set caster, set toe simple
u need a bit od metal bar tho.
as topic states, who is a gun at the backyard alignment?
thought i had it figured, but.. nup.
any gurus wanna chuck up a brief run down of their efforts?? :blink:
set caster, set toe simple
u need a bit od metal bar tho.
85' JDM TA63 GTTR sedan - Godlike
89' JDM GZ20 Soarer - 1jz + R154 bus
Originally Posted by joeschmo_57
cheers man, but i really need someone to throw me a noobs-eye-view of the procedure.
im thinking my geometry could be farked from a previous owners bingle.....
but if someone could put up what/how they do it, it may ease my mind.
ps i know alignments are cheap, but that doesnt solve my failure lol.
to set caster, use a tape measure and measure up the caster rods.
to set toe, use a straight metal bar and some chalk outside the wheel and measure between the tyres front and back for toe.
if your worried about the chassis out of alignment, find some holes on the underside and measure using an X. Might be hard to understand but yair....
85' JDM TA63 GTTR sedan - Godlike
89' JDM GZ20 Soarer - 1jz + R154 bus
i have a magazine with a guide on how to do it, ill try and find it and scan it for you, i think they use some kind of tool thing but
just measure the distance between your front wheels, on the front of the tyres, and on the back of the tyres, if you run the same tyres which i hope you do then measure from the same groove on the tyre or what ever. If they are the same toe = 0, if the back is shorter you have toe out, if the front is shorter you have toe in. You would probably like a smidge of toe out, i would get into my specs but ive mucked around with mine for hours on the wheel alignment machine at work and have different castors and stuff which would negate the info im would tell you.
wheelfriends.wordpress.com
For toe I have a bit of string tied between 2 axle stands going from the front to the back wheels, and I line it up so that it is parallel with the sill under the door. With the string parallel to the car it is easy to measure the difference between the front of the wheel and the string and then the back of the wheel and the string.
Also when you are adjusting the toe put an old magazine cover or something under the tyre so that when you turn the tie rod to adjust it the tyre you want to move is the one that does the moving.
For camber I have a spirit level with angle adjustment (plastic thing that cost $4) and place this up against the rim...
For castor I turn the wheel to full lock and measure the camber change...
I've done this and then used bob janes to check it all and it was spot on...
You will need a spirit level for camber/caster measurement. Unless you are very cheap, and keen to measure the angles with a T square and ruller, and do some triganometry on a calculator.
Static camber is fairly obvious and easy.
Caster = dynamic camber. Turn the wheel in 14degrees, measure camber. Turn wheel out 14 degrees and measure camber. The difference in camber divided by 2 = caster? From memory, the numbers could be wrong. If you are consistent, you can get the same readings for left and right even if the actual caster calc is wrong.
Recheck camber after you have adjusted caster.
Always do the front toe last.
A very lazy way to set front toe that I use is just to close one eye and line the front wheel up with the back. You have to line up the front edge of the tyre, the back edge of the tyre, and the back tyre. This will work if the front and rear track is roughly the same.
Yeah, the camber change is influenced by both the caster and the KPI (which you change when you adjust camber with strut tops of longer LCA). For more camber on steering you want more caster and less KPI...
Also if you want your car to go straight on a road sloped down to the left side (like down to a gutter) then with toe in you have a bit less caster on the left and with toe out you have a bit more caster on the left
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