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mrvette

mrvette

Phantom of the Opera
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Messages
15,207
Location
NE Florida
OK you engineers and techs.....I have been doing home alignments on my car for some years now, due to can't get a GOOD shop locally....so in some 5+ years now, tire wear and handling are fine.....

I found it relatively simple really, just follow the tables, and do the obvious....

level the garage pads where the car sits.... run some monofil fishing line, and do the obvious....

curious if anyone else does the same, tried it, or found out it didn't work for them, or does work fine....

:fishing:
 
Yeah i do my own,i just purchased the Fasttrac system that attaches to the wheels,it will do the caster,camber,and toe.$240.00 for the system and it works very well and takes no time at all to do my own alignment.No strings attached :thumbs:
 
kwplot34 said:
Yeah i do my own,i just purchased the Fasttrac system that attaches to the wheels,it will do the caster,camber,and toe.$240.00 for the system and it works very well and takes no time at all to do my own alignment.No strings attached :thumbs:
Click to expand...

EH got you beat, I use a carpenters' level on the wheel rims with some standoffs made from screws and a shim in the side so not on the tire at all...

I measure off the rims for everything except wheel offsets...need know that before hand....there is 3/8 wider per side in rear than front in a shark...

I have to maybe take more time for my work, but I didn't pay anything for gear either....

:gurney::banghead::nuts:
 
I did mine and then took it to a alignment shop

My camber was within .1* just by eying it

I never have done the toe

I'm going to do the rear soon though
 
Yellow73SB said:
I did mine and then took it to a alignment shop

My camber was within .1* just by eying it

I never have done the toe

I'm going to do the rear soon though
Click to expand...

Years ago in Kensington Maryland there was an alignment shop D&R brake? and alignment....they did the job right....

the standard practice for their techs was to stand next to the car before it ever hit the rack, and look down on a front wheel, and then to the backside, and get a feel for it, then the other side, then on to the rack....

I allways wondered WTF he was doing...but nevermind...life intruded on my information there....so...when doing my own alignment down here in Florida...well I started doing the same thing....you know....once you get used to it....you CAN see it....

strange as it seems, but yes....maybe being a contractor from looking at walls and floors and ceilings all day long, I can just look at something as see it's not square up.....when I got glasses, I was totally screwed up, but these days even with them I can still cut a square end off a 2x8 with a circular saw and do it just two handed also...pick up one end and just cut it....

Iiknow it sounds weird, but yes....with enough practice like I had doing those alignments for allmost a week there ....seeing wheels became a habit....

something I would have NEVER guessed, not that accurately anyway...but its true....

:D:hi:
 
mrvette said:
kwplot34 said:
Yeah i do my own,i just purchased the Fasttrac system that attaches to the wheels,it will do the caster,camber,and toe.$240.00 for the system and it works very well and takes no time at all to do my own alignment.No strings attached :thumbs:
Click to expand...

EH got you beat, I use a carpenters' level on the wheel rims with some standoffs made from screws and a shim in the side so not on the tire at all...

I measure off the rims for everything except wheel offsets...need know that before hand....there is 3/8 wider per side in rear than front in a shark...

I have to maybe take more time for my work, but I didn't pay anything for gear either....

:gurney::banghead::nuts:
Click to expand...

Your's may have been cheaper,but while you are running fishing string all over the place and bodging things together,i'm out driving mine :pprrtt:
 
I managed to buy me an old style (with the wires) alignment rack of a garage that quit. 200€ and works like a charm. Maybe you can find it on the net somewhere.
 
How about the sandwich roller bearing plates used on a swivel chair, heavy duty, would be perfect,,, would act like a lazy Susan ! Get them at Home depot or a boat shop,, of course the junk yard.
 
Last edited:
Cherry said:
How about the sandwich roller bearing plates used on a swivel chair, heavy duty, would be perfect,,, would act like a lazy Susan ! Get them at Home depot or a boat shop,, of course the junk yard.
Click to expand...

I have heard that 2 steel plates with grease between them also works.
 
kwplot34 said:
Yeah i do my own,i just purchased the Fasttrac system that attaches to the wheels,it will do the caster,camber,and toe.$240.00 for the system and it works very well and takes no time at all to do my own alignment.No strings attached :thumbs:
Click to expand...

I use that same piece of equipment, but I also use the string method down the side of the car to make sure the front and back wheels are pointing in the same direction.

SmokinBBC said:
I have heard that 2 steel plates with grease between them also works.
Click to expand...

Thats what I use. Works wonderful and cuts down on the number of trials before you get the alignment correct.

I started doing my own alignments several years ago after a GM dealership (which shall remain nameless) total screwed up the job. They claim to be the GM corvette specialists in town :bonkers:.
 
Just out of currosity, how many shims do you have in the front control arms. Before I tore my car apart there was around 1/8" in the rear, & around 1/64" in the front of the control arm. I tried the level & protractor method and wound up with almost 1/2" in the front & rear. After putting on the Hunter alignment machine, it went back to the 1/8" in the rear & 1/64" in the front. That made since after doing the alignment. I did the alignment with the assist of the mechanic setting the machine up for me. It was a learning experience. I set the car up for the perfect settings, not just in the green zone of acceptable.
 
The front alignment plates are nothing but some formica over ply from an old cabinet, and a couple beer cartons collapsed neatly and great in there....slippery 'n hell....I can easy turn the wheels with the steering unlocked just by sitting there, engine not running....allmost easy as in the air....

I have a couple monofil lines with loops in them already and so it takes about 5 minits total to set up the toe readings....to mark the floor and do the plated, front and rear, it's about 30 minits....

not much to it really....

:zzz:
 
For those that are using slip plates, how thick is the steel you are using?

