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If anybody needs an idea for a simple alignment tool, here's something I threw together yesterday. You just hook a tape measure onto the horizontal piece on either side of the tire, then stretch it across to the other side to measure the toe. It cost about $3 to make, and worked out great.
Nice, thanks for sharing.
In addition, you can use two pieces of sheet metal with some grease in between, under each tire. This allows the wheel to move easily when adjusting the toe-in.
Unless you happen to have ball bearing turn tables...
That stuff will get you by. But I am an alignment tech, and the measurements it needs to be at to have minimal tire wear, correct camber and caster are so small to get them correct the human eye can't see them.
I wrench for a living, I am on the alignment rack a lot, brakes, ball joints, suspension motor work a quarter of the time. That will get you by in a pinch, but it's worth at least getting a toe set by a shop. caster doesn't wear tires, camber will if its excessive. A little camber or too much caster will cause a drift/pull to one side or the other. Add just a little bit of camber with the toe being just off even two tenths of a degree and you will be replacing tires long before they should be. excessive shoulder wear etc.
Not knocking this at all. Would def do this if I replaced the front end pieces just to get me by for a little bit.
For sure, this is for a basic home alignment. I just finished some front end work and wanted to get it close enough until I find a good shop nearby to do it for real.
For sure, this is for a basic home alignment. I just finished some front end work and wanted to get it close enough until I find a good shop nearby to do it for real.
I once took my Polara in for an alignment and gave them the specs I wanted used and not the old manual. Needless to say the tech didn't listen and set in to the incorrect settings. At checkout I handed the copy to the sales person and said you just did a car for free and walked out. So pissed I took it elsewhere the next day and got it set to what I wanted and it took the tech over an hour to do it. The trick is to find a really good shop that can do these older vehicles.
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