DIY Alignment Thread

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May 28, 2024 | 09:16 PM

Gale Banks 80'

Thread Starter

Safety Car

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 3,705

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From: Seattle Washington

DIY Alignment Thread

Since there are some pretty bright people on the Forum, I thought I would start a thread on doing your own Alignment. It seems as though there is a lot of mystery involved in it and watching Videos I see there are a lot of different ways to achieve the same results. Most of them work for any car but there might be some C4 specific. I hope that some of you share your ways of doing things and it might greatly help the others here on the Forum.

May 28, 2024 | 09:23 PM

Gale Banks 80'

Thread Starter

Safety Car

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 3,705

Likes: 550

From: Seattle Washington

After driving the car back and forth 6 or more times and trying to crawl under the car to make adjustments I came up with this way of doing things. The wood blocks are well known to the Forum but how to get the suspension to settle?

May 28, 2024 | 09:30 PM

Gale Banks 80'

Thread Starter

Safety Car

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 3,705

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From: Seattle Washington

So I bought a lot of Heavy Duty drawer slides on eBay and I have put them under the blocks. As the car is sat down on the blocks they spread out. I have 4 slides under each wheel. Everyone will quickly figure out that this is going to be way over the limit of the slides or is it. Might are rated at 200lbs but that would be at full extension. Since they only more a couple inches it's got to be rated way over that.

May 28, 2024 | 09:33 PM

Gale Banks 80'

Thread Starter

Safety Car

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 3,705

Likes: 550

From: Seattle Washington

SInce the dust and dirt would quickly clog up the Bearings I put the Slides on separate blocks that I will only use for Alignments.

May 30, 2024 | 11:20 AM

89onlyZ51

Burning Brakes

Joined: Aug 2006

Posts: 1,061

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From: Seattle WA

I'd ditch the drawer slides since they only allow movement in one direction. I'd substitute some plate steel or aluminum (online metals in Ballard is a great source), and use 2 sheets on each tower with grease between them. The wheels really need to be able to move freely in all directions to get a good consistent result.

May 30, 2024 | 11:41 AM

Gale Banks 80'

Thread Starter

Safety Car

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 3,705

Likes: 550

From: Seattle Washington

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89onlyZ51

I Tred that using the throw away cutting boards and some grease but really didn't like the results. Since the slides have over a foot of travel you could put them in the middle, but we know they are only going to move out. I push the car around and jump un the sill plates a couple times and I think its pretty well settled.
I just picked up some DOM Tubing from Online Metals for my Targa Bar they are no longer in Ballard, they have moved to George Town and they no longer cut or stock any Metal there. I believe all the Metal is being shipped from there Portland Store. I waited a long time to get my order. Sadly after 15 plus years I have written them off as a source of Metal.

May 30, 2024 | 02:37 PM

drive it

Melting Slicks

Joined: Apr 2001

Posts: 2,089

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From: Ca.

I have 2 alignment turntables that I use. I picked them up cheap from a yardsale, however you can get them on ebay for less than $200.00. If you are investing in a camber gauge tool I figure it's worth it to buy a couple turntables too. Then with a little math you can also figure out and adjust your front caster easily also.

May 30, 2024 | 02:50 PM

2011KLR

Drifting

Joined: Sep 2022

Posts: 1,394

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From: Liberty, SC

2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified

Im not planning to ever do an alignment on my own, but would any of these work?

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

maybe with an additional layer of board to give them strength???

sre