Bad-T

Anyone do at home alignments? Just wondering what tools you guys use. and if anyone has used the Jim Fab toe/camber tools.

Heres some pics of them off the site.

zombie247

I got an alignment machine at school, free to use anytime.

Bad-T

thanks for the reply, but that doesn't help me at all.

Does ANYONE on here do it on their own? Or do u guys all pay $75-$100 everytime u need it done?

95sihb

Seriously I just finished installing my omni rear camber kit like 10 min's ago, And I'm not about to do a alighment job on my own, I would get it done by a specialty shop..... here is a link that I found , the pictures are no longer good but , the d.i.y is very helpful just spend the 100.00 and save your self the headache and tires
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=267237

awdriscol4

Wow....$100 for an alignment....its only 48.00 here....Id check around for a better price.....

95sihb

Trust me nothing in Hawaii is cheap...

jerseybrandon

Used longarce stuff at a raceshop I used to work at.. also used the string method taught by an old schooler.

The longacre stuff is just a fancier version of what you have there,

137

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95sihb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Trust me nothing in Hawaii is cheap... </TD></TR></TABLE>

sure the **** aint...

RyanD03

i wish

IP2GSR

Here is one link for you.

http://corner-carvers.com/foru...13211

There are others but that is a good reference.

nonsense

lots of guys on the RR/AX forum do their own.

https://honda-tech.com/zeroforum?id=19

Rtype16

Yep I use a tape measure and two pieces of angle iron.

NOok

If you are ever in Utah, our front end alignments are $29.99, 4 wheel are $39.99, and you won't get a better alignment anywhere.

t0p_sh0tta

You can do a front end alignment on a vehicle with an adjustable rear end and expect it to come out okay.

Firestone offers a lifetime alignment plan from 119-169 depending on when and where you go.

SMZ GSR

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bad-T &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does ANYONE on here do it on their own? Or do u guys all pay $75-$100 everytime u need it done? </TD></TR></TABLE>
I paid $120 ONE TIME and now have lifetime alignment So I have it done whenever I feel like, for free Look for a Discount Tire.

nonsense

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SMZ GSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I paid $120 ONE TIME and now have lifetime alignment So I have it done whenever I feel like, for free Look for a Discount Tire. </TD></TR></TABLE>

does the shop set the alignment to exactly what setting you want tho?

SMZ GSR

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nonsense &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
does the shop set the alignment to exactly what setting you want tho? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Honestly, I don't know because I've never asked them to since I haven't needed to change it to anything out of the ordinary.

racerx

Toe is the tricky thing to set because you need to go from the centerline of the car. I marked my subframe and use a tape measure but it requires two peolpe to get good results. I use a welders magnetic angle on the subframe when I'm by my self. I sugest getting a toe bar and tacking a rod on in the middle that keeps you on center.

jerseybrandon

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racerx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Toe is the tricky thing to set because you need to go from the centerline of the car. I marked my subframe and use a tape measure but it requires two peolpe to get good results. I use a welders magnetic angle on the subframe when I'm by my self. I sugest getting a toe bar and tacking a rod on in the middle that keeps you on center.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, if the alignment is correct now, or if you want to go and get it done just this time to get base toe settings you can record the distance measured between the outer of the tires on the front and then the rear. That sounded a little confusing... we used to use a toe bar (we used 0 toe so it was a little easier). ie: You measure from the leading edge of the r/f tire to the leading edge of the l/f tire. Then the trailing edge... you get it now. I hope.

Sorry if that was confusing.

Brandon

PS&gt; Since money is a factor, the alignment shop will not charge you nearly as much for a toe and go job. So no biggie there.

travis

My setup: https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=811387

.RJ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racerx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Toe is the tricky thing to set because you need to go from the centerline of the car. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I dont - it maybe the most 100% dead-nuts accurate way to go, but its certainly not neccessary to get a good alignment. Hell, I just eyeball it on my street cars

racerx

So everybody uses the strings method? What do you do if you need to make an adjustment? Tear down the jig and set it up again until you're done? I've searched this but only find people using various strings methods. I just see that as getting in the way of working on the car.

nonsense

you could buy (or make) one that allows the car to be moved back and forth or bounced while still retaining the strings. Like this:

http://www.pegasusautoracing.c...=3004

suspendedHatch

I use the string method with a toe board but I think that the leveling pads and home made slip plates are the most important part of my setup as far as accuracy goes. Forget trying to use a bubble level. You need a good toe board with rulers set in precisely. I've tried running tape measures under the car, they flex like hell and are U shaped, so forget accuracy. Besides, you have to measure perfectly parallel on each side of the tire. Remember, we're talking accuracy to the width of the markings on the ruler. I have two 7 ft 2x4s running the length of the front and rear bumpers, with nails set in them such that I can tie a string to one nail and aim it 90 degrees with the other, down the length of the car. The length of the strings has to be equal and the distance between the strings has to be equal at both ends. Then I measure out to two points on the rim using the toe board and taking track difference into account. For camber I used to measure out from the rim to a carpenter's square, but that doesn't tell you degrees, so I got a Smart Camber.

I guess all that only makes sense to people who do their own alignments. In other words, no, don't use that bubble level POS.

PupaScoopa

I've had descent luck with running a measuring tape under the car from the front then to the back edge of the tires. I use a angle iron piece of aluminum to the 90 deg end of the tape measure bites into that. I using masking tape to secure the tape measure to the tire before reading it on the other tire.

I built my own camber gauge. Imagine an inverted "T" The bottom has a plate that comes about a few inches and the top has a bolt which a plum bob hangs off of. This is made of 1" box aluminum and the plate is a 1/8" thick by 2" wide plate. I calibrated it from 0 degrees to -3 deg using a bubble level and some trig. The inverted T sits against the wheel and the plum bob points to my line designating camber angle.

If I get numerous requests on that DIY camber cauge, I can post a how-to-build article.

Remember any DIY alignment relies on the car being on a level surface.

I doubt I could get away with the "lifetime" alignment since I would be in monthly. I need a quick, cheap and relatively accurate way to get my car back to stock alignment after an autocross. I don't feel that a thenth of a degree toe in/out will make that much of a difference because the rubber suspension bushings in the least will deflect enough to vary the alignment specs all the time.