE instead of firefox etc