I'm looking for anyone with experience and/or opinions on any of the Do It Yourself wheel alignment tools that I see advertised. 35 years ago I was ASE certified for front end alignment, but I have only used alignment racks that were "state of the art" for the early 1980s. I have a few vintage rides (including an L36 '68 coupe) on which I would prefer to do my own alignment work. I have seen some videos for the Quick Trick system (https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qta-416405) and some similar units for around $300. Does anyone here have any practical experience with these kits? If they work as well as the advertisements and videos seem to state, then it would pay for itself with two or three uses. If it's really a PITA to use, well...

 

Start here. @cagotzmann has several other threads, too, but this one has most of it in one place. Remember that more than almost any other car of its era, the rear alignment affects the overall handling of the car. Worn trailing arm and strut rod bushings will need to be replaced.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nt-method.html

 

Before rebuilding my rear end and front end replacing all parts with new I asked around. Local alignment shops, mechanics, other corvette owners, our corvette club members I decided the prices were too outrageous, the shops were not experienced in doing alignments on these classics, or had none and several of our club members have completed themselves at home. I took the approach to complete the alignment myself with jack stands, string, your favorite measuring tools and patience, completing right in my garage. That was a few years ago and could not be happier with the results. The alignment is right on and has stayed that way. It was more satisfying and I learned a lot more about my vette as well it cost me nothing except the cost of shims for front and rear. Search around on the internet, you do not need to by an expensive tool kit to get the alignment right. People that go to the track do it themselves all the time. Here is a place to start reviewing, these YouTube videos will help explain and get you started on the right path.


Good Luck

 

The rear wheels are easy, as are toe and camber on the front. Caster is more complex and has an interplay with camber that must be considered.


When I rebuilt the front end on my C2, using C3 big bearing spindles and hubs, I set the ride height and before the tie rods were connected used tape (green tape at the top) and a piece of coat hanger to mark three positions - wheels straight, turned left 15 degrees, turned right 15 degrees.

Then I bolted a wheel in the hub and used the jig to shim each upper control arm separately for camber and caster. Caster requires moving the wheel 15 degrees to each side of straight. Once set, I connected the tie rods and adjusted toe. When the work was complete, tires installed and the car on the ground, I verified it and it was perfect.

 

There is a series of youtube videos that explains front alignment pretty well while walking you through.. I just watched them a week ago when stumbling on them accidentally they are not the same as the video above which Ive also seen.

 

So most of the alignment tools are used to aid with camber caster. From my years of DIY alignment that is the easy part. It's toe measurements / thrust angles that best determine tire life and how the car drives.

So for camber caster you only need something that is straight and flat that spans the wheel at the rim / wheel. The gauge can be anything from a phone with a app or any type of digital angle gauge.

eg
Get something with a magnetic base so it sticks to your DIY mounting hardware for the wheel. I ending up using / buying something like this

Longacre Digital Caster Camber Gauge 78298 (longacreracing.com) only because it allowed me to take measurement fast. Since I use my car for track days , I check alignment often.

But I would start with a simple straight piece of steel rectangle tubing, long enough to span your wheels. I made something like this with adjustable pads to use on any size wheel from 15" to 20"



I use this mainly for toe readings but you can also use them for camber caster like this hanging the bar vertical on the wheel.



Same reading with 2 different angle gauges, and could be a phone with a app.

I added some zip ties with loops on them to secure the bar to the wheel with simple bungee cords.

Mount a magnetic base laser pointer and use for toe measurements.



This is what you are doing to measure toe.





I made bars with glued on tape measure, but you can also just run tape measure along the spacers.

Now here is the important part to measure toe. The further a part the tape measure are the more precise / and margin of error decreases.

Here is an example I use to compare why you would space the bars further vs closer.

example 1 people using string method to measure toe on a 15" wheel. let's say the best you can read is 1/32" on a ruler so and wheel from a perfect 0 degrees vs 1/32" in / or out angle = 0.119 degress which is ~ 3.5 /32nd total toe. So impossible to measure 1/32nd total toe.

now if we increase the distance from 15" to 109" which is ~ what I get. 4ft plastic rulers as spacers. now 1/32" translates to 0.0164 degrees which is ~ 0.48/32nd so now you can measure 1/32nd total toe.

For me I can get complete alignment measurements in ~ 5 minutes. No complex setup and it is repeatable time after time.

This is my complete process

My DIY Alignment method - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

 

This

 

Seen this many times. WAY to much work to do simple adjustments. And the method to measure is not great because its based on the assumption the frame is straight. I like to take measurements only
based on the axle angles similar to current alignment machines.

but what it does show is what / how to adjust the alignment but to measure requires to much work.

Here is the current setup that does the same thing used by people that do alignments often / track days / race teams etc.

Home - CSM Performance LLC - Setup Wheels / Precision Hub Stands

Precision Hub Stands - Basic - CSM Performance LLC

 

I use strings. It's simple and cheap and more accurate than your local tire shop or dealer cares to be. No rocket science, just simple measurements.

Except my C5, I can't get underneath it to adjust it.

 

http://www.wheelalignmenttools.com/p...gnment-system/

we use this toe plate at the shop when we do a tie rod to set toe on cars that don’t want a four wheel alignment on the rack and it works great , it has camber and caster too but we just use it for toe but this same company has a economical 4 wheel alignment system but we’ve never used

 

I used something similar for autocrossing for many years and decided it was not accurate enough. I could only get repeatable toe measurements in the 1/8 to 1/16" range.
The two foot long board is a little too short.

So I modified that system by using two 4 foot 1" aluminum beams (Home Depot) and measure with the two rulers 4 feet apart vs 26" .
Twice as accurate. Got repeatable measurements in the 1/16" -1/32" range or better. Worked great for years. Still use it. Get better results than the alignment shops on my everyday cars, mostly because they rush.

Cargotzman goes one better and uses two 4 foot levels to space the toe measurements 8 feet apart. He claims 1/32" repeatabilty and I would agree.

 

I too have the Longacre system and the toe plates. and if the floor is not perfectly level, the Longacre digital tool will compensate for any error. Keep it simple and save time. Take a good look at the Longacre system. It will pay for itself.

 

I use Lasers. These particular laser make a VERTICAL fan spray. So once the lasers are aligned....you don't worry about touching strings and etc.

I always get a kick out of the Chinese names for things....HFT "Torpedo Boy" lasers.

Unkahal

 

Thank you very much for all the input and great ideas. I will definitely try these methods before I decide whether or not to spend money on a tool set. I do like the idea of building my own stuff. I also have a '64 Corvair Spyder that needs front end work and a proper alignment afterwards. Money saved by forgoing a tool would be better spent on new suspension pieces for the little 'Vair. Plus, it would be good practice for the Corvette.
Thanks again!