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All over the web are instructions using Jack Stands, String and a Tape Measure.
Trouble is that setting them up, when everything moves, is a fussy pain in the backside, especially if you have to move the car to make adjustments.
I tried to simplify the setup .. best I could.
Started with two 10 foot pieces of Wheatland 3/4 inch EMT electrical conduit (Home Depot), measures about 0.925 inches outside, and with one layer of heat shrink tubing, slides nicely through a 1 inch hole (used a wood boring bit). The tubing helps the conduit slide back and forth easy, but also holds it in place.
Taped the two pieces side by side and used a band saw to slit both pieces about half way through .. this way the slots on both conduits are identical and the two strings are always parallel. If you take the distance between the outside of the rims and add about 3 inches each side (6 total) the strings will be around the center of the 6 inch rulers I use. You could cut a series of slits to add more adjustment. Used masons string.
The wood holders are just cheap pine boards, cut all identical and bored the four holes all at once about the height of the wheel centers. Mine are at a funky angle because they have to fit on the ramps ... if you are on a garage floor they could just be straight up. Used some bricks or heavy objects to keep them in place.
The toe measuring piece is just aluminum channel, cut to my wheel rim diameter, with two machinist rulers double sticky taped in place (later I drilled and riveted them). This way you can compare the front and back measurements directly, without having to move one ruler back and forth .. and try to remember what you measured, and they are always perpendicular to the wheel and parallel each other.
Setting it up is easy, center the wood mounts to the car and measure too the front tires to get the front wood frame roughly parallel to the front of the car (doesn't need to be perfect). Measure between the two conduits (both side equal) to make them parallel to each other (front and back conduits). Then center the strings to the front and rear wheel centers buy sliding the conduits back and fourth in the bored holes. Use a machinist ruler from the strings to the wheel centers (both sides). It takes a few iterations to get them to measure the same on both side (front and back) but it pretty easy. Now the strings are parallel to the wheels (the car).
You can use the toe measuring piece to measure front and rear toe.
I use the SMART CAMBER tool I bought years ago, to measure the camber and caster, but there are cheap ways to make your own camber gauge. And I also use two thin metal plates with a greased plastic sheet between them for very thin turn plates for the camber adjustment. BTW ... If you position the strings far enough from the wheel to allow them to turn 20 degrees, you can cut a 20 degree template from cardboard, and use template and strings to measure how far to turn the wheels for the camber adjustment.
Lot of rambling words ... hope some of it makes sense
All over the web are instructions using Jack Stands, String and a Tape Measure.
Trouble is that setting them up, when everything moves, is a fussy pain in the backside, especially if you have to move the car to make adjustments.
I tried to simplify the setup .. best I could.
Started with two 10 foot pieces of Wheatland 3/4 inch EMT electrical conduit (Home Depot), measures about 0.925 inches outside, and with one layer of heat shrink tubing, slides nicely through a 1 inch hole (used a wood boring bit). The tubing helps the conduit slide back and forth easy, but also holds it in place.
Taped the two pieces side by side and used a band saw to slit both pieces about half way through .. this way the slots on both conduits are identical and the two strings are always parallel. If you take the distance between the outside of the rims and add about 3 inches each side (6 total) the strings will be around the center of the 6 inch rulers I use. You could cut a series of slits to add more adjustment. Used masons string.
The wood holders are just cheap pine boards, cut all identical and bored the four holes all at once about the height of the wheel centers. Mine are at a funky angle because they have to fit on the ramps ... if you are on a garage floor they could just be straight up. Used some bricks or heavy objects to keep them in place.
The toe measuring piece is just aluminum channel, cut to my wheel rim diameter, with two machinist rulers double sticky taped in place (later I drilled and riveted them). This way you can compare the front and back measurements directly, without having to move one ruler back and forth .. and try to remember what you measured, and they are always perpendicular to the wheel and parallel each other.
Setting it up is easy, center the wood mounts to the car and measure too the front tires to get the front wood frame roughly parallel to the front of the car (doesn't need to be perfect). Measure between the two conduits (both side equal) to make them parallel to each other (front and back conduits). Then center the strings to the front and rear wheel centers buy sliding the conduits back and fourth in the bored holes. Use a machinist ruler from the strings to the wheel centers (both sides). It takes a few iterations to get them to measure the same on both side (front and back) but it pretty easy. Now the strings are parallel to the wheels (the car).
You can use the toe measuring piece to measure front and rear toe.
I use the SMART CAMBER tool I bought years ago, to measure the camber and caster, but there are cheap ways to make your own camber gauge. And I also use two thin metal plates with a greased plastic sheet between them for very thin turn plates for the camber adjustment. BTW ... If you position the strings far enough from the wheel to allow them to turn 20 degrees, you can cut a 20 degree template from cardboard, and use template and strings to measure how far to turn the wheels for the camber adjustment.
Lot of rambling words ... hope some of it makes sense
I'm pretty lucky - a shop about 15 miles from work has good equipment, and their techs are also QUITE good. Plus - they are willing to set alignment to your specs. AND they have a glass window between the waiting area and the work area - where you can watch as they work on your car !!!! Years ago - I watched one of the techs work for 4 - 5 minutes to get one wheel adapter on the wheel just right - I guess it wasn't locking in the way he wanted, and he kept at it until it was right.....
Even though I have access to a shop I trust to do alignment work - I normally do my own toe adjustments (I use toe plates), and I'll do camber (I typically use a piece of aluminum extrusion - cut to fit against the wheel just inside the outer "lip" along with a digital level). I don't have a set of turn plates - so caster is something I can't do myself.
The issue with doing it yourself is that if you have a situation where the steering wheel is not centered - it can take a number of toe in adjustments to get things back to the wheel being straight, the tech who knows how to use the uber expensive Hunter Alignment machine can typically hit it right on the first try. With the DIY camber adjustments - you have to be working on a level surface - many garages are pretty good - but driveways can be WAY WAY off (ask me how I know this).....
To those who say that the hyper expensive alignment machines are necessary to get good results - hang out in the garage area of a road race track - you'll see people (up to and including pro teams) doing alignment work with just the kind of tools I discuss above every weekend of the year. Alignment angle adjustment is one of the major adjustments on a road race / circle track car, and a lot of tweaking is taking place on cars that are going to be going faster than many of this forum's readers have ever driven. If it works for them .....
Thanks I will take it to a Goodyear shop that is close by and very reasonably priced. I need to find a trailer to get it there as I am not sure if I can get it on the uhaul.
