RX-Ben

I started to look into various tools/setups for measuring caster/camber/toe. Anyone have anything they use and would suggest? Huge plus if it works on something other than a flat surface - though if there are pads or something that would fix that, let me know as well.

Thanks.

astock165

4 pads of custom hieghts to get the car level is all you need. With that any camber tool would work.

For setting toe and thrust angle I would recommend Hardbar's alignment tool. The great thing is that you can use with with the wheels on for doing set up @ home and with the wheels on @ the track just like toe plates. I've had mine for a few years now and it's a real time saver.

Poor-sha

I use the Longacre camber guage for setting camber along with thier tripod setup that sits on the wheels. I tried their magnetic hub mount and it won't fit on a C6Z.

For toe I use the Longacre toe-plates.

The biggest problem is finding a level area. Unfortunately the area under my lift is not level so I have to move cars to a different bay in the garage that is close to level. I keep looking for an inexpensive set of leveling plates but I haven't found anything so far.

txst

I do my alignments at home all of the time with a Longacre caster/camber gauge, and a simple setup with 4ft levels and a builder's square. For toe, I cut some square tube stock to fit against the edge of the rim, and bungie the levels against the tube stock and the wheel, supported by a piece of wood. With a builders square, I put a mark on my floor (I use masking tape on the floor) with a sharpie at the front and rear of the levels and measure the distance between the front marks and the rear marks on both sides - it's very accurate, as you get more resolution than when using standard toe plates due to the length of the levels. The alignments are spot-on. For camber, I put the bar stock vertically against the wheel lip (verified with the builders square) and attach the camber gauge to it with the magnet and check the adjustments. The only thing I learned is that I need to jack the car up to get access to the tie rod ends, so you have to drive the car around the block to get the suspension to settle back down before you check your adjustments. You do need a flat surface, or you need to put some pieces of square stick-on linoleum (or similar) under the wheels to level the car. I use the Pfadt camber kit, so I have learned how many shims to remove at the upper control arms and how many turns of the toe links to get me close to my track or my street alignment, before the final adjustments. I swear I have never had better alignment when a shop has done them - I don't trust how often they calibrate their machines, and I am way more picky on the tolerances than most shops.

davidfarmer

http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/align.pdf

you don't need to buy anything likely, although a cheap camber gauge makes things go quicker

redtopz

Just used this guide a few weeks ago to do my alignment after installing some coilovers. Used a tape measure, level with laser beams, and a calculator. Worked great and my car handled very well at my last 2 events . Thanks for the info David .

RX-Ben

Great, thanks guys. I may spring for the camber/caster gauge.

The biggest problem will be level ground. any leads on leveling pads would be appreciated. I guess if I buy scales + leveling kit, that will solve that leveling issue as well.

VetteDrmr

Ok, call me stupidly ignorant. Why is everyone so hyped up over having a level surface. FLAT I understand, but level?

What am I missing?

davidfarmer

I agree, as long as you compensate for any side level in your camber measurements, FLAT is all you need, and even that isn't too big of a deal.

I have scales, and a scale platform, and I NEVER use the platform. It takes forever to set up, and then it isn't high enough to actually reach up and adjust anything.

The best setup is a 4-post "drive-on" lift, since not having to Jack up and settle the car between adjustments is a HUGE advantage.

dbratten

A lift makes this very easy. I leveled my lift with a water level (to compensate for the floor slope put in for drainage.)

A water level can be nothing more than a length of clear tubing with some colored water in it (food dye to make it easier to see) and a tape measure. Tape both ends of the tubing vertically to jack stands to keep it in place and the water will show level. You'll need to have enough water in the tubing to rise high enough off the floor to be measured but less than spilling out the ends. Measure down to the floor from the watermark and using shims if necessary have it equal on both ends.

It doesn't matter how far apart the surfaces are that you're measuring -- whether just a couple of feet or even 100'. To shim a surface to level the car (or hoist) 1/8" floor tiles work well and are cheap. Equalize four points on your floor or driveway. Mark them for future use along with the number of shims needed and you're ready to go.

JDIllon

Buy a 24" Craftsman digital level, it also has a laser. This is much more effective than a Castor/Camber gage. Get it from Sears and you can do every thing within a .01 of a degree. Then read David Farmers stuff and you are all set. This makes it much easier than doing calculations. It works great and easy, and the laser can be used to shoot the true center line per Dave's instructions. Also if you have a lift? It can be leveled with the digital level so you can do it all on the lift. JD

fatbillybob

http://hardbarusa.com/hardbar/produc...products_id=44

This is a totally cool tool. A T1 competator at the track banged a wheel and screwed the rear toe by 5/8" bending the tierod!!! So he lifted the car on jackstands and set the toe really easy and precisely in less than 15 minutes. I really like these hub mounted toe plates because the accuracy and easy use is totally worth the price. The only problem I see is that there is huge stichion in the vette leafs where A-arms ride on bumperstops of the leafs. That's why you have to drive the car around the block after you align it to check the alignment. Camber will change. Bouncing a vette just does not work like it would on a coilover car on slip plates. I'm pretty sure a change of camber will cause a change of toe. If my last sentence is true there is a problem. If false then suspension settling is not a problem for toe settings. Anyway, if we put our cars on jackstands how can we get the stichion out of the chassis? I can't think of anything except greasing the bumperstops and using slip plates under the jackstands but how safe is that? Any other ideas?

astock165

It just makes it easier for a certain type of camber tool. For example, I'm using the Pole Postion Camber tool. It uses a bubble style level to tell you what the camber is. If my car is level from side to side (accomplished with pads if necessary and a 6 ft carpenter's level) I can read the camber directly from the tool.

If you're using a tool that has compensation built in, or a method where you can account for a non level surface you probably don't need to.

It's likely just in the technique you use.

davidfarmer

if you just lay the camber tool on the floor, side-to-side, you can see home much camber your floor has. Add it to one side, subtract from the other.

astock165

To-ma-toe? To-mah-toe?

fatbillybob

You have to have a flat floor because the first part of an alignment is to scale the car aka corner weighting. This is the foundation. Then set alignment. other posters are right this is not an issue if you are just setting camber/toe as long as you compensate another way for an unlevel floor.

dbjeng

The davidfarmerstuff.com/align.pdf website is gone. Does anyone have a copy of this file? Perhaps you could post it some way (I don't know much about this) or let me know and I could give you my email address or something?

Thanks,

David

sperkins

He has linked everything from his FB page.

RX-Ben

Are all you jokers on fb now?

Scooter70

https://www.facebook.com/DavidFarmerRacing

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1634366/align.pdf