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I have the Gyraline and like it. I wanted more caster in my '72's front alignment and then had a shop check it to see how the Gyraline did... The shop's and my numbers were very very close. The key to the Gyraline is placing it against the wheel surface in the same place every time. I put sharpie dots on each side of the holder where it touched the wheels. The sharpie comes off with just alcohol.
I have a 1961. Has anyone purchased a DIY front end wheel alignment tool? I would like it to do all the measurements.
Any comments/suggestions are welcome!
Best,
-Michael O'Brien
I have used this one for many years. Very happy with it, as it allows you to set caster and camber and toe. You can buy it without the toe plates and same
about $100.
I have a Quick Time. Doing the caster sweep there was no way to "zero it" as the wheel tilts as you do it. I bought a longacre gauge that made it super easy and took a lot less time. easily measures rear camber also. The Quick Time is good for toe measurements but so is "stringing".
I have a 1961. Has anyone purchased a DIY front end wheel alignment tool? I would like it to do all the measurements.
Any comments/suggestions are welcome!
Best,
-Michael O'Brien
Back in the 60's When I was in High School I worked in a front end shop and the alignment tools were pretty basic back then.
1. A Bubble Gauge that screwed onto the wheel spindle that showed Caster /Camber
2. A treadle for Toe----It was a simple pad that the car would drive onto and the top plate would slide from side to side activating a pointer to show either "Toe in or Toe Out"
3. A tape measure to check the distances between the tires
We had quite a few Vettes come in and that was that. It all seemed to work OK. Nobody ever came back and complained and my Old Plymouth always behaved well with no unusual tire wear.
If all else fails, DIY alignment works fine.
Determine the centerline of the car. Front and rear tracking width are not the same. Level the surface on which all four wheels set. Homemade turning plates, plywood with zip-lok bags containing grease to allow the wheels to turn. drive the car up on the turning plates to assure the suspension is not binding especially the rear.
Homemade horizontal bar held in place with magnets used with a plumb bob at each end to set toe-in with a tape measure. Either a caster camber gauge or accurate level for camber and caster or a homemade caster gauge to attach to upper and lower ball joints.
This will not get measurements to the thousandths, but 1/64" is close enough for these old cars IMHO. Plumb bob down from ends of horizontal bar to make marks for setting toe-in. Camber gauge or even a level to set camber and caster. Homemade tool to check caster.
Nuttin' fancy, but works. I have so many one or two time use tools in my box that I need a larger box.
Faster to pay for a pre-engineered tool, but kinda' fun making your own.
Like @R66, I built my own tools, very much like the Quick Trick but with some modifications to suit myself. It works very well. The Quick Trick system I'm sure is more sophisticated and very likely a good investment.
Ted
Wheel Alignment Tool
