alignment question settings..

[geo3@earthlink.net]

Greyson Crowe <GCrowe@itd.state.id.us> wrote:

>I wish I knew
>how to do simple alignment adjustments myself...is there a way to do this
>urself?  I'm guesing I would need a Gauge of some sort.

Well, yes, you can do it yourself.  And, all you *really* need is some string,
some posts to wrap it around, a level, and IIRC, a square.

Or, you can do monkey alignments with less.  With a few tools, you can do some
pretty sophisticated alignments that are as good as what you'll get from
99.99% of the shops out there.  When you think about it, what do racers do at
the track?  They don't have alignment racks with them (except at the very top
of the sport where they have some *really* sophisticated portable stuff).

I won't lie to you - I've never done a really good home alignment the correct
way.  I've some some monkey alignments at the track using a tape measure.  So,
I'll let someone else explain, or point you to a good reference.  You could
probably find one on the web as well.

You can get a really really good camber gauge and some toe plates for under
$300.  You can even get simply serviceable stuff for a bit over $100.  You
just need to be able to take your time with this stuff and it's best done on a
nice, flat, level surface.  Oh, and to verify, it's best to turn the car
around 180 degrees and remeasure. :-)  If you have some patience, for sure you
can learn to do this.

Greg Amy, who came *oh* so close to winning the SSB national championsip in 92
with his NX2000 won a bet with some friends that with his $175 camber gauge
and $20 (plus his own labor) toe plates, he could measure a cars alignment as
well as his friends with their megabuck laser alignment stuff (portable racer
stuff).  He had to come within 1/16" or less.  IIRC he was within 1/32". :-)

George Roffe

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