DIY Alignment

[d1ck]

To the people who are suggesting to bring their car to a shop, you are not the target market. This equipment is aimed towards people who fall into one of the following groups:

A) Like doing things yourself, and get personal satisfaction from doing so.

B) Drive competitively, and don't want to pay someone $100+ each time they would like to tweak the alignment. Don't forget that a wheel alignment can be used as a tool to tune the handling of the car.

[jdzumwalt]

I've been looking for something like this. I have been constantly changing my alignment.
By raising my car or lowering it. Also adding camber plates and adding caster.

Gregg

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Great post. This is perfect for people constantly wanting to tweak their settings.

[DEnd]

Originally Posted by JesseE

If you like to buy tires every 6 months cause they are worn out because a "string" or "bubble" alignment... lol go ahead

Alignment shops are cheap, just find a good one and work a deal with them if you need multiples.

You can get a better alignment with a string and bubble at home than you can at most tire stores. Sure the equipment is better there and capable of giving a damn good alignment, but that doesn't mean the tech will actually give you one. Most of the time due to volume demands an alignment tech at a tire shop is just going to give you a good enough alignment. To get a performance alignment you either have to hunt down and pay for a tech that will give you one, or you do it yourself.

With the proper know how and tools you can get just as good or better of an alignment at home as you can in a shop. There are several really good guides on the internet. Just because it doesn't use high tech tools does not mean a home alignment is worthless and going to destory tires, or that it isn't "accurate."

[fredk]

Agreed. I've used a Fastrack to align my race cars and many other cars for many years. I'm constantly changing setups. Home alignments are and can be extremely accurate and easy.

I would never bother taking any car to an alignment shop, even using strings and levels can give you great results.

[JesseE]

I have personally done about 10-15 alignments for people who thought they did a "good" bubble or string alignment themselves, Put it up on our machine and the toe/caster was so far off car handled like shit and few people had to buy new tires because driving couple weeks on bad toe with a lot of negative camber takes out the insides of your tires quick, needless to say those people never do another "string/bubble" alignment.

Just like any business you have to find the correct people to do the job.

[kask2_6.0]

Originally Posted by d1ck

Jesus, that QuickTrick system looks awesome.

Originally Posted by ft86Fan

The QuickTrick looks interesting. Please if you don't mind write a review if you do get it. Thanks.

A setup like that Quick Trick will not give you a proper alignment. It will measure the total toe of your setup but that does not mean its even. One tire could be .000 while the other is at 2 degrees or something. Toe must be measured from the vehicle centerline.

A setup like this will give very accurate readings using a digital caliper.

Originally Posted by Hardrock4445

How often you planning on aligning your vehicle? For the range of 200-300 I would think you could get a few alignments on a true alignment rack by a professional. I would think for such a new car that had no rusted/frozen bolts you should be around 80-100 bucks for a 4-wheel align.

This would mostly be for track enthusiasts. People who would like to play with their settings between sessions and dial in their cars. Not for the DD.

Originally Posted by JesseE

I have personally done about 10-15 alignments for people who thought they did a "good" bubble or string alignment themselves, Put it up on our machine and the toe/caster was so far off car handled like shit and few people had to buy new tires because driving couple weeks on bad toe with a lot of negative camber takes out the insides of your tires quick, needless to say those people never do another "string/bubble" alignment.

Just like any business you have to find the correct people to do the job.

With the proper equipment the string method is as accurate (or more) as any alignment shop can do. String and a tape measure.. not so much.

[xwd]

I have a Smartcamber gauge I've had for like 8 years now which still works great for measuring camber.

Like said already, some of those tools listed measure total toe and not toe for an individual wheel. I would recommend doing the string method or the same method using lasers so you can measure the toe on individual wheels. You'll have to know things like the track width of the vehicle to make things accurate. You can also measure the thrust angle as well. If you are doing things correctly it's as accurate or more than any alignment shop.

Race teams generally do alignments using strings, they don't buy expensive Hunter systems even though they have the money to...

[FRSFirestorm]

I'd already come to the conclusion that the gauge itself wouldn't be able to measure toe on individual wheels. Only total toe relative to each other. I'll do a lot of research, tinkering and confirmation before I actually turn any bolts.

Turning out to be an interesting thread.

[kask2_6.0]

Originally Posted by FRSFirestorm

I'd already come to the conclusion that the gauge itself wouldn't be able to measure toe on individual wheels. Only total toe relative to each other. I'll do a lot of research, tinkering and confirmation before I actually turn any bolts.

Turning out to be an interesting thread.

I was considering designing something like pictured above if their is enough interest. Have designed similar systems for race cars. Unfortunately a proper setup isn't for the occasional weekend warrior since it can be somewhat pricey.

MK Technologies has some decent alignment equipment that you can check out.

[FRSFirestorm]

Originally Posted by kask2_6.0

I was considering designing something like pictured above if their is enough interest. Have designed similar systems for race cars. Unfortunately a proper setup isn't for the occasional weekend warrior since it can be somewhat pricey.

MK Technologies has some decent alignment equipment that you can check out.

A set of parallel string toe bars would be a nice setup for the DIY'er. Alas I guess I'll wind up doing the jack stands.

[zc06_kisstherain]

this is pretty interesting. keep us updated

[xwd]

I would be interested in the front and rear toe bars which attached to the car.

Something that attaches to the car is ideal since it doesn't matter what position the car is in and if you bump it you don't have to start all over.

[FRSFirestorm]

Well guys I've got the kit. I did just a quick familiarization check of the camber gauge. The stock wheels don't have lips and its difficult to get the gauge lined up to them. I measured, a couple times to confirm and it was repeatable -.6 on the drivers front and -.4 on the passenger.

Anyway my plan is this spring to install my summer wheels, they have a lip. String the car and check all factory settings. Toe, Caster, Camber. Do it as many times as it takes to get comfortable with it and get repeatable measurements. Hopefully numbers within factory spec. Then I'm going to install my new springs along with a set of camber bolts up front and SPC adjustable rear arms on the back. Then do the alignments myself.

Still not quite decided on what exactly I'm going to set up at but thinking about -1.5 camber front/rear and 0 toe. Subject to change. Car won't be tracked but I do plan on trying some AutoX out.