Homemade wheel alignment tools

Saw a big version of this for use on semi-trucks at work so I decided to copy it for my own use. It works great because on alot of rods you can measure the front of the tire but the engine or radiator interferes with the tape measure on the rear side of the tire.

To use it the car would be jacked up just enough so the front wheels would rotate. Then you could mark the tire where the pointer points, roll the tires degrees and measure between the marks. You would have to know the measurement between the pointers before you put it in place. Kiwi Kev , May 23, Joined: Apr 30, Posts: Profile Page. Not homemade, but I got it as a gift, so I think Eastwood sells 'em, but it would be simple enough to make one. Thanks you guys!

I've had to really exercise the brain to understand all this stuff and how your gauges work! I just have a couple questions for him. If you've gotten to the step above, you're looking at having the stick being tight in the back, and just barely moving between the front.

Vice versa on a front wheel drive " Don't you mean you want the measurement to be tight in front and looser in the back for toe in? From Longacre racing. If the front wheels point in, toward the engine, at the front edge of the wheels then you have toe in. If the front wheels point out at the front edge then you have toe out. Johnny , May 24, Goztrider , May 24, Joined: Mar 3, Posts: 9, Profile Page. Long Beach, CA. You got a picture of this whole tool? DrJ , May 24, Joined: Apr 5, Posts: 13, Profile Page.

Glad you brought this up about home-done alignments. I've said on other forums that it comes out perfect. Then there are so many "arm chair experts" who say I am an ass. All it is, is a spring loaded arm that has a needle that scribes a line on your tread. I place a long 1"x1" wooden stick on top of the cans, then mark the stick with a pencil where the tire line is.

Then move the stick to the backs of the tires and compare the difference Yes, it would be better to go up the tire higher using the jig that KiwiKev built, but when I worked in a truck shop using those, I always managed to bump the uprights as I tried to get it under the car Spend a little and they do a great job.

They stick to the exposed hub snout after you remove the grease cap. Plus, you need to mark four spots on your floor that have been checked for level..

The floor does not have to be level, because you can add appropriate wood spacer blocks under each tire, after you determine how much the 4 spots are off. I use a friends super long carpenter level on a long straightedge. Once you get that floor set up, then you can do all your friends cars. Joined: May 11, Posts: Profile Page. Johnny- I saw an email from HF and thought of your thread. TheMonkey , May 26, Thanks for all your help! I appreciate all the suggestions.

It was just difficult to do with my broomstick that I used and hard to see if the end was precisely at the scribe line or not. With the longacre tool I won't have to be under the car to measure toe in, and it looks like it will give very repeatable measurements, not to mention just plain easier. I also like that this one doesn't rely on attaching to the rim.

For caster I'm going to use the newspaper idea to turn the wheels. Johnny , May 30, Joined: Apr 7, Posts: 1, Profile Page. My homemade toe checking tool is made from two straight pieces of steel fuel or brake tubing from the parts store.

I cut off the flaired ends, and slid one tube inside the other for a telescoping gauge. I measured where the smaller tube ended inside the bigger tube, added a couple inches to the measurement, and drilled a small hole in the big tube. After I inserted a cotter pin in the drilled hole, dropped a spring inside the pipe, and then slid the small tubing inside the big one, I had a telescoping rod that I slip in between the tires or wheels if you wish. Make a mark with a felt pen where the two tubes meet, then carefully roll the car forward till the telescoping rod is at the rear of the tire stuck between the two tires and measure how much the tube moved from the mark.

That is my toe in. I'll try to dig it out and post a pic, but it may take me a while to do that. They probably still have them.

One nice thing about having your own bubble level, aside from convenience and saving money is being able to greatly reduce tire wear on your own when a local shop confuses normal, tight kingpin play with a loose ball joint and refuses to even get you into the ballpark with a quick adjustment.

Joined: May 28, Posts: 1 Profile Page. I know, old thread huh. So here are the pieces and steps. I have my front end all built now and need to align it. It has such a variety of parts that taking it to an alignment shop is outta the question.

There are alot out there. They are simple and not too expensive. But most of them work with wheels that have a lip to capture the arms. My wheels dont have a lip. So I was gonna have to make one for my wheels. I though about making one that would set on the spokes of the wheels. That was gonna be my first choice. Then I saw a hub mounted one from Longacre. That looked like the sweet setup. Theirs is a magnet mounted one.

No good for me, I have all aluminum. But I saw that my Wilwood brake hubs have a threaded dust cap. Loosening the locknut, turning the. Lower the wheel and repeat with the others. Our diy tools make it easy to accurately check the toe of your vehicle at home or at the track.

Quicktrick alignment diy alignment, quick wheel alignment, toe align. Solved wheel alignment software and drivers. Stringless wheel alignment for diyers. The first step to performing diy wheel alignment is to know when your car needs one.

This means that each front wheel must be inclined by 0. To get the runout correct:. To square up your string box, measure out from the center cap of each wheel and make sure the distance to the string is.

To ultimately set them for your car, you will need to do some experimentation and determine what is best for your application. Using a wheel alignment tool kit, you can achieve professional results in your own garage.

Wheel alignment tools for home 4th gen diy alignment. With a drop or two of red loctite on the threads, bolt the two plates together.

Homemade Wheel Alignment Tool. Free: Best Homemade Tools eBook. Wheel Alignment Tool. Homemade wheel alignment tool constructed from aluminum bar stock and threaded rod. Equipped with a laser pointer and a steel scale. Post a comment. Username: Password: OR Register. Nov 25, PM. DIYer says:.

This rig should be pretty easy to duplicate in terms of cost and use. Good one! Toe Gauge by rsquaredg.