alignment tools

[dusterbd13]

i am looking to purchase an alignment tool. i am tired of the local shops Good Enough approach on all the cars i do. unfortunately, i have never bought one of these, nor have any of my buddies, so i need some suggestions. i will be doing both race and street cars, front wheel drive and rear wheel drive, daily drivers and toys, so i need something quite flexible. probably wont be doing a wheel over 18", as the vettes use that as the biggest size on track.

which one woould you reccommend for the price? i dont want to drop over 300 on this, as its going to be my wifes anniversary present to me.

thanks
Michael

[GTOnate]

I don't know of any alignment tools for 300 that will get you close to the good enough laser alignments at the shops.

[bretcopsey]

Guys that have this seem to like it.

http://www.scandc.com/tools.htm

[GTOnate]

Does anybody have one of these? I am interested in it... what about toe... you are not using strings or measuring tapes are you?

[Rick Dorion]

I have it and have been able to align my car well. I validated my settings on a friend's rack. I think, once you know your car is square and true, it allows for a good result. Since I like to tinker, it's of value to me.

[GTOnate]

Does anybody know what a low end alignment rack goes for?

[wendell]

Does anybody have one of these? I am interested in it... what about toe... you are not using strings or measuring tapes are you?

Yes.

[amx2334]

How does it measure caster? do you need turntables also?

[PT Goat]

I think there is a toe adapter for the SPC piece. I think it is an extra $50 or so. But it does require the use of a measuring tape, if memory serves.

[chicane67]

1 each. This guage: http://www.longacreracing.com/catalo...d=1219&catid=5

2 each. 2 x 2 x 12' aluminum I beam.

4 each. 4 x 4 x 12 4x4 lumber.

2 each. 12' tape measure.

2 each. pinch clips.



All components for about $300.00 and you will have the ability to aligne a 200+ mph chassis within 0.100 of 1 degree.

Does anybody know what a low end alignment rack goes for?

You can find them for around $4-6000

Close enough for ya ??

[amx2334]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HUNTE...QQcmdZViewItem

happy bidding. I used one of these every day in my early years. if it breaks it'll cost you though.the touchpad wears out. fortunately there is a remote backup.
I can say that when i was a tech and you came to me and tipped me a $20 i would set your car to whatever you wanted.money can buy "friends".

[Norm Peterson]

I don't know of any alignment tools for 300 that will get you close to the good enough laser alignments at the shops.

The 0.1° resolution that you get with a $40 Harbor Freight digital angle finder is less than what the difference of adding a single 1/64" shim to each stack represents in terms of what you can actually set. There is little benefit in improving the precision of the measuring apparutus much beyond the resolution that exists in the adjustment.

But if you have some other adjustment mechanism and 0.1° is still too coarse, it's not that hard to fabricate a guage that works with a dial indicator and get pretty close to 0.01° resolution.

"Good enough" includes more than just the potential accuracy and resolution of the measuring equipment itself. It also includes the care with which the shop tech goes about doing the job. Care in performing the setup affects the results, regardless of who's doing it, or where. Heads and targets get dropped or don't get mounted quite perfectly (perhaps because the tech is in a hurry), unequal tire inflation is sometimes overlooked. I've even seen a dealership shop tech start to jack up the rear of a late-model F-body that was on the alignment rack by its panhard bar. Sloppy setup and sloppy work usually makes for sloppy results.

If you know what it is that you're measuring, what the potential sources of error might be (and how to work around them), you can work pretty closely with unglamorous equipment. Just takes a bit longer.


Norm

[David Pozzi]

I use the Speedway Motors "Decco" bubble gage for caster/camber. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/2698...?itemNo=camber

The Longacre gage looks very nice too. Adapters are needed on both of these to fit the spindle threads, or use a magnetic base that usually comes with them.

I use Turntables from Intercomp, Harbor Freight has some in steel that are very inexpensive.

Toe can be set with string lines, or the usual circle track flat plates against the wheels. Anything flat like a carpenters level, I beam, or square tube against each wheel will work, just avoid the tire buldge at the bottom.

[John Wright]

I use Turntables from Intercomp, Harbor Freight has some in steel that are very inexpensive.

Here is the Harbor Freight set that David is talking about...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45742


And some of this info can be helpful also....
http://www.longacreracing.com/articles/artcat.asp?CATID=2

[CarlC]

My buddy and I went 1/2's on a digital Intercomp gauge and sheet aluminum toe plates. Fab'ed a set of turntable plates from some bearings found at Home Depot and some 1/4" plate. Good results so far.