Front End Alignment Tool

[1moreproject]

I looking for an inexpensive alignment tool that I can use for “roughing in” the front end alignment until I can get to a shop. I’d also like to be able to use it to do a quick check on my daily drivers after I’ve hit a pot hole. It looks like most of them function the same with 3-point contact on the rim and either an electronic or bubble level. Some reference off of the hub face but this doesn’t seem like it would be as accurate as referencing off of the rim.

Anybody use this one by Tenhulzen?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tenhulzen-Automotive-Best-Camber-caster-toe-alignment-gauge-market-/320852203989?_trksid=p3286.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6467523903477354342#ht_2769wt_1336

 

[YY1]

That looks like a $10 level with a $25 digital incline gauge bolted to a $2 steel bar.

...for $110!

 

[67 coronet]

just eyeball the camber(tilt in and out)ignore the caster till you get to a shop.(hard to judge otherwise)use a tape measure for your toe(should be close to even from frount to back side of wheels)

 

[moparpoor]

You use a tape measure to set your toe and caster.To set your camber use a magnetic base bubble inclinometer.You can buy these at sears or any tool place,even home depot or lowes.You also use these to setup pinion angles.You may need a small straight edge depending on the wheel.Set it up with about -2*camber,top of the wheel to degrees in.Hope this helps!!

 

[Cranky]

I do my own alignment too and quit going to shops because most of the time, they screwed things up. It's getting harder and harder to find people who know how to do the older Mopars not to mention they don't want to deviate from stock settings. I like more camber and more caster and they just don't want to do it so, I learned how.

 

[YY1]

To be honest I was actually thinking about making my own using one of those digital incline gages. HF and Sears sell them. They read in degrees and several other scales.

Not a terribly bad idea, and looks like the markup is about right.

I'd just build my own, that's all.


believe it or not, I just found a Hunter rack like the one I learned on back in the 80's.
It's in the same town, listed for $1500, and is supposed to have updated s/w through 2006.

Wonder how low they'd go. Be almost worth it for the rack, wheel tables and sliding jacks.

 

[O'l geezer]

YY1, what is the ruler used for in the Tehhuzen Auto picture ?

:jerk:

To be honest I was actually thinking about making my own using one of those digital incline gages. HF and Sears sell them. They read in degrees and several other scales.

Not a terribly bad idea, and looks like the markup is about right.

I'd just build my own, that's all.


believe it or not, I just found a Hunter rack like the one I learned on back in the 80's.
It's in the same town, listed for $1500, and is supposed to have updated s/w through 2006.

Wonder how low they'd go. Be almost worth it for the rack, wheel tables and sliding jacks.

 

[WP29440SE]

I do my own alignment too and quit going to shops because most of the time, they screwed things up. It's getting harder and harder to find people who know how to do the older Mopars not to mention they don't want to deviate from stock settings. I like more camber and more caster and they just don't want to do it so, I learned how.

same here man, i havent been to an alignment shop in years. i do all mine in the driveway.

 

[scotts74birds]

I just rebuilt the entire front-end in my wife's 01 Sebring sedan. Struts, lower joints, upper-joints, inner and outer tie-rods. Aligned it by eye, and took it for a few test rides. Put a few turns in to center the wheel, and correct a right pull. Incline meter said camber was under 0.5deg. Had the wife take it to the shop to have it aligned professionally. Result was hard right pull, and steering wheel off-center! GRRRRRR! I took it back to my painted-on marks, then put barely about 1/4 turn toe-out to the left wheel to compensate for our highly-crowned country roads. Result, centered steering wheel, slightest drift left on the freeway, and not fighting the wheel to keep the car out of the ditch on the crowned country 2-lanes. Yeah, it's labor-intensive, but a paint pen, and some time can save you nearly $80 bucks!

 

[Cranky]

When I first started doing my own, I took the car to a shop to check my work and they said everything looked good except for the toe so he set it and charged me 20 bucks. Cheap enough except for the fact I never drove a car that acted so bad!! He set the toe to 1 full inch!! Dayam. Never had my old cars back in any alignment shop since and that was over 20 years ago.