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DIY wheel alignment?

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  • DIY wheel alignment?

    Does anyone have tips to align the car at home? I want the tracking sorted before it is going on the rolling road. Camber and castor is not adjustable anyway (at least not easy...)

    I have seen a topic long ago. something with aluminium rail front and rear and a rope/wire from front to rear.
    And what are the correct toe in/out values, and how to recalculate them to mm.

    The final alignment will be done when the car is completely up and running correctly.

    Thanks

  • #2
    ive done it before, using 2 axle stands at the front of the car, with fishing line tied to them, pulled round the back of the rear tyres, if you keep the line straight and square to the centre of all the tyres/wheels, you can use the line as a guide, and the gap between the line and the front wheels will give you an idea of the toe in/out.

    its all ' by eye ' and not exact, but if youve changed racks or steering rod ends and its out by some degrees, youll be able to see, and adjust it pretty close.

    i did this first, rolling the car back and forth between adjustments, to re-settle the angles (i didnt have plates under the wheels so thought it best to do this, to reset angles) then once i was happy with it, i fine tuned the adjustments on the road, whilst driving, to get the car to drive straight.

    its not as good as a lazer machine, but with a bit of time and patience, you can get it pretty close.
    i started off using string, and then switched to fishing line, for a more precise reading. i had to paint tip-ex on the line, where it met the front wheels, as its hard to see being so thin.

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    • #3

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      • #4

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        • #5
          check the lock-to-lock turns too, beforehand, to make sure youve got the steering wheel and rack centralised, otherwise you might find it turns a bit more, one way that the other

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          • #6
            Thanks for your reply. I have measured the rack already, so the steering wheel is in mid position.

            I will use your advise with the string/fishing line. It is just so I will not ruin my front tyres on the rolling road. I will find a laser alignment that will fit my wheels.

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            • #7
              I Have a Gunsun laser alignment tool and that worked OK but it looks like their Trackright tool is quick and a good option for DIY

              The closer to correct you can get the better your DYNO (rolling road) would be in my opinion

              Nu bij ons verkrijgbaar zie www.tools.vocor.nl


              Obviously you will be getting a all 4 wheel alignment eventually

              L

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              • #8
                that's true indeed, but it is just temporary till I find someone with alignment tools which fit on my wheels (otherwise I need to remove the wheels and central locks and fit regular wheels)
                already did a quick check and they were way to much toe in. Now they are approx straight. I will get them a bit more in the weekend (slightly toe out)

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