DIY wheel alignment for camber, caster and toe

[Jim621]

Hi All,

Have any of you done your own wheel alignments before?
If so, how have you done it and where have you taken the measurements from?


My thoughts would be: (put the car on flat ground for a start)
Camber - Have a straight edge resting vertically touching the bottom edge of the rim, use a spirit level to get the straight edge vertical and take a measurement the distance away from the top edge of the rim. Use these two measurements with trigonometry to calculate the camber setting.
Caster - you would have to use the same method as the camber but measuring against the edge of the strut housing where its closest to the front of the car. not sure it would be as easy, so im stumped on this one.
Toe - the only way I can think of doing this is using two ~3m long rods positioned in front and behind the car. put these rods and tie them onto a set of milk crates to hold them ~500mm off the ground. run a string line down each side of the car between the two rods, and make sure the strings are parallel to the car by measuring the distance between where each string is tied onto the rod - this needs to be the same for both the front and rear rod. then take a few measurements from the strings to the body work of the car (ideally to structural points). then take measurements of the front wheels from this stringline and set your toe measurements based on the stringline.

Not sure I've explained all that properly, but keen to hear how you have done it yourself.
cheers, Steve

[Konakid]

Check out some youtube vids. Ive done a few toe alignments using the string around the car and wheels method and they have been very accurate if you take your time to get the measurements spot on and keep the steering wheel straight.

Need to have a very slightly rear wider wheel track for this (can use spacers) and a car with live axle as the rears wheel should in theory have neutral toe whcih is what you base your readings off for the fronts.

[tottacrolla]

I had my toe set to zero at a shop and then I made my own cheap laser gauge using one of these cable tied to a 2" x 1" steel box section tube that is long enough to put across the tyre side walls. I then made a couple of "targets" that attach to one of the rear wheels studs each side.
Now I can quickly and accurately return to zero toe after any adjustments.