Wheel alignment help, old timers get in here!

[NitroDann]

Gday,

Im looking for some advice and tips on doing wheel alignments at home. I know a lot of the older car enthusiasts are pretty good at this, and I was hoping that I could get some tips and tricks.

If anyone had the time to do a quick write up about what tools to use and how to measure etc, that would be great.

Also the obvious question, how do you measure the alignment and then adjust it quickly ready to measure again? Because with the wheels off the ground you cannot measure anything. Or is the answer the obvious... You dont do it quickly, you just have to jack, adjust, lower, check, repeat?

Thanks heaps,
Dann

[TonyMax]

One tip is put the front wheels on some old copies of New Idea or similar, the pages of the magazine will allow you to adjust things like toe in and maybe others while the wheels are on the "ground".

[NitroDann]

Excellent tip thanks. I need to build some ramps I think. Big ones.

Anyone else have some advice?

Dann

[olboy]

I use ramps
just U chanel that I bought of ebay
They work good but you still have to set them up level and that is a pain
I use fishing line down either side and a gauge for camber but caster is a bit of a guess
It's not easy and it takes awhile but it works
use a tremmel bar for toe in

olboy

[NitroDann]

So you put the Whole car up on flat level ramps so you can lie under it? What do you put under the ramps to get it all even?

Sorry how does the fishing line work?

Thanks,
Dann

[plohl]

there is a write up somewhere on how to do them at home. I'll try and find it and post it up.

I think the finishing line is use to work out the toe. Ideally, you have a bar fixed to each end of the car coming out a past the wheels. You use string or fishing line and run it between the two bars at an equal distance from the vehicle centreline. It's best in the centreline of the wheel. You then use a ruler, callipers etc to measure the distance between the front and rear of the rim. Calculating the difference gives you the toe.

I am contemplating making some mounting points on my car that'll use 25 mm rhs. but yeah, looonnnng way down the list of things to do.

Camber and caster are the tricky ones... but, chamber isn't too bad if you have a flat rim face and an inclinometer... or an app for a phone. Used an iphone a few times on sae car at uni and it was fairly accurate haha.


edit: found it within the edit time limit! http://www.quadesl.com/miata_alignment.html

[manga_blue]

It can be doubly hard if you're using offset bushes on the lower arms. With the weight on the wheels these might squirm around when you back off the adjusters. So you have to measure, raise the car and lock the bushes with a pinchbar before you can loosen, turn and tighten the adjusters, lower the car, roll it and then check adjustment again.

[noobee]

dunno how to do such a low car,havent had a car this low before,gotta lift it up by hand a little just to get my trolley jack under.but other cars i've had i've done with string,a level,and a big square(and a little trignometry) on a good concrete floor.plenty of vids on youtube.also check ebay.com for camber/caster guage.
under each wheel,a couple of garbage bags(i get them free from work) layered with a coat of mr sheen or spray cooking oil in between makes a good ,low friction turntable.(Dont get it on tyres! lol).
phone app sounds interesting,a quick look turns up one called,camber guage!
Mick

[olboy]

I welded long nuts to either side of the U channel then I put bolts in, the heads work like adjustable feet
i get 2 equal length poles front and back a bit longer than the car is wide. I rest them on car stands about level with the wheel centers
Then I have fishing line between the two.A trick is to use a rubber band on either line to keep it tight
for poles I use 2x1 timber with small holes either end to pass the line through so it stays where it's should