Well, measuring from the axle nut, fine. But how do you know it's square to the car?

Also, how do you know the steering wheel is perfectly centered before you set front toe?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well, measuring from the axle nut, fine. But how do you know it's square to the car?

Also, how do you know the steering wheel is perfectly centered before you set front toe?</TD></TR></TABLE>


If its not square to the car then something is bent/broken/twisted, and you have much bigger issues then alignment.

You sit in the car and center it, it isn't rocket science.


I did string alignments for 1.5 years at 5 to 7 races a year 10 or so times per race. We checked my string against the alignment rack once. It was the same measurements. The method works

 

No, my dilemma with setting the string of the hubs is that, the hubs are on the same plane as the wheels, no? So how is it accurate? I imagined you'd have to find the centerline off some chassis point(s) under the car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vinuneuro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No, my dilemma with setting the string of the hubs is that, the hubs are on the same plane as the wheels, no? So how is it accurate? I imagined you'd have to find the centerline off some chassis point(s) under the car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ok do it the way you think.

 

Not arguing with you. Just trying to understand what I'm thinking about wrong.

 

Heres how I do it. I got 2 pieces of conduit and filed a slot perpendicular to the pipe in both of them at the same time, so both were the same distance apart. Conduit looks like this:
--|-----------|--
...|_______|
.......(car)
....|______|
--|-----------|--

Step one is to make sure the conduit is parallel, you can do this with at tape measure. Then, you run strings through the notches down the side of the car. Even if the conduit is not perpendicular to the car, the strings are still parallel to each other. Then, you center the strings on the front and rear of the car by measuring from the center of the wheel on either side and nudging until they are equal. You'll find that the track front and rear is a little different (or at least its on the CRX), so the numbers won't be the same front to back. This is fine, as long as everything is equal side to side. You now have 2 strings parallel to the centerline of the car. Align accordingly.

Edit: I'm pretty sure caster is adjustable on the EF civic via radius rod. I'm a degree off on one side... gotta do some shimming.


Modified by Voodooboy520 at 4:47 AM 7/18/2008

 

I did the string alignment. The car tracks straight as an arrow. The steering wheel is off an inch or so. How do I correct that?

 

ok, did the string alighnment for the first time. I have been setting up honda's for a year but never stringed one before .

I was worried that i may have all the rear toe on one side or the other

Thanks everyone for the great explanations. It is one of thoes things that is not that complicated , but it just did not seem to make sense to me at first.

I forget who said it , but if you make a "box " around your car with the strings,,, then square it up ( make your strings parralell to each other, then to the car by measuring from the axles - and the front track is wider on my EG ) it all starts to make sense. I am just amazed at how square my car is.

also i dont know if it really matters, but I set all my wheels to the same camber before stringing. ( I used 3 degrees ) I wanted to make sure the differences in camber would not pull the hubs ( my measuring point for squaring up the box ) in or out and screw up my measurements

Thanks everyone


Modified by JuanTushag at 1:03 AM 7/26/2008

 

just wanted to share some pics:

My old Audi


Stringing up a Customer's 996 Cup car


Our Rolex 997 Cup Car in 07


And a Koni Challenge TSX