vinuneuro

Has anyone here done the diy and then checked on an alignment rack to see how close it is?

slammed_93_hatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Has anyone here done the diy and then checked on an alignment rack to see how close it is?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Do you have rubber bushings in the car?

If so, and if you do the string correct, on flat level ground, with a non-stick surface for the tires, it will be close enough, within 1/32 of an inch

clem kevin

is there a tutorial for how to do this?

civexspeedy

i've done it a few times and ran my car over alignment plates and it passed. wasnt perfect but pretty close.

bsclywilly

I have verified the string technique with toe plates and the results have been within the degree of accuracy of the measuring tool. In my case, a tape measure in millimeters should net you an accuracy of +/- 0.5mm. At worst if it is 1 mm off, you are talking about approximately a 0.1 degree difference. Compare that to the tolerance range specified for your car...fyi, my EG has specifications of 0 +/-2mm toe-in front and 2 +2/-1mm toe-in rear.

Depending on what alignment rack you're working on, if you speak to a knowledgable technician, you may find that the accuracy of alignment racks can be a bit iffy as well regardless of what fancy laser, or what have you, measurement tools are used. This can result from out of level tire surfaces, sensors that are out of calibration, misalignment between the rack and the light source (for 'laser' types) and countless number of other eror sources, nevermind just the operator. I would personally trust the string technique more than the regular alignment shop because the accuracy is in control of the user and not the tools being used (assumin you know how to do the procedure correctly and know how to use a tape measure...not trivial things to some people).

D-SOHC 05

Well, Ive never done it but Im going to try it on my Nissan since I just did the balljoint today. My friend is going to teach me so I'll let you know how it goes.

Tyson

ive used longacre toe plates and confirmed it with a firestone alignment right after and was within 1/32.

now instead of using strings to align the rears to the fronts, i used the laser pointer method. its pretty simple and you use the longacre toe plates.
http://www.sr20forum.com/techn...39018


i bought this one for $30 on sale. i think its $35 right now.

works great.

Outrun

Couple of pics I took.

GI8U2racing

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ive used longacre toe plates and confirmed it with a firestone alignment right after and was within 1/32.

now instead of using strings to align the rears to the fronts, i used the laser pointer method. its pretty simple and you use the longacre toe plates.
http://www.sr20forum.com/techn...39018

works great.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I am looking for a cheaper way to do alignments also. I understand the camber method, but can you explain the toe measuring method, specifically how you know that you are parallel to the centerline of the car please?

Tyson

just as it shows in the pictures. you point the laser against the rear tire and shoot it forward. see how far it is from the front wheel's edge, say the axle end. record that measurement. then do the same thing on the other side. if theyre equal, no matter the value, the rear wheels are centered to the front wheels. if one side is pointing further away from the fronts, then you know which direction the two rear wheels need to adjust until they equalize.

badboyr66

Wow good thread

Kusai.Nihonjin.Desu

I've been told by a handful of people to start doing my own alignments; I always thought it'd be pretty complicated. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

clem kevin

the guy who does my alignments told me to start doing it myself hahahaha

vinuneuro

How do these guys do it in the pits. I'm sure the surface isn't perfectly level.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Outrun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Couple of pics I took.


</TD></TR></TABLE>

Voodooboy520

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How do these guys do it in the pits. I'm sure the surface isn't perfectly level.</TD></TR></TABLE>

It only needs to be level to do camber, stringing the car is to do toe. I made an alignment rack out of 2 pieces of conduit, some jackstands and string. Worked good enough for me.

Might have to try that L angle camber gauge... seems easier to use than some of the store bought ones.

coolhandluke

iTrader: (2)

Here is an old link without any pictures. It may answer some questions others have. I have yet to try this, but I really need to invest some time into this.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/267237

vinuneuro

Thanks.

One more question. The caster has to be matching very closely between the two front wheels for the toe measurements to be accurate right?

slammed_93_hatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How do these guys do it in the pits. I'm sure the surface isn't perfectly level.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd guess that for them toe doesn't change during the range of motion of the suspension

For your car that is absolutely not the case.

It might not need to be 100% level but it should be pretty damn level

vinuneuro

What about the caster issue? I'd imagine the front toe and thrust measurements would be off if the caster isn't the same no? Also, how do you get the the string box around the car to be parallel to the centerline of the car?

slammed_93_hatch

caster isn't adjustable on DWB hondas, it is what it is and you leave it (obviously if it is off a lot something is bent and should be investigated).


You get your self a tape measure and start measuring. Axel to string on both sides of the front wheels must be equal. and the same for the rear.

When measuring to make sure the thrust angle is zero just make sure that the measurements of the toe are the same. IE if you measure the the FW at the back edge of the rim on the driver side and come up with 2 and 9/32 inchs then the passenger side FW back edge of the rim should also be 2 and 9/32 inchs from wheel to string. ( This gives you zero thrust angle. And for the rear you do the same. Remember the front and the rear need to be treated on their own.

vinuneuro

The way you're saying to setup the string is relative to the wheels. How can that be accurate when those are the angles that need to changed. What I'm asking is how you prevent a situation of say LF/LR .25" toe in, RF/RR .25" toe out. The measurements will seem parallel- but they'll be to each other.

There's gotta be some accurate reference line such as the centerline of the vehicle. How do you get the string parallel to that though?

slammed_93_hatch

Maybe its the way i am explaining it, or something but you can get zero thrust angle the way i described.


the string is equal distance away from each wheel. If the rear lip measurement is the same on the passenger and drivers side you have zero thrust angle (assuming the steering wheel is straight.

An alignment rack uses the wheels too, nothing is really different.

vinuneuro

I wasn't talking about the thrust angle in the last post, was regarding setting toe.

vinuneuro

Alright nvm, I'm just being slow today. MS paint helped me figure out the error in my logic lol.

Btw, what does DWB stand for?

slammed_93_hatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The way you're saying to setup the string is relative to the wheels. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The axle nut is what you are measuring from, not the wheels.


You only measure string to wheels ones the string is squared to the car.


DWB= Double Wish-Bone