Worth it to buy nice alignment tools?

The title pretty much lays out the question at hand. What's out there to do your own alignments these days, and what's the cost for a decent setup? I would like to be able to measure and set camber, caster, and toe as easily as possible. I'm going to need 3 alignments in short order so I know that'll add up.

I've already got my floor measured to I can shim up the wheels to make the car sit level. I've done my own alignment once before with good results, but the time that went into it due to the tools I was using seemed excessive.

For the cost of a four wheel alignment, it's not really worth it unless you are going to make changes constantly. Especially on our cars because there is very little to adjust. Toe and camber unless you have camber plates. Rear adjustment with shims is a time consuming, complicated process and usually not necessary.
It takes me longer to set up a car on the alignment machine than it does to make the adjustments most times.
Just for fun, back when I had spare time, I've set camber using a bubble level and toe with a string as a sight line, then varified the adjustments with the alignment machine. It came out close enough for the alignment machine to consider it in spec.

I made my own toe gauge a few years ago. just used it today on my neon. used it on my van a few months ago.

its a piece of 3/4" EMT conduit with an aluminum pointer on one end wrapped around and riveted to the conduit. on the other end, i ground out the stop inside an EMT connector so it would slide on the conduit and i wrapped and riveted another piece of aluminum to that connector and i tape a piece of paper to the aluminum.

i bought a tire scribe on EBAY.

clamp steering wheel straight (harbor freight bar clamp and bungee cord)

jack up one wheel. put it in drive. set the tire scribe on the ground and scoot it into the tire. it scratches a precise line into the tire cause the tread isnt always straight.

put it in park. jack up other side and repeat.

slide the toe gauge under the car and measure the distance between the front and rear lines on the tire. since i have a piece of paper on the one side, i just draw a line for the front, and another for the rear and then adjust the tie rod till the line at the rear is now in the middle of the two original lines. then i double check the front and tighten the lock nut.

I made bearing plates from aluminum flashing, grease and two pieces of cardboard. worked mint.

camber.... smartphone and a 2x4.

caster... i never adjust that cause i dont have camber plates.

I can take pics of my stuff if you want.

Brian

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my toe gauge is similar in function to this. but simpler and cheaper.

Brian

Some pics would be great Brian.

I've done the string method and I've used a digital level for the camber before. I would really like something a little faster though. I figure there must be someone out there selling something for relatively cheap to get these jobs done.

I should add that I do have camber/caster plates on the CSX and there may be more to come so I do need to adjust for caster also.

Ok I'll try to snap some Monday. Tomorrow I'm busy all day.

Strings are a pain.

One guy online made a framework that straps to the rim and accepts tape measures and uses a digital level for 55$.
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/s...oe-Tool-for-55

I'm sure some modifications could be made to make it better.

Brian

When I used to work at Firestone you could buy a lifetime alignment for like $120. This one guy with a WRX would bring his car in weekly for an alignment change and never had to pay for it lol. Just the initial fee. They may still offer it.

I just use a tape measure and a framing square on a level flat floor.

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Originally Posted by cordes

Some pics would be great Brian.

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http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/ph...621_071813.jpg
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/ph...621_071719.jpg
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/ph...621_071746.jpg
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/ph...621_071840.jpg
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/ph...621_071901.jpg
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/ph...621_071912.jpg

Toe alignment tool and tire scribe.

i recut the pointer on the scribe to be more like a knife blade. it cuts a small groove in the tire rather than scratching it cause its much easier to see/find later.

the toe gauge gets aligned to the lines cut in the tire. the pointer/paper holder on the toe gauge are cut to length so that they are just about in the centerline of the wheel horizontally.

the ghetto gorilla tape/cardboard mounting stands for the toe gauge rock lol. i should remake them out of wood but they work. :)

I didnt take pics of my grease plates... cause every time i touch them i get grease everywhere lol.

Brian

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oh and the scribe is from ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Race-Tire-Scribe-Tool-/181597909271?hash=item2a48143117&vxp=mtr

Thanks for the pictures. Something like that wouldn't be too hard to make.

I use a tow bar and scribe at work very effective, cheap, and easy.

I've been wanting to buy some Longacre tools. They all seem reasonably priced and wouldn't take long to pay off with the price of alignments, at least around here.

http://www.longacreracing.com/

I made my own for the Daytona. http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/sh...l=1#post995541

I don't see the point of high, high precision, I do the 2x4 trammel bars, chalk marks, tape measures thing. It's said that if you get a "laser" alignment, go round the block and put it back on the machine again, you'll be lucky if it's +/- 1 degree of where it was ho hum "set".

Possibly on race cars with solid bushings and solid tierod ends some high spendy setup could get you "close" after a lap.

I just try and aim for the middle of what I want and if it's still inside the spec after a drive call it good.

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Originally Posted by turboshad

I've been wanting to buy some Longacre tools. They all seem reasonably priced and wouldn't take long to pay off with the price of alignments, at least around here.

http://www.longacreracing.com/

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I bit the bullet and bought a set of the Longacre deluxe toe plates (79505) a couple of years ago. They are a little pricy, but the extra bend at the bottom combined with the magnets to hold the tangs of the measuring tapes in place make them really easy to use when doing an alignment without a helper. I don't regret buying them at all.

I also picked up a Fastrax Caster/Camber gauge, and while it works OK, it doesn't clamp onto my Centurions (with either the standard tips or the "no lip" tips). The main thing I don't trust about it is the "set it on the ground next to the wheel and zero it" approach, as that doesn't necessarily account for an uneven floor, which could throw off your camber numbers. But the same issue is true for using a straight edge and a digital level. If I had it to do over again, I would skip the Fastrax and just go with the straight edge and digital level.

I always set mine at 0 toe and a 1/4" of negative camber using a framing square and a tape on a flat, level concrete floor. Has worked good on all my cars so far, handles good and wears evenly all round.

The Firestone lifetime alignments are $200 now, $175 if you have already purchased a lifetime alignment for a different car on your account.

$150 for a nice camber/caster gauge setup and toe is easy to set with a tape measure.

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Originally Posted by mopar-tech

$150 for a nice camber/caster gauge setup and toe is easy to set with a tape measure.

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I picked up the gauge and I'll be making some plates soon. I won't pay for an alignment again after this last time. My time isn't worth that much. I'm strongly thinking about buying a euro machine too so I don't need to pay for tire work.