How critical is a level ground for doing toe measurements?

Thanks
 
69autoXr said:
For those that are using slip plates, how thick is the steel you are using?

How critical is a level ground for doing toe measurements?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I sorted it out by using some formica covered 3/4 plywood from an old cabinet, and used BEER CARTONS for the slick finish, and wheel bearing grease inbetween them.....

I find the side to side in the FRONT is not all that critical for TOE measures....but when setting camber, it's not a problem for to be out 1/4 inch or less......but I did take out that 1/4 inch with a shim under my plates....

but when doing CASTER, and the typical garage floor is off by 2.5 inches in the car length..for drainage...you heed jack up the rear to absolute level or your readings are far off....:rain::bounce:
 
69autoXr said:
For those that are using slip plates, how thick is the steel you are using?

How critical is a level ground for doing toe measurements?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The plates i use are just thin sheet metal.having the car level is critical,but the system i purchased is a self leveling set up,it's not hard to set it up takes a couple min's per wheel :smash:
 
kwplot34 said:
69autoXr said:
For those that are using slip plates, how thick is the steel you are using?

How critical is a level ground for doing toe measurements?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The plates i use are just thin sheet metal.having the car level is critical,but the system i purchased is a self leveling set up,it's not hard to set it up takes a couple min's per wheel :smash:
Click to expand...

HOW in hell can a system be 'self-leveling'?? have a computer in there?? and a built in level?? seems to me that would be the way to go, and then forget alignment rack entirely in any commercial operation....except for toe adjustments....

any clue how it works??

then again, come think of it....like my garage, it slopes to the rear some 2.5 inches as I recall to the drivers' rear, and only 1.5 inches or so on the pass side....about an inch differance....so bad I can see the slope off on the edge of the garage door, lots of daylight comes in....I should cap that slab maybe...but not going to bother...lazy....BUT, it tosses the suspension off on the car....how in hell to compensate for that??


:gurney::gurney:
 
mrvette said:
kwplot34 said:
69autoXr said:
For those that are using slip plates, how thick is the steel you are using?

How critical is a level ground for doing toe measurements?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The plates i use are just thin sheet metal.having the car level is critical,but the system i purchased is a self leveling set up,it's not hard to set it up takes a couple min's per wheel :smash:
Click to expand...

HOW in hell can a system be 'self-leveling'?? have a computer in there?? and a built in level?? seems to me that would be the way to go, and then forget alignment rack entirely in any commercial operation....except for toe adjustments....

any clue how it works??

then again, come think of it....like my garage, it slopes to the rear some 2.5 inches as I recall to the drivers' rear, and only 1.5 inches or so on the pass side....about an inch differance....so bad I can see the slope off on the edge of the garage door, lots of daylight comes in....I should cap that slab maybe...but not going to bother...lazy....BUT, it tosses the suspension off on the car....how in hell to compensate for that??


:gurney::gurney:
Click to expand...


Gene,

I think that Kevin has the FAstrax tool. Here it is:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Specialty Products/827/91000/10002/-1



You set it on the ground next to the tire and set the built in level to zero. Then you put it up to the wheel and check the change in the level to determine your camber. It works very similar to this with the castor, only that you set the level to zero with the tool on the wheel.

I have been using this for a couple of years now (along with the toe adapter) and it looks to be accurate to me....but I have never verified with an alignment shop. I paid 180 bux about 5 years ago on a previous vette for an alignment....and they did a shit job and would not touch the rear toe(frozen shims, degraded bushings). For all the suspension, arm, steering work that I have done, I think this tool has paid off for me.
 
SmokinBBC said:
mrvette said:
kwplot34 said:
69autoXr said:
For those that are using slip plates, how thick is the steel you are using?

How critical is a level ground for doing toe measurements?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The plates i use are just thin sheet metal.having the car level is critical,but the system i purchased is a self leveling set up,it's not hard to set it up takes a couple min's per wheel :smash:
Click to expand...

HOW in hell can a system be 'self-leveling'?? have a computer in there?? and a built in level?? seems to me that would be the way to go, and then forget alignment rack entirely in any commercial operation....except for toe adjustments....

any clue how it works??

then again, come think of it....like my garage, it slopes to the rear some 2.5 inches as I recall to the drivers' rear, and only 1.5 inches or so on the pass side....about an inch differance....so bad I can see the slope off on the edge of the garage door, lots of daylight comes in....I should cap that slab maybe...but not going to bother...lazy....BUT, it tosses the suspension off on the car....how in hell to compensate for that??


:gurney::gurney:
Click to expand...


Gene,

I think that Kevin has the FAstrax tool. Here it is:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Specialty Products/827/91000/10002/-1



You set it on the ground next to the tire and set the built in level to zero. Then you put it up to the wheel and check the change in the level to determine your camber. It works very similar to this with the castor, only that you set the level to zero with the tool on the wheel.

I have been using this for a couple of years now (along with the toe adapter) and it looks to be accurate to me....but I have never verified with an alignment shop. I paid 180 bux about 5 years ago on a previous vette for an alignment....and they did a shit job and would not touch the rear toe(frozen shims, degraded bushings). For all the suspension, arm, steering work that I have done, I think this tool has paid off for me.
Click to expand...

Yes that is the system i have and i also purchased the toe adapter.After rebuilding my ft end over the winter the car needed aligned,all the shops i checked with either would not do it or wanted over $300.00 bucks to do it :cussing:
Since setting the alignment i have put about 300 miles on the car and it drives nice and straight,does not pull to either side and the tire wear is good.So as far as i can tell the ft is set correct.
 
Is it practical for a person who has never done an alignment before to complete an alignment with the fasttrac system?

Cj
(Just putting the rear suspension back together and will need an alignment, last one was $600)
 
